Understanding Teen Addiction: Family Recovery Solutions with Susan Raphael

Join us as Susan Raphael, a mental health and addiction clinician, shares insights on teen addiction and family recovery. Learn about enabling vs. supporting, the importance of validating statements, and navigating the fentanyl crisis. Discover practical tools for parents and loved ones from her book, 'What's Wrong with My Teen?'

Addiction and mental health clinician Susan Raphael, ICADC, is the

founder and principal of Sustainable Recovery Counselling Services in

Toronto. Susan specializes in addiction and recovery. Areas of expertise

include treating individuals and families with a special focus on teenagers,

young adults and parents.

She is a referral clinician in the National Basketball Association,

NBA/NBPA Clinicians’ Network and is Internationally Certified by the

Canadian Addiction Counselors Certification Federation (CACCF), the gold

standard of addiction counsellors in Canada and Internationally.

Susan holds an honours degree from York University, and attended the

University of Toronto for graduate studies. Her lived experience with

addiction and long-term sustainable recovery add to her expertise.

🌐 www.SustainableRecovery.ca

📧 susan@susanraphael.ca

📞 416-271-1117

🔗LinkedIn Profile

📸 Instagram: @sustainable__recovery

YouTube: @susan_raphael

📚 Guiding Families in Addiction & Mental Health Recovery. Author of,

"What's Wrong with My Teen? Finding Answers to Teenage Addiction and

Family Crisis”.

You and your teen are in crisis. You don’t have to be.

You are not alone. There is hope. There is a solution. Packed with practical

strategies and step-by-step guidance that empowers you for real change,

What’s Wrong with My Teen? demystifies the complex interplay of

addiction, mental health issues, and typical teenage behavior. Learn the

secrets to empathetic, judgment-free listening. Acquire priceless tools for

engaging in difficult discussions, with sample letters and scripts for critical

conversations. Gain comprehensive techniques for establishing and

enforcing healthy boundaries. Discover the power of natural

consequences and compassionate language.

In What’s Wrong with My Teen? Susan Raphael draws on her vast

experience with families like yours. Finally—a clear, actionable plan for

navigating today’s greatest challenges and turning them into tomorrow’s

triumphs.

Available everywhere books are sold www.WhatsWrongWithMyTeen.com

📋 Resources for Parents and Caregivers

1. 📞 Families for Addiction Recovery (FAR – Canada)

What they do:

• National charity run by parents, offering peer support for families of

someone struggling with addiction

• Free parent-to-parent phone support (Individually or via Peer-to-Peer

sessions): trained parent volunteers using CRAFT/MI/ACT techniques

• Weekly online drop-in parent support groups

• Advocacy and public education on addiction and policy reform

Contact Info:

• Phone (toll‑free): 1‑855‑377‑6677 ext 207

• Hours: Mon–Fri 12 pm–3 pm EDT; Wed 7 pm–9 pm EDT

• Email: info@farcanada.org

• Website: www.farcanada.org

2.☀ Sunnybrook Family Navigation Project (FNP)

What they do:

• Clinician-led service for youth (13–26) and their families

• Provides expert guidance and connection to mental health &

substance‑use services across the GTA

• No referrals, no fees, no need for a diagnosis

Contact Info:

• Phone (toll‑free): 1‑800‑380‑9367

• Email: familynavigation@sunnybrook.ca

• Service Area: Greater Toronto Area

3. 🧭 HOPE (Helping Other Parents Everywhere)

What they do:

• Ontario-wide volunteer-run peer support for parents/guardians of

teens & young adults

• Weekly confidential support groups: virtual and re-opening in-person

• Peer phone support, workshops, and access to online tools

Contact Info:

• Phone (toll‑free): 1‑866‑492‑1299

• Email: info@hope4parents.ca

• Website: hope4parents.ca

• Fees: $50 one-time membership + $10 annual renewal (financial

assistance available)