The Rippling Effects: Living with a Loved One’s Substance Use
The rippling effects of substance use cannot be calculated but the evidence is clear. Family members and loved ones are challenged by the extensive physical, psychological, and spiritual chain reaction. Nancy Espuche wrote KardBoard House: My Life Altering Journey Through Lucas’ Addiction following the death of her son Lucas on December 19, 2016. As she encountered the lack of education and understanding in the workforce, enduring the growing stigma and shame, she became keenly aware of the limited availability of guidance, resources, and support in the professional world.
It took a while to comprehend that this journey of survival required the minds and hearts of fellow travelers and the compassion, empathy and support from legal employers, business leaders, community organizers and educational professionals. Nancy addresses the critical need for employers to identify the unmet needs of their impacted employees. She also shares tales of her story, highlighting an unbreakable bond and the profound realization that only Lucas and not she, had the power to change the course of his life. Her mission is to stimulate change, offer a new perspective, spark momentum and trigger a cultural shift in support of an organization’s members.
Speaker :
Nancy Tiegel Espuche is a speaker, mother, author and advocate sharing her experiences nationally to audiences. Her goal is to break the silence of a loved one’s addiction and inspire those in charge to initiate strategies and open the dialogue. She is the author of KardBoard House: My Life-Altering Journey through Lucas’ Addiction to give voice to Lucas and his struggle for recovery. She offers a personal view about the power of addiction, he complexity of the human condition, and the reminder, that despite all the love, no one can chart the course of another’s life no matter how hard they try.
Lawyer Assistance Program, Eileen Travis, Executive Director
Lawyer Assistance Program Committee, Priscilla Lundin, Chair
