Find support for:
For a loved one
Helping someone you care about
If you're trying to help a partner, parent, or adult child consider treatment, you are already doing something hard. This page is for you — what you can do, what you can't, and what we can do together.
You can call us first
Many people who eventually become patients here first connected through a family member's call. You don't need their permission to ask us questions. We can:
- Talk through what you're observing and whether outpatient treatment is the right level of care.
- Explain the programs, costs, and insurance landscape so you can have an informed conversation at home.
- Help you find resources (interventionists, mediators, residential or detox referrals) if outpatient isn't the right step.
We can't share clinical information about an adult patient with you without their written consent, but a one-way conversation in your direction is appropriate and welcome.
What helps when you talk to them
From the experience of families we've worked with:
- Concrete observations over labels. "I've noticed you haven't been sleeping well and you skipped your sister's wedding" lands differently than "I think you're depressed."
- One conversation, not a campaign. Raise it, leave space, don't repeat it daily.
- An offer, not an ultimatum. "I'm happy to sit with you while you call" is often the move.
- Your own support. Loving someone in distress is hard on you too. Therapists who specialize in family work can help you stay regulated.
What we cannot do
We cannot force a competent adult into treatment. California has limited involuntary commitment options (a "5150" 72-hour hold via a peace officer or qualified clinician) for people who are an imminent danger to themselves or others, or gravely disabled. That bar is high and is not what outpatient treatment is for.
If you believe someone is in imminent danger, call 911 or take them to an emergency department.
When they are ready
When the person you care about is willing to make the call, our admissions team will take it from there. We'll often invite you to join the initial conversation or the family session early in treatment (with your loved one's consent) so you understand what's happening and how to support it at home.
Family therapy is part of our programming when it's helpful. Many of our patients ask their partner, parent, or adult child to join a few sessions during treatment.