Book Review for The Compassion Antidote by Catherine Taughinbaugh

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.

The Compassion Antidote, by Catherine Taughinbaugh, is a self-help parenting book about learning how to help a child diagnosed with alcohol and/or other substance misuse disorder. The book is separated into 4 parts. Take Heart begins with Taughinbaugh’s experiences of when she first discovered that her child struggled with substance misuse, and explains Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CARF), a technique based on therapeutic approaches such as Motivational Interviewing, Applied Behavioral Analysis, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Compassion delves into the importance of meeting with your child where they’re at, and the steps you take to build rapport. Connecting utilizes CRAFT to communicate with your child effectively and without judgment. Finally, Gratitude and Hope explores the importance of self-care and emphasizes the importance of providing to both your child and yourself.

There were times when I definitely could’ve used this book in my own counseling practice. More often than not, parents whose children are diagnosed with a co-occurring substance misuse disorder and mental health disorder usually aren’t equipped to help guide them, despite their best intentions. Taughinbaugh provides a framework for how these parents can best help, at the very least, build rapport with their children and influence them toward positive outcomes down the road. Additionally, CRAFT is an integrative approach that allows parents to tailor the approach to their child’s needs without sacrificing themselves. This definitely plays into the “incarceration without recovery” gameplay and how it will create a horrific cycle that lowers success rates. For Taughinbaugh to tell parents too that they are not to blame for their children’s substance misuse was a breath of fresh air; although a majority of people who have substance and/or alcohol misuse disorders have some trauma, that doesn’t necessarily mean they came from a broken home. 

Much of the language in this book reminds me of the professional jargon my coworker uses whenever we have family meetings. She’s a certified family partner, and she’s wonderful. 

While I agree with most of the author’s philosophy, I would’ve loved for Taughinbaugh to touch basis on other techniques like harm reduction so parents can breathe easier and be more knowledgeable about different therapeutic approaches. I know so many parents who, despite their best intentions, demand complete abstinence from substances that, at the time, aren’t believable (i.e. you can’t die from an opioid withdrawal, but you can from an alcohol withdrawal). Including a list of common substances misused and their side effects from withdrawal could also be beneficial for these parents.

That being said, I enjoyed this book and will be recommending this to parents and other caregivers. For now, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.