"I can't thank you enough for the way BrickHouse has changed my life and my son's life. As you already know, this is a tough journey and having someone with true expertise helping one navigate is so invaluable.

I will never forget the impact of the video of Jason's mother's story the first time I saw it and and which still brings me to tears each time I view it. At the time, I waas probably in denial about my son's addiction to alcohol.

My son finally decided to give Brickhouse a try in August 2024. It was the beginning of many miracles in our lives. He is now a true advocate for the Brickhouse approach to helping people. I have loved seeing the change in him as he works to overcome his addiction and begins to find true happiness in his life again.

The year prior to my son's enrollment in Brickhouse had marked almost a decade of dealing with the challenges of alcohol's impact on his life, mine and his other family members. I know more now that PTSD was probably a contributor as well. I had purchased and read ""Unhooked"" some time ago, but until going through it as part of the Thursday 11 am zoom call, I was really missing the point that ""I was the one"" who was getting unhooked. I read the words and agreed, but they penetrated my heart differently when I started participating in the zoom calls in July 2024 -- which were my life line to sanity at that time. Learning to get off the beach and put on my emotional raincoat and stop enabling was pivotal for me. I learned that behaviors which I thought were loving and helpful needed to change. I began feeling like I had some solid tools, hope and a direction to begin making additional changes.

Continuing to attend the Thursday calls as well as the first 8-week class, the Masterclass and the support groups have continued to give me courage and clarity. I appreciate the vulnerability that occurs on the calls, that discussions are not idealistic but deal with real issues and real heartaches; yet, we are taught what and how we can go about making the things within our control better.

With the support of our Higher Power, Brickhouse has given us the skills and support needed to transform our lives and find hope for the future."

Karen North

"My Testimony of Healing and Hope

I found out about my son’s addiction much later than I wish I had. For years, he had been abusing alcohol, and he was very good at hiding it. When he finally came to my husband and me and admitted that he had a problem, it was heartbreaking—but also the beginning of hope.

We immediately began looking for help and resources. I started attending AA meetings with him, wanting to understand and support him in any way I could. A family member told us about Brickhouse, and that’s where our journey toward healing really began.

Early on, I read and listened to Jason Coombs’ book “Unhooked” many times. The first time through was so heavy—it brought up a lot of pain and guilt. But each time I reread it, took notes, and listened again, I began to feel a shift in my heart. I started to recognize how I could be a contributor to my son’s recovery rather than to his addiction. I began to see my own codependent behaviors for what they were—acts of fear, not faith.

Around that time, I started attending the weekly “Unhooked” family meetings, and I also joined CODA (Codependents Anonymous). I found a sponsor and started working the 12 steps myself. Having someone lovingly point out my blind spots was both painful and freeing. I began to see how my attempts to control, fix, and rescue—driven by fear—were actually keeping my son stuck, not helping him heal.

Looking in the mirror was not easy. There were many moments when I cried and prayed, asking God how to love my son without enabling him. I struggled to understand how to be Christlike while still allowing him to experience the painful but necessary consequences of his choices.

Over time, I came to realize that true Christlike love doesn’t mean rescuing—it means trusting. Trusting God’s plan, trusting the process, and trusting that my son was in God’s hands, not mine.

When my son finally accepted that he was powerless over alcohol, he became willing to seek help and turn his will over to God. After completing an inpatient program, he enrolled in the PCP outpatient program at Brickhouse. My husband and I were invited to attend the family class there, and that experience was transformative.

Our facilitator, Amy Peden, was truly inspired. She guided our group with compassion, wisdom, and strength—using her own experience in recovery to teach us with understanding and empathy. One of the most powerful exercises we did was learning to mentally and spiritually separate our loved one from their addiction; that we set boundaries to the addiction. That changed everything for me.

Amy helped me understand that setting and keeping healthy boundaries isn’t cruel—it’s actually one of the most loving things I can do. She also taught us about the neuroscience of addiction, especially how dopamine plays a role, and suddenly so many things started to make sense.

During one session, a former addict shared something that has stayed with me ever since. They said, “I have never seen anyone recover who had any form of rescuing or enabling in their life.” That hit me like a ton of bricks. In that moment, I made the decision to stop enabling and to truly surrender—to let God be God.

Through this journey, I’ve learned that recovery is not just for the addict—it’s for the family too. I’ve learned that knowledge brings power, and that boundaries are an act of love.

I am deeply grateful for Brickhouse, for Jason’s “Unhooked” book, and for Amy’s inspired teaching and facilitating of discussions. Most of all, I’m grateful to God. He is the ultimate Healer. I know now that He loves my son even more than I do, and that I can trust Him completely.

Knowledge is healing. Boundaries are love. And God is truly great."

~Anna R.