Lisa Farrell has been the director of sales in the hospitality management business for decades, helping hotels and their guests have top-notch experiences. She is also a longtime life coach, helping people discover their true passions and live the lives of their dreams.
In 2020, her son came to her asking for help: He was suffering from an opioid addiction. “That started our Brutiful Journey,” explains Lisa, who began using all of her skills to help him — and her entire family — cope with difficult realities. What she discovered in the process changed her view of what it means to be a loving and supportive mom.
Lisa shares: “Trust your gut, endless sources say. However, when it comes to your child or loved one battling an alcohol or drug disorder, many times, we stay in denial. I did. It was easier to ignore and pretend that my child’s substance use disorder was manageable and would go away because he knew better. We parents are so good at dismissing and pretending things are not as bad as they appear when it comes to our child. Things can’t be that out of control, because we can fix everything for them. Right?”
Lisa says she learned a difficult parenting lesson: It wasn’t her job to fix anything. That is her son’s job.
“It was nearly impossible not to want to help him. I spent countless hours negotiating with myself, with God … But only when my son was ready to confront his substance use disorder head-on was he ready for change. Every day, for years, I knew I could lose him. Every day, I went through gyrations on how I’d cope if that horror happened. But then a magical moment happened. My son took charge when it became clear to him that only he could make this life-saving change. That is when he began his work.”
Lisa says her son focused 100 percent of his energy on his recovery. With the assistance of a supportive community, self-care, and incredible determination, he is now living a beautiful, purposeful life, guiding others on their own sobriety journey.
For Lisa, her goal is to share her insights and hard-earned wisdom with other families coping with their child’s addiction. To be prepared to assist others:
- Lisa has completed training to become a peer recovery specialist, certified by the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services.
- She travels nationwide to speak to parent groups, schools, and support organizations so that they can know they are not alone in their journey.
- She also conducts one-on-one coaching sessions to guide family members struggling with a loved one’s addiction.
- Click here to contact Lisa.
Coming in 2026: Inkandescent Publishing is thrilled to share Lisa’s workbook, Our Brutiful Journey: A journal to assist in the healing process.
“We are all seeking ways to hold on to hope and find joy when struggling with a loved one with addiction issues,” she knows. “Like me, I am honored to help others know that we learn the 3 Cs.”
- As parents didn’t cause it
- We can’t control it
- And we can’t cure it
“We learn that addiction is a disease, and our loved one did not ask for this. We learn why some people can have that drink or take that pill and not become addicted, while others can’t. This is a brain disease.”
And, there is so much more that Lisa will share on her BeInkandescent magazine column.
- In the sidebar on the right side of the page, you’ll find more insights from Lisa’s upcoming workbook, as well as stories, studies, and statistics that she hopes will provide education and insight into the Brutiful Journey you are on.
- Stay tuned for more!
Fun Fact: Lisa loves to sing and finds belting out a good tune to be very therapeutic! She may just pen the lyrics to a tune that you can sing, too!
Remember this: “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller