You are your loved one’s best chance at recovery.
The Loving Path was born from a simple but radical belief: family members do not have to choose between saving themselves and supporting the person they love.
Meet Bev Buncher
When addiction enters a family, the traditional advice often sounds the same: detach, walk away, let them hit rock bottom. But for Beverly A. Buncher, MA, PCC, CBFRLC, CTPC, that advice wasn't enough.
With over 30 years of personal family recovery experience, Bev learned early on that traditional "tough love" often shattered relationships, while rescuing only kept everyone sick. She credits the methods she developed for saving her own marriage not once, but twice.
Combining her personal journey with an extensive background as a professional coach, teacher, and educational administrator, Bev created the Be A Loving Mirror® (BALM) method. She realized that by getting their own lives back, prioritizing self-care, and learning to communicate effectively, family members could stop contributing to the addiction and start contributing to recovery.
Today, Bev is recognized as a revolutionizing force in the field. Through her book, BALM: The Loving Path to Family Recovery, and the ongoing community she has built, she brings practical, evidence-informed tools to families worldwide.
What We Stand For
Our Mission: To help all families blaze the trail to recovery in their homes.
Our Vision: We imagine a world in which every family has the mindset and skills to help them blaze the trail to recovery in their home—and every loved one with a substance use disorder has the opportunity and support they require to build a lifetime in recovery, one moment at a time.
A New Way to Navigate Recovery
For years, families have been told they are powerless. But The Loving Path teaches that while you cannot control or cure a loved one's addiction, you can contribute to their recovery.
Change happens in stages
Recovery is a process, not a flip of a switch. We teach families how to recognize the stages of change so they can learn to meet their loved ones exactly where they are.
Calm is power
Upset is weakness. By learning to regulate your own emotions and respond rather than react, you have the power to change the entire atmosphere of your home.
Boundaries are the limits of love
A healthy boundary is not an angry threat or a punishment. It is a necessary means of protecting your needs and allowing yourself safe space in the middle of the chaos.
Connection is key
You are connected to your struggling loved one on a level much deeper than their struggles. We teach you how to honor that connection without enabling the disease.
You don’t have to walk this path alone.
We know that reading a book or attending a weekend workshop isn't enough to sustain long-term change. Healing happens in community. The Loving Path Community is a dedicated, ongoing space where families can access structured education, live weekly support, and the shared wisdom of others who truly understand.
Join the Founding Community