Helping Parents Guide Their Adult Children from Dependence to Independence
The Ableing Movement is a community and training space built around the Ableing Shift—a practical, research-informed way of communicating when serious mental illness and ambivalence make change feel impossible.
JOIN THE COMMUNITYWHAT IS "ABLEING"?
- Less pressure, more partnership.
- Less argument, more ambivalence explored.
- Less “fixing,” more ownership, and small, real steps.
The Ableing Movement is where the Ableing Shift lives—in a book, in live calls, and in a community of parents and professionals practicing this together.
Here you’ll find a book, live workshops, and a circle of parents and helpers learning how to listen differently, ask differently, and stay connected—without losing themselves.
THE LAUNCH ARC
One way the Ableing Shift comes to life is through the LAUNCH arc:
- Listen – Deep, complex listening that lowers defenses.
- Ask – Curious, non-pushy questions that invite reflection.
- Understand – Reflect their world so they feel seen and safe.
- Nurture – Support hope without over-rescuing.
- Coach – Collaborate on next steps they’re willing to own.
- Honor – Respect autonomy while staying connected and clear.
The book and community trainings unpack this in detail so it becomes second nature.
THE FRAMEWORK
What Is The Ableing Shift?
The Ableing Shift weaves together Motivational Interviewing, reflective listening, and lived experience with serious mental illness into a clear, repeatable way of talking that lowers defenses and invites change.
- You move from fixing and lecturing to listening and partnering.
- You learn how to respond to “I’m fine” and “I don’t need help” without escalating.
- You stop walking on eggshells and start walking with intention.
- You discover language that respects autonomy while still holding boundaries.
- You build a path out of stuckness—one conversation at a time.
FOR PARENTS
When Your Adult Child Says, “I’m Fine. Leave Me Alone.”
You’ve tried rules, consequences, rescuing, logic, pleading, and “tough love.” The Ableing Movement Community offers a different way—one that understands serious mental illness, anosognosia, and the deep ambivalence your adult child may live with.
The Problem
Stuck In Resistance
Every conversation about meds, treatment, or next steps ends in an argument, stonewalling, or shutdown. You feel like the enemy instead of an ally.
The Shift
From Pressure To Partnership
Inside the Ableing Movement Community, you’ll learn how to lower defenses, respond to “no,” and keep the relationship intact—even when you disagree about what needs to happen next.
Your Community
You Don’t Have To Do This Alone
Live calls, Q&A sessions, and a parent community mean you can bring real situations, practice new language, and be supported by others who truly understand.
Inside The Ableing Movement Community, You’ll Find:
- Monthly live coaching and practice sessions with Bob.
- Teaching drawn directly from The Ableing Shift book.
- Real scripts and “do-overs” for the conversations that keep you up at night.
- A private space where you don’t have to explain or justify how hard this is.
FOR PROFESSIONALS
Equip The People Who Are There After The Appointment.
Clinicians see individuals for minutes or hours. Parents and caregivers often carry the rest. The Ableing Movement helps you equip families with a communication framework that aligns with your treatment goals.
- Bridge the gap between what’s discussed in session and what happens at home.
- Offer parents practical language that doesn’t sabotage therapeutic alliances.
- Reduce high-expressed-emotion interactions that lead to relapse and disconnection.
- Integrate Ableing principles into psychoeducation, family programs, and support groups.
Training & Partnerships
Workshops and trainings can be tailored for:
- Community mental health centers
- NAMI affiliates & family programs
- Faith communities & caregiver networks
Social workers, peer specialists, and case managers
Interested in bringing The Ableing Shift and the Ableing Movement to your organization?
Email: [email protected]
THE BOOK
The Ableing Shift: The Book At The Heart Of The Movement
The Ableing Shift is where the framework lives in depth. It’s part story, part training manual, and part quiet companion for parents and helpers walking through serious mental illness with someone they love.
In these pages, you'll find:
- Real stories from families navigating psychosis, bipolar disorder, and deep ambivalence.
- Clear explanations of concepts like anosognosia and expressed emotion — and why they matter for everyday conversations.
- Step-by-step breakdowns of the Ableing Shift and LAUNCH arc, with examples you can adapt to your own situation.
- Reflection prompts and practice exercises to help you rewrite old scripts and try new ones.
- Guidance on when to step in, when to step back, and how to set boundaries that don’t destroy the relationship.
The Ableing Movement Community uses the book as a shared map—so whether you’re reading alone at your kitchen table or discussing a chapter on a live call, you’re not walking this path by yourself.
Stay Connected To The Ableing Movement
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WORKSHOPS & TRAINING
Learn It. Practice It. Live It.
The Ableing Movement isn’t just a set of ideas—it’s a set of skills. Workshops and trainings give parents and professionals space to practice, ask questions, and integrate the tools into real conversations.
For Parents
Parent Intensives & Groups
Live, small-group experiences where you can:
- See “old scripts” and practice new ones.
- Get coaching on your real conversations.
- Connect with other parents who truly understand.
The Ableing Movement Community will be the first place these intensives and groups are offered.
For Professionals
Clinician & Community Trainings
Tailored sessions for your team on:
- Introducing Ableing to families.
- Reducing expressed emotion in high-stress homes.
- Aligning family communication with treatment goals.
To explore a workshop or training for your group, email:
[email protected]
ABOUT
Meet Bob Krulish
Bob has lived on both sides of the mental health system—as a person with his own diagnosis, and as a guide to hundreds of families navigating serious mental illness in someone they love.
Bob Krulish is the author of When Screams Become Whispers and the forthcoming The Ableing Shift. He has been a trainer with NAMI Washington, a leader in family education, and a companion to parents facing some of the hardest questions they will ever carry.
As a NAMI award recipient and parent advocate, Bob has helped hundreds of families move from chaos to calmer, more connected conversations—without pretending that the pain or complexity of serious mental illness isn’t there.
The Ableing Movement and The Ableing Shift are his way of putting those hard-won tools into your hands: parents, helpers, professionals, and communities who refuse to give up on relationships, even when change is slow.
To contact Bob for speaking, training, or media, email: [email protected]
