Amen Brotha!

I would add that the "troubled" person needs to actually be able to feel the compassion...otherwise the "tough-love" comes across as "suck it up, bucko!" which is highly inappropriate unless you're dealing with a little kid who's merely looking for clear boundaries. This is usually not the case with addicts and troubled teens. There is pain that needs to be addressed/worked out, and there needs to be a safe/trusted place for that to happen.