Substance Use Therapy

New Course Available, 5.5 CEUs!

https://therapywisdom.com/integrating-harm-reduction-into-the-clinical-setting/?orid=143486&opid=67

I was so fortunate to collaborate with the Academy of Therapy Wisdom to make this course available.

The course covers key facets of working with addiction through a harm reduction lens, all with the intention of maintaining connection with our clients.

5 modules cover the following topics:
1. WHAT IS ADDICTION?
Understanding the historical impact of the war on drugs helps highlight the depth of the stigma faced in addiction. A review of the prevailing models of addiction helps you conceptualize addiction in a more realistic way, as well as see how various models and beliefs have contributed to both internal and external stigmas surrounding addiction.
2.DEEPENING OUR VIEW OF ADDICTION
Introduce addiction as a human problem rather than a drug problem. Understanding the research behind drug, set, and setting and how drug use may be considered adaptive from a biopsychosocial perspective.
3. INTEGRATING HARM REDUCTION INTO THE CLINICAL SETTING
Intro to harm reduction and the foundations of applying it in the clinical setting. Learn the therapeutic stance in harm reduction and non-binary approaches to change so you can implement a range of tools to serve clients wherever they are on the continuum of use.
4. DEEPENING HARM REDUCTION THERAPY
Helpful modalities and tools to bolster your work in addiction, as well as tools to assist clients in sustaining change.
5. MAINTAINING CONNECTION
In order to meaningfully be able to work with addiction, this module shares common traps to avoid so you can ensure you are using best practices. You’ll learn how to work with dual diagnosis, how to understand the nuance in substance use, and to work meaningfully to reduce stigmas. Additionally, key concepts like compassion fatigue, burnout, and helplessness are addressed.

Your wellbeing and safety are more important than abstinence.

There are no addicts. There are only humans struggling with addiction.

When we feel shame, we feel unworthy of connection. All that serves to increase the desire to use.
No one chooses addiction, but the desire to minimize pain is common in all humanity.

As Gabor Mate says, "the question is not why the addiction, but why the pain."

Let's create space for the gray areas--the nuance, the context, and the individual.

The idea that people should be encouraged to get worse before they can begin to get better is dangerous and misleading.
While some people do make changes after hitting their version of 'bottom', for others, the further they fall simply causes more hurt, trauma, and isolation.
People can be supported wherever they are on the continuum of use.
Everyone deserves compassion.

For anyone who has ever struggled with depression and anxiety, or has ever considered su***de, I highly recommend this book.

Matt Haig shares his own experiences in a way that humanizes mental health struggles. His words are relatable, and though he is talking about deeply serious topics, he has found a way to bring humor into his reflections of his experience.

***deprevention

The only way any of us make changes is that we feel empowered to do it. We need to empower clients, not teach them they are powerless.

People don't drink for no reason, and they don't drink just because they are "alcoholics."

People tend to have deep and meaningful reasons for the things they do.

Just because the outcome can be chaotic, doesn't mean the choice isn't logical to the person.

If you live in Texas & need support, visit us at www.substanceusetherapy.com