The best way to combat addiction is
by setting goals for yourself.
—Marc Lewis, PhD; Neuroscientist & Author
RESOURCES
Welcome to my personally-vetted Resources page where you’ll find info on treatment services as well as organizations dedicated to changing social policies on addiction and mental health as well as alternatives to support from 12-step groups - & not because I’m against 12-step but because we all know about it. And as the Drs. Wilson & Barnes state so well, “There are real “tools” that actually work. Approaches based on 50 years of research and readily available to skilled professionals and their clients. These include: brief interventions; CBT; medical support[s]; assertiveness training; diet and exercise factors; motivational enhancement and maintenance; social and recreational options; vocational and educational evaluation and opportunities; and couples’ considerations…According to the U.S. National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) AA and 12 Step based treatments don’t even make the top 30 approaches when it comes to effectiveness.”
Treatment Services
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http://thehabitdoc.squarespace.com/: The Habit Doc. Clinical Director Dr. Marc F. Kern is the developer of Habitdoc.com and The Moderation Management Movement. He has an altruistic, no shame, unique approach of boutique style therapy of professional addiction services that offers concierge level care for each client. Dr. Kern has been working in Harm Reduction since 1983 and practices what he preaches.
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https://www.practicalrecovery.com/: Practical Recovery. Founded by Director Tom Horvath, PhD, co-founder of SMART Recovery, Tom is an original harm reductionist! “We offer non 12 step rehab in San Diego, which includes drug and alcohol outpatient addiction treatment, and an innovative alternative to inpatient rehab, the IIOP...Do you see yourself as powerless? We don’t! …Once you accept that idea, you follow the same 12-step path everyone else follows. It works for some, but Practical Recovery offers an alternative: a self-empowering, truly personalized approach. In fact, Practical Recovery, established in 1985, is at the forefront of developing and implementing the self-empowering approach.”
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www.centerforoptimalliving.com: The Center for Optimal Living. Harm Reduction Psychotherapy and Training. Dr. Andrew Tatarsky's New York City organization offering psychotherapy, counseling and professional training in an integrative approach to harm reduction psychotherapy for the broad range of drug and alcohol problems.
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www.motivationandchange.com: The Center for Motivation & Change (NYC). Drs. Jeffrey Foote and Carrie Wilkens (authors, Beyond Addiction) website for science-based treatment for individuals and families.
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https://www.igntdrecovery.com: IGNTD Recovery is Dr. Adi Jaffe’s program for a new shameless take on recovery from addictions
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http://www.sevenchallenges.com/: The Seven Challenges, for Adults and Teens. “The Seven Challenges program is based in the belief that people deserve comprehensive counseling to help them identify and work on problems in their lives, including drug problems. In addition to the personal and family issues that people face, they often live with racial, gender and social inequities. All too often people with drug problems are grappling with trauma and mental health issues as well. Seven Challenges helps people improve their lives through respectful, client-focused and holistic counseling.”
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https://lifeprocessprogram.com/: Life Process Program. Completely online-based recovery program for addictions. Developed by Stanton Peele, PhD, JD. “The life process online recovery program is broken down into eight parts, or modules, which consist of video files and reading material prepared by Dr. Peele and exercises relevant to the topic of that module.” And check out Stanton’s co-author, Zach Rhodes, podcast, The Social Exchange for many, many informative & entertaining interviews with experts - including me. https://thesocialexchange.libsyn.com/
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https://www.non12step.com/: Founded by Drs. Edward Wilson & Mary Ellen Barnes & completely non-12 Step. “You know you don’t want to be forced into a cult, labeled, stigmatized, or reduced into being less than you are. You may have gotten derailed by events, mistakes, or circumstances in the past, but you are not powerless. And you can eliminate alcohol as the central focus of your life. How? When you focus on improving your life in a deliberate and guided manner — instead of on your drinking — the positive changes will come naturally.”
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https://www.jointempest.com/: Tempest. Founded by Holly Whitaker. A modern take on an alcohol recovery program from the author & former director of a health tech start up.
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https://thisnakedmind.com/: The Naked Mind: Control Alcohol. Website of Annie Grace based on her best-selling book of the same name. “This Naked Mind works by ending the conflict between your conscious desire to drink less, and your unconscious belief that alcohol is beneficial.” Another modern look at alcohol and recovery from drinking problems.
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https://jenniferfernandezphd.com/: Dr. Jennifer Fernandez & Associates. Jennifer is a harm reductionist psychologist in SF whom I consider a friend. “Our therapeutic style is compassionate and non-judgmental, but we will also be direct and challenge you to deeply examine your choices. One of our main objectives is creating a safe, confidential environment where you feel comfortable to explore your choices. Collaboration is the best approach to substance abuse treatment: you are the expert on yourself and we act as a guide to help you get in touch with your true needs and desires.”
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https://checkupandchoices.com/drinkers-checkup/: Reid Hester, PhD, is a professor and researcher at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, as well as Motivational Interviewing practitioner, and a friend to both harm reduction and 12-Step. Check out this website for more on his innovative assessment tool and more!
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https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/: Rethinking Drinking. This is a free anonymous assessment & informational tool from the National Institutes of Health. “For anyone who drinks, this site offers valuable, research-based information. What do you think about taking a look at your drinking habits and how they may affect your health? Rethinking Drinking can help you learn more.
For Families & Others Who Love Those Who Problematically Use Alcohol/Other Drugs
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www.familyaddictioncoach.com: Patrick Doyle, LCSW. Patrick's services are focused on coaching for families with a member-loved one who has a substance use disorder. Patrick has been doing this work for 30 years.
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https://www.heartofawarriorwoman.com: Heart of a Warrior Woman. This organization, founded by Kathleen Cochran and Allyson Aabram, is focused on helping moms with kids who are in the journey of addiction and recovery. “Warrior Women are from every walk of life and relentlessly fight to reclaim their children lost in the depths of addiction. They channel their energy to meet the demands of everyday life, while journeying through the viciousness and unpredictability of the battleground.”
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https://cathytaughinbaugh.com/: Cathy Taughinbaugh, Certified Parent Coach. “As a result of her journey with her own child's drug use, Cathy, a former educator founded CathyTaughinbaugh.com and became a certified coach in order to help parents and partners who are struggling because of their loved one's substance use.”
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www.fds.org.au: Family Drug Support (AUS) & https://fds.org.nz: Family Drug Support New Zealand. Founded by Tony Trimingham (AUS) .
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https://www.smartrecovery.org/family/: SMART Recovery’s online support for friends & families!
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https://drugpolicy.org/resource/safety-first-reality-based-approach-teens-and-drugs. Drug Policy Alliance curriculum for Family & Friends: Safety First. This is the best accurate materials for drug education available! Called a "reality-based approach", Safety First is also available in several languages other than English.
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https://www.robertjmeyersphd.com: Robert Meyers, PhD. Developer of CRAFT (Community Reinforcement Approach & Family Training)
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https://alliesinrecovery.net/. Allies in Recovery is a support group and information center that uses CRAFT.
Support Groups /
Alternatives to 12-Step
(live &/or online. Please check individual websites for COVID updates & scheduled reopening to live support)
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https://hams.cc/: HAMS for Alcohol Support. HAMS, or Harm Reduction, Abstinence and Moderation Support, was founded by Kenneth Anderson and is based in NYC. I believe HAMS is the first online harm reduction site for support to anyone seeking help with changing their relationship to alcohol. “HAMS is a peer-led and free-of-charge support and informational group for anyone who wants to change their drinking habits for the better…HAMS supports every positive change. Choose your own goal - safe drinking, reduced drinking, or quitting alcohol altogether.” Online & live meetings.
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harmreduction.works: (https://linktr.ee/hrw; meeting schedule)
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https://www.buddhistrecovery.org/: A Buddhist path of recovery to which all are welcome.
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www.smartrecovery.org: SMART Recovery also has online support for families!
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www.womenforsobriety.org: Women for Sobriety. For women only based on positive change using meditation, groups, nutrition and more.
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www.lifering.org: Life Ring is based on the "3 S's": sobriety, secularity, and self-help.
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www.moderation.org: Moderation Management. The original free support group for those who want help moderating their alcohol use or are curious about such. Some members are also working on abstinence!
Sites for Harm Reduction Information & More
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https://www.betterwithoutbooze.com/: Better Without Booze. A fairly new site with lots of information on drinking without alcohol. Founded by Joy Manning who is NOT a professional in the field.
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www.HRH413.org: Harm Reduction Works & HR Hedgehogs. Lots of good info!
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www.anypositivechange.org: The web site for Chicago Recovery Alliance, one of the nation's largest needle exchange programs founded by the late Dan Bigg.
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www.harmreduction.org: This is the national home site of the Harm Reduction Coalition. Go here to find out the latest on what's happening in harm reduction.
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drugpolicyalliance.org: This is the home of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) whose new Executive Director is Maria McFarland Sanchez-Moreno. DPA is the nation's leading organization working to end the war on drugs and more.
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motivationalinterviewing.org: Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). This is the site for further information on MI as well as to find the latest research and to search for a MINT trainer in your area.
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www.drcarlhart.com: Website for Activist, Professor & Author, Dr. Carl Hart. “I am committed to the people who are sick and tired of seeing their tax dollars being used to fund unethical people, which ultimately perpetuates social inequality and does not lead to effective drug policy. A key element of my approach is the use of empirical evidence to guide public policy, even if it makes us uncomfortable. If we do this, we could have more humane and effective drug and criminal justice policies, and a healthier and happier society overall.”
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https://www.memoirsofanaddictedbrain.com/: “Marc Lewis, PhD, is a neuroscientist and professor of developmental psychology. He has authored or coauthored more than fifty journal articles in neuroscience and developmental psychology. Presently, he speaks and blogs on topics in addiction science, and his critically acclaimed book, Memoirs of an Addicted Brain, is the first to blend memoir and science in addiction studies. His newly released book, The Biology of Desire, debunks the currently popular disease model of addiction.”
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www.centerforclinicalexcellence.com: ICCE - The International Center for Clinical Excellence. This is Scott D. Miller's website and organization. Find info on FIT and other feedback measures here.
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www.betteroutcomesnow.com: Barry Duncan's website for his work on outcome measures and more. Full of great articles, info on trainings, and his outcome measure PCOMS (now an evidence-based practice) can be found here.
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https://www.actbeyondocd.com/: ACT Beyond OCD. Created by author & ACT/OCD expert, Patricia Zurita Ona, PhD, ACT Beyond OCD is a brand new, completely online class based on Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) + Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related conditions.
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https://www.theinnercompass.org/: Laura Delano is someone with lived experience in mental health who created an amazing website and organizations to help others. She has been an invited speaker to psychological conferences all over the world. “We believe that within each and every person lies an innate wisdom — an “inner compass”. This wisdom, when listened to, helps us to navigate the difficulties of being human. But the mental health industry, with its medicalized model of “mental illness” and “mental health”, its pharmaceuticalized and institutionalized standards of care, its massive promotional and public relations apparatus, its legalized authority, and its professionalization of help, has influenced many of us to ignore and lose touch with this inner wisdom….Inner Compass Initiative strives to contribute towards everyone reclaiming wisdom, knowledge and power, both within us as individuals and between us in our relationships and communities. We work to support individuals to engage in curious, critical, independent self-education and inner exploration, and collectively, to help develop more interconnected, empowered and resilient grassroots communities.”
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https://ancestralhealthcentercalifornia.com/: Laura Leite, Ancestral Health Center/ Nutritional Counselor. This is the person I credit with helping me make significant changes to my nutrition in the past year which has resulted in far less inflammation and more energy than I’ve had in a long time. Laura is part of the ADAPT: FUNCTIONAL AND EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE TRAINING BY KRESSER INSTITUTE team and works online globally.