The Chemically dependent

About this book

How best to treat the chemically dependent? What combination of psychological, biological, and social theory will translate into the most effective clinical approach to treatment? Are recovery and relapse prevention even reasonable goals? Editor/author Barbara Wallace has called upon 23 highly respected colleagues to provide access to the latest thinking from the front lines of the addictions field; together, they offer clarity and hope in an area often overwhelmed by confusion and frustration. The concept of phases of treatment for specific phases of recovery - the linchpin that holds the overall framework of the book together - stipulates that knowledge of the particular phase of recovery being negotiated by the client should dictate the appropriateness of a specific treatment modality. Whether inpatient, outpatient, or long-term residential therapeutic community, the decision, then, is made based on where the client is in the recovery process, rather than on one "preferred" approach. In Part I, Dr. Wallace lays the foundation by delineating the core concept, explaining the utility of an integrated theory drawing from a biopsychosocial approach, and underscoring the integral component of relapse prevention at every stage of recovery. In-depth discussions of progressive contemporary treatment modalities follow: inpatient (for the first phase of recovery), intensive outpatient, and the therapeutic community. Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic approaches come to the fore in Part II, beginning with a valuable synthesis of historical and current perspectives. Contributors then off…

Themes & subjects