Need a therapist and an addiction counselor

Christyp

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I looking for a licensed therapist and an addiction counselor to interview. Your opinions/diagnoses will be quoted, and you will be referenced. I prefer not to use the whole anonymous thing so that I don't look like I'm making things up.

Please let me know if you're able to help me out. Again, your name will be credited, and if you'd like, I can provide links and/or contact info in my index.
 

alleycat

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You could call Cumberland Heights in Nashville and ask to interview a counselor. CH is one of the top treatment centers in the country (along with Hazelden and Betty Ford).
 

benbradley

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Those three centers Alleycat mentioned are 12-step based (using the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, etc.), as are the vast majority of treatment centers in the USA. Someone with the job title addiction counselor is almost certainly "in recovery" themselves and a member of a 12-step group. Google "twelve steps" to find the actual steps and learn what they're about. Look up the Minnesota Model - long story short, it's the common treatment procedure, having patients take the first five of the 12 steps during their (usually) 28 day stay.

Also, look up non-12-step alternatives, which have grown greatly in the last couple of decades:
http://www.google.com/search?q=non-12-step

One last note, Narconon (not to be confused with Nar-Anon) is a non-12-step treatment, but it's part of Scientology and based on Scientology's teachings.

If you can tell us, I'd like to know what you're writing.
 

buz

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Here is a list of people associated with a scholarly publication entitled "Psychology of Addictive Behaviors"; all of them, I'm guessing, are research psychologists who have studied the topic--you could try with some of them:

Editor

Stephen A. Maisto
Syracuse University
Associate Editors

Tammy Chung
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Rina D. Eiden
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Mary E. Larimer
University of Washington
Jeffrey S. Simons
The University of South Dakota
Mark B. Sobell
Nova Southeastern University
Consulting Editors

Antonia Abbey
Wayne State University
Clara M. Bradizza
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Jonathan B. Bricker
University of Washington
Kate B. Carey
Brown University
Patrick R. Clifford
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Craig R. Colder
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Marie Cornelius
University of Pittsburgh
Christopher J. Correia
Auburn University
Kelly Cue Davis
University of Washington
Kurt Dermen
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Mitchell Earleywine
University at Albany, The State University of New York
Kim Fromme
The University of Texas at Austin
Chad Gwaltney
Brown University
Sydney Hans
University of Chicago
Craig E. Henderson
Sam Houston State University
Gregory G. Homish
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Andrea Hussong
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kristina M. Jackson
Brown University
Jason R. Kilmer
University of Washington
Thad R. Leffingwell
Oklahoma State University
Carl W. Lejuez
University of Maryland
Melissa A. Lewis
University of Washington
Matthew P. Martens
University of Missouri
Denis M. McCarthy
University of Missouri-Columbia
James R. McKay
University of Pennsylvania
Jane Metrik
Brown University
Sonia Minnes
Case Western Reserve University
James G. Murphy
University of Memphis
Dan J. Neal
Kent State University
Clayton Neighbors
University of Houston
Jeanette Norris
University of Washington
Stephanie S. O'Malley
Yale University School of Medicine
Paige Ouimette
Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center
Kathleen A. Parks
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Alan L. Peterson
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Thomas M. Piasecki
University of Missouri
Janet Polivy
University of Toronto at Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Jennifer P. Read
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Gregory T. Smith
University of Kentucky
Paul R. Stasiewicz
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Robert L. Stout
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
Susan F. Tapert
VA San Diego Healthcare System and University of California, San Diego
Eric F. Wagner
Florida International University
Thomas A. Wills
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Ken C. Winters
University of Minnesota
Katie Witkiewitz
Washington State University
Mark D. Wood
University of Rhode Island
William H. Zywiak
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
Principal Reviewers


  • Arthur W. Blume
  • Brian Borsari
  • Steven Branstetter
  • Laurie Chassin
  • Jessica M. Cronce
  • Janine Delahanty
  • Jennifer Funderburk
  • Abby L. Goldstein
  • Rise B. Goldstein
  • Adam S. Goodie
  • Kevin M. Gray
  • Christian S. Hendershot
  • Thomas Johnson
  • Frances Kay-Lambkin
  • Debi LaPlante
  • Christine M. Lee
  • James MacKillop
  • Cynthia D. Mohr
  • Sarah E. Nelson
  • Roisin O'Connor
  • Megan E. Patrick
  • J. Kim Penberthy
  • John W. Welte


There is an entire department at the U of Washington:
http://depts.washington.edu/abrc/team.htm

Good luck...:) :)
 

archetypewriting

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I would recommend using ProfNet Experts to find your expert rather than just choosing names out of a journal or whatnot. Those are people used to dealing with the media and being quoted. (I've used it for years, as an expert.) It's free for the journalists.

Just make sure you are professional in interviewing. I've been interviewed by people who didn't know what they were doing, and it's frustrating to have to coach the interviewer on how to ask questions and record responses.

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/PRNJ.aspx

As an alternative, Psychology Today bloggers, most of whom are authors, researchers, and other experts are available for media contacts. Go to Psychology Today, choose the appropriate Topic Stream (e.g. addiction: http://www.psychologytoday.com/topics/addiction) and then read through some posts. If you are interested in a particular blogger, click on their profile (where it says Read More...) under their profile picture. Then scroll down on their profile to contact them about an interview -- there's a form.
 
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Christyp

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Benbradley, I'm actually working on a book about the effects of addicts on family, society, etc. Not, "oh, let's all hold hands and see how we can fix the addict". It's more about how addicts want us to treat them as sick or having a disease, when in reality it's a choice. Cancer patients never chose to put cancer in their body...a meth addict chose to put the chemical in their body.

I'm needing professionals in the field so I have different prospectives, and something to base some of my opinion on. I'm in no way an expert, just someone who has dealt with addicts since birth, and had to bury quite a few people due to overdoses. I tried to find something that catered to those of us around the addicts with no luck. It's all about breaking the codependency, or how to help them find help. I want a book that shows we're not alone, we're not responsible, and we're allowed to live good lives without feeling guilty. THese people don't have an illness, nor a disease. They made a bad choice, and continue to make that choice!!!!!
 

buz

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Oh dude, forget what I said, go with archetypewriting's advice. :)

THese people don't have an illness, nor a disease. They made a bad choice, and continue to make that choice!!!!!

I feel your anger, I really do, but again, I'd advise waiting until you have fully researched this to formulate such a strong opinion on the matter. Often the truth in difficult things is in the uncertain middle. :)

They did make a bad choice. But once an addict is addict...the ability to choose against it becomes insanely difficult. Yet, they're the only ones that can do it...
 

Karen Junker

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I was a caseworker for the welfare system for nearly twenty years and part of that time I handled the drug/alcohol caseload. I think you are viewing addiction in a different way than professionals in the field view it. Whether you agree or not, the addiction as disease model has been accepted for many, many years. Part of that disease is physical, part of it is emotional/mental. Blaming an addict for having the disease of addiction is as futile as blaming someone with diabetes for eating.

PM me if you want more information.
 

Christyp

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I just wrote a very long post and my stupid laptop ate it. GRRR! Let's try this again...
I think I'm confusing everyone. I'm not as interested in proving one side nor the other, though I want proof both. I'm writing about the consequences we - the family, friends, society - pay for their choices. I've watched others suffer the consequences of others' choices, and I've paid a lot myself.

Does that explain it better? buzhidao and I have chatted back and forth, so he understands why my brain is frazzled. It's amazing...I know what I mean. lol
 

Karen Junker

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I'm writing about the consequences we - the family, friends, society - pay for their choices. I've watched others suffer the consequences of others' choices, and I've paid a lot myself.

As long as you insist that an addict is making a choice, you are very much taking one side.

An addict is no more choosing to have the compulsion to drink or take drugs than a cancer patient is choosing to have their disease. An addict suffers from a disease and that disease is treatable. That family, friends and society face difficult issues in dealing with the addict is a fact, but it will not help to blame them for 'choices' when it is beyond their control. Only with intervention and the help of something outside themselves can an addict begin to make rational choices.

I recognize that you've had a hard time of it. There are organizations for the support of family and friends - Al-anon and Nar-anon, for example. Maybe you can find a local group and they can help you understand more about what you have had to face and how you can write about it.
 

benbradley

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Benbradley, I'm actually working on a book about the effects of addicts on family, society, etc. Not, "oh, let's all hold hands and see how we can fix the addict". It's more about how addicts want us to treat them as sick or having a disease, when in reality it's a choice.
Uh oh, you're paddling uphill! The "disease model" has been accepted for many decades now. The vast majority of people working in the "treatment industry" are 12-step members and believe strongly that addiction is a disease. It's not that "addicts want us to treat them as sick or having a disease" on their own - treatment centers TEACH them that this is so, and that they cannot recover unless they accept it as fact.

Despite the overwhelming number of people who will speak up to say "Yes, addiction is a disease, the addict is POWERLESS [Step 1 of the 12 steps] over drugs," there are books written that say otherwise:

Stanton Peele, Diseasing of America
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0787946435/?tag=absowrit-20

The Truth about Addiction and Recovery
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O9CG4E/?tag=absowrit-20

The first several books here (available for free reading online) are also good reading about the phenomenon:
http://morerevealed.com/library/index.html

In addition, there's the Orange Papers site:
http://orange-papers.org

I've got a lot more book titles. I've got my own memoir I should write, but if nothing else I should write a bibliography of the 12-step movement.

Yes, most say addiction is a disease, just like diabetes and cancer are diseases. But they'll only later tell you that it is a special kind of disease, a "spiritual disease" and the only way for remission (there is no cure) is to turn your will and life over to the care of God (Step 3).

One of the above might already be the book you want to write. I suspect you want to about the effects of 12-step treatment on family, society, etc.
 

Xelebes

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Alcoholism (or chemical abuse) is by no means a disease. It is a behaviour. There is an ailment called chemical dependency, but you only get that when you experience the physical symptoms of withdrawal. Detox is what undoes that.

Nothing more sad than having to go through Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with a couple people from the 12-Step Programs and having to 'de-program' them so that they can finally address what is triggering the abusive behaviour in the first place.

But that's only my opinion.
 

Christyp

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I apparently hit paydirt with this topic on this particular site! lol I do not believe it's a disease. You have to make a conscious choice to put a certain chemical in your body. I chose to pick up a cigarette and inhale. I have been a foster parent off an on for years, and my grandmother was a foster parent since before I was born. We have both had custody of children who were born drug addicted. The children I had custody of are at the oldest 20, while her foster children are all grown. Of the fifteen drug addicted (between the two of us), only two returned to drugs. This proves the whole "addicts have a disease and have no control" thing isn't fact.

However, I do agree we are all powerless without God, but as a Christian, that is something I believe through faith. I chose to quit smoking, yet I still want one. Because I have no power? No, because it's an old familiar habit which I did for twenty years. I don't really think about cigs until I'm around someone smoking, then the old habit kicks in and thinks it has to hold a cig between my lips. Nope. I made the choice to start, and I made the choice to stop.