Consider the epidemiological data and the clinical challenges of treating patients who evidence concurrent comorbid psychiatric diagnoses of PTSD and Substance Abuse Disorders (SUDs). As summarized by Brady et al. (2009), Mueser et al. (2003) and Ouimette and Brown (2003):

A majority of patients (80%) seeking treatment for SUDs report having experienced intense trauma.
Approximately 50% of [...]

The mind of an addict is like an untamed horse, running wild
and full of emotion; it cannot be controlled. DBT and 12-Step
work tames that wild horse, bringing the mind into focus and
regulating emotions.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has found its way into addiction treatment. Originally developed as a therapeutic tool for women diagnosed with Borderline Personality [...]

Co-authored by:  Terrence T. Gorski, M.A. & Wayne Blampied
We live in a time when the need for addiction treatment has never been greater and in an era where technology has the potential to improve the human condition as never before. Unfortunately, this potential is not being fully used in the treatment of addiction and concurrent [...]

Wilhelm Reich was a student of Freud, who departed from psychoanalysis and proposed a different treatment approach called “Psychiatric Orgone Therapy.”
Many of Freud’s disciples departed in different ways from Freud. Most moved away from certain aspect of Freudian theories, while elaborating on other aspects. Jung, for example, elaborated on the theory of unconscious and extended [...]

Thirty years ago, when I first started working in addiction treatment, the average patient was middle age, white, male, employed, with intact family and alcoholic.  At the time, about 15-20% were women, usually alcohol and/or Valium addiction.  The patient population was usually late-middle to late stage alcoholic, often had prolonged and medically challenging detox and [...]

It’s no secret or surprise that the economy is taking its toll on the addiction treatment business. It can be felt at recovery facilities everywhere. Some are shutting their doors after years of doing great business. Some are just barely hanging in there. Some merely have experienced a slowing in business but are doing fine. [...]

As the author of Global Criteria: The 12 Core Functions of the Substance Abuse Counselor- Fifth Edition, I believe in keeping concepts about the core functions simple and easy to understand. You already know the 12 Core Functions. The function of Reports and Record Keeping is involved in all of the other eleven core functions.
For [...]

Why do we so often feel better after attending a twelve step meeting? Why, even on days when we don’t have any huge “ahas” do we still know we are somehow better off, calmer and more balanced emotionally just because we had our “soles” in the room?  Some of that answer lies in neurobiology. Because [...]

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In my previous article I discussed the cultural forces that predispose us for addiction. At the risk of sounding paranoid I believe there is a cultural conspiracy against the development of our true-self. Our culture is not wise. On the contrary it emphasizes materialism, “having”, over a more spiritual focus on “being.” We are out [...]

During the long trek toward sustained sobriety, persistent and sustained boredom is unquestionably the feeling state that the average person struggles with most, and it is the affect that relapsed addicts invariably cite as the primary reason for succumbing to the temptation to use again. In short, when it comes to the avoidance and management [...]

In this article I want to discuss how our culture sets us up for becoming an addict. Before I do it’s important to realize we are all in a trance. We are hypnotized by our culture. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it just is the way things are. It happens in every culture. [...]