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Handbook of Alcoholism Treatment Approaches: Effective Alternatives (2nd Edition)

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Well researched and well written. If you work in the field of addiction treatment you have an ethical obligation to read this book. If you are contemplating seeking treatment, you should know what you are getting. "Caveat Emptor, let the buyer beware" should be the warning posted at the entrance of most addiction treatment centers in the US. This book offers the most up to date research which strongly suggests that traditional treatment in the US maybe worse or no better than no treatment at all. It has chapters outlining effective alternatives such as Brief Solution Focused Therapy, Community Reinforcement Approach, and Social Skills Training. Frankly if you are an addictions professional in the US and haven't read this book or understand this material, you should read it or go get a job selling used cars.

If you are in the field of Substance Abuse, this is a must read. For decades confrontational style counseling has been the norm in Substance Abuse. There are finally studies to show that confrontational counseling does not work, it actually harms the client. This books points towards treatment methods that have been shown to be effective. These methods have been researched thoroughly by some of the most credentialed people in the field. Many counselors do not want to let go of the confrontation style of counseling even though research shows that it is ineffective. Unfortunately, many of these counselors are bringing their own issues into the counseling relationship, and they need the authoritarian style counseling to met their own needs. This book reviews many different modalities of treatment, and how to incorporate them into your practice. It is one of the most up to date books available to the professional in the substance abuse field. As professionals we should all practice ethically, and that means keeping up to date on the latest research in our field. That way, we are acting in the best interests of our clients. And isn't that the most important goal in the end?
READ THE BOOK!