Disclaimer: Nothing in this document should be taken or held as clinical instruction, clinical supervision, or advisory concerning patient care. In this work I’ll share three techniques for addiction counseling I’ve picked up over the years. These techniques can help addiction counselors improve the flow, rhythm, and feel of their addiction counseling. I’ll name the techniques, … Continue reading Three techniques to improve the flow, rhythm, and feel of addiction counseling
Author: Brian Coon
Self and Others: Recovery Trajectory and Its Shifting Emphases
4 actions each day I posted some time ago about 4 actions to take each day for those just starting in treatment. In the long-term residential therapeutic community (TC) program where I worked, we would teach this to newer patients. What were the four actions? Reading the literature. Talking with someone who has what we … Continue reading Self and Others: Recovery Trajectory and Its Shifting Emphases
The 12 Traditions, character development, and personality
It seems to me that the 12 Traditions can serve as a bolt-on character structure. And that living within that bolt-on character structure (our own life on its own, our life in the fellowship, or both), can directly or indirectly result in character development that is helpful for recovery. A few points about personality As … Continue reading The 12 Traditions, character development, and personality
Listing tobacco use in “Social History”?
At this point in our field, tobacco use is on the checklist of topics barely addressed beyond the most mechanistic and minimal of ways – if at all. One evidence of this is a very large proportion of in-bound medical records I see from providers of all disciplines and settings where “Social History” is the … Continue reading Listing tobacco use in “Social History”?
Cochrane Review of cannabis-based medicines for chronic neuropathic pain in adults
Before we get to the results of this Cochrane Review, let's ask and answer one basic question. What's a Cochrane Review? A Cochrane Review is a specific kind of meta-analysis: a study of available studies. It's one of the most rigorous methods in the research arena. The Cochrane Review website provides an easy to understand … Continue reading Cochrane Review of cannabis-based medicines for chronic neuropathic pain in adults
N-Propionitrile Brorphine is here
On December 13, 2025 I posted about the emergence of Cychlorphine (N-Propionitrile chlorphine). Now we're hearing about another synthetic opioid in the group being called "orphines". This one is N-Propionitrile brorphine. It's been found as a contaminant in upstate New York. For a brief overview, check out this resource from the New York State Office … Continue reading N-Propionitrile Brorphine is here
Interview with Robert DuPont, MD
Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to interview Robert DuPont, MD for the Recovery Alliance Initiative. He was aware of RAI and dropped by one of our national gatherings. The interview was posted on YouTube shortly after it was completed. The interview was conducted for the purpose of showing it during an upcoming RAI … Continue reading Interview with Robert DuPont, MD
Recovery Alliance Initiative: Structural Flow Model
The model shown below for the Recovery Alliance Initiative (RAI) is already happening in part, and other parts are aspirational. I thought I would share this for everyone's consideration and ease of access. The diagram is immediately below. At the bottom of this post I've placed the one-page PDF. The front side contains this diagram. … Continue reading Recovery Alliance Initiative: Structural Flow Model
Episode 2: Protecting the Soul of Peer Support – Lessons in History with Bill Stauffer
This is a fantastic episode of The Peer Support Professional's Guide podcast. Click here to listen to this conversation. I just got done listening to this episode and had to share it. Here's the episode description: Recovery advocate and policy leader Bill Stauffer joins me to trace the evolution of peer support from its grassroots … Continue reading Episode 2: Protecting the Soul of Peer Support – Lessons in History with Bill Stauffer
Addiction and Alcoholism: The Form of the Disorder
Below you will find the PDF of my latest monograph. First, a brief excerpt: "...here, my main focus is the syndrome we all know as alcoholism (when present for alcohol) or addiction (when present for other drug classes). And what I address about addiction illness in this work is the form of the disorder." Anagha … Continue reading Addiction and Alcoholism: The Form of the Disorder