Recently, I have seen yet another wave of anti-12 step promotion via various digital formats and blogs. The various talking point involve, "AA is not evidence-based","AA has incredibly low success rates," and a variety of cultural criticisms and safety warnings. Time and time again I run across people who quite suddenly demand that I offer … Continue reading 2020’s Top Ten Posts #1: 12-Step Skepticism and The Evidence
Author: Dr. Austin McNeill Brown, MSW, PhD
Anthropometry of the Spiritual Body
Considerations for the Study of Spiritual Recovery CommunitiesAlcoholics Anonymous (AA) is not without its critics. Some criticisms are quite valid; others are less so. Like all spiritual communities, be they the Freemasons or the Falun Gong, outsiders often attribute various ills and misunderstandings to AA. The more valid criticisms, however, have little to do with … Continue reading Anthropometry of the Spiritual Body
Articulating Meaningful Measures of Recovery, Part II
Last week I highlighted the recovery story as the chief substrate by which recovery scientists can define, operationalize, and create meaningful measures for the recovery process. We discussed the rationale for placing the recovery experience, as told by those who have recovered, as the primary source from which we can extract pertinent information that can … Continue reading Articulating Meaningful Measures of Recovery, Part II
Capturing Meaningful Data in Recovery Science: Part 1.
Recently I was asked to give a presentation through the RICARES lecture series on Recovery Science. The topic was the measurement of recovery. I want to offer a bit more on the subject here, as I see a need for specific recommendations and rationale for those working in the field, particularly at the programming level. … Continue reading Capturing Meaningful Data in Recovery Science: Part 1.
The Comfort of Donna Haraway
After sitting through two days of CEU training, I began to think about my feelings regarding the space in which I have dedicated my time and energy. As a true practitioner-scholar, I am often on the intellectual boundaries between science and practice. There is a tension in that borderland between knowledge and praxis that, in … Continue reading The Comfort of Donna Haraway
Back To Basics- Vol 2: Losing the Revolution
I like this particular series as it allows me a less formal mode of discussion. This is an imperfect piece told in a halting style. Confessional really. It is also somewhat cathartic. To be able to casually air my opinions thus frees mental space and emotional energy for my more formal commitments. This particular piece … Continue reading Back To Basics- Vol 2: Losing the Revolution
12-Step Skepticism and The Evidence
Recently, I have seen yet another wave of anti-12 step promotion via various digital formats and blogs. The various talking point involve, "AA is not evidence-based","AA has incredibly low success rates," and a variety of cultural criticisms and safety warnings. Time and time again I run across people who quite suddenly demand that I offer … Continue reading 12-Step Skepticism and The Evidence
Recovery Requires a Culture
By AM Brown - Courtesy: Hall While working on a publication, I wrote a paragraph about recovery culture that brought forth a couple key ideas I think are important to consider. William White wrote this about recovery culture: "In an era that continues to be dominated by acute care models of addiction treatment, treatment that … Continue reading Recovery Requires a Culture
Response to Mutual Aid
After another week of juggling the rigors of a PhD program, writing and analyzing research, and participating in my fair share of Twitter debates, I am often too jaded or too tired to put together coherent thoughts on the direction of recovery. However, this week was somewhat different. I came across a practical post by … Continue reading Response to Mutual Aid
New Science, New Dangers; A Response to Concerns
My first task in this response is to assert that I do not speak for the RSRC collectively, nor is there any one authority within the RSRC. So my responses will be buttressed with my own work, and by drawing from some lessons of history within various sciences as they emerged. Recovery science, is, after … Continue reading New Science, New Dangers; A Response to Concerns