This post is cross-posted at williamwhitepapers.com When I remember the thousands who died, many whose stories were never recorded in history, I bow my head. And when my wailing is done, I get up and carry on, not in my name, but in theirs….When you know your history, you know your value. You know the … Continue reading Further Homage to Recovery Ancestors (Bill White, Chris Budnick, and Boyd Pickard)
“full recovery or amplified recovery” — toward typologies of recovery?
A version of this post was originally published in April 2019. Recently proposed definitions of recovery could be characterized as defining it downward (or expanding the boundaries outward). I've expressed concern that these proposed boundaries are so broad that most people who currently self-identify as in recovery will not feel a shared identity with the … Continue reading “full recovery or amplified recovery” — toward typologies of recovery?
What we miss when we focus on opioid treatment and recovery
A version of this post was originally published in September 2019. Fortunately, there's been growing concern that advocates, policymakers, and media have too narrowly focused on the opioid crisis. Up to this point, it hasn't reached the level of media coverage. USA Today is one of the first to publish an article that explores the … Continue reading What we miss when we focus on opioid treatment and recovery
Interview #8 – Johnny Allem Reflections on the Historic 2001 Recovery Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Start of the New Recovery Advocacy Movement
Forward: Johnny Allem has a long and honorable history in service to the recovery community. In the preparation for this interview, I learned of a connection between my organization, PRO-A and Johnny I had not known about. PRO-A was formed in 1998 to bring together the statewide recovery community of Pennsylvania. In those early days, … Continue reading Interview #8 – Johnny Allem Reflections on the Historic 2001 Recovery Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Start of the New Recovery Advocacy Movement
Does morality have a place in discussions of addiction recovery?
A version of this post was originally published in June 2020. A question has been on my mind for a while--what is the place of morality or moralizing language in addiction and recovery? Not moral? Bill White has been one of the most influential recovery advocates of the last quarter-century. One could argue that, over … Continue reading Does morality have a place in discussions of addiction recovery?
Power statements for addiction treatment
A version of this post was originally published in October 2019. I like this twitter thread a lot. I'd like it more if that last tweet was a little different. I like the desire to understand patients' and recovering people's views on addiction and recovery. What I like less is that it sounds like this … Continue reading Power statements for addiction treatment
Love and Addiction Counseling (Bill White and Jason Schwartz)
A version of this post was originally published in January 2018. [Cross-posted at williamwhitepapers.com] Addiction counseling has become an increasingly professional and pristine affair, and service relationships reflect a more detached process than in years gone by. And yet one worries about the loss of something precious in our current fixation on the technical mastery … Continue reading Love and Addiction Counseling (Bill White and Jason Schwartz)
Interview #7 – Phil Valentine, Reflections on the Historic 2001 Recovery Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the start of the New Recovery Advocacy Movement
Forward: I have met Phil Valentine a few times over the years. However, this was the first time I had a chance to sit down and have a direct conversation with him. Most of what I know about his work has come from hearing about how instrumental his ideas were to the development of peer … Continue reading Interview #7 – Phil Valentine, Reflections on the Historic 2001 Recovery Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the start of the New Recovery Advocacy Movement
Seeking more, not less, from MAT
A version of this post was originally published in November 2019. In recent years it's become more and more common to see advocates criticize treatment and mutual aid groups. These critics question the alleged orthodoxy and motives of treatment providers, but they do not engage in criticism of medication-assisted treatment (MAT). It appears that this … Continue reading Seeking more, not less, from MAT
Follow the science . . .
A version of this post was originally published in June 2020. I've been thinking a lot about the convergence of several cultural trends: historically unprecedented access to information;the atomization of media and information sources;the tribalization of media and information sources;scientism as a cultural force that:lacks epistemic humility;is often dismissive of experiential knowledge;is often dismissive of … Continue reading Follow the science . . .
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