Integrating the 12 Steps Into Addiction Therapy: A Resource Collection and Guide for Promoting Recovery

by James R. Finley

All the resources needed to fully integrate a 12-step approach as part of your overall treatment programMillions of Americans have at some time in their lives participated in a 12-step program for treatment of a chemical or non-chemical addiction. Clinicians recognize that these grass-roots efforts have a very high cure rate. However, little has been written on how to integrate these programs into a traditional therapy setting.Integrating the 12 Steps into Addiction Therapy serves as an indispensable resource for clinicians treating addiction patients who are simultaneously enrolled in 12-step programs. This valuable * Contains eight lesson plans and twenty-seven assignments* Integrates in-depth discussion of 12-step programs with hands-on resources like homework assignments, treatment plan examples, and patient handouts* Will also benefit 12-step program peer counselors* Includes companion CD-ROM with fully customizable homework assignments, lesson plans, and presentationsTreating addictions-whether chemical or non-chemical-can be one of the most difficult challenges faced by mental health professionals. For many people, 12-step programs have played a critical role in helping them to manage their addictive behaviors. Integrating the 12 Steps into Addiction Therapy gives psychologists, therapists, counselors, social workers, and clinicians the tools and resources they need to fully utilize these peer therapy program techniques in treating a wide variety of addictions.

Genres: Psychology

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2004

About the author

I'm a retired Marine (1976-1996) and retired psychotherapist and author. In the Marine Corps I served as an infantryman, marksmanship instructor, drill instructor, career planner, computer operator, data systems officer, and communications officer. As a clinician I worked primarily with people with addictions, mood disorders, PTSD, and anger management issues. As a therapist I worked more years in the state prison system than anywhere else, including stints in the state forensic psychiatric hospital and teaching at the Corrections Academy, as well as working with gang members, couples, and families. I wrote or co-authored books for clinicians with the goal of providing practical resources, mainly therapeutic homework assignments for clients, that they could adapt to their specific needs.
Books in print: two coauthored with Brenda S. Lenz, with whom I also designed and ran an intensive outpatient addiction treatment program, The Addiction Counselor's Documentation Sourcebook, 2nd Ed., and The Addiction Treatment Homework Planner, 4th Ed.; one written solo, Integrating the 12 Steps Into Addiction Therapy; and one as co-author with Bret A. Moore, a psychologist who was working with military personnel at the time, the Veterans and Active Duty Military Homework Planner.
I am also in recovery and have been clean and sober since 1990.
Home life: I live in New Mexico with my wife Jan. I have one brother living nearby, and adult children, grandchildren, and one great-grandson living in California. I still work for one cat, a benevolent tortoiseshell tyrant, named Bolt for her habit of zooming through any door leading to someplace she isn't supposed to go if it's open for a millisecond (I actually think she teleports but haven't caught it on video.)
I have strong interests in military affairs, psychology, domestic and world politics, history, and various hobbies including woodworking and cooking which I practice with more enthusiasm than skill. I like science fiction and fantasy. One of these days I want to tackle writing some military/political science fiction. I've completed NaNoWriMo once but not finished the resulting manuscript yet.

Reviews

[James]

This one has been my favorite so far and the first book I've written solo. As with the others I co-wrote with Brenda Lenz, I hope this is very useful and helps clinicians make better use of 12-Step community resources in their work with clients' addictions.