Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide

Chemical Dependency Counselingthe first comprehensive treatment manual written specifically for chemical dependency counselors presents the state-of-the-art tools necessary to deliver outstanding treatment and meet the highest standards demanded by accrediting bodies. More than 30 addiction counselors, including some of the most outstanding authorities in the field, have contributed to the development of this manual. Using a hands-on style to treating chemical dependency, this practical guide leads the addiction professional through all aspects of traditional treatment. Chapters cover the gamut of treatment issues, including developing the therapeutic alliance, screening, detoxification, biopsychosocial assessment, dual-diagnosis, patient orientation, treatment planning, individual therapy, group therapy, case management, crisis intervention, record keeping, discharge planning, and referral. Author Robert R. Perkinson provides case studies and step-by-step instructions with clear explanations and procedures that counselors need to use in all phases of patient care. Furthermore, the guide provides counselors with exercises for clients to use. The exercises educate clients about addiction, help them relate the information to their own lives, teach them new skills necessary to maintain sobriety, and encourages them to practice the new skills they have learned. Those who work with the treatment of chemical dependency will appreciate the thorough and practical approach offered in this guide, particularly professionals in the fields of social work, clinical psychology, psychology, psychiatry, nursing, public health, sociology, and public administration.

Robert R. Perkinson is the clinical director of Keystone Treatment Center in Canton, South Dakota. He is a licensed psychologist; licensed marriage & family therapist; internationally certified alcohol and drug counselor; South Dakota certified chemical dependency counselor, Level III; and a nationally certified gambling counselor and supervisor. His specialty areas focus on treating alcoholics, addicts, and pathological gamblers. He is the author of Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide (2nd ed.) (2003a), which is the leading treatment manual in the world for chemical dependency counselors. With Dr. Arthur E. Jongsma Jr. (2001) he is the coauthor of The Addiction Treatment Planner, which is the best-selling treatment planner and computer software program for mental health and addiction professionals. He has also written The Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Patient Workbook (2003c) and the Gambling Addiction Patient Workbook (2003b). These workbooks have all of the exercises patients need to enter a stable recovery. His book entitled Treating Alcoholism: How to Help Your Clients Enter Recovery (2004) trains professionals how to treat patients with alcohol problems. He is the author of the book God Talks to You (2000) and the meditation tape A Communication from God (2008) by cdbaby, which help addicts make their first conscious contact with a Higher Power of their own understanding. He is a composer and has completed his second CD, Peace Will Come, music that helps addicts learn the essentials of a spiritual journey. With Dr. Jean LaCour (2004), he wrote the Faith-Based Addiction Curriculum to teach professionals of faith how to treat addiction. Dr. Perkinson is an international motivational speaker and regular contributor to numerous professional journals. He is the webmaster of several web pages, including www.robertperkinson.com, www.alcoholismtreatment.org, and www.godtalkstoyou.com, where he gets over 2.6 million hits a year and answers questions on addiction for free. His biographies can be found in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, and Who’s Who in the World.