A Practical Guide to Facilitating Substance Use Disorder Recovery

A Practical Guide to Facilitating Substance Use Disorder Recovery is unique in its perspective on substance use disorder (SUD) recovery. This how-to manual assists readers in the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of SUDs. It is a comprehensive, condensed book of practical, novel approaches for the SUD helping professional in various fields. The book is anchored in both clinical observations and research and provides historical and current information about the philosophy, approaches, and culture within the SUD field.

The book describes the active SUD brain; contributing SUD factors from the biopsychosocial model perspective; intervention components facilitating the development of the recovering SUD brain; SUD recovery colloquial expressions; integrated knowledge/experience of paraprofessionals and professionals; emotional sobriety concepts; use of recovery community groups (counseling and self-help groups) to develop a balanced lifestyle; the impact of technology on self-help groups; use of creative techniques (story/metaphor; humor; experiential activity/play; and music); and the four-legged stool of self-care that includes the necessity of a spiritual dimension in recovery in order to have a balanced recovery lifestyle. Throughout the text, stress management tips, SUD recovery stories, case studies, exercises, and appendices are provided.

Geri Miller, Ph.D., ABPP, LP (NC), LCAS (NC), CCS (NC), MAC (NCCAP) is a human relations trainer/consultant. She taught in higher education from 1990 until she retired as Professor in 2022. She has worked in the SUD field since 1979 as a counselor, trainer, and educator. Dr. Miller has published and presented research on SUD counseling. She is the author of Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling and Learning the Language of Addiction Counseling. She is a member of the SUD divisions of the American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association. Dr. Miller has served on the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board.