My three career bridge-building targets; Where to start in helping people change; 50 years for Elon Musk and me.

Welcome to the start of my 20^th year of writing Tips and Topics. The first edition was published April 2003.

In SAVVY, this edition of Tips & Topics begins the 20^th year of publication. I look back at what I’ve written before in three areas of bridge-building: Addiction as an illness – the general public and health care in general; Addiction and mental health – Co-Occurring Disorders; Justice and Treatment teams.

In SKILLS, it requires skillful bridge-building to attract people into lasting, accountable change, and cross the bridge from expecting compliance to treatment to collaborating in person-centered care planning: Start with what the person is at Action for, not what you are at Action for; Hold the participant accountable to their goal and track their engagement, good faith effort and outcomes.

In SOUL, this year is 50 years since I graduated from medical school and started my career. See my ASAM Educator of the Year award photo and video bio. Elon Musk is 50 years old. I’ve had a good career, but find out what drives Elon and what someone who was one year old when I started my career has achieved.

What to report to Probation and CPS; Dilemmas about drug testing; Client-centered doesn’t mean client anarchy; Win, lose and win

In SAVVY, SKILLS and STUMP THE SHRINK, treatment providers can be confused about their role when clients are referred by Probation, Child Protective Services and other mandating agencies. Focus on improved function and skills, not compliance with assignments and phases in a pre-determined program. How to be “client-centered”.

In SOUL, increasingly I make no distinction between ‘wins’ and ‘losses’. A ‘win’ is an opportunity to discern what works and what doesn’t; and a ‘loss’ is an opportunity to discern what works and doesn’t.

What I didn’t know about growing up Black in America; I thought I pulled myself up by my bootstraps, but….; the 3 year anniversary of losing my wife.

In SAVVY, I learnt a lot from three African American young people. I was aware of some of their experiences but others were totally new to me. Rethinking the terms “microaggressions” and “cultural competence”.

In SKILLS, being person-centered and focused on the individual in their social context addresses siloed initiatives and projects. I thought I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps. But a look at my generational history exposed the myth of meritocracy.

In SOUL, it is three years since the sudden loss of my wife. Current thoughts on my process in Work, Love and Play.

Could you learn something from Buddha? Check out some of his quotes and how to apply them; Using joy to focus on where to put my energy.

In SAVVY and SKILLS, Suzan Dalia shares Quotes by Buddha that will change the way you think….if you apply them. She suggests some ways to apply them.

In SOUL, anything or anyone who doesn’t bring joy to your life; and doesn’t think you are a joy in their life, doesn’t deserve your time or energy.

“Rat Park” and Vietnam – research focuses on the role of environment in addiction; Assess people’s social environment; Educator of the Year Award

In SAVVY, two research studies from the 1970s remind us of the role of the environment in the development and continuation of addiction. Access Michael Pollan’s episode on Science Friday to hear about three plant-based compounds from the three major categories of psychoactive drugs– uppers, downers, and what he thinks of as outers.

In SKILLS, do you focus on your clients’ families, their social communities, their sources of human contact and support? Assessing their social environment is as important as their mental and physical health assessment.

In SOUL, David Mee-Lee, MD, DFASAM, Named ASAM’s Educator of the Year. What that means and how it feels.

30th Anniversary of The ASAM Criteria – A Report Card; Two videos I want you to see

Welcome to the November edition of Tips and Topics and a Happy Thanksgiving to all in the USA.

In SAVVY and SKILLS, I take a look at thirty years since the publication of the first edition of The ASAM Criteria. Here is my report card on how the addiction treatment field has implemented the true spirit and content of the Criteria.

In SOUL, I share two videos I saw this month and found so touching. I hope you can find 8 minutes to view them too, especially at this time of Thanksgiving.

It’s not what you do that counts, but who you are; Self care, Personal Mission and Servant Leadership; Sunset of my career.

In SAVVY, my ‘first draft’ on meeting the challenge to write about the mix of spirit and psychology in a book – to articulate the spiritual context that gives structure to the core tools I have trained on full time for 25 years. It can be summarized by a phrase: “It’s not what you do that counts, but who you are.”  

In SKILLS, tips on ‘how to get there from here’ if you are committed to self care, clarity on your personal mission and are ready to be a servant leader.

In SOUL, trying to balance what I do in the sunset of my career to meet the goals of my personal life direction and my professional mission.

National Recovery Month 2021; Understanding Recovery and Recovery Capital; What to say to someone who doesn’t want AA; Katie’s story

In SAVVY, I explore what we mean by Recovery and Recovery Capital.  It isn’t all about abstinence and mental health stability, but rather whole person and whole systems perspectives.

In SKILLS, I focus on how to assess Recovery Capital and also how to approach a person who doesn’t want to go to Alcoholics Anonymous and prefers an alternative support group.

In SOUL, Katie, a person in long-term recovery, shares her recovery story.

Five key principles in helping people change; Skills to implement those principles; Vaccine hesitancy and using the five principles of the Better Arguments Project

In SAVVY and SKILLS, I share the wisdom of Marvin Goldfried, Ph.D. who presented in one paper five key principles on how people change. He wrote about the common principles of change that he distilled from hundreds of schools of thought and approaches to change. For each principle, I offer a few SKILLS to help implement it.

In SOUL, I don’t plan on talking with my daughter and her family about their vaccine hesitancy.  I respect their right to make their own choices.  But in case the topic of vaccines arises, I want to be grounded and centered to know what to say and do. So I used the five principles of the Better Arguments Project to help guide me.

Hard questions in the interface between Treatment and Justice Teams; Scripts on what to say to participants; What’s your Olympic Game?

In SAVVY, I preview a couple of hard questions that New Hampshire Chief Justice Tina Nadeau and I will discuss in the final General Session of RISE21, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals annual conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.   

In SKILLS, to help convert a clinical principle or policy and procedure into actual words to say to a client, I give some “scripts” of what to say to orient participants in Drug Court; and what to say about positive drug screens.

In SOUL, I have two connections to the Olympic Games and get into the spirit of the Games with my lifelong friends inventing new Olympic games.