Chooper's Guide ... the Internet's most comprehensive substance abuse treatment, prevention and intervention resource directory.

Eight Agreements on Males, Trauma, and Addiction Treatment


Overview

Originally Published: 06/25/2013

Post Date: 06/25/2013

Source Publication: Click here

by Dan Griffin et al.


Attachment Files

PDF | The Eight Agreements

Summary/Abstract

The Eight Agreements were developed in May 2013 at the Males, Trauma, and Addiction Summit held in La Quinta, California as part of the West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders. This historic summit marked the first time that professionals in the addiction and recovery field had come together to discuss males’ experience of trauma. The group emphasized the importance of more effectively and comprehensively addressing the issue of trauma as a keystone of males’ recovery.

Content

In order for professionals to best help males recover and promote a process of healing from trauma, they must understand males’ unique issues and needs. This document summarizes key points of agreement reached at the Summit. The goal of these agreements is to achieve the most efficacious treatment of males with addictive disorders by urging the field to recognize the importance of comprehensively addressing their trauma. This recognition will lead to the development and implementation of more effective interventions to help maximize the health and recovery of males with addictive disorders and increase the likelihood of their successfully achieving long-term recovery.


EIGHT AGREEMENTS ON MALES, TRAUMA, AND ADDICTION TREATMENT


1.       While progress has been made in the understanding of trauma, there remains a myth that trauma is not a major issue for males.
2.       Trauma is a significant issue for males with substance and/or process addictive disorders.
3.       Males are biologically and culturally influenced to minimize or deny traumatic life experiences.
4.       Addiction treatment has been negatively influenced by cultural myths about males.
5.       Males are often assumed to be the perpetrator, which has negatively biased our concepts of trauma and models for addiction treatment, and often results in the re-traumatization of males.
6.       Male trauma must be assessed and treated throughout the continuum of addiction services.
7.       Male-responsive services will improve addiction treatment outcomes.
8.       Effective treatment of male trauma will help to interrupt cycles of violence, abuse, neglect, and addiction.

The following individuals arrived at consensus on the Eight Points of Agreement as part of the Summit:

1.     Miles Adcox, Onsite
2.     Mike Barnes, Ph.D., CeDAR
3.     Richard Bebout, Ph.D., Community Connections
4.     Allen Berger, Ph.D.
5.     Lou Cox, Ph.D.
6.     Judy Crane, The Refuge-A Healing Place
7.     Richard Dauer, River Ridge Treatment Center
8.     Tian Dayton, Ph.D.
9.     Teresa Descilo, Trauma Resolution Center
10.   Eduardo Duran, Ph.D.
11.   Norma Finkelstein, Ph.D., Institute for Health and Recovery
12.   William Ford, Ph.D., C4 Recovery Solutions
13.   Rawly Glass, The Bridge to Recovery
14.   Dan Griffin, Griffin Recovery Enterprises, Inc. & Males for Trauma Recovery
15.   William Pollack, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
16.   David Powell, Ph.D., International Center for Health Concerns
17.   Pat Risser, Males for Trauma Recovery
18.   Jaime Romo, Ed.D., Males for Trauma Recovery
19.   Cheryl Sharp, The National Council for Behavioral Health
20.   Dr. Brian Sims, M.D., Psychiatrist, Correctional Mental Health Services
21.   David Washington, Males for Trauma Recovery
22.  Rob Weiss, Elements Behavioral Health
23.  Jacquie Wheeler, Jaywalker Lodge

Comments