Being SMART About Treatment Approaches to Harm Reduction

As the pendulum swings toward “harm reduction” approaches to treating addiction, many professionals find themselves wondering, “how do I support my clients while keeping a focus on abstinence in a world where medication assisted treatment is increasing?” This presentation helps participants understand the SMART recovery approach to behavioral change, which includes building and maintaining the motivation to change; coping with urges to use; managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in an effective way without addictive behaviors; and living a balanced, positive, and healthy life. It also addresses “stigmatizing the stigmatized” by helping participants evaluate their own entrenched views about abstinence so that counselors can be prepared to center therapy on the client without internal bias regarding where a client may stand with regard to abstinence. Interactive discussions about “feelings of giving up” when moving away from “abstinence only” programming will provide participants an opportunity to hear about their colleagues’ changing attitudes.

Objectives: Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: 

1. To teach participants to incorporate the concept of SMART recovery using motivational interviewing techniques and frank discussion about initial and prolonged medication-assisted treatment.
2. Develop techniques for balancing pressures from governmental goals to shorten treatment duration.

*This presentation was originally recorded at IVAT’s 21st Hawai`i International Summit on Preventing, Assessing & Treating Trauma Across the Lifespan, April 8th-11th, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawai`i*