"Willyisms" (Thoughts from working in the field)

Meet the Patient where they are at, NOT where you are at, or, want them to be at

Often times the angriest patients are the ones in the most psychic pain

If you work in the addiction field and are in recovery yourself, keep your recovery program separate from your work

No one ever broke out because they stopped going to meetings, you need to help them look at what was going on, or, not going on

You show me a person with ten plus detoxes, and I will show you a person that has other issues going on aside from substance abuse/chemical dependency

I’m glad you made it back to the detox…not everyone does’…

Always have family meetings at the detox if the patient is willing…the apple does not fall very far from the tree

You really do not see a lot of addicts/alcoholics sent to long-term inpatient psych facilities. That is where you find their friends and families (without substance abuse issues) that have been trying to make sense out of their loved ones’ use (without supports)

Said to a fellow counselor (in recovery) after hearing his interaction with a patient at the detox: ‘just because a course of action worked for you, that does not in and of itself mean it will work for the patient you are working with (are you hearing them or just waiting for them to stop talking so you can take on the Expert Role)’

‘Hey, are you a professional counselor, or, looking to be a sponsor for all the patients?’

‘Hey, nice boundaries, you better see them at the meeting on Saturday after they discharge?’

‘I’m concerned, (to a fellow counselor), from how you describe your life everything centers around work and meetings…nothing else’

‘There is no place for sympathy on the part of a therapist toward the client; empathy and compassion yes, sympathy, no’

‘I believe every person that works as a therapist/counselor needs not only supervision, but ongoing therapy in order to stay healthy’

People working in Psych, People working in Addiction - Never have two groups had so much in common, yet, been so separated by language (sort of churchillian, no?)

Layman’s definition of Bipolar I & Bipolar II: Bipolar I, “I am God,” Bipolar II, “I act like I am God”

No one grows up wanting to become an addict or alcoholic…I have yet to see it on a resume

Show me a person that espouses the view that addicts and alcoholics ‘want,’ to be the way they are and I will show you a person that more than likely, has rampant addiction issues in their family

Spirituality should not be confused with emotionality

The patient has to want recovery for themselves as much as, or greater than I want it for them

Hope without a plan of action is pretty much dead in the water

So long as my patient/client is breathing, change is possible

I wonder how many drug overdose deaths are suicides without a note

Substance Abuse & Co-occurring Disorders are the Expectation not the Exception