Addiction Treatment: A Strengths Perspective

This book is written in a clear concise manner which will appeal to students and professionals alike. Each chapter has a clear introduction and summary which details the body of the text. The text itself flows logically with detailed information that is easily comprehensible and supported with credible references and citations that exemplify the vast amount of research complied in this field. Kudos to Van Wormer and Davis, this book demonstrates their dedication to the field of addiction treatment and their personal commitment to allowing the client to be number one, as it should be, in the treatment setting.

I recommend this book for any addiction's class, for any therapist, social worker, and to anyone in this field of study. What I liked most about this book was the pragmatic approach to substance abuse intervention with the harm reduction model. This model of intervention follows well with the strengths perspective. Excellent book.

Great book, I am a grad student, book is informative and relatively relaxing to read, as opposed to the challenge of other grduate level reading matter. Particularly like the harm reduction focus, whereby the individual is supported to make positive changes. Policy makers would benefit from this read!

This book was purchased and read cover to cover as required reading for a distance learning course of the same title, taught by the primary author. It was, honestly, the only textbook I have ever read from cover to cover during my entire undergraduate education, and it was the last course I had to take for degree completion. The text is complete, open, and laden with real-life examples of just how effective the strengths perspective can be. The authors approach the topic without discounting or arguing against traditional methods of addictions treatment and embrace harm reduction as the ultimate goal of any treatment method. The text is comprehensive, covering substance and behavioral addictions, and specific sections are written covering information to be mindful of when treating youth and elderly clients. For the student, or even a family member caught in the middle of the nightmare of the harm created by another's addictive behavior, this text, I believe, is a valuable read.

This text provides a thorough look into the field of addiction. It provides for alternatives to the dominant theme in relation to working with people whose lives have been influenced by the use of substances. In addition, the material on other addictions is a long needed addition to texts related to addictions. This complete work is a welcome addition to the library of material I use in working with addictions.