An Interview with Patt Denning, Ph.D. on Harm Reduction Psychotherapy for Substance Abuse and Addiction

Summary: Mental Help Net (www.mentalhelp.net) presents the Wise Counsel Podcast (wisecounsel.mentalhelp.net), hosted by David Van Nuys, Ph.D. "Patt Denning, Ph.D. on Harm Reduction Psychotherapy for Substance Abuse and Addictions". In this edition of the Wise Counsel Podcast, Dr. Van Nuys interviews Patt Denning, Ph.D. on the topic of Harm Reduction, a relatively new approach to substance abuse treatment which, proponents claim, is both more effective and humane than current mainstream substance abuse treatment approaches. In the interview, Dr. Denning compares harm reduction, her synthesis of public health safety promotion philosophy and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques such as motivational interviewing, relapse prevention and the stages of change model with the traditional Minnesota Model substance abuse treatment which, she believes, contains within itself a counter-productive and judgmental values system which works against successful treatment outcomes. She discusses how her early work as a psychotherapist and clinic director influenced her to explore substance abuse treatment how she found this treatment wanting, and how she went about assembling what she considers to be a superior way to conduct psychotherapy for substance abuse, namely Harm Reduction Psychotherapy.