What Are CRAFT and Harm Reduction and Can They Work With Young People Who Are Misusing Drugs or Alcohol? with Dee-Dee Stout

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Dee-Dee Stout is a force to be reckoned with in the world of substance use treatment and specifically in the area of harm reduction. She’s in long-term recovery herself and is an author, coach, speaker, and professor. 

In this episode, Dee-Dee shares much knowledge and wisdom from her work with families and organizations related to CRAFT, motivational interviewing and harm reduction. It’s a must-listen for parents who aren’t finding success with traditional treatment programs or who are just looking for ways to improve communication in their home. 

We covered a lot of ground including:

• Dee-Dee’s family trauma, challenges with existing therapeutic options
• Dee-Dee explains CRAFT and harm reduction in Portugal
• co-addiction/co-dependent, family systems, and an STI analogy
• stages of change, getting un-stuck, diet Coke, the “f-its” and the trump card parents have to be careful with
• CRAFT in the real world, harm reduction - Dee-Dee’s thoughts about teens and lifelong abstinence
• abstinence, relapse, and the disease theory, harm reduction in a non-substance use scenario
• asking kids why they’re using substances, partnering with kids as a method of harm reduction, safe vs safer
• normalizing difficult conversations with our kids, fentanyl = the perfect door opener to talk with your kids about harm reduction and being safer
• what kids are most afraid of, how to eliminate it from the conversations you have, the role of residential treatment, acknowledging the time and energy it takes to parent through this

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Dee-Dee’s website and resources
• Book: Coming to Harm Reduction Kicking & Screaming:  Looking for Harm Reduction in a 12-Step World
• Buzzed, The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy
• Safety First, A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs (Drug Policy Alliance)
• Center for Motivation and Change website and

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