Treating Women with Substance Use Disorders

"Greenfield has done an extraordinary job of using scientific findings to inform the treatment approach delineated in this well-organized, well-written book. This is an in-depth guide from a world-renowned authority. I highly recommend this book to therapists and counselors working in this area."--Kathleen T. Brady, MD, PhD, Distinguished University Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina

"Women with substance use disorders have unique and challenging needs, and face specific barriers and obstacles to achieving recovery. This manual provides a wealth of information on the WRG, the first evidence-based treatment that is truly designed for all women with substance use disorders. The handouts will help clinicians organize groups and successfully implement the material."--Sudie E. Back, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina

"This book fills a key niche by providing a manual for women’s treatment that is evidence based and deeply informed by clinical experience. It is rich in guidelines and strategies to help clinicians intervene effectively. A comprehensive synthesis of the research is translated into practical interventions in a manner that can be used with diverse populations. Its format is adaptable to a wide range of treatment settings. This is a wonderful resource for treatment centers and for graduate and professional training programs."--Joan E. Zweben, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco; staff psychologist, San Francisco VA Medical Center

"Greenfield, a national expert in the addiction treatment field, offers an excellent and practical approach to moving women with substance use disorders toward recovery. This book answers a vitally important question: How do we address the unique gender-specific issues that addicted women confront, which are so often slighted in clinical settings? It is a resource that will enhance the clinical skills of both trainees and established professionals."--Marc Galanter, MD, Director, Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, New York University School of Medicine -Greenfield created a research-based women's recovery group manual that can be used by a wide variety of practitioners….Strong points include a section in which she describes and succinctly summarizes research studies that led to the creation of the manual (so the reader is not forced to look up all of the relevant research articles), the ability to tailor sessions based on specific problem areas or client needs, flexibility to use the manual with individual clients (rather than with groups) when needed, and an assortment of client worksheets and session outlines that quickly eases the new practitioner into comfortably using the materials….Overall, this is a well-produced manual, based on many years of empirical research by the author and her colleagues and repeatedly field-tested. The materials provided and the skills required also make this treatment protocol useful to many types of professionals--from psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and psychologists to front-line drug and alcohol counselors. The easy-to-read yet descriptive layout for each session is likely to increase the possibility that group leaders will be willing to try this treatment protocol and that they could quickly feel comfortable using the program. Additional handouts can be downloaded from the publisher's website, which also enhances ease of use….Greenfield's approach to mixing together data-driven work and presenting it in a pragmatic and efficient way to treatment providers is admirable. Client satisfaction data also suggest this new approach may be useful and life-enhancing for participants. As a psychologist who teaches and supervises graduate students, and who often works with female clients, I will certainly be recommending this book on a regular basis. It is a welcome addition to a small number of simple treatment manuals.--Sex Roles, 6/26/2017ƒƒShelly Greenfield has…provided a great resource for work with this population. She has, in a very clear and concise way, laid out for the practitioner the issues unique to women struggling with chemical abuse and dependency. She exhibits an exemplary understanding of the ongoing issues that a woman attempting recovery faces including the impact of life-cycle changes….This book provides the understanding and a structured group modality to bring in the very issues that need to be addressed for women to get clean and maintain their recovery….Provides group facilitators with a useful tool to engage women in treatment….A well-thought-out and well-organized manual that offers a good understanding of key issues and the tools to address them.--Social Work with Groups, 12/19/2017ƒƒThis book fills an important niche, providing a session-by-session roadmap for the treatment of women that is evidence based and emphasizes self care and developing skills for relapse prevention and recovery….This book is designed for therapists who treat women with alcohol and drug use disorders. It is also appropriate for healthcare clinicians considering developing programs specifically for women and wanting to understand gender-specific challenges that women face.--Doody's Review Service, 9/23/2016