Gender-Affirmative Practice: Transgender and Nonbinary Considerations in Substance Use Disorder Treatment
As the LGBTQ+ population continues to be plagued with higher rates of overdose, abuse, health complications, and death, it is imperative that gender-affirming practices be integrated by providers into current treatment settings.
LGBTQ+-Affirming Care Versus LGBTQ+ Inclusivity
Mell McCracken and Jack Moll describe what it was like looking for rehab options as part of the LGBTQ+ community and discuss why organizations need to offer more affirming care.
Barriers to Treatment: Addressing Stigma and Discrimination in Substance Use and Mental Health Services for Transgender Individuals
Transgender individuals face disproportionately high rates of substance use disorders and mental health conditions compared to their cisgender counterparts.
Column, Letter from the Publisher
Revolutionizing Health Care: The Impact of Innovative Technologies in Behavioral Health
In these transformative times, we are witnessing a revolutionary shift in the health care landscape. More than ever before, individuals are being empowered to take charge of their health and well-being through more accessible modalities and client-centered tools. New technologies in the behavioral health field are making game-changing advancements in client care and satisfaction. These [...]
CCAPP, Column
Is Non-Alcoholic Beer Safe? A Cautionary Tale
In recent years, there has been an increase in the production of non-alcohol beer. Even brand name beers such as Heineken, Corona, and Becks have non-alcohol formulations. Given the high levels of alcohol consumption in the United States and steep rise in the prevalence of alcohol use disorder we saw during and after the pandemic, [...]
Column, Recovery Capital & Peer Support
One of the critical features of a recovery-oriented approach is the transition from a deficits model to a strengths approach (White and Cloud, 2008). The concept of recovery capital is based on the notion that we assess the individual’s personal, social, and community resources to gauge their support system. This strengths-based approach is characterized by: [...]
Column, Industry Insider
Avoiding Common Marketing Mistakes: Part 2
This article represents the concluding part of a two-part series on avoiding common marketing mistakes. For part one, please refer to the February 2024 issue of Counselor. In the realm of behavioral health, bankruptcies abound, and even the largest public companies like Acadia can barely eke out a profit. It is undeniably a tough business [...]
Column, Counselor Concerns
Listening to Echoes of Our Own History
History is never linear, although it is often perceived as such (White, 2012). This is also true for the history of addiction recovery in America, which has witnessed numerous cycles of growth and decline (White, 2012). There have been periods of rapid expansion of services and increased public acceptance of addiction and individuals affected by [...]
Column, NALGAP
AB 5 (Zbur): A Safe and Supportive School Act for LGBTQ+ Students
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to create safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ students in schools. California, known for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights, took a significant step forward by enacting AB 5: The Safe and Supportive Schools Act (Zbur) law (California Legislative Information, 2020). This legislation, [...]
Topics in Behavioral Health Care
The Experience and Effects of Caregiving on the Family Caregiver
Our first article defined and discussed caregiving as a public health issue, explored its types, challenges, and recipients, and presented findings from a report by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC, 2020). This article addresses the experience and impact of caregiving on the family member or other individual providing support and assistance to an ill, [...]
Wellness
Acupuncture and its Electromagnetic Power
The Chinese became aware of the principles of acupuncture over 5,000 years ago. Warriors noticed that specific physical ailments started to improve after receiving puncture wounds during sword fights. Chinese physicians began to observe the correlations between the puncture sites and improved health. The doctors theorized that Qi—the energy or life force that circulates throughout [...]
Featured Article
Introduction to Gender-Affirmative Practice in SUD Treatment The issue of LGBTQ+-appropriate and affirmative care has long been neglected within the substance use disorder field. As the population continues to be plagued with higher rates of overdose, abuse, health complications, and death, it is imperative that gender-affirming practices be integrated by providers into current treatment settings. [...]
Featured Article
LGBTQ+-Affirming Care Versus LGBTQ+ Inclusivity
When I was 19 years old, I sought help. I remember sitting in my mother’s kitchen and typing into an internet search engine “Gay men’s rehab” and clicking on the first link that appeared. When selecting a substance abuse treatment center, my physical safety as a queer person was obviously paramount, therein finding an accepting [...]
Featured Article
Introduction Transgender individuals face disproportionately high rates of substance use disorders and mental health conditions compared to their cisgender counterparts. Despite the urgent need for affirming, competent care, many trans individuals encounter significant barriers when seeking treatment. Stigma, discrimination, provider incompetence, and systemic obstacles contribute to these challenges, resulting in delayed or inadequate care. This [...]
Featured Article
Risks for Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Between LGB and Non-LGB Veterans and Recommendations
Background and Scope of the Problem Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people display higher rates of hazardous drinking compared to their non-LGB peers (Demant et al., 2017), which are attributable to heightened stressors that disproportionately affect LGB people (McCabe et al., 2009; Meyer, 2003). The Minority Stress Model describes how social stress experienced by LGB [...]