Patt Denning

Beyond the 12 Steps: Harm Reduction Psychotherapy as the Effective Alternative (FR4)
Friday, May 2, 2008
10:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. (4 CE Hrs.)
*CD Available

Most clinicians have been taught very little about issues of substance misuse and are left to rely on the peer-based support of 12 Step groups. However, if we want to treat substance misuse as opposed to merely supporting people who are trying to maintain abstinence, we need a theory and a set of clinical practices that are evidence-based. Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (HRP), developed by the presenter, is such a model. HRP is built on a combination of public health principles, cognitive behavioral strategies, the neurobiology of trauma, and the psychodynamics of a person’s relationship to alcohol and other drugs. (*CD of workshop available for purchase, see page 16 for details.)

Dr. Patt Denning is the Director of Clinical Services and Training at the Harm Reduction Therapy Center in San Francisco. Over 30 years of experience in community mental health and in private practice inform her understanding of complex clients. Dr. Denning holds a Diplomate-Fellow in Psychopharmacology and also was listed in the Drug Policy Resources Directory for the Media in the area of Dual Diagnosis. She is a Ce rtified Addiction Specialist t h rough the American Ps ychological Association’s College of Professional Psychology.