Programme and booking form for the Recovery Academy conference.
Gorgeously detailed infographic on Medication Assisted Recovery
The finalised four-page programme and booking form for the Recovery Academy conference is available here, or by clicking the image below.
Places are limited, so do act swiftly. It’s shaping up to be a superb, dynamic event and I hope to see some of you there!
- Stephen
{ 0 comments }
This infographic on Medication Assisted Recovery is designed at A3 – and would look wonderful at A2 or A1.
It offers an overview of some of the theoretical and practical dimensions of this healthy, emergent area of recovery discourse – the perfect antidote to some of the retrogressive exchanges taking place amongst lobbyists, policy makers and bureaucrats as the hovering hatchet prepares to fall.
Click on the image below for access to a sumptuous A3 PDF file. I hope you enjoy perusing it as much as I did creating it.
If you’d like a copy professionally printed and laminated, let me know and I’ll source some quotes from friends.
- Stephen
{ 0 comments }
I’ve developed q questionnaire specifically for those who are currently undergoing opiate substitution therapy. This is a population whose voices are notable by their absence in the various debates currently occupying politics and our field.
There’s quite a fulsome introduction- so I shan’t go on any longer here. I would implore you to pass this around to as many people as you know, especially key-workers who may assist clients lacking internet access, or those you know in medication assisted treatment who you think would be willing to give it a go. It’s fully anonymous with no obligation to answer any question at all.
The questionnaire can be found here:
Shorter custom URL: http://bit.ly/artoflife_questions
Many thanks for your help in advance – sincerely appreciated. Please do take a look.
- Stephen Bamber, 20th August 2010
{ 0 comments }
The following resource is absolutely superb, in both its simplicity and its effectiveness. It’s a template for a technique called “scheduling” which was recommended to me some years ago by a friend as a means to keep on top of all the day-to-day tasks, appointments and commitments that can often be overwhelming in early recovery – particularly for those with a history of high problem severity who may have little or no experience in life management.
Scheduling is essentially a to-do list with a difference. Setting aside a little time at the end of each day you award yourself two scores for each task you had scheduled for that day: one score for “mastery” (how well you did the task) and another score for “pleasure” (how much pleasure was gained by completing the task). You then schedule your tasks for the following day.
The results are direct and immediate. Three key benefits of scheduling (included in the accompanying guide):
1: Creates a powerful sense of control over your life – you get things done.
2: Increase in self-esteem as you acknowledge your successes and the pleasure that comes from achieving them.
3: Become more effective by identifying previously hidden areas of your life that
you could improve.
The template and accompanying guide can be viewed below. PDF files are available here for the template and here for the guide. Alternatively, click on the images below to access the PDF files. In addition, I’ve produced an example template which is available here.
All are in black and white to minimise printing costs.
I do hope you and your clients find this useful.
- Stephen
» Continue reading...
{ 0 comments }
Update, 12th July: It’s been pointed out to me`by various sources that time-limiting methadone prescribing is possibly a stalking horse for other changes the NTA wish to make. Nevertheless, as one commentator suggested, such political “clodhopping” is completely at variance to the spirit and ethos of recovery. Stalking horse or not, the points made in this piece remain germane.
The National Treatment Agency (NTA) published documents last week relating to their board meeting of the 6th July. Reading the three-page business plan for 2010/11 we discover that time-limiting methadone prescribing could very well become a reality in the next twelve months
I’ve printed the second page of the business plan in full below, with highlights and annotations of my own to accentuate the contentious content. The language is innocuous, but suggests far-reaching and potentially destructive consequences that represent a huge step backwards into the dark ages of drug treatment. This is a great disservice to the service users and staff who aspire towards providing world class services and completely irreconcilable with a recovery orientated treatment system that acknowledges – fundamentally – diverse needs and diverse outcomes.
{ 8 comments }
This recovery plan template is intended for services, keyworkers, recovery coaches/ mentors and service users. It’s designed to be simple, easy to use, transferable and flexible. It’s compatible with ITEP and node link mapping, and joins Working with Recovery Capital in the family of recovery resources on this site.
A recovery plan differs from a care plan (or treatment plan) in a number of ways. These difference are not always clear or commonly understood. I’ve therefore introduced the template with “Five Principles of Recovery Planning” to highlight these points of distinction. It’s helpful to read and internalise these before starting on a recovery plan.
The recovery plan itself consists of two sections split across two pages. Page one is for establishing recovery goals; page two is a step breakdown that should be completed for each recovery goal. So, if three recovery goals were established, you would produce three copies of the second page: one for each goal. Section two also includes a self-evaluation for each goal to monitor and evaluate progress.
Colour version is available as a PDF file here. For economical printing, a black and white version is also available.
I’ll produce an example plan shortly to help bring this resource to life.
As always, feedback is warmly welcomed – especially for this first iteration.
- Stephen
Recovery planning template by Stephen Bamber is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Click link for details.
{ 0 comments }
The first annual Recovery Academy conference takes place this year on Friday September 24th, 2010. The event is being held at Woodside Hall, Glasgow. (Disclaimer: I’m a director of the RA and am speaking at the event).
See flyer below for further details (click the image to view/ download as a PDF).
It’s going to be a fantastic event. Hope you can make it!
Stephen Bamber, 1st July, 2010
{ 0 comments }
Whilst in hospital I spent a little time exploring corners of the internet I don’t usually frequent. Here is some user-generated content I came across that I think powerfully illustrates the shared dislocation felt by certain populations in our late-modern era. It is this dislocation that, according to addiction theorist Bruce Alexander, can lead to substitute lifestyles such as addiction to alcohol and other drugs.
Click second image to expand to read text: worth it.
Discuss on Recovery Advice forum 
{ 2 comments }
I like this. Alot.
By Alex Koplin and David Meiklejohn.
Discuss on Recovery Advice forum
{ 4 comments }
Dear readers, colleagues and friends.
Last week I mentioned the fact that I’d be moving away from weekly posting here on The Art of Life Itself to enable me to focus on my doctoral work. Also, having just been discharged from hospital a second time in three weeks, and having just found out (20 minutes ago) I’ll be admitted again tomorrow – health and physical recovery played a part in this decision too.
The blog will remain of course – I just want to make sure your expectations are managed accordingly!
It is my great pleasure to invite you all to join the Recovery Advice forum. Recovery Advice is an independent, safe and supportive discussion forum with a focus on “recovery” and the constellation of fascinating and important questions that orbit around it.
Although I have set the forum up, it is my hope that as it grows it will look after itself!
So, have a look, have a lurk, register and dive in!
I’d be most grateful if you could pass on details to your own colleagues, friends, clients, and anyone else who you think may be interested.
With my warmest regards,
Stephen.
PS I’m going to sneak my computer into hospital tomorrow so I’ll be around and about hopefully.
{ 0 comments }
