Jul 27, 2022
In this episode, Arden speaks with her dear friend and professional mentor, Bill Messinger. Bill, a retired lawyer, is an alcohol counselor and leading expert in helping affluent families with substance use issues. Arden and Bill start the conversation by discussing whether affluent families have higher rates of substance use, in addition to the stigma experienced by affluent families and the treatment they receive. Bill explains how consequences are key to helping people with addictive disorders and how families have to understand the long-term nature of recovery. This is a great conversation for those who have loved ones with substance use disorders and for professionals seeking to better serve affluent families.
IN THIS EPISODE:
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
BIO:
Bill is a retired lawyer and alcohol counselor who grew up in a family business on one side, trusts on the other side, and alcoholism on all sides. After completing treatment in 1995, Bill was surprised at the high relapse rates of his peer group. In 1997, he learned about the excellent outcomes for pilots and doctors. He began applying their treatment programs to other groups, including the well-off and well-known, to improve recovery rates. He is a leading expert on what works in recovery for the affluent and prominent and he has written numerous articles on this topic.
Bill is also an advocate for treatment reform because the current system is ineffective and needs to be converted to a community-based system with a focus on long-term management. He contends that we need to stop blaming the addict for treatment failures and, instead, take a hard look at the failings and distorted economic incentives of the delivery system - both private and public.
https://billmessinger.com/
https://www.corimn.org/