The Life Process Program

1
The Life Process Program

• Stanton Peele
• Derived from The Truth About Addiction and
  Recovery
• (with Archie Brodsky and Mary Arnold)

2
DifferencesBeginning the Treatment Process
Disease Model Life Process Program
Your addiction is inbred (genetic, biological) Your addiction is a way of coping with life experience
You get the same therapy as everyone else You design a treatment that fits you
You must accept your identity as an addict/alcoholic You focus on problems and not labels
Your therapy and cures are dictated to you You arrive at your own goals and therapy plan
Either you are addicted or you arent Your addiction will vary depending on your situation
Your addictive symptoms are drummed into you You identify the negative consequences of the addiction
Any claims you have to being okay are attacked as denial Positive aspects of your self-image are accepted and amplified
Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991), p. 174.
3
DifferencesThe Treatment Process Over Time
Disease Model Life Process Program
Person taught they have no control or ability to choose Accept the need for self-control and to make choices
Therapy focuses on addiction Therapy focuses on life environment
Total abstinence is the only successful resolution Improved control and relapse reduction are sought
Avoid challenging situations Become more aware of and deal better with difficult situations
Primary social supports are fellow addicts Primary social supports are work, family, friends
Person must accept same treatment and group support forever Treatment or group support evolves over life
Person is always an addict Person can leave addiction behind and no longer needs to think of themselves as an addict
Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991), p. 174.
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Overall Life Process Program

• Assessment
• Assess addiction in life context
• Assess values
• What is important to person?
• Assess resources
• What does person have?
• What does person need?
• Planning for change
• Setting and maintaining goals

Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991).
5
Overall Life Process Program

• Changing
• Controlling the addictive behavior/destructive
  habit
• Developing life skills
• Integrating change into social world
• Re-establishing community

Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991).
6
The Life Process ProgramThe Stages

• Assess Habit
• How does the person feel it is harming them?
• Assess Values
• What matters to the person?
• Assess Strengths/Resources
• What does the person have/do well?
• What are they missing?
• How can they get what they don't have?

Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991).
7
The Life Process ProgramThe Stages

• Changing the Habit
• Causes
• Contexts
• Consequences
• Outside World
• Real world rewards
• Community
• Meaning and purpose

Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991).
8
Assessing a Habit of Behavior

• What are the signs that the habit or behavior is
  a problem?
• How is it hurting?
• What experience does it provide?
• What benefit does the person derive?
• When is it a problem?
• What situations provoke the habit?
• What are life problem areas?
• Other than the habit itself?

Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991), pp. 171-173.
9
Values Assessment/Needed Values

• Self-control and moderation
• Accomplishment and competence
• Awareness of oneself and one's environment
• Health
• Self-esteem
• Relationships with family, others, community
• A purpose in life

Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991), pp. 200-203.
10
Assessing ResourcesAn Audit of Assets/Needs

• Intimacy and supportive relationships
• Work skills and accomplishments
• Activities and interests
• Larger goals
• Coping with your world
• Coping with yourself

Source Peele, Brodsky, and Arnold, The Truth
About Addiction and Recovery (New York Simon
Schuster, 1991), pp. 217-221.
11
Skills Assessment/Skills Training

• Self-Management Skills
• Managing thoughts
• Problem solving
• Decision-making
• Relaxation
• Managing anger
• Stop negative thinking
• Emergency planning

• Interpersonal Skills
• Refusing substances
• Assertiveness
• Expressing needs
• Accepting feedback
• Giving criticism
• Expressing emotions
• Building networks

Adapted from P. Monti et al., Treating Alcohol
Dependence A Coping Skills Training Guide (New
York Guilford).