The Therapeutic Community: Theory, Model, and Method

Rating:
Summary: Essential, but..
Review: As a rank amateur, a square who volunteers at a 'half-way house' for indigent returning ex-offenders and recovering addicts, I have found this book of immense value in suggesting ways in which group living can be combined with 'self help' and even cognitive-emotional-behavioral therapy as a positive force for personal change. But it also told me much more than I wanted to know about the details involved in running a large scale program with significant financial and residential resources and a professional staff. Its relatively brief discussion of the "stages of change" can be complimented by the excellent "Group Treatment for Substance Abuse, a Stages-of-Change Therapy Manual," by Mary Velasquez and her colleagues.I hope this author soon turns his considerable experience and expertise and abilities as a clear exponent of complex ideas to the problems faced by programs run on a shoe string, with no professional staff, but attempting to serve persons with problems and life circumstances exactly like those of the typical TC resident.

Rating:
Summary: It's the standard
Review: I have been working in the addiction treatment field for over 20 years, including in the Therapeutic Community setting. This book is the best overview of the model ever done. It provides a balance of the theory behind the philosophy and interventions of the TC, while also speaking to the specific activities which take place. If you really want to read about the premise of this approach, this book is the place to start.

Rating:
Summary: It's the standard
Review: I have been working in the addiction treatment field for over 20 years, including in the Therapeutic Community setting. This book is the best overview of the model ever done. It provides a balance of the theory behind the philosophy and interventions of the TC, while also speaking to the specific activities which take place. If you really want to read about the premise of this approach, this book is the place to start.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent, detailed examination of TCs
Review: I work as Clinical Supervisor for a Teaching and Therapeutic Community and as part of my education I've read other works by DeLeon (and others). He and Lew Yablonsky, a retired professor from Cal State -- Northridge, are without doubt the leading experts on the TC movement. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which is by far the best book I've seen yet on TCs. It is very well organized, well written, and covers virtually every aspect of TC life. DeLeon knows his subject well, and his description of the culture of TC, especially insights into the management level, are very on-target observations. For instance, he notes that while most TCs offer employees (many of whom "cleaned up" from addictions at the TC where they end up working) a chance to climb the employment ladder and assume responsibility, the very top levels of management are usually closed and power is held by a small group of individuals who delegate power, but ultimately do not allow others within the closed circle at the top of the management pyramid. Insight in the the group process is also valuable, especially for anyone who has joined a TC as an employee, but comes from either another counseling background, or has academic credentials but little on-the-job experience. I "cleaned up" at a TC two decades ago and went on to get my M.A. in education, with an emphasis on working with drug abusers. As a result, I "straddle the fence" in the TC where I work. Most TCs are fairly closed cultures, as DeLeon notes, and outsiders often have a hard time adjusting. My background in TCs and my academic training are sometimes in conflict. DeLeon's book should be REQUIRED reading for anyone who is considering making the transition from a 12-Step oriented agency to a TC. The two cultures are worlds apart, and learning about the group processes (which are very, very different from "traditional" group therapy sessions), the unique vocabulary, and the traditions and culture of TCs would provide the insight that would enable someone wanting to work at a TC to make an informed decision. This book would also be valuable for someone who has a family member residing in a TC and who doesn't quite "get" the process their loved one is going through. For many on the outside, TCs and their emphasis on "community," appear like leftover '70s cults. But that is not the case, and reading this book would help ease any misgivings family members might have. Finally, academics who are hung up on "traditional" models of substance abuse treatment would benefit by learning that there is ANOTHER way to "clean up" those with drug problems. DeLeon's book is wide-ranging, specific, very readable, and very informative. As someone who works in the field, I HIGHLY recommend it.