1st Edition
Rescued Lives The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse
An effective treatment to help those with addictions
Victims of drug addiction, chronic illness, and mental illness all too often are overwhelmed with the affliction called hopelessness. Oxford Houses succeed because their substance abuse treatment approach instills the most powerful medicine—hope for recovery. Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse provides a comprehensive thought-provoking look at just how the innovative Oxford House model inspires positive action on one of our country’s most serious problems—substance abuse. This powerful book presents the success stories of the people living in these community homes and explains just how it has worked for them.
Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse gives an insightful review of Oxford House’s history and the development of the approach. Residents’ stories reveal the treatment process on the road to recovery, allowing readers to glimpse the path each individual must travel to gain entrance and assimilate into the House community. As the residents gain more control over themselves living substance free, the reader discovers the importance of relationships and reframing of self in the recovery process. This powerful book can provide hope to those individuals who feel they have lost themselves in alcohol, drugs, and mental illness. Foreword by substance abuse scholar Bill White.
Topics in Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse include:
• an overview of substance abuse in today’s society
• a history of Oxford House to the present
• substance abuse treatment approaches
• the process of a resident’s entrance and assimilation
• providing hope and living substance free
• the nationwide expansion of Oxford Houses
• recovery, and what it means to women, children, and families
• criminal offenders in Oxford House
• how the Oxford House model is constructed in order to help disenfranchised individuals from society
• the nine Oxford House Traditions
• a review of the strong evidence that Oxford House works
—and why
• and more!
Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse is enlightening reading for educators and students of psychology, sociology, urban studies, education, and other courses designed to prepare students for careers in the helping professions. This book is also essential for practicing clinicians, anyone concerned with society’s problems and those impacted by substance abuse and mental illness.
- Foreword (Bill White)
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART I. THE OXFORD HOUSE MODEL
- Chapter 1. A Society in Crisis
- The Future
- Chapter 2. A Sobering Beginning: The First Oxford House
- Insider Influence
- The First Oxford House
- Chapter 3. The Roads to Recovery: Substance Abuse Treatment Approaches and Oxford House
- Treatment Models
- Oxford House Approach
- Chapter 4. The Oxford House Experience: Entrance and Assimilation
- Making the Decision
- The New Resident
- Chapter 5. The Oxford House Experience: Living Substance Free
- Relationships
- Reframing of Self
- PART II. EXPANDING THE OXFORD HOUSE APPROACH
- Chapter 6. History Is Made
- Legislation
- An Explosion of Growth
- Chapter 7. Women, Children, and Families
- Demographics
- Relationships
- Responsibilities
- Sense of Self
- Chapter 8. Criminal Offenders and Recovery
- Society’s Perceptions
- Reentry into Society
- Relationships
- Responsibilities
- Sense of Self
- Chapter 9. Society’s Disenfranchised
- Society’s Perceptions
- Relationships
- Responsibilities
- Sense of Self
- Reentry into Society
- Chapter 10. An Invitation Is Extended
- The Next Step
- The Oxford House Traditions
- Chapter 11. Does Oxford House Work?
- Compelling Evidence
- A Broadened Vision of Helping
- Chapter 12. The Researchers’ Stories
- Community Psychology
- Community Psychology Meets Oxford House
- Chapter 13. A Watershed Moment
- A New Paradigm
- The Oxford House Approach in Other Settings
- Appendix
- References
- Index
Biography
Leonard A. Jason, PhD, is a professor of psychology at DePaul University, Chicago, where he heads the Center for Community Research. He has published hundreds of articles and book chapters on treating and preventing substance abuse and has co-authored Creating Communities for Addiction Recovery (2006), in which he presented a series of research studies on the Oxford House model.
Bradley D. Olson, PhD, is a research assistant professor at Northwestern University, and has published numerous research articles, including many on consumer-run recovery homes (e.g., Olson et al., 2002).
Karen Foli, PhD, holds a doctorate in communications research from the University of Illinois. She has written two very well-received books: Like Sound Through Water and The Post-Adoption Blues with co-author John R. Thompson, MD.
"A timely and readable book focusing on the history, methods, and details of the Oxford House model of substance abuse recovery. Provides a refreshing, if not sobering, reminder that there is hope for recovery from substance abuse when traditional methods have failed. [This book] is sometimes provocative, laced with enriched narratives and testimonials depicting the tortuous path many of its residents took before finding Oxford House. I would recommend it to addicts, mental health personnel, addictionologists, sociologists, policy makers, urban planners, and politicians. It provides a glimpse into the lives of troubled souls and a way to establish a unique community model of living as part of recovery." - Leslie M. Lothstein, PsycCRITIQUES
