Helping Men Recover
Description
In the newly revised second edition of Helping Men Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction, Special Edition for Use in the Justice System, a team of experts delivers a practical and straightforward framework to assist men struggling with substance use disorders. Targeting the four areas most consistently identified by men as triggering relapse--the self, sexuality, spirituality, and relationships--this therapeutic program has twenty-one sessions and explores topics like self-awareness and identity, the impact of family, abuse and trauma, communication, male socialization, and many more.
Readers will also find:
* Three additional sessions with new exercises
* Comprehensive strategies for the creation of safe spaces in which men will feel comfortable expressing themselves, reflecting, and learning
* Information about how men experience and recover from addictions and trauma
* Ways to develop and learn teach the skills men need to maintain and sustain recovery from substance use disorders and live the life they want to live
An indispensable collection of exercises and other resources for men in the criminal justice system who are struggling with substance misuse. Helping Men Recover belongs on the bookshelves of social workers, clinicians, and other correctional system professionals.
More details
Other editions
Additional editions
Persons
STEPHANIE S. COVINGTON, PhD, LCSW, is an internationally recognized clinician, author, and organizational consultant known for her pioneering work on the gender-informed treatment of addiction and trauma. She has over 30 years of experience in the design and implementation of treatment services in public, private, and institutional settings. She has published extensively, including Exploring Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Men and Gender-Diverse People, Helping Women Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction, and A Young Man's Guide to Self-Mastery. She has worked in many US jurisdictions as well as other countries to help criminal justice institutions and programs develop gender-responsive and trauma-informed services.
DAN GRIFFIN, MA, has worked in the addictions and mental health fields for more than 25 years, with a particular focus on masculinity. He is the author of A Man's Way Through the Twelve Steps, A Man's Way through Relationships, Amazing Dads, and Healing Men's Pain. Dan's graduate work focused on the transformation of masculinity in the Twelve Step culture. He is an international speaker and consultant who lives in LA with his wife and daughter. He has been in recovery since 1994.
RICK DAUER, LADC, is a behavioral health consultant and trainer. He has been a professional in the field of addiction since 1984 and has experience in residential, outpatient, and corrections-based treatment programs, including over 25 years as a clinical director. He has served on numerous state and national boards, panels, and task forces dedicated to improving access to high-quality substance use disorder services. He has long been an advocate for and practitioner of gender-responsive and trauma-informed care and he supervised the first pilot programs for both the Helping Women Recover and Helping Men Recover curricula. Rick lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and has been in recovery for over 40 years.
Content
Preface
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER 1. What the Facilitator Needs To Know About Providing Gender-Responsive Services
New Approaches to Men's Treatment [A head]
What We Have Learned [B head]
Men, Addiction, and Crime
Implementing This Program in a Custodial Setting
Safety
Trauma-Informed Responses and Criminal Justice Interventions
Fundamentals of Gender-Responsive Services
Gender Differences
Theoretical Framework
Addiction Theory: How Addiction and Recovery Work
A New Focus on Men's Psychological Development
Relational-Cultural Theory
Trauma Theory
Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Responsive Services
Triggers
A Man's Reluctance to Acknowledge Trauma
The Value of Twelve Step Programs and Other Mutual-Help Groups
CHAPTER 2. Facilitating the Program
This Revised Edition [A]
Structure and Content of the Program
Four Issues: Self, Relationships, Sexuality, and Spirituality [B]
A Man's Workbook
The Sessions
Principles of an Effective Treatment Program
A Supportive Environment
Open Groups
Admitting a New Group Member
Session Three: The Man Rules
Scheduling New Group Members
Modifying Sessions
Graduating Group Members
Building Trust and Loss of Leadership
Using a Psychoeducational Model: Three Levels of Intervention
A Strength-Based Model
Readiness for Change
Cultural Context and Gender
Cultural Humility and Responsiveness
Dealing with Current Trauma
Treatment Program Design
Therapeutic Communities and Step Programs
Facilitation
Facilitators and Therapeutic Style
Qualities of an Effective Facilitator
Preparation for Conducting the Program
Special Considerations for Criminal Justice Settings
The Role of the Facilitator
Self-Care
Training Facilitators
The Facilitator's Journey
Materials Needed for the Sessions
Opening Session: Introduction to the Program
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue [Components of each session (see below) must be included.]
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Facilitator Introduction
Group Introductions
Overview of the Program and Session Format
Group Agreements
Lecture: What Is Addiction?
Lecture: What Is Trauma?
Lecture: The Spiral of Addiction and Recovery
Activity: Breathing and Exhaling
Activity: Focusing on the Here and Now
Lecture: Feeling Chart
Discussion: Reactions
Between-Sessions Activities
Grounding Activity
Closing
Module A. Self
Goals of Module A
Background and Rationale
Complementary with Twelve Step Programs
The Sessions
Session Content
Session 2: Defining Self
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activities
Selected Meditation
Overview of Module A
Session Goals
Feeling Okay: Grounding and Relaxation Activities
Feelings and Body Check-in
Discussion: What Do You Want To Get out of This Group?
Lecture: Self-Identity and the Role of Feelings
Activity: Who Am I?
Debrief Activity
Lecture: The Water
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 3: Men in Recovery
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Lecture: The Water, Part 2
Activity: The Man Rules
Lecture: The Man Rules
Activity: The Man Rules and the Principles of Recovery
Subgroup Discussions
Activity: Breathing
RRecovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 4: A Sense of Self
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator's Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Lecture: Looking at Our Lives as Journeys
Activity: Looking Back: Our Journeys
Activity: Returning to the Present
Activity: Sharing Our Stories
Activity: What Is a Life Journey?
Activity: Breathing
RRecovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activities and Closing
Session 5: Men, Inside and Out
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activities
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Lecture: Inside and Out
Activity: My House, Outside and Inside
Lecture: The Challenge of Vulnerability
Activity: The Emotions Game
Activity: Breathing
RRecovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 6: Men and Feelings
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Lecture and Discussion: Relationships and Feelings
Lecture: The Anger Funnel
Activity: Communication and Feelings
Activity: Breathing
Lecture: What We Have Covered So Far
RRecovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Module B. Relationships
Goals of Module B
Background and Rationale
Complementary with Twelve Step Programs
The Sessions
Session Content
Facilitating the Sessions
Additional Resources
Session 7: Family of Origin
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Overview of Module B
Session Goals
Activity: Family Sculpture
Discussion: Family Sculpture
Discussions: Family Roles
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activities and Closing
Session 8: Barriers to Healthy Relationships
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activities
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Interactive Lecture: Abuse and Trauma
Discussion: Abuse
Activity: A Place of Peace Visualization
Lecture: The Power and Control Wheel
Lecture: Interpersonal Violence
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 9: Fathers
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Lecture: Our Fathers as Individual Men
Discussion: Our Fathers' Lives
Discussion: Fathers and Children
Activity: Breathing and Visualization
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 10: Mothers
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Activity: Reading Letters to Fathers
Discussion: Letters to Fathers
Discussion: On Being a Father
Lecture: Our Mothers as Individual Women
Discussion: Mothers and Children
Activity: Breathing and Visualization
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 11: Creating Healthy Relationships and Support Systems
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Activity: Reading Letters to Mothers
Discussion: Letters to Mothers
Activity: Grounding
Activity: What Does Support Feel Like?
Lecture: What Is a Supportive, Growth-Fostering Relationship?
Lecture: Defining Boundaries
Activity: Relationship Maps
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 12: Effective Communication
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Activity: Completing and Sharing Relationship Maps
Activity: Secret Identity
Lecture: Communication and Conflict
Activity: Communication and Conflict
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 13: Creating and Maintaining Intimacy
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Lecture: Intimacy and Connection
Interactive Lecture: The Man Rules and Intimacy
Discussion: Intimacy
Activity: Talking Format/COTE
Discussion: COTE
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Module C. Sexuality
Goals of Module C
Background and Rationale
The Sessions
Facilitating the Sessions
Themes
Session 14: Sexuality and Addiction
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Overview of Module C
Session Goals
Activity: Creating Lists About Sex and Feelings
Lecture: Introduction to Human Sexuality
Discussions: Basic Issues in Sex and Sexuality
Debrief Discussion
Lecture: Introducing the Sexual-Chemical Lifeline
Recovery Check-out
The Question Box
Between-Sessions Activities and Closing
Session 15: Sexual Identity
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Session Activities
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
The Question Box
Discussions: Social Messages About Sexuality and Gender
Debrief Discussions
Interactive Lecture: Heterosexism, Sexual Prejudice, and Misogyny
Lecture: Body Image
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activities and Closing
Session 16: Barriers to Sexual Health
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activities
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
The Question Box
Interactive Lecture: Sex While Under the Influence and Consent
Lecture: Masturbation, Pornography, and Paying for Sex
Activity: Grounding
Discussions: Sexual Triggers and Relapse
Debrief Discussions
Lecture: Sober Sex
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activities and Closing
Session 17: Healthy Sexuality
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activities
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
The Question Box
Activity: Sharing Sexual-Chemical Lifelines
Activity: Collage of Healthy Sexuality
Activity: Sharing Collages
Discussion: A Sexual Health Model
Lecture: Love, Sex, and Intimacy
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Module D. Spirituality
Goals of Module D
Background and Rationale
The Sessions
Session 18: What Is Spirituality?
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Overview of Module D
Session Goals
Activity: Yoga Pose #1
Lecture: Spirituality, Religion, and Addiction
Discussion: Religion and Spirituality
Interactive Lecture: Behaviors that Promote the Spiritual Journey
Lecture: To Be of Service
Activity: Creative Expression Project
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activities and Closing
Session 19: Power and Privilege
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activities
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Activity: Yoga Pose #2
Lecture: Power
Discussion: Power, Privilege, and Behavior
Activity: True Identity
Debrief Activity
Lecture: Meditation and Silence
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 20: Building Resilience
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Activity: Yoga Pose #3
Lecture: Addiction, Trauma, and Spirituality
Lecture: Grief
Discussions: Grief and Loss
Debrief Discussions
Activity: Building Resilience
Interactive Lecture: A New Definition of Masculinity
Activity: Breathing
Recovery Check-out
Between-Sessions Activity and Closing
Session 21: Creating a Vision
Session Overview
Participant Goals
Topic Sequence and Recommended Timing
Materials Needed
Information About Facilitating This Session
Facilitator's Notes and Dialogue
Welcome and Quiet Time/Settling In
Review of Previous Session/Between-Sessions Activity
Feelings/Body Check-in
Activity: Breathing
Activity: Grounding
Selected Meditation
Session Goals
Activity: Share Creative Expression Projects
Activity: The Ritual of Returning to the Community
Lecture: "Promises of Recovery" and Gratitude
Activity: Prospective Journey
Activity: Honoring Our Time Together
Feedback Form and Closing
Appendices [In separate file.]
Appendix 1. The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
Appendix 2. Recovery Programs
Appendix 3. Online Recovery Meetings
Appendix 4. Redefining Gender
Appendix 5. Emotional Sobriety
Appendix 6. Five Senses Cards
References
Feedback Form
About the Authors
Praise for Helping Men Recover
Responses to the Helping Men Recover Feedback Form
Index
CHAPTER 1
What the Facilitator Needs to Know About Providing Gender-Responsive Services
Understanding the need for gender-responsive treatment services for men is critical for anyone who will be using this curriculum. It is important to understand the process of trauma and its effects on addiction and recovery. It is also important to understand the connections between gender, trauma, addiction, and crime. There is much room for improvement in traditional treatment for men, and a discussion of the history of the development of gender-responsive services for both men and women and how these have been expanded beyond the binary model can help to explain this. This chapter provides a brief overview of these issues as well as the theoretical foundation for this curriculum.
New Approaches to Men's Treatment
It would be reasonable to assume that men's issues are adequately addressed in alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment, because the overwhelming majority of treatment was developed for, by, and about men. However, we believe that "gender-neutral" treatment models are inadequate to meet the service needs of both women and men.
If we did not begin with the assumption that we know what men need, what would we discover? If we look at the effects of male socialization, what issues will arise? Through the creation and implementation of this curriculum, we have discovered that, when they feel safe enough, people are willing to look at many important, although difficult, issues commonly overlooked in traditional treatment. Some of these are relationships, sexuality and sexual behavior, power and control, criminal behaviors, privilege and entitlement, and grief. Working collaboratively with professionals in the field, we have created activities that help participants begin to reflect on their common experiences and that are designed to improve their chances of achieving sustained recovery.
Much of this curriculum would work well for individuals in other behavioral health programs that address issues such as anger management and interpersonal violence.
What We Have Learned
Our understanding of addiction and the best ways to treat it has changed in the past decades. Previously, there was a disconnection between mental health systems and addiction services systems. This left clients stuck between the two as they attempted to deal with their addictions and any accompanying mental health issues. Today, we have clear research that shows the effects of drugs on the brain and the mechanisms of addiction. We have known for some time that addiction is a chronic disease. The service systems, the funding streams, and the research that supports the systems are finally being set up to enable providers to treat clients and evaluate their services in this context. Now, after years of poor outcomes for clients, trainings in co-occurring disorders are becoming the expectation (rather than being regarded as the exception) for addiction professionals.
There also have been changes in what we consider effective treatment for men. Two elements of the old treatment model that have deep roots, especially for men, are no longer considered to be as effective as was once thought. First is the concept of denial and the need to break through an individual's denial in order for him to be receptive to treatment. This approach tends to be shame-based and assumes that the person is willfully ignoring the reality and consequences of the problem. Our understanding of the process of change-through the "stages of change" model-has forced us to rethink the idea of denial (DiClemente, 2006). Rather than simply being about people's lack of ability or willingness to look honestly at their problems, this model puts the burden on the clinician to connect with each client and provide services based on which stage of change the client is in.
Second is the idea that confrontation is an effective strategy for getting people to engage in treatment and be willing to look at their problems. There is no clinical evidence pointing to the therapeutic efficacy of confrontation, and there is ample clinical evidence that this approach results in poor outcomes and can even cause harm (Miller & White, 2007).
Men, Addiction, and Crime
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 2019 there were 1,430,805 individuals in custody in state and federal correctional facilities. Of these, 1,322,850 (92 percent) were male (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2020).
The correlation between substance use disorders and criminal behavior is well-documented. A comprehensive study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) titled Behind Bars II: Substance Abuse and America's Prison Population (2010) found that 65 percent of all incarcerated individuals met criteria for a diagnosis of substance use disorder or dependence. The following statistics from the CASA report illustrate the relationship between substance use and criminal behavior:
- Alcohol is implicated in the incarceration of over half (56.6 percent) of all inmates in America. In addition to the inmates who were convicted of an alcohol law violation, 51.6 percent of illicit drug law violators, 55.9 percent of those who committed a property crime, 57.7 percent of inmates who committed a violent crime, and 52.0 percent of those who committed other crimes were either under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime, had a history of alcohol treatment, or had an alcohol use disorder.
- Illicit drugs are implicated in the incarceration of 75.9 percent of all inmates in America. In addition to the inmates who were convicted of a drug law violation, 54.3 percent of alcohol law violators, 77.2 percent of those who committed a property crime, 65.4 percent of inmates who committed a violent crime, and 67.6 percent of those who committed other crimes either committed their crimes to get money to buy drugs, were under the influence of drugs at the time of the crimes, had histories of regular drug use, or had a drug use disorder.
- Of the 1.5 million prison and jail inmates who met clinical diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder in 2006, only 11.2 percent had received any type of professional treatment since admission. Only 16.6 percent of facilities offer treatment in specialized settings (which can produce better outcomes for offenders, as has been measured by drug use and arrests post-release). Few inmates actually receive evidence-based services, including access to pharmacological treatments. The availability of highly trained staff is limited. Simply offering treatment, even in specialized settings, does not mean that the treatment is available to all who need it or of adequate quality.
- Substance-involved offenders are likelier to recidivate than those who are not substance involved. Over half (52.2 percent) of substance-involved inmates have one or more previous incarcerations, compared with 31.2 percent of inmates who are not substance involved.
- Relative to the population at large, people of color and Hispanics are overrepresented in America's prisons and jails. Substance involvement does not explain this overrepresentation, as Black and Hispanic inmates report lower rates of drug use in the months prior to their arrests and have lower rates of substance use disorders than white inmates. Blacks make up 12.3 percent of the U.S. population but comprise 41.0 percent of the inmate population; 60.2 percent have substance use disorders. Hispanics make up 14.8 percent of the U.S. population but comprise 18.8 percent of the inmate population; 58.3 percent have substance use disorders. Whites make up 66.4 percent of the U.S. population and 34.6 percent of the inmate population; 73.1 percent have substance use disorders.
Over the past 50 years, the "war on drugs" has resulted in a massive infusion of addicted men and women into the criminal justice system. (As is noted, the increased enforcement of drug crimes has disproportionally affected men of color.) The criminal justice system has become the primary catchment area for people with addictions. This presents an opportunity for cost-effective intervention. For every dollar spent on community-based treatment for offenders, the community saves as much as $12.00 in related costs (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 2010). Jail and prison-based treatment is even more cost-effective because housing is already provided.
Historically, the socialization process for individuals who have been raised as men contributes to the problematic attitudes and behaviors that underlie both addiction and criminal behavior. Helping Men Recover is the first curriculum for men (and those who identify as men) involved in the criminal justice system that addresses addiction through the lens of socially conditioned masculinity. In the decade since this curriculum was first published, we have discovered that, when they feel safe enough, participants are willing to engage in the challenging issues that are commonly overlooked in traditional treatment. Some of these issues are: anger, power and control, the tolerance of violence, physical and sexual abuse, trauma, effective expression of emotions, conflict resolution, supportive relationships, healthy sexuality, and spiritual development. Participants learn that the "rules" of manhood that previously reinforced addiction and antisocial behaviors can be recast into a more prosocial and self-enhancing belief system.
