Harm Reduction, Pragmatic Strategies For Managing High Risk Behaviours

Abstract

Reviews the book, Harm Reduction: Pragmatic Strategies for Managing High Risk Behaviours, 2nd Edition by G. Alan Marlatt, Mary E. Latimer, and Katie Witkiewitz (see record 2012-07985-000). The first edition of this book has become a standard reference for those interested in, and/or working in the field, and this second edition should prove a valuable addition. The intervening years have seen harm reduction (HR) become more widely accepted as a mainstream treatment approach, and the first section of this work reviews the definition, principles and aims of HR with some interesting international and historical context. The middle section addresses HR psychotherapy and offers individual chapters on a fairly comprehensive range of substances, including alcohol and a new chapter on cannabis. A range of HR interventions from brief interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based approaches are discussed, as well as the role of pharmacotherapy within the HR context. In the end, the tone could at times be overly evangelical for some, but the central message of the book is to encourage those with an interest or working in the field of substance misuse to consider HR principles and incorporate HR strategies into their practice in order to successfully engage a broader range of individuals in treatment and ultimately reduce the potential and actual harm experienced by the individual and population at large, from a range of high-risk behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)