SELF HELP ADDICTION RESOURCE CENTRE AND Emancipatory research in the addiction field: A partnership to promote empowerment and to understand the recovery

SELF HELP ADDICTION RESOURCE CENTRE

AND

Emancipatory research in the addiction field: A partnership to promote empowerment and to understand

the recovery process

Gordon R. Storey

CEO – Self Help Addiction Resource Centre Inc.

Alexandre B. Laudet

Director – Centre for the Study of Addiction and Recovery

National Development and Research Institutes Inc.

Funded by NIDA Grant R01-DA014409-03S1

CORRESPONDENCE: [email protected] & [email protected]

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The Emancipatory The Emancipatory Research ParadigmResearch Paradigm

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The Emancipatory Research ParadigmThe Emancipatory Research Paradigm

A post-modern conception for scientific inquiry?A post-modern conception for scientific inquiry?

Emancipatory research makes no pretence of a Emancipatory research makes no pretence of a dispassionate objectivity and it proclaims no dispassionate objectivity and it proclaims no pseudo-independence from the complex values pseudo-independence from the complex values and concerns that define us as human beingsand concerns that define us as human beings

Rather, emancipatory research is driven by a Rather, emancipatory research is driven by a robust commitment to end the oppression, the robust commitment to end the oppression, the stigma and the discrimination of people affected stigma and the discrimination of people affected by serious substance use problemsby serious substance use problems

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Herald Sun Newspaper 27-8-05 Melbourne, Australia

A man collapses and is unconscious at the rear of the Victorian State Parliament. Instead of rushing to help him, police handcuff him leave him face down (not in the recovery position, but flat on his face) arrest his friends (who were the only people who bothered to call the ambulance), search him, seize his belongings and leave him until paramedics arrive to resuscitate him.

POLICE CODE OF CONDUCT

“I uphold the right in my role within the Victoria Police Force by acting with integrity and by providing service excellence to everyone”

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The Emancipatory Research The Emancipatory Research ParadigmParadigm

As people with lived experience of addiction and As people with lived experience of addiction and recovery, we are asking for acceptance and support recovery, we are asking for acceptance and support of emancipatory research approachesof emancipatory research approaches

We have aspirations and hope about quality of life, We have aspirations and hope about quality of life, valued roles, good outcomes, full recovery, self help, valued roles, good outcomes, full recovery, self help, taking responsibility, empowerment and liberation taking responsibility, empowerment and liberation

We are seeking support from visionary and skilled We are seeking support from visionary and skilled scientists to assist us to empower ourselves because scientists to assist us to empower ourselves because we recognise and accept that only through a blend of we recognise and accept that only through a blend of two types of expertise working collaboratively two types of expertise working collaboratively (expertise by experience and expertise by (expertise by experience and expertise by profession) shall we achieve emancipation and the profession) shall we achieve emancipation and the social conditions for wellbeingsocial conditions for wellbeing

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Despite an increasing interest in the ‘consumer perspective’, Despite an increasing interest in the ‘consumer perspective’, (rhetorically, even in the field of alcohol and other drugs), virtually (rhetorically, even in the field of alcohol and other drugs), virtually all of focus of this interest remains professionally determined. all of focus of this interest remains professionally determined.

People affected by substance use problems continue to be People affected by substance use problems continue to be systematically excluded: systematically excluded: Our conditions are being defined for usOur conditions are being defined for us There is a pre-determined focus on pathology, deficits and “blaming There is a pre-determined focus on pathology, deficits and “blaming

the victim”the victim” Our conditions are seen as psychological / individual disorders and the Our conditions are seen as psychological / individual disorders and the

political, cultural and social dimensions (degradations) are largely political, cultural and social dimensions (degradations) are largely ignoredignored

We are seen as passive recipients / subjects (largely incompetent)We are seen as passive recipients / subjects (largely incompetent) Power, resources, control and agenda setting remains exclusively in Power, resources, control and agenda setting remains exclusively in

the hands of policy makers, researchers, service planners and the hands of policy makers, researchers, service planners and treatment professionalstreatment professionals

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In contrast, similar to the aspirations and well In contrast, similar to the aspirations and well documented needs of liberation movements among documented needs of liberation movements among women, African-Americans, people with disabilities, women, African-Americans, people with disabilities, people with same sex preferences and most recently, people with same sex preferences and most recently, people with mental illness, we seek to end the people with mental illness, we seek to end the oppression and improve the way people with serious oppression and improve the way people with serious substance use disorders are treatedsubstance use disorders are treated

Emancipatory research has the capacity to become one Emancipatory research has the capacity to become one key strategy in assisting people affected by substance key strategy in assisting people affected by substance use problems to speak out, to elevate their experiential use problems to speak out, to elevate their experiential expertise into a credible and meaningful knowledge expertise into a credible and meaningful knowledge base, to gain access to much needed resources, to base, to gain access to much needed resources, to better self manage their care needs, to take on valued better self manage their care needs, to take on valued roles and to lead fulfilling and worthwhile livesroles and to lead fulfilling and worthwhile lives

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The strategies:The strategies: Build robust partnerships with visionary professionals Build robust partnerships with visionary professionals Define a new epistemology based on lived experience of Define a new epistemology based on lived experience of

addiction and recoveryaddiction and recovery Develop and articulate a research agenda for and by the Develop and articulate a research agenda for and by the

people directly affectedpeople directly affected Provide opportunities for gaining relevant knowledge and Provide opportunities for gaining relevant knowledge and

skillsskills Encourage full participation and empowerment through Encourage full participation and empowerment through

providing access to valued, respected and meaningful rolesproviding access to valued, respected and meaningful roles Continue to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge in Continue to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge in

an effort to assist people affected to take better control over an effort to assist people affected to take better control over their lives, to become familiar with ‘ways of thinking’ about their lives, to become familiar with ‘ways of thinking’ about their condition and to better understand and support the their condition and to better understand and support the need for an emancipatory movementneed for an emancipatory movement

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Putting the Vision into Putting the Vision into PracticePractice

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Putting the vision into practicePutting the vision into practice

Robust partnerships between expertise by experience Robust partnerships between expertise by experience and expertise by profession:and expertise by profession: The National Development and Research Institutes – a New The National Development and Research Institutes – a New

York based York based research and educational organisation working in research and educational organisation working in the areas of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery; HIV, the areas of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery; HIV, AIDS and HCV; therapeutic communities; youth at risk; and AIDS and HCV; therapeutic communities; youth at risk; and related areas of public health, mental health, criminal justice, related areas of public health, mental health, criminal justice, urban problems, prevention and epidemiologyurban problems, prevention and epidemiology

The Self Help Addiction Resource Centre – a peer based The Self Help Addiction Resource Centre – a peer based organisation in Melbourne which combines the expertise of organisation in Melbourne which combines the expertise of ‘experientialists’ with skilled professional practice to provide ‘experientialists’ with skilled professional practice to provide services that include residential recovery support, help for services that include residential recovery support, help for families and carers and advocacy for people affected by families and carers and advocacy for people affected by serious and chronic substance use problemsserious and chronic substance use problems

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Define a new epistemology based on lived experience Define a new epistemology based on lived experience of addiction and recoveryof addiction and recovery

Systematically document experiential learnings of people Systematically document experiential learnings of people who have been “through it”who have been “through it”

Create an empirical knowledge base founded on ‘experiential Create an empirical knowledge base founded on ‘experiential expertise’expertise’

Demonstrate that experiential knowledge (the experiential Demonstrate that experiential knowledge (the experiential frame of reference is a valid way of knowing the world)frame of reference is a valid way of knowing the world)

Reclaim the ‘cultural authority’ to define reality, to construct Reclaim the ‘cultural authority’ to define reality, to construct meanings and to articulate values that are gained by personal meanings and to articulate values that are gained by personal subjective experiencesubjective experience

Elevate experiential expertise to a level of credibility and Elevate experiential expertise to a level of credibility and authority equal to the expertise of a scientist or professionalauthority equal to the expertise of a scientist or professional

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Develop and articulate a research agenda for Develop and articulate a research agenda for and by the people directly affectedand by the people directly affected

THE PATHWAYS PROJECTS:THE PATHWAYS PROJECTS:

A cross-cultural exploration of addiction A cross-cultural exploration of addiction recovery processes and experiences in the recovery processes and experiences in the

United States and AustraliaUnited States and Australia

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Pathways ProjectsPathways Projects

Pathways New YorkPathways New York A 5 year NIDA funded longitudinal study investigating A 5 year NIDA funded longitudinal study investigating

the factors associated with stable recovery over time the factors associated with stable recovery over time (data collected 4 times at yearly intervals)(data collected 4 times at yearly intervals)

Semi-structured interviews and qualitative life history Semi-structured interviews and qualitative life history interviewsinterviews

A baseline group of 354 participants self identified as A baseline group of 354 participants self identified as ‘in recovery’ (from 1 month to 10 years)‘in recovery’ (from 1 month to 10 years)

Pathways AustraliaPathways Australia A 2 year NIDA funded cross-sectional replication of A 2 year NIDA funded cross-sectional replication of

Pathways New YorkPathways New York The project commenced in April 2005 and we are The project commenced in April 2005 and we are

seeking 160 participantsseeking 160 participants

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Why study the recovery processWhy study the recovery process

It is a wellness (strengths-based) focus in contrast to It is a wellness (strengths-based) focus in contrast to one based on pathology one based on pathology

The approach stresses the importance of experiential The approach stresses the importance of experiential authority in building a knowledge and skill base for authority in building a knowledge and skill base for successful strategies for living, identifying needs and successful strategies for living, identifying needs and other determinants of recovery and relapseother determinants of recovery and relapse

We know very little about how recovering persons We know very little about how recovering persons achieve and maintain their status over time ( in achieve and maintain their status over time ( in terms of locating skills, assets and capacities), terms of locating skills, assets and capacities),

Learnings from the recovering community can Learnings from the recovering community can contribute to:contribute to: Instillation of hope (non-illusory hope), Instillation of hope (non-illusory hope), Identification of recovery capital Identification of recovery capital Building robust and more accessible recovery pathwaysBuilding robust and more accessible recovery pathways

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Provide opportunities for gaining relevant Provide opportunities for gaining relevant knowledge and skills and for participation and knowledge and skills and for participation and empowerment:empowerment:

Starting with the proposition that experts by experience Starting with the proposition that experts by experience have the requisite competencies and capacities to take on have the requisite competencies and capacities to take on valued and meaningful roles valued and meaningful roles

Designed situations where the ‘object’ of the Designed situations where the ‘object’ of the research has the opportunity to become the research has the opportunity to become the researcher researcher

In Australia, lived addiction and recovery experiences were In Australia, lived addiction and recovery experiences were key criteria in staff selection key criteria in staff selection

Experientialists participated fully in the design and review Experientialists participated fully in the design and review of the instrumentsof the instruments

Study data is being collected by trained experientialistsStudy data is being collected by trained experientialists The experientialist is empowered through taking on a high The experientialist is empowered through taking on a high

status rolestatus role

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Continue to raise awareness and disseminate Continue to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge in an effort to assist people affected knowledge in an effort to assist people affected to take better control over their lives, to become to take better control over their lives, to become familiar with ‘ways of thinking’ about their familiar with ‘ways of thinking’ about their condition and to better understand and ‘make a condition and to better understand and ‘make a decision’ to embrace the need for an decision’ to embrace the need for an emancipatory movementemancipatory movement

Findings are being and will be interpreted, Findings are being and will be interpreted, reported and disseminated from and for both the reported and disseminated from and for both the scientific and experientialist perspective.scientific and experientialist perspective.

A key imperative of this research is to provide A key imperative of this research is to provide the findings of what is perceived and the findings of what is perceived and experienced by people - directly back to the experienced by people - directly back to the people affectedpeople affected

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The experiential body of The experiential body of knowledge knowledge

Definitions of recoveryDefinitions of recovery Biggest challenges, reasons for relapseBiggest challenges, reasons for relapse Strategies for living and lessons learnedStrategies for living and lessons learned Essential supports, recovery capitalEssential supports, recovery capital Rewards – the “fruits” of recoveryRewards – the “fruits” of recovery Conceptions of what constitutes quality of life / well Conceptions of what constitutes quality of life / well

beingbeing Conceptions of meaning of life issues, spirituality, Conceptions of meaning of life issues, spirituality,

reason for beingreason for being Determinants / predictors of long term recoveryDeterminants / predictors of long term recovery Development of a ‘politics of emancipation’ through Development of a ‘politics of emancipation’ through

equal partnerships between the researchers and the equal partnerships between the researchers and the researchedresearched

NOTHING ABOUT US – WITHOUT US

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PATHWAYSPATHWAYS For correspondenceFor correspondence

[email protected]@sharc.org.au [email protected]@ndri.org

For copies of the presentations and For copies of the presentations and findings to datefindings to date www.ndri.org/ctrs/cstar.htmlwww.ndri.org/ctrs/cstar.html

SHARC websiteSHARC website www.sharc.org.auwww.sharc.org.au

Documents

SELF HELP ADDICTION RESOURCE CENTRE AND Emancipatory research in the addiction field: A partnership to promote empowerment and to understand the recovery