The 7 Skills for Addiction-Free Living: Social Skills
by Lorraine Collins
Watch an addiction psychologist work with people in recovery to develop the fundamental social skills needed to start and strengthen rewarding relationships with new friends.

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Many addictions start with the casual use of drugs or alcohol to “loosen up” at social events. People entering recovery often find that their entire social groups are still using, and they can no longer rely on the easy bond of the drug to bring them closer to new friends. Even when the recovery support group has replaced old relationships to form a new community, it’s important—and often challenging—to be able to reach out and build new friendships without the assistance of the old “social lubricants.”

In this video, addiction psychologist Lorraine Collins illuminates the fundamental social skills needed to start and strengthen rewarding relationships with new friends. With a live studio audience in various stages of substance abuse recovery, Collins leads useful role-plays in starting conversations with strangers, giving and receiving criticism, and asking for help from friends and acquaintances. These are the skills people often assume everyone has, and yet no one was ever properly taught. Clients  can practice and learn with the video participants as they find new ease and confidence in building their communities.
This video is part of the series 7 Skills for Addiction-Free Living, and is primarily geared towards people in recovery, as well as their family members and loved ones. It is also an excellent resource for educators and trainers in addiction counseling programs, as well as staff at recovery treatment centers. Therapists in private practice will want this in their library to lend to clients struggling with substance abuse.

What therapists are saying…

"Recovery and the social skills required to succeed in it are part of an evolving journey, and it is often the critical small steps that can make such a profound difference in one’s progress. This video moves right to the core of these issues by addressing the fears that often surface in starting a conversation, making small talk, asking open ended questions, self-disclosing, asking for help, and gracefully ending a conversation with anyone at anytime. The skills presented here are the cornerstone of social interactions that pave the way to the more meaningful connections we all need to build healthy communities of support. Practicing and learning alongside the participants in the video can make the process that much easier for your clients to integrate these pivotal pieces in their work with you as well. Recommended for clients in all stages of recovery."

-- Margaret Petersen, MFT, Pleasanton, California
In Depth
Specs
Bios
By viewing this video, you will:
  • Identify tricks to initiating and ending casual conversations in any situation;
  • Practice strategies for offering constructive feedback to resolve conflicts;
  • Rehearse accepting and considering criticism;
  • Learn how to strengthen new friendships by requesting and reciprocating emotional and practical support.

Length of video: 1:51:00

English subtitles available

Individual ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-283-2

Group ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-284-0

Group ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-284-6

Lorraine Collins, PhD, is the Associate Dean for Research at SUNY-Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions, and Professor in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior. A former research scientist with the Research Institute on Addictions, Collins has published widely in scholarly journals. Her research focuses on nicotine, marijuana, and alcohol addictions.



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