Evidence Base
The authority layer. Every claim traces to peer-reviewed research or federal-agency guidance. Written for people who want to understand the clinical science behind their options.
The ASAM Criteria (3rd Edition), Explained for Families
The 2013 edition still used by many payers mid-transition. The companion guide for families navigating 3rd Edition terminology.
The ASAM 4th Edition Criteria, Explained for Families
The current clinical standard (2023). Six dimensions, the new levels of care, and how to use the Criteria to advocate for the right placement.
CBT for Substance Use: What Outpatient Therapy Actually Looks Like
Cognitive behavioral therapy for substance use disorders: what outpatient treatment actually looks like and what the research supports.
Contingency Management: The Strongest Evidence Nobody Covers
The best evidence nobody covers. What contingency management is, what it treats, and why it is not more widely used.
How to Use Contingency Management at Home to Help a Loved One
Clinical contingency management is the strongest behavioral intervention for stimulant use disorder, but very few clinics offer it. How families can adapt the principles at home.
CRAFT: The Family Method That Works (and Why It Replaces the Intervention)
Community Reinforcement and Family Training: the family approach that produces 3x the treatment engagement of Al-Anon.
The Harm Reduction Evidence Base
What harm reduction actually means clinically, what the evidence supports, and why it is not the opposite of recovery.
Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder
Naltrexone, acamprosate, gabapentin, and topiramate for alcohol use disorder, an honest, prescriber-grade look at who each one fits.
Motivational Interviewing: What It Is and Why It Works
How motivational interviewing works, what the research shows, and why it is the foundation of most outpatient treatment.
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Buprenorphine, Methadone, Naltrexone
Buprenorphine, methadone, and extended-release naltrexone: what they are, who they fit, and what the evidence actually shows.
Ways to Avoid Rehab: The Evidence-Based Guide
A complete map of every evidence-based alternative, outpatient levels of care, medications, harm reduction, digital therapeutics, and family approaches.
The Sinclair Method: What the Evidence Says
Naltrexone taken before drinking to weaken the craving loop: the real evidence, how to ask a prescriber, and what the first 90 days look like.
Supervised Ambulatory Alcohol Withdrawal, Explained
Clinician-led withdrawal at home is a real medical service. Who qualifies, how monitoring works, and the red flags that mean call 911.
Fentanyl Test Strips: How to Use Them, Where to Get Them
How the strips work, how to use them correctly, state legality in 2026, the xylazine gap, and what a negative result does and does not mean.
Naloxone: Who Should Carry It and How to Use It
The overdose reversal medication is now over the counter. Who should keep it on hand, the five response steps, and where to get it free.
SMART Recovery: A Practical Guide
The free, secular alternative to 12-step: the 4-Point Program, how it differs from AA, what the evidence shows, and what a first meeting is like.
Starting Naltrexone or Acamprosate While Working
Side-effect timing, dosing logistics, the happy hour problem, and the first 90 days of alcohol medication on a full work schedule.
Polysubstance Use Involving Alcohol: Outpatient Pathways
Alcohol plus benzodiazepines, opioids, or stimulants: how each combination changes withdrawal risk, medications, and the right level of care.
Why Residential Care Isn't Always the Best First Step
Research comparing residential to intensive outpatient finds equivalent outcomes for most people. What the evidence actually says, and when residential is the right call.