Dedication of THE BASICS

This book is dedicated to the millions of people who have struggled and continue to struggle with Co-Occurring Psychiatric and Substance Disorders. Your courage and strength in pushing ahead toward health, even in spite of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, is nothing short of amazing. You have taught us what we have always needed to learn, that co-occurring disorders must be treated simultaneously.

I have had the privilege of working with you at all levels of functioning – either in my private practice where you were functioning well, to treatment facilities where your functioning had declined, to underneath bridges where you were no longer able to interact with the world. I saw in your eyes a strong desire to be well, even though your symptoms had – at times – said something else in your behaviors.

I watched you teach compassion by voicing concern over my comfort there underneath the bridge. I watched you teach patience as you took three bus transfers to get to just one of the endless appointments you were required to make. I watched you teach kindness as you gave up your last bus token to someone who didn’t have one. I watched you teach empathy as you gave away the sweater we had brought you to a fellow companion who was cold. You have taught us so much.

This work is dedicated to you so that those of us in the role of “counselor, therapist, and educator” may be assisted in the goal of providing education in an integrated treatment approach. May we show you the compassion, patience, kindness, and empathy you have taught to us.

Rhonda McKillip
Author of THE BASICS, Second Edition

Printable version below