The Role of Harm Reduction in Psychotherapy

Dear friends and neighbors,

How do you think we should reduce harm in our treatment of others? The concept of harm reduction originated with those who realized that giving clean needles to heroin addicts was an effective tactic for saving lives. Another early example of harm reduction was housing street alcoholics because someone figured out it was less expensive to house them than to allow them to stay on the street where they use the services of fire departments and emergency rooms as quick places to sleep.

Dr. Andrew Tatarsky now brings the concept of harm reduction to outpatient psychotherapy with chemically dependent people.

This concept of reducing harm now has a place in traditional psychotherapy, and it couldn’t have come soon enough. Take a listen below, or if you’d rather, read the transcript and watch our interview video.

Spreading Compassion and Understanding –Andrew Tatarsky

Wishing you Golden Light,

Dr. Richard Louis Miller

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Further Reading:

• Psychedelic Wisdom

• Psychedelic Medicine

• Harm Reduction Psychotherapy – Andrew Tatarsky

• G. Alan Marlatt

• Coke Enders Alcohol and Drug Program

• Games Alcoholics Play – Claude Steiner

Transcript

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Dr. Richard Louis Miller: Welcome to Mind Body Health & Politics. I'm your host, Dr. Richard Louis Miller. The mission of Mind Body Health & Politics is to enhance physical and mental wellbeing and encourage community. 

What I mean by community is that I believe that human beings are friendly tribal animals. When we associate with one another in small enough groups, where we know each person by name or at least by face, we're cooperative, collaborative animals. We do good things together. 

At the very same time, we must be mindful of the fact that there are a small percentage of us, perhaps fewer than five percent, who are aggressive, avaricious predators. They would rule us if they could, and when they can, they do. In the words of Thomas Jefferson, "We must be eternally vigilant for that group, because eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." 

Today on Mind Body Health & Politics, we have a prominent psychologist, Dr. Andrew Tatarsky, as our guest. Andrew is a private practice person in New York City and he specializes in something called harm reduction psychotherapy, which we're going to be learning more about today. He is also the founder and director of the Center for Optimal Living in New York City, a block away from Grand Central Station. He has also written a book titled Harm Reduction Psychotherapy.