Stanford Center for Health Education - Psychology of Addiction and Recovery
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Program description
Psychology of Addiction and Recovery
Understand the science of addiction and discover psychological approaches to treatment and recovery.
Earn an official certificate of professional achievement from Stanford Center for Health Education.
As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both the brain and behavior. These discoveries have impacted and improved our understanding of compulsive drug use, enabling us to respond effectively to the problem with scientifically supported psychological interventions. Treatment, recovery, and prevention of addictive behavior has become a global strategy.
Guided by Dr. Anna Lembke, the medical director of Addiction Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and leading activist in the opioid epidemic, the Psychology of Addiction and Recovery online short course from the Stanford Center for Health Education (SCHE), a part of Stanford Medicine, explores the complex relationship between doctors and patients, the science of addiction, and the barriers to successfully addressing drug addiction and dependence at a personal and systemic level.
Over the course of six weeks, you’ll evaluate how medications, approaches to psychotherapy, and peer support can enhance recovery, and how scientific evidence can be used to establish innovative addiction treatments. You’ll also explore the neurobiological factors underlying addiction, and how these impact intervention and recovery efforts today.
Admission requirements
Is this course for you?
There has been significant progress and expansion in the development of evidence-based psychosocial treatments for substance abuse and psychological dependence. Founded on new research, this course offers a platform to better understand substance and process addiction, and how these impact intervention and recovery. This course is designed for health and care professionals such as social workers, recovery coaches, and mental health counselors, all of whom will find interest in the practical insight into addiction and recovery. Additionally, physicians could benefit from exposure to biological, psychological, and social options for recovery management.
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Learn moreProgram content
Course curriculum
Learn about scientifically supported psychological interventions and how they can be used to treat addiction as you work through the weekly modules of this online short course.
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
The history of addiction
Module 2
The neurobiology of the addicted brain
Module 3
Screening and early intervention
Module 4
Biological approaches to recovery
Module 5
Psychological approaches to recovery
Module 6
Peer-based and policy approaches to recovery
Program delivery
Duration:
- Duration: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)
- 5–6 hours per week- Self-paced learning online
Qualification
About the certificate
Explore the science of addiction and recovery, and earn an official certificate of completion from Stanford Center for Health Education
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.
What will set you apart
On completion of this course, you’ll walk away with:
- An understanding of the history of addiction and how perceptions of addiction have changed over time.
- An intuitive grasp of the neurological and psychological effects of addiction, and how this aids in the path to recovery.
- Awareness of how peer-based policies and approaches to recovery can be used to treat addiction, and how policy-level interventions can be used to address substance misuse in populations.
- Insight into biological and psychological approaches to recovery.
About this institute
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