PARTNERS FOR CREATIVE COLLABORATION

Dean C. Wolf, LCSW-C

Licensed Social Worker
202 E. Main Street 304 York Street
Westminster, Md. 21157 Gettysburg, Pa. 17325
(410) 876-3030 (410) 596-4917

The Rhizome Substance Abuse

& Addiction Treatment Network
Description
The Rhizome Substance Abuse & Addiction Treatment Network is a unique
intervention and treatment approach to working with adolescents, adults and families who
are afflicted by substance abuse and addictions. In the addictions field there has been a
tradition of working with substance abusers and addicts in both community outpatient
and residential rehabilitation centers through individual and group therapy and a twelve
step approach emphasizing participation in self-help groups (Alcoholics Anonymous,
Narcotics Anonymous). This approach dominates the field of addictions and may be of
great value to many facing the long term challenges of addiction but may be limiting in
terms of intervention options.
I have been working in the fields of addictions, mental health and family therapy for
37 years and have observed that many adults referred for addiction treatment reject the
twelve step approach; in research 50 per cent or more who are fortunate to recover do so
without participation in self-help and nearly all adolescent addicts reject the twelve step
model. Another striking factor has been that despite the literature that indicates addiction
is a “family disease” there is little or no true family treatment offered in community
outpatient drug and alcohol clinics or residential rehabilitation programs. Instead, family
education, relapse prevention and workshops are offered to parents. Although of some
value education alone has been shown to not be effective in changing patterns of
substance abuse and addictive behavior. The main reason for this I believe that in many
families of addicts dysfunctional patterns of family behavior, such as enabling,
overprotection and rescuing behaviors on the part of family members inhibit possibilities
for change. Along with the addict families become imprisoned and victimized by the
substance and often inadvertently maintain addictive behaviors by not holding the addict
responsible or accountable for their behavior. Addicts are notorious for organizing loved
ones and significant others around their illness in such a way they are protected from the
effects of addiction. Many families have considerable difficulty escaping from these
realities and spend countless frustrating years sending their addictive loved one to
inpatient and outpatient centers in an often fruitless effort to be “cured” of their addiction.
The families are rarely if ever told they could directly influence the course of the
addictive process by intimate involvement in the treatment process and taking action to
support and challenge the addict to give up the substance.
In creating the Rhizome Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment Network process I
am attempting to add another dimension to the treatment of addiction. The central

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feature of this process is to identify and activate the social network of the substance
abuser/addict who functions as “treatment agents” in supporting and challenging the
addict to change their behavior. I assist the addict and family in developing a social
network team that can include the addict, parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts,
cousins and natural supports such as pastors/ministers, friends, neighbors, peers,
teachers/educators, community involved agencies such as juvenile and adult probation
and significant others as identified by the addict and their family. This team meets on a
regular basis, usually once weekly with me to develop an assessment, intervention and
treatment plan for the addict. Network meetings are held in home on a regular basis to
implement the plan as designed by the team and can be supplemented by individual
sessions with the addict. The social network team is charged with the responsibility for
developing rules, guidelines and expectations for the addicts’ behavior. Some of these
expectations may include but not be limited to work, spending money and managing
finances, attending self-help groups, diet, nutrition and exercise, peer interaction,
restrictions on where they are allowed to go, attendance at network meetings and so forth.
In addition the network is responsible for taking random and on demand drug screens in
consultation with the family therapist. The addict is directly accountable to the social
network and is given considerable support and challenge as needed. For example, if the
addict violates rules and expectations or uses alcohol/drugs the network will develop and
implement meaningful consequences for such behavior. The overall goal of social
network intervention is to motivate the addict to give up substance use and to assist in the
long term process of remaining substance free (recovery).

Advantages of the Rhizome approach

• The family and natural support social network are imminently more capable of
supporting and challenging the addict than the professional community in that the
addict will likely respond over time more positively for those who love, care and
know them best
• The social network approach lends itself to more sustainable outcomes in that
participants are likely to be involved with the addict in the long term
• The addict benefits from being held accountable by the social network for
following rules, guidelines and expectations as set forth rather than by referral
agencies, courts or treatment professionals
• Enablers who are organized and victimized by the addiction can be influenced to
move from a protective and rescuing position to one of change and treatment
agent.
• Collaboration between families of addicts, natural supports and family therapists
working together provide a more optimistic context for recovery and problem
resolution. Families involved in this process consistently report that being
involved has positive effects in that they are contributing to turning around the
problem
• The substance abuser/addict has a direct opportunity to make amends and re-build
bridges with loved ones and significant others he/she has hurt or offended by
substance abusing or addictive behavior. The re-building of relationships is
essential for healing.

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 The Rhizome Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment Network is an innovation in
the treatment of addiction. The activation of the family and natural support network of
the addict is a powerful tool for changing behavior. Social network intervention is
practiced all over the world in such modalities as the Open Dialogue, Family Group
Decision Making, Wraparound process and the Social Network Intervention of Ross
Speck, M.D. The process can be utilized in working with adolescents or adults suffering
from addiction or co-occurring mental health disorders and is an alternative to placement
in residential rehabilitation centers or as a step down from an inpatient setting. The
process may be used as an adjunct to traditional individual and group therapy offered in
outpatient and residential settings. The process is a strengths-based, collaborative
process focusing on strengths, gifts and potentials rather than traditional deficit-based,
pathological thinking and practice. The emphasis is on creating partnership between
addicts, their families and natural support systems, family therapists and community
involved agencies such as probation agencies, courts, recovery programs, outpatient and
inpatient drug and alcohol programs, schools, self help programs and professional
practitioners where knowledge and resources are pooled in an interconnected manner.
For example if the addict is referred for social network treatment the referral source and
community involved agency staff will be invited to join the team.
I am actively connecting this process in Carroll County, Maryland and Southern
Pennsylvania with lawyers, courts, community agencies and families. In addition I offer
training and consultation to community based alcohol and drug programs and residential
rehabilitation centers in this process. Please feel free to contact me if you have any
questions, would like additional information or provide feedback on how to improve the
process.

Dean C. Wolf, LCSW-C

Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Board Certified, Approved Supervisor
Partners for Creative Collaboration