December 2011 – Tips & Topics

Vol. 9, No. 9December, 2011 In This Issue SAVVY -A new definition of Recovery from Mental and Substance Use Disorders SKILLS – Clinical and systems questions, suggestions and solutions SOUL – Politics of personal destruction SHARING SOLUTIONS- Implementing ASAM Criteria Happy Holidays to all and best wishes for a healthy, successful and meaningful 2012!

November 2011 – Tips & Topics

Vol. 9, No. 8November, 2011 In This Issue SAVVY -What celebrity doctors could have done SKILLS – How to create incentives for change and recovery SOUL – Thanks Welcome to the November edition of Tips and Topics. To all our USA readers, a Happy Thanksgiving.

October 2011 – Tips & Topics

Vol. 9, No. 7 October, 2011 In This Issue SAVVY – Getting back to biopsychosocial SKILLS – 20 million needing help; balancing biopsychosocial SOUL – The speeding relapse STUMP THE SHRINK -Chronic relapsing disease? Welcome to our many new readers and of course to all who have been regular readers of Tips and Topics.   of The Change Companies®  

September 2011 – Tips & Topics

Vol. 9, No. 6 September, 2011 In This Issue SAVVY – The Not-So-Simple-Question SKILLS – Zeroing in on what you want SOUL – How do you handle pressure? Welcome to a new and improved Tips and Topics (TNT). It seemed fitting to introduce a spruced-up layout for TNT to welcome in another big change at The Change Companies (TCC) – a new CEO, Joyce Conley, Ph.D.  Founder and former CEO, Don Kuhl, has now realized his goal of “retirement” from the daily demands of TCC. Read more from Joyce in her guest appearance of Mindful Midweek. In keeping with a change in The Change Companies, SAVVY and SKILLS are a bit different this edition. They are almost like a big SOUL section combined, as the focus this month is on you and not the usual clinical and professional topics.   Senior Vice President of The Change Companies®  

August 2011 – Tips & Topics

TIPS & TOPICS from David Mee-Lee, M.D. Volume 9, No. 5 August 2011 _______________________________________ In this issue — SAVVY – A new definition of addiction from ASAM— SKILLS – What the new definition means to you, your program and systems — SOUL – Charley horse— SHARING- Readers’ comments — Until Next Time

July 2011 – Tips & Topics

Vol. 9, No. 4July, 2011 In this issue SAVVY – Amy Winehouse: “I don’t want to go to Rehab.” SKILLS – Learning from Amy’s song SOUL – Can you hear me now? STUMP THE SHRINK – Help me with my daughter Welcome to the July edition of Tips and Topics (TNT). A special welcome to our new subscribers this month; you have joined the many TNT readers since 2003.

June 2011 – Tips & Topics

TIPS & TOPICS from David Mee-Lee, M.D. Volume 9, No.3 June 2011 In this issue — SAVVY   Top 10 reasons to use the ASAM Criteria — SKILLS  How close your services are to the spirit/use of the ASAM Criteria — SOUL   R&D – not doing the same old thing — Until Next Time Welcome and thank-you for joining us for the June edition.

May 2011 – Tips & Topics

TIPS & TOPICS from David Mee-Lee, M.D. Volume 9, No.2 May 2011 _________________________________ In this issue — SAVVY – Teaching tips that work — SKILLS –Practice these teaching techniques — SOUL – Tornadoes and dodging bullets — SHAMELESS SELLING – Tips from the TNT book — Until Next Time

April 2011 – Tips & Topics

TIPS & TOPICS from David Mee-Lee, M.D. Volume 9, No. 1 April 2011 In this issue — SAVVY –The 3 Ps to Understanding the Big Picture of Healthcare — SKILLS –Clinical Implications of the 3 Ps — SOUL –Celebrating anniversaries — SHARING- Some readers’ comments — Until Next Time Welcome to the start of the 9th year of publishing TIPS and TOPICS (TNT).  It was April 2003 when I started this experiment which has blossomed into a widely-read and appreciated resource (at least that’s what many readers tell me – the others don’t say anything- they just don’t read TNT!)

March 2011 – Tips & Topics

TIPS & TOPICS David Mee-Lee, M.D. Volume 8, No. 11 March 2011 In this issue — SAVVY – The METHODS method for discharge planning — SKILLS – RCA ceremonies – The new treatment completion Graduation? — SOUL – Always the right answer — STUMP THE SHRINK – Medical necessity, ASAM PPC and what levels of care? — Until Next Time Welcome and thanks for joining us for the March edition of TIPS and TOPICS (TNT).

February 2011 – Tips & Topics

TIPS & TOPICS from David Mee-Lee, M.D. Volume 8, No. 10 February 2011 In this issue — SAVVY – Nonpharmacological approaches to chronic pain — SKILLS – Evaluating and engaging pain clients — SOUL –Choosing Forgiveness — Until Next Time Welcome to the February edition of TIPS and TOPICS (TNT).

January 2011 – Tips & Topics

TIPS & TOPICS from David Mee-Lee, M.D. Volume 8, No. 9 January 2011 In this issue: — SAVVY – ASAM multidimensional assessment for mental health and addiction — SKILLS – Evaluating immediate needs in 5 minutes or less; 10 questions or less — SOUL – Jump-starting recovery — SHAMELESS SELLING – DAPPER and LOCI-2R — Until Next Time Happy New Year – even though it’s a bit late for that greeting now. Or you could receive it as a Chinese New Year greeting. Welcome to the January edition of TIPS and TOPICS (TNT).