DDN

It's in the trees

Editorial – Claire Brown

New ideas for old
Try something new... but remember what already works

Hunting through the woods blindfolded while pretending to be a wolf sounded pretty daft at first to me, but I would be an ideal candidate for nature awareness therapist Geoffrey McMullan, who says the more sceptical his clients are, the better (see this issue’s cover story). From the shock of the new to the shock of the old.

Why do we research only to reinvent? Nick Barton gently reminds us on page 10 that the discovery that meaningful employment can be beneficial is a decade behind some highly practical and effective back-to-work schemes.

We’re grateful to Sharyn Smiles for tackling a difficult subject on page 11, through an account of her own relapse. When you’ve been a drug worker and lecturer it’s not easy to face the fact that you’re not immune to falling off the wagon, particularly when you fear losing your job as well as being accused of hypocrisy.

Magazine Features

Seeing the wood... and the trees"

David Gilliver hears how nature awareness therapy has been helping clients with substance misuse issues not only to reconnect with nature but also with themselves

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Working Recovery"

The 'discovery' that work can have a positive effect on recovery is nothing new, says Nick Barton, who looks back over a decade of helping clients into rewarding employment

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Using a Lifeline"

Off with the labels and on with the reality of relapse, says Sharyn Smiles

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Safe Haven"

Melody Treasure argues that the concept of therapeutic respite could make 'Every child matters' more than just an empty slogan. Fourth in our series on the aetiology of addiction

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Opening Doors"

With house prices putting candidates off working in Sussex, Jackie Campbell explains how the local DAATs have been helping prospective employees find affordable housing

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