“This is one of the few texts that manage to be equally valuable for both classroom instruction and professional training. The sixth edition belongs on the syllabus of any undergraduate or graduate course in addictions counseling and on the desk of any practitioner seeking a rigorous theoretical grounding. The authors' decision to span disease models, psychoanalytic formulations, conditioning approaches, public health models, and other frameworks in a single, coherent volume reflects the multidisciplinary reality of addiction work. For students and trainees, the updated coverage, accessible writing, clinical examples, and chapter review questions transform complex science into actionable knowledge—precisely what front-line professionals need most.”

—Brian Bride, PhD, MSW, MPH, Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Academic Chair in Mental Health, School of Social Work, University of Alabama


“An outstanding resource for undergraduate and graduate courses in addictions counseling. The sixth edition provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary examination of addictive behaviors that seamlessly integrates theory, research, prevention, and treatment. The text encourages critical thinking by presenting multiple perspectives on addiction while connecting evidence to practice.”

—Brenda J. Edwards, LPC, NCC, CPCS, MAC, Adjunct Faculty, College of Adult and Professional Studies, Indiana Wesleyan University


[Public Health / Text] “This text is unique in providing a truly comprehensive view of addiction that is understandable to both professionals and students—no easy task for such a complex, multifaceted issue. For public health students, the book offers a broad overview of addictive behaviors as well as strategies to address them at multiple levels. It has particular value for graduate students learning how to apply theory to guide research and practice.”

—Jon Macy, PhD, MPH, Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington


“A valuable and comprehensive resource for students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The sixth edition distinguishes itself with coverage of such topics as co-occurring disorders, reducing stigma, sociocultural factors, emerging issues surrounding behavioral addictions, and current public health concerns. The text encourages students to connect theory and research with the lived realities of addiction across diverse communities and individuals. It equips future practitioners to be competent, compassionate, culturally aware, and effective in increasingly complex clinical environments.”

—Amy Sims, MS, LCADC, MAC, SAP, Adjunct Professor of Human Services, College of Southern Maryland