Book review: 'Solution focused harm reduction: working effectively with people who misuse substances' - written by Seán Foy

When it comes to substance misuse services, harm reduction within a medicalised model of care remains a stubborn point of contention between many practitioners, Vearrier (2019). Quite contradictory in fact if you consider the discussion paper from the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (2010) who suggest: 'Harm reduction is often made an unnecessarily controversial issue as if there was a contradiction between prevention and treatment on one hand and reducing the adverse health and social consequences of drug use on the other'. This is a false dichotomy. They are complementary. These points of contention are of global concern, stemming from the legal enforcement of prohibition of illicit substances within society with numerous laws carrying the risk of criminal prosecution or incarceration. This directly contradicts the theoretical approach to potential abstinence of substances through a reduction of their use over time with clients. 'Solution Focused Harm Reduction: Working effectively with people who misuse substances' by Seán Foy provides a nicely balanced viewpoint of the potential harm reduction strategies offer whilst bringing into this discussion the potential beneficial use of solution focused brief therapy as a conduit for creating change. The style of the book itself is very much solution focused as it approaches each chapter from a stance of 'not knowing' which enables the reader to develop knowledge and understanding on themes including an introduction to Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and harm reduction, addiction theory and service design before providing case studies from Seán’s clinical practice to help galvanise the learning further applying theory to practice.