A Groundbreaking Approach to Addiction Recovery
Beyond Shame: Healing the Pain Beneath the Surface of Addiction offers an innovative, integrative approach—uniting key concepts into a vital resource for recovery.
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A Compassionate Resource Redefining How We Treat Addiction
BPSSEM Approach
The BPSSEM model in Beyond Shame addresses addiction as a complex, multi-dimensional illness, integrating biological, psychological, social, spiritual, and experiential factors for a holistic understanding and treatment.
Beyond Shame reframes addiction not merely as a brain disease, but as a complex, human experience shaped by emotional, relational, and social factors. By placing shame across the variables, it deepens the understanding of addiction and offers a compassionate, whole-person path to healing. This approach empowers practitioners, families, and individuals to foster lasting recovery through understanding, connection, and dignity.
Shame as a Driver of Addiction
This book explores how hidden shame drives addiction, how stigma perpetuates substance use disorders and offers strategies to reduce shame supporting remission and recovery.
Trauma-Informed Care
Recognizing the link between trauma and addiction, this book incorporates trauma-sensitive methods to create a supportive and empathetic treatment environment, addressing past wounds to empower true healing.
A New Definition of Addiction & Its Treatment
Beyond Shame provides an integrative approach to addiction treatment by focusing on the whole person and addressing underlying causes like shame. This empowers practitioners, families, and individuals toward a compassionate, holistic, and sustainable recovery.
Biological
Psychological
Social
Spiritual
Experiential
For Those Ready to Rethink Addiction and Recovery
Beyond Shame is designed for a wide range of individuals who encounter substance use disorders in different aspects of life. Here’s who may benefit from it:
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Those working in therapy, counseling, and addiction treatment will find a structured, evidence-based approach to understanding and addressing addiction through a holistic framework, the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual-Experiential Model (BPSSEM).
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Doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners who encounter patients with substance use disorders will gain insights into the underlying complexities of addiction, as well as effective tools to support patient care and recovery.
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Those directly or indirectly affected by addiction, including individuals in recovery or families seeking a deeper understanding, will find practical approaches to address the multifaceted aspects of addiction and healing.
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For those studying mental health, social work, or psychology, this book serves as a comprehensive guide, covering essential theories and applied practices in addiction treatment.
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Those working in public health policy, community outreach, or advocacy for mental health reform will gain valuable insights into the social and systemic challenges surrounding addiction, helping them foster stigma reduction and support sustainable change.
About the Authors
Jeff and Becky Georgi bring over 70 years of combined experience in addiction and mental health care. With leadership roles at Duke University and extensive clinical backgrounds, they co-founded Georgi Educational and Counseling Services (GECS) to equip professionals with the skills, insight, and support needed to deliver compassionate, evidence-informed care in diverse treatment and educational settings.
Integrating “Beyond Shame” into your Practice
Beyond Shame provides practitioners with actionable tools based on the BPSSEM model for treating addiction. By offering strategies which increase resilience, it enhances their ability to guide patients toward lasting recovery.
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Utilize the book’s Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual-Experiential model to create a more comprehensive treatment plan that addresses all aspects of a patient’s life, moving beyond a narrow focus on symptoms.
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Integrate shame-focused approaches from Beyond Shame to help patients identify, process, and overcome the hidden shame often fueling their addiction, making room for more meaningful healing.
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Use practical strategies from the book to support patients in managing cravings, providing personalized tools and techniques to reduce triggers and improve self-regulation.
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Adopt the trauma-sensitive methods highlighted in Beyond Shame to ensure that patients feel safe, supported, and empowered, especially if they have a history of adverse experiences.
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Leverage the book’s Modified Interpersonal Group Psychotherapy (MIGP) framework to foster connection, accountability, and social support in group sessions, tailored specifically to addiction recovery.
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Help patients explore purpose, connection, and meaning as part of their recovery journey, using the book’s Spiritual Platform™ to build resilience and a renewed sense of self.
Voices from the Field
Discover how Beyond Shame resonates with practitioners and thought leaders. These reviews showcase the book’s powerful impact and its holistic approach to treating addiction.
“Jeff Georgi has provided a must-read comprehensive overview for anyone in the business of helping individuals with addiction. He has distilled decades of clinical experience to develop a model that professionals and patients alike can understand and relate to. Read this book- and learn from one of the best.”