boy meets therapy Beyond Abstinence: Rethinking Substance Use Treatment, Boundaries, and Recovery with Julie River
What if recovery wasn’t just about stopping the use of a substance — but about understanding why it was there in the first place?
In this episode, I speak with Julie River, LPC, NCC, clinical director and therapist at Atlas Behavioral Health, about what truly person-centered substance use treatment can look like. We explore the daily experience of clients in recovery programs, the role of group therapy, and how therapists can support emotional sobriety, boundary-setting, and harm reduction with empathy and nuance.
Whether you’re a clinician, student, or someone navigating their own healing journey, Julie brings thoughtful insight into how treatment can move beyond stereotypes — and toward connection, curiosity, and lasting change.
Each week we talk with clinicians about their areas of expertise, their connections to therapy, and how they use their tools in session.
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Episode Guide & Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Personal Background
02:59 Understanding Substance Use Disorder Treatment
05:51 Daily Life in Treatment Programs
09:08 Innovative Therapeutic Approaches
12:04 Client Reactions to Alternative Therapies
14:53 Co-occurring Disorders and Their Impact
17:46 The Complexity of Diagnosing Disorders
20:58 Interpersonal Dynamics in Group Therapy
23:53 Managing Resentments and Emotions
26:53 Facilitating Group Interactions
30:06 Conclusion and Key Takeaways
35:45 Understanding Boundaries in Relationships
40:10 The Concept of Emotional Sobriety
45:05 Navigating Sober Curiosity
49:49 The Spectrum of Addiction
54:26 Harm Reduction in Substance Use Treatment
58:24 The Misconceptions of Addiction Treatment