Substance Use & Recovery

Compassionate, evidence-based education for anyone navigating substance use alongside mental health: the health-informed model of addiction, why co-occurring conditions are so common, the stages of change, harm reduction, motivation, cravings, relapse prevention, and building lasting recovery capital.

10 Lessons 3-4 hours SAMHSA 2024

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Clinical Framework

Transtheoretical Model / Harm Reduction / CBT Relapse Prevention

SAMHSA 2024

Course Overview

Educational, not medical advice

This course is educational and non-judgmental, not a treatment program or a substitute for addiction medicine or a licensed counselor. If you are in withdrawal or immediate danger, contact emergency services or a qualified provider. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.

What You'll Learn

✓Understand addiction as a treatable health condition rather than a moral failing, while keeping a sense of agency
✓Explain why mental illness and substance use so often co-occur, and why integrated treatment works best
✓Locate yourself in the stages of change and see relapse as a normal step to learn from
✓Apply harm-reduction thinking to reduce risk wherever you are in the process
✓Recognize triggers and cravings and practice urge surfing and relapse-prevention planning

Evidence & Clinical Approach

Built on Transtheoretical Model / Harm Reduction / CBT Relapse Prevention and taught at a deliberately high evidence bar: it separates well-supported practice from popular-but-contested theory, and is psychoeducation designed to support, not replace, professional care.

Course Lessons (10 total)

1Understanding Addiction: It Is Not a Moral Failing25 min
2Why Mental Illness and Substance Use Often Co-Occur25 min
3The Stages of Change: Where Are You?25 min
4Harm Reduction: Meeting Yourself Where You Are25 min
5Motivation and Ambivalence: It Is Normal to Feel Both25 min
6Triggers, Cravings, and the Urge Surfing Skill25 min
7Relapse Prevention Planning25 min
8Recovery Capital: What Supports Long-Term Change25 min
9When to Seek More Support: Stepping Up Care20 min
10Your Recovery Commitment20 min

Each lesson includes interactive exercises, quizzes, and progress tracking inside the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this course judgmental, or does it require committing to abstinence?

No. It uses the health-informed model of addiction and a stage-based, non-judgmental approach grounded in SAMHSA 2024 guidance, the Transtheoretical Model, and harm-reduction thinking, meeting you wherever you are in the stages of change rather than assuming abstinence is the only valid goal. It also covers why mental illness and substance use so often co-occur, so the course treats both together instead of in isolation.

Is this course a replacement for therapy?

No. It provides psychoeducation and skill-building based on evidence-based frameworks, but it is not a substitute for individualized professional treatment. It works best alongside care, as structured learning between sessions.

What if I'm currently in crisis?

If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, contact emergency services (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 911) or go to your nearest emergency room. The platform includes safety monitoring that alerts assigned providers when distress is detected.

How is this different from self-help content?

Structured, sequential lessons with interactive exercises, progress tracking, and provider oversight. Your assigned provider can see your progress and tailor sessions to what you are learning.

Start learning

Create your account Practice Licensing Info

Course Features

✓10 comprehensive lessons
✓Transtheoretical Model / Harm Reduction / CBT Relapse Prevention
✓Interactive exercises and quizzes
✓Progress tracking
✓Provider coordination
✓Self-paced learning

24/7 Platform Safety

The platform runs the MAIA distress classifier on every text input and alerts your assigned provider if distress is detected, ensuring clinical oversight when needed.

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Inside the experience

What this course actually looks like

Every course lives inside the Digital Wellness Academy app: short, practice-first lessons, daily check-ins, an AI coach that knows what you have learned, and a dashboard that makes progress visible. These are real product screens.