Les Waite's journey from military service to clinical psychology is nothing short of inspiring. A veteran who served during the first Gulf War, Les witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of trauma on his comrades. Struggling with his own addiction, he eventually found solace and structure in SMART Recovery. Now, as a clinical psychologist at the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, Les integrates these tools into his daily practice, providing a lifeline for veterans facing similar battles.

In this episode, Les dives into his educational background, which includes studying the teachings of Alfred Adler, and his time in the military. He opens up about the limited resources available for trauma-related issues during his service and how this gap fueled his passion for addiction treatment and recovery. Les candidly shares his personal struggles with addiction and the pivotal moment he was introduced to SMART Recovery. Les explains why SMART Recovery's structured approach resonates so well with veterans.

He discusses how tools like motivational interviewing and the hierarchy of values help him reconnect veterans with their core beliefs and goals. The episode also highlights the synergy between VA hospital programs and SMART Recovery's teachings, showcasing how they complement each other to provide comprehensive support. Les's commitment doesn't stop at therapy sessions; he's actively planting the seeds of SMART Recovery by initiating meetings across VA hospitals.

His goal is to reignite face-to-face meetings post-COVID-19, emphasizing the importance of community and peer support in recovery. Whether you're a veteran, a healthcare professional, or someone interested in addiction recovery, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tools. Les's story is a testament to the power of resilience and the transformative impact of SMART Recovery.

Veteran psychologist Les Waite shares how SMART Recovery tools aid veterans in overcoming addiction at Albany Stratton VA Medical Center.

Veteran Psychologist Les Waite: Using SMART Recovery to Heal and Help Others

Les Waite is a veteran and a clinical psychologist at the <a style= "user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: inherit; cursor: text;" href="https://www.albany.va.gov/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Albany Stratton VA Medical Center</a> in Albany, New York.  His struggles with addiction lead him to SMART Recovery.  Now, he uses the SMART tools daily in his practice for veterans.    <span style= "user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; font-size: 12pt;" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US">   In this podcast, Les talks about:  <ul> <li class="paragraph" style="vertical-align: baseline;"> His educational resume that includes learning the teachings of <a style= "user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: inherit; cursor: text;" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Adler" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Alfred Adler</a> </li> <li class="paragraph" style= "vertical-align: baseline; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-kerning: none;"> Serving in the military during the first Gulf War </li> <li class="paragraph" style= "vertical-align: baseline; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-kerning: none;"> <span style= "user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; font-size: 12pt;" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US"> Seeing his comrades come back from deployment with trauma issues and finding limited professional resources to help them</li> <li class="paragraph" style="vertical-align: baseline;"> How trauma and substance use disorders are linked </li> <li class="paragraph" style= "vertical-align: baseline; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-kerning: none;"> His own struggles with addiction </li> <li class="paragraph" style= "vertical-align: baseline; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-kerning: none;"> Being introduced to SMART and why he fell in love with the program </li> <li class="paragraph" style= "vertical-align: baseline; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-kerning: none;"> Why the VA hospitals' programs dovetail beautifully with SMART's teachings</li> <li> His “been there, done that” connection with patients </li> <li> Why the structure and order of the SMART program is effective for veterans </li> <li> Playing Jonny Appleseed in the VA hospitals by starting SMART meetings everywhere he goes</li> <li> Motivational interviewing and the <a style= "user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;" href= "https://www.smartrecovery.org/smart-articles/the-stages-of-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stages of change</a> model</li> <li> Having honest, genuine dialog with his patients about the reasons they are seeing him</li> <li> Reconnecting a veteran to their own values using the <a style= "user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;" href="https://youtu.be/RW63Ddsgol0" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">hierarchy of values tool</a> </li> <li> His post-COVID goals of launching more SMART meetings for veterans and in his community  </li> </ul>

The "Been There, Done That" Connection

Recovery

Addiction

Mental Health

Self-Help

Substance Abuse

Interviews

Society and Culture

Harm Reduction

Healthy Living

Personal Recovery Stories

Alcohol, Addiction & Recovery

Substance Abuse & Drug Recovery

Family & Relationships

Health & Wellness

Financial Empowerment

Creativity & Innovation

Sexual Health & Wellbeing

SMART Recovery® Podcast, a library of talks on addiction from the leading self-empowering peer support recovery group in the world. Enjoy entertaining, thought-provoking discussion with experts in the field of science-based addiction treatment and recovery.

SMART Recovery provides services for those overcoming addictions of all types.

SMART Recovery® Podcast

Les Waite's journey from military service to clinical psychology is nothing short of inspiring. A veteran who served during the first Gulf War, Les witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of trauma on his comrades. Struggling with his own addiction, he eventually found solace and structure in SMART Recovery. Now, as a clinical psychologist at the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, Les integrates these tools into his daily practice, providing a lifeline for veterans facing similar battles.In this episode, Les dives into his educational background, which includes studying the teachings of Alfred Adler, and his time in the military. He opens up about the limited resources available for trauma-related issues during his service and how this gap fueled his passion for addiction treatment and recovery. Les candidly shares his personal struggles with addiction and the pivotal moment he was introduced to SMART Recovery. Les explains why SMART Recovery's structured approach resonates so well with veterans.He discusses how tools like motivational interviewing and the hierarchy of values help him reconnect veterans with their core beliefs and goals. The episode also highlights the synergy between VA hospital programs and SMART Recovery's teachings, showcasing how they complement each other to provide comprehensive support. Les's commitment doesn't stop at therapy sessions; he's actively planting the seeds of SMART Recovery by initiating meetings across VA hospitals.His goal is to reignite face-to-face meetings post-COVID-19, emphasizing the importance of community and peer support in recovery. Whether you're a veteran, a healthcare professional, or someone interested in addiction recovery, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tools. Les's story is a testament to the power of resilience and the transformative impact of SMART Recovery.

SMART Recovery

SMART Recovery

The "Been There, Done That" Connection

The "Been There, Done That" Connection

The "Been There, Done That" Connection

Monday 9th November 2020

About this podcast

SMART Recovery® Podcast

Veteran Psychologist Les Waite: Using SMART Recovery to Heal and Help Others