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Suzanne Thistle    

Addiction Treatment Consultant; Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor; College Educator; Author of "Chem-Free Sobriety"

Suzanne Thistle is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor with over two decades of professional experience including: individual counseling, clinic management, and both clinical and executive director of two agencies. She teaches about alcohol and other drugs at a local university and has authored three books. Her first book, "Chem-Free Sobriety" became a #1 New Release Best Seller on Amazon in April and May of 2020 and her 3rd book, "Parents, Addicted Children and Hope hit the #2 New Release Best Seller list in March of this year. Her book, "God is in the Addict" is dedicated to people in their first 90 days of recovery and is also seeing great success.

Suzanne received the 'Treatment Agency of the Year,' 'Legislative Advocacy,' and 'Lifetime Advocacy' awards from her colleagues in the addiction profession. She spends most of her time teaching, consulting, and writing about addiction. When she’s not working, she loves to be with family, bike riding, hiking, and enjoying Newfound Lake.

Speech Topics

When is abstinence the actual gold standard for a substance use disorder?

Initially, we had abstinence as the go-to for celebrating sobriety. Overdose rates were extremely low, and people thrived in their newfound recovery from their substance. Very few physicians would work with people struggling with addiction and were referring them to counselors.

But then, all of a sudden, doctors started writing prescriptions for methadone as drugs began pouring into the streets. They hoped to curb the appetite of folks preoccupied with using drugs. The problem got worse. Doctors were prescribing more and more medication. They tell people, "If you become abstinent and go back and use drugs, you might die." With that attitude, you should never stop using the medication they're prescribing. Consider the implications.

This session with help you Learn when medication is necessary and when it is not. You'll define ways to help the addicted person with their health detriments by supporting their abstinent-based sobriety. You'll also describe ways other treatment facilities help people thrive without medication.

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