HARM REDUCTION THERAPY IN CALIFORNIA
Why we exist.
CAHRT exists because too many people have been turned away from care, or have never sought it, because the care available to them came with conditions they could not or did not want to meet.
We exist for the person who drinks too much and is not ready to stop. For the person who uses substances to cope with trauma and needs a therapist who understands why. For the LGBTQIA+ individual who needs to be fully seen before the work can begin. For the person who has tried other approaches and found that none of them fit.
And we exist for the clinicians who believe in a different way of working, and who want to be part of a community that shares that commitment.
Our mission, in plain language.
To build community among harm reduction providers.
CAHRT is a professional home for harm reduction therapists across California. We meet, share knowledge, refer to each other, and support one another in doing work that can be isolating when you practice it outside the mainstream. We are building the community we wish we had found earlier.
To connect clients with providers they can trust.
For people navigating substance use, finding a therapist who will not judge them, pressure them, or require abstinence before they can get help is genuinely hard. CAHRT provides a centralized, trusted directory of providers who share a framework and a commitment to non-judgmental care.
To advance social justice in harm reduction work.
The War on Drugs has caused disproportionate harm to BIPOC communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people experiencing poverty, and other marginalized groups. We work with an awareness of those realities and a commitment to serving clients whose trauma and substance use are intertwined with systemic inequity. Harm reduction, at its core, is a social justice practice.
To foster racial equity and inclusionary practice.
We are committed to diversity within our own network and to promoting inclusionary practices that support racial justice and equality across multiple marginalized communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and those who are socioeconomically challenged.
To mentor the next generation of harm reduction clinicians.
Harm reduction therapy is not yet widely taught in graduate training programs. Part of our mission is to nurture emerging clinicians who want to practice this way, providing mentorship, training, and a professional community to grow into.
