Overview

A memoir of an improbable success in a modest social service career that helped the author achieve his dream of traveling and life abroad. Overcoming difficulties and challenges of going to college and landing a financially uncertain job, he persevered, relying on faith that it would work out in the end. Armed with a hard-earned college education, he pursued a career that he hoped would make a difference among the socially disadvantaged. He carved out a career in the field of addiction and mental health that few would find financially profitable. Driven by his thirst for knowledge, he continued to pursue higher education while building his career in a thankless job, taking on challenging assignments. Little did he know that the hard choices he made would take him abroad and lead him to meet people who proved instrumental to his success. It's a story of grit and perseverance in a career spanning more than 50 years, and an unflinching belief that charity and good deeds return in more blessings than one.

Full Product Details

9798995717027

Table of Contents

Reviews

""The Accidental Therapist is a rare blend of memoir, clinical insight, and cross-cultural storytelling that illuminates the therapeutic community with clarity, humility, and heart. In this expanded edition, Fernando Perfas deepens the reader's understanding of addiction, recovery, and human resilience by grounding complex ideas in lived experience across continents and cultures. His introduction to the Therapeutic Community and the innovative My School, My Home prevention model broadens the book's relevance far beyond treatment settings, offering educators, policymakers, and community leaders a practical framework for nurturing prosocial values and emotional well-being. Perfas writes with the curiosity of a lifelong student and the wisdom of a seasoned practitioner, making this an essential read for anyone seeking to understand how people change - and how communities can help them do it."" Robert Turnbull, President and CEO of Streetohome Foundation in Vancouver, BC, Canada ""A seasoned addiction and therapeutic community practitioner, Dr. Perfas has written a very accessible memoir detailing his decades of transcultural professional experience, and leaving the readers with nuggets of wisdom."" Ma.Teresa Co-Iñego, MD, Director General, Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care, Former Chief of Hospital, DOH Malinao and Tagaytay Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers

Author Information

Dr. Fernando B. Perfas grew up and studied in the Philippines and moved to the U.S. in his 30s. He earned his doctoral degree in the U.S. and continued his career in the addiction field, which he started in the Philippines. He has over 50 years of experience in psychology, social policy, addiction therapy, and training and consultancy in addiction. He has travelled to more than 35 countries conducting training and consulting with government and non-government drug treatment agencies. He has written several books in his field of expertise.

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