About Michelle

After receiving my Master’s degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling in 1997 from the University of Southern California (USC), I was introduced to treatment centers in SoCal that were one size fits all.  People who had a relapse or use episode were seen as not ready then discharged.  This approach of kicking people out for displaying the symptoms of their disease was not aligned with how I feel and believe.

After moving to the Bay Area 25 years ago, I was able to connect with a community that supported my truth, and to be kind as well as open, with much compassion, all reflected in my work today. 

Within this Bay Area community, I have been able to work with researchers and clinicians who were not satisfied with the status quo for treating addiction and wanted to understand better ways to help.  Below is a list of these studies I was a part of along with published articles I co-authored.

Research

09/14 – 06/18 Public Health Institute, Alcohol Research Group, Lafayette, CA - Providing 9 sessions of MET.  “Randomized Trial of Intensive MI to Improve Drinking Outcomes Among Women”. A study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) R01 AA022857

08/11 – 2012 Public Health Institute, Lafayette, CA - Expert Panel “A cognitive behavioral therapy-based text messaging intervention for Methamphetamine Dependence”. A study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R21 DA34163   

10/09 – 2014 Public Health Institute, Lafayette, CA - Study rater “Intensive Motivational Interviewing for Methamphetamine Dependence”. A study funded by NIDA R01 DA02471

11/04 – 05/07 California Pacific Medical Center / Addiction Pharmacology Research Lab, San Francisco, CA - Provided 9 sessions of MET.  Methamphetamine Pharmacotherapy Development Center, MI treatment.  A study funded by NIDA P50 DA18179                            

2/99 – 2001 New Leaf Treatment Center, Lafayette, CA - Provided groups and individual therapy.  “A Randomized Trial of Three Treatments for Methamphetamine Users”.  A study funded by the Center on Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) UD1 TI11425

PUBLICATIONS (Michelle Pair, previously Michelle Brown)

Keoleian, V., Stalcup, S. A., Polcin, D., Brown, M., Galloway, G. (2013). A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Text Messaging Intervention for Methamphetamine Dependence. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 45(5), 434-442.

Galloway, G.P., Polcin, D., Keilstein, A., Brown, M., & Mendelson, J. (2007).  A nine session manual of motivational enhancement therapy for methamphetamine dependence: adherence and efficacy. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Suppl., 393-400.

Stalcup, S. A., Christian, D., Stalcup, J., Brown, M., & Galloway, G. (2006).  A treatment model for craving identification and management. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 38(2), 189-202.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) www.camft.org

East Bay CAMFT www.ebcamft.org

Northern California Mindfulness Institute (NCMI)  www.ncminstitute.org