Addiction Medicine, Patient Relationships, and Tools for Recovery with Dr. Dewayne Book, MD

In this episode of the Advaita Health Podcast, Tripp Johnson sits down with Dr. Dewayne Book, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Advaita Health. With nearly four decades of experience, Dr. Book’s career spans from his early days as a substance abuse counselor to leading Duke University’s psychiatry residency training in addiction treatment, and now shaping clinical practice at Advaita Health.

Dr. Book shares his personal journey through recovery, the importance of bringing oneself into the therapeutic relationship, and the evolution of addiction treatment—from the early days of “one-size-fits-all” counseling to the integration of medications like buprenorphine and naltrexone. He also reflects on how psychiatry and social work shaped his philosophy: that healing begins not with protocols or prescriptions, but with genuine human connection.

The conversation covers medication-assisted treatment, co-occurring disorders, the shifting landscape of substance use in America, and why patient relationships remain the most powerful intervention. Whether you are a clinician, policymaker, or simply interested in the future of behavioral health, this episode offers both deep clinical insight and timeless wisdom about what it means to truly care for patients.

• 00:02 – Introduction to Dr. Dewayne Book and his career path
• 03:06 – Starting as a counselor with “10 months of sobriety and a psychology degree”
• 04:18 – The seed of a medical philosophy: showing up as oneself in the room
• 06:18 – From counselor to social worker: discovering the limits of training and the call for more education
• 08:23 – Choosing medical school: seeking knowledge and professional authority
• 12:03 – Nearly relapsing during the move to North Carolina and finding recovery support at Duke
• 13:22 – Joining Fellowship Hall and shaping residency training in addiction psychiatry
• 17:47 – Introducing buprenorphine to reduce AMA rates in detox
• 22:05 – The evolution of medication-assisted treatment: methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, and disulfiram
• 26:31 – Using every tool in the box: medication, therapy, relationships, and community
• 31:02 – Shifts in drug epidemics: crack, meth, opioids, cannabis
• 34:10 – Diagnosing comorbidities and substance-induced disorders
• 39:53 – TMS, depression, and why addressing substance use is non-negotiable
• 42:18 – Recovery capital, behavior change, and the role of relationships
• 50:18 – Advice for young psychiatrists entering addiction medicine
• 52:14 – Closing reflections on a career shaped by “just doing the next right thing”

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Tripp Johnson

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