ADAI News

Alan Marlatt Remembered by Family, Colleagues, Students

Family, colleagues, and students gathered on Sunday, May 15 to remember and celebrate the life of Alan Marlatt, who passed away on March 14, 2011. The memorial service was held at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture, and brought together family, friends, colleagues, and former students from all over the country.

A recording of the memorial service may be viewed online.

Adding to the numerous obituaries already published are these by two of Alan's long-time colleagues, recently published in major addiction journals:

• From Dennis Donovan (UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute) in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
• From Roger Roffman (UW Innovative Programs Research Group) in Addiction.

This blog has collected comments from many colleagues and former students; you may wish to re-read the collection of articles and tributes that followed the announcement of Alan's death, or add your own note of remembrance in the comment section of the post linked here.

The Marlatt family has suggested that donations may be made to the G. Alan Marlatt Memorial Fund on behalf of ABRC.

Life Story: Alan Marlatt Remembered for Compassion, Gregarious Nature

The Everett, Washington Daily Herald published a warm and personal account of Alan Marlatt, as told by his son Kit Marlatt and friends from the University of Washington. The story paints a picture of Alan at his family get-away at a bluff home at Warm Beach, south of Stanwood, where "the family crabbed and walked the mud flats," said his son, Kit Marlatt.  Warm Beach was base camp for Alan Marlatt's road trip passion.

Read more in the Daily Herald.

In Memoriam: G. Alan Marlatt (Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs)

A memorial to Alan Marlatt appears in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.  The tribute was written by Helene White of Rutgers University, Kenneth Sher of the University of Missouri-Columbia, and two of Alan's colleagues from the University of Washington, Mary E. Larimer and Katie Witkiewitz (now at Washington State University, Vancouver).

This tribute is one of several to be published in leading addiction journals -- a acknowledgment of Alan's stature in the field and of the warm regard his many colleagues and students felt for him. The article may be freely viewed online.

 

Students & Colleagues of Alan Marlatt for Special Issue in His Honor

The Editors of Addiction Research and Theory are seeking to contact former students and colleagues of Alan Marlatt to participate in a special issue of the journal honoring Alan's many contributions to the field. Specifically, they are seeking authors for broad review and appraisal papers in areas in which Alan made a significant and lasting contribution: 

* Loss of control of drinking and the balanced placebo design
* Relapse prevention
* Harm reduction
* Brief interventions with college student heavy drinkers
* Mindfulness as an adjunct to relapse prevention

The goal of the editors is to have a special section of the journal published in either the last issue of 2011 or the first issue of 2012.  They seek critical analysis, but also want to honor Alan's memory as a tremendous influence on the field. 

For more information, write to Frederick Rotgers: fred_etoh@yahoo.com  or Derek Heim: sdheim@uclan.ac.uk

New York Times Obituary for Alan Marlatt, 1941-2011

The New York Times published an obituary about Alan Marlatt on March 21, focusing on the themes of his research and his approach to treating addiction, including the controversies that his work sometimes stirred.

"G. Alan Marlatt, a psychologist who challenged the longstanding belief that substance addiction is incurable and that it can be controlled only by abstinence..."  continue reading

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Alan Marlatt memorial service to be announced later

Many people have asked about plans for a memorial service for Alan.  His family and friends are making plans for the service; as of now, a date in mid-May is a possibility, but has not yet been determined. 

When the date and place for the service are known, it will be announced on this site and also here.  

 
* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Acknowledging G. Alan Marlatt, 1941 - 2011 (continuing tributes)

As the news of Alan Marlatt's death moves through the addiction community and the public media, we'll post links to new articles and tributes here. The original post is here.

"Remembering Alan Marlatt," by Erin Durst, Think of Now.

"We have lost a valued friend and pioneer," UCSD Center for Mindfulness.

The Vancouver Sun (BC) reprinted Jim Brunner's Seattle Times obituary, noting that Alan was born in Vancouver, Canada.  He had many friends and colleagues there.

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Words from Kit Marlatt about his father, G. Alan Marlatt

"Alan Marlatt was more than an eminent clinical psychologist. He was also a father and grandfather, a husband, a lover, a teacher, a Buddhist.

He loved moments of peace and quiet, the gathering of friends and colleagues and moments of joy. He laughed with a twinkle in his baby-blues. He was a writer, a mentor and a muse. He played piano and had a deep love of music.

He traveled the world and every time I hear a train whistle I think of my dad.

He passed away peacefully in his own bed with his wife on one side and me and my wife on the other. We held his hands and helped him let go and cross the threshold from this life into the next. He was in no pain, no suffering.

He was in his beloved summer home in Warm Beach, Washington looking up through the skylights, watching the eagles soar and the rain gently fall.”

G. Alan Marlatt is survived by his wife Kathryn Moore, his son Christopher Alan (Kit) Marlatt and his daughter-in-law Ashley Rachel Marlatt, his half-brother Robert Whitehead, his step-daughters Melanie and Charlotte Miller and Iara Cotrim, his step-son Colin Maclay, step-granddaughters Amanda and Seraphina White, and his grandson Aidan-Jack Marlatt."

Acknowledging G. Alan Marlatt, 1941 - 2011 (continuing tributes)

As the news of Alan Marlatt's death moves through the addiction community and the public media, we'll post links to new articles and tributes here. The original post is here.

"Professor Marlatt’s Research Led to Increased Understanding of Addictive Behaviors", news release from the UW College of Arts & Sciences, 3/15/11

“Alan Marlatt, Harm Reduction Pioneer, Dies at 69”, Rachel Hassinger’s piece for Join Together, 3/18/11

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Seattle Times Notes Passing of Alan Marlatt

"For years, the prevailing approach to confronting addiction in the U.S. could be summed up as "just say no." Abstinence was the only goal; addicts had to agree to quit drugs or booze entirely as a precondition for treatment.

The pioneering work of Alan Marlatt, a professor of psychology at the University of Washington, profoundly changed that attitude in recent decades."

Jim Brunner's profile in The Seattle Times, 3/17/11 captures Alan's warm spirit and willingness to challenge convention wisdom -- qualities he employed as a teacher and advocate for better understanding of addiction.   Continue reading ...

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.