The Sinclair Method

What it is

The Sinclair Method is a medication-based approach to treating alcohol use disorder using naltrexone, an FDA-approved drug that blocks the pleasure-producing endorphins released when you drink. The company offering it is Ballard Psychiatric Associates, PLLC, a telehealth practice operating since 2017 from Seattle, Washington. Its team consists of addiction psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners who conduct all initial consultations and follow-ups via secure video conference. Unlike residential programs or intensive outpatient settings, everything happens online, and prescriptions are sent directly to your pharmacy rather than dispensed in-house.

How it works

The process is designed for speed and simplicity. You start by booking an appointment through their online calendar, which shows available slots with their various providers. When you log in for your first video session, typically on the same day or within a day or two, you meet with one of their clinicians. That first appointment covers your complete drinking history, your medical background, any medications you take, and your goals for treatment. The provider uses this information to determine whether naltrexone is medically appropriate for you. If it is, they send the prescription to your pharmacy of choice while you are still on the call, using e-prescription technology. You can pick up the medication the same day or the next morning, depending on pharmacy hours and your timing.

The medication regimen is straightforward: take one naltrexone pill approximately one hour before you intend to have your first drink. The drug works by blocking the opioid receptors in your brain that release endorphins and pleasure chemicals in response to alcohol. With those reward signals blocked, the repeated pairing of drinking with pleasure is disrupted. The company calls this "pharmacological extinction," and it happens gradually over weeks and months as your brain unlearns the association between drinking and the high you used to get. The process does not require immediate abstinence. You continue drinking at your normal pace, but without the reinforcement, your brain's craving for alcohol gradually fades. Many people report that they simply lose interest in drinking, or that they can stop after one drink instead of continuing through the evening.

Follow-up appointments after the initial prescription are available to monitor how you are responding to the medication and to discuss any side effects or concerns. The company also offers an optional add-on: recovery coaching with Dr. Michele Perron, a PhD coach specializing in the Sinclair Method. This coach helps with compliance (making sure you take the pill as prescribed), personal challenges that come up during recovery, navigation of social situations involving alcohol, and building a lifestyle that supports your new relationship with drinking. The coaching is not required but is available for people who want extra support beyond the prescription alone.

What the pages prove

Naltrexone is FDA-approved for treating alcohol addiction, having received that designation in 1994, according to the company's site. The Sinclair Method publishes a success rate of 78%, though the company defines success not as permanent abstinence but as a significant reduction in drinking and a restored sense of control. Over 7,000 people have used their program since the company was founded in 2017. The service is available in 28 states plus Washington, DC: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. The coaching service is available to people in all states. The clinical team includes addiction psychiatrists (MDs) such as Yahya Saeed and Louis Joseph, and psychiatric nurse practitioners (NPs) such as Brian Noonan and Veronica Weatherspoon. The company emphasizes that "unlike most treatments, abstinence is not required," explicitly distinguishing itself from abstinence-based programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. Testimonials on the site from people who have used the program mention staying committed to the daily medication protocol, tracking their drinks in a log to observe the changing pattern, and working with follow-up appointments to maintain progress. One person noted that they had tried AA for over ten years before switching to the Sinclair Method. The site does not publish pricing information on its main pages. You can reach them at 1-877-266-4703 or 1-888-323-0575, both listed as available 24/7, or by email at support@sinclairmethod.org. Their mailing address is 1455 NW Leary Way #458, Seattle, WA 98107.

What the site does not say

The pages do not specify pricing, copays, or insurance coverage. They do not say whether they accept insurance at all or work with specific plans. They do not describe the credentials or years of experience of individual providers beyond their title (MD or NP). They do not explain how long treatment typically lasts before you see significant reduction in drinking, or what success looks like in your particular situation. The site does not discuss potential side effects of naltrexone or medical situations in which it would be contraindicated. They do not say what to do if you miss a dose, how to handle it if the medication does not seem to be working, or what the follow-up schedule looks like beyond the initial appointment. There is no information about age limits or whether the service treats minors. The site does not explain whether the Sinclair Method works for other substance use disorders besides alcohol, such as opioid or stimulant addiction. The testimonials are brief and anecdotal rather than detailed outcome data, so you cannot find information about average success rates from the user perspective, typical timeline to noticeable improvement, or how many people complete the full treatment course successfully.

Who it fits

This service is designed for adults with alcohol use disorder who are interested in a medication-based approach that does not demand immediate abstinence. It works best for someone with reliable internet access, a smartphone or computer for video appointments, and a regular pharmacy they can use. You must live in one of the 28 served states or DC; people outside those areas cannot use it. The program assumes you can fill a naltrexone prescription at a standard pharmacy. Someone looking for a purely behavioral or non-pharmaceutical path, or someone for whom naltrexone is medically contraindicated (such as people with liver disease or certain other conditions), would not be a fit. The optional coaching add-on appeals to people who want structured support and accountability beyond just taking a pill, though many people use the program with the prescription alone. People already attending AA or another abstinence-based program can use the Sinclair Method alongside it, though the site does not discuss compatibility or explain how to navigate the difference in philosophy if your recovery community is committed to abstinence. Someone without internet access or who is not comfortable with telehealth would need to look elsewhere. People seeking residential treatment, hospitalization for withdrawal, or intensive inpatient care would need a different level of care.