Nearly 90% of adults report some experiences with either alcohol or drugs during their lifetime. For an increasingly larger number people, alcohol or drug use reaches a point where it becomes a problem or more trouble then it is worth. Being held back from leading the type of hoped for lifestyle is the most common complaint.
Abandoning or making some changes in an alcohol or drug habit, particularly when it has been around for awhile is very difficult. We offer two types of relatively brief cognitive behavioral therapies, both of which have been shown to be highly effective. It is possible to combine either with other types of therapies, including medications.
Relapse Prevention is specifically intended for those who have the overall goal of learning how to prevent themselves from falling back into an alcohol or drug habit. Once the habit has been broken, clients learn ways to keep it that way and avoid relapse or backsliding. Clients who come to our Center who have already stopped using a troublesome substance but are still plagued by urges to return to using it typically begin with the goal of learning how to maintain their accomplishment.
For others, giving up use completely is not the goal. In these instances, we offer a type of cognitive behavioral therapy called Harm Reduction or Moderation Management. This treatment is designed to help clients who are not severely dependent on a substance learn how to reduce the negative impact alcohol or drug use has on their lives without completely stopping use. After achieving this goal, clients learn ways of maintaining their gains and avoiding backsliding. Moderation Management is not an appropriate treatment for those who are addicted to a substance.