Psychotherapy and Substance Abuse: A Practitioner's Handbook

One of the most prevalent and troublesome health care problems in the United States today, substance abuse is particularly rampant among persons seeking mental health services. Never before has it been so important for mental health professionals who do not specialize in substance abuse to be able to ascertain the possible involvement of alcohol or drug abuse when assessing a client. Addressing a critical void in the literature, this practical new volume provides all the information general psychotherapists and mental health clinicians need to properly identify, assess, treat, and/or refer a client who is using psychoactive substances. Unlike other resources on the treatment of substance abuse, this volume is written specifically for nonspecialists working in mental health facilities, hospitals, private practice, or other clinical settings that are not specialized chemical dependency programs.

Particularly timely, the book takes into account the developments that have significantly changed substance abuse treatment. First is the extraordinary prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse among individuals seeking mental health services\m-\whether or not substance abuse is the presenting complaint. Second, there is recent acknowledgment that no single approach to treatment is superior to others, which has been accompanied by an increased appreciation for the role of psychotherapeutic approaches, especially with patients who are difficult to treat. Finally, managed care and other third-party payers now require that psychotherapists be able to properly identify and assess patients who may be using psychoactive substances. An invaluable resource, this volume provides nonspecialists with the practical knowledge they need to cope with these developments.