Brief Interventions and Brief Therapies for Substance Abuse

Target audience and instructional level of this course: foundational

There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support related to this CE program.

TRAINING

Course Description

Brief Interventions and Brief Therapies for Substance Abuse

Course Description

Brief interventions and brief therapies have become increasingly important modalities in the treatment of individuals across the substance abuse continuum. The content of the interventions and therapies will vary depending on the substance used, the severity of problem being addressed, and the desired outcome.

Because brief interventions and therapies are less costly yet have proven effective in substance abuse treatment, clinicians, clinical researchers, and policymakers have increasingly focused on them as tools to fill the gap between primary prevention efforts and more intensive treatment for persons with serious substance abuse disorders. However, studies have shown that brief interventions are effective for a range of problems, and the Consensus Panel believes that their selective use can greatly improve substance abuse treatment by making them available to a greater number of people and by tailoring the level of treatment to the level of client need.

Learning Objectives

After completing this training the professional will be able to:

Brief Interventions and Brief Therapies for Substance Abuse

Learning Objectives

After completing this training the health care professional will:

• Utilize counseling skills such as active listening and helping clients explore and resolve ambivalence
• Discuss the basic elements of brief therapies
• Have a working knowledge of the stages of change through which a client moves when thinking about, beginning, and trying to maintain new behavior

Author(s)/Reference(s)

Kristen Lawton Barry, Ph.D.
University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry
Published by Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and SAMHSA