Is sobriety a condition for therapy?

Canada · CPD courses & CPD points · Health Professionals

Is sobriety a condition for psychotherapy?

This is a question that faces many psychotherapists in the course of their careers. When a patient presents for therapy and the patient has an active relationship with a substance, does the therapist challenge this relationship? Can psychotherapy continue when a patient is under the influence of the substance in his or her daily life?

In my own practice, I've encountered this question, and have come across two approaches. One approach recommends abstinence in order for psychotherapy to be effective, as the patient needs to avail themselves to the psychotherapy process without the substance which could derail the process and cloud ego development. Another approach views use of the substance like any other symptom in the patient's life, which will resolve once the underlying difficulties have been worked through. The patient is seen as needing the substance for self-soothing and self-regulation, and the idea is that once the patient attaches to the therapist and begins to internalise the therapy, the need for the substance will abate and be replaced by a renewed capacity to face reality.

Dan Wolf, Director of Houghton House Addiction Recovery centres, shares his view here. If you're interested in his full talk on working with addiction, worth 3 CPD points, click here.

-Leanne

Calabash · South Africa
Calabash Articles · South Africa
Calabash Partners · South Africa
Calabash Contributors · South Africa
Calabash Speakers · South Africa
Calabash Talks · South Africa
Calabash Sign up · South Africa
Calabash Sign in · South Africa
Psychiatrists CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Dieticians CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Speech Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Article · Diffusion Tensor Imaging · South Africa
Article · Is sobriety a condition for therapy? · South Africa
Article · DBT and CBT: Demystifying Differences · South Africa
Hypnotherapy CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Australia CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
South Africa CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Talk · The Schizoid Problem · South Africa
Talk · Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: States of Mind · South Africa
Talk · Working with Posttraumatic Stress: Current and Contextual Considerations · South Africa
About Partners · South Africa
Privacy Policy · South Africa
Terms of Use · South Africa
Calabash · Australia
Calabash Articles · Australia
Calabash Partners · Australia
Calabash Contributors · Australia
Calabash Speakers · Australia
Calabash Talks · Australia
Calabash Sign up · Australia
Calabash Sign in · Australia
Audiologists CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Physiotherapists CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Psychologists CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Article · Cleaning during COVID-19 Pandemic · Australia
Article · Reveries: Reflections on Psychoanalytic Work · Australia
Article · SAPC Dialogues: Sue Hawkridge · Australia
Sports Psychology CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
South Africa CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
South Africa CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Talk · The Paternal Function: An Object Relations Perspective · Australia
Talk · Insomnia: Causes, Features and Management · Australia
Talk · Sensory Modulation Patterns in children with Cerebral Palsy · Australia
About Partners · Australia
Uploading an Article · Australia
Terms of Use · Australia
Calabash · New Zealand
Calabash Articles · New Zealand
Calabash Partners · New Zealand
Calabash Contributors · New Zealand
Calabash Speakers · New Zealand
Calabash Talks · New Zealand
Calabash Sign up · New Zealand
Calabash Sign in · New Zealand
Physiotherapists CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Psychologists CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Audiologists CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Article · Apps, Language & Learning: What you need to know · New Zealand
Article · Who's afraid of getting into trouble? · New Zealand
Article · Tips to prevent non-payment · New Zealand
Canada CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Neurodiversity CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Canada CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Talk · Group psychology: Psychoanalytic & Sociological Considerations · New Zealand
Talk · An Overview of Sex Therapy · New Zealand
Talk · The Enneagram's Social Interaction Styles and Impact on Environment · New Zealand
Privacy Policy · New Zealand
Terms of Use · New Zealand
About Calabash · New Zealand
Calabash · United Kingdom
Calabash Articles · United Kingdom
Calabash Partners · United Kingdom
Calabash Contributors · United Kingdom
Calabash Speakers · United Kingdom
Calabash Talks · United Kingdom
Calabash Sign up · United Kingdom
Calabash Sign in · United Kingdom
Occupational Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Dieticians CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Medical Professionals CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Article · Why Would a Baby Need a Psychiatrist · United Kingdom
Article · Intuitive Eating & Digestive Health · United Kingdom
Article · Relationships with parents · United Kingdom
Marketing CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
COVID-19 CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
South Africa CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Talk · Supporting People through Grief, Loss and Bereavement · United Kingdom
Talk · Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: Mindfulness - The "What & How" Skills · United Kingdom
Talk · Sensory Modulation Patterns in children with Cerebral Palsy · United Kingdom
Privacy Policy · United Kingdom
About Partners · United Kingdom
Uploading a Talk · United Kingdom
Calabash · United States
Calabash Articles · United States
Calabash Partners · United States
Calabash Contributors · United States
Calabash Speakers · United States
Calabash Talks · United States
Calabash Sign up · United States
Calabash Sign in · United States
Audiologists CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Psychiatrists CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Dieticians CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Article · Napping in Young Children · United States
Article · A bit about SANDTA · United States
Article · Euphoria: what every therapist and parent needs to know about the show every teen is talking about · United States
BPPV CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Enuresis & Encopresis CPD courses & CPD points · United States
COVID-19 CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Talk · An Introduction to Infant Mental Health for Psychologists, Therapists and Health Professionals · United States
Talk · Dialectical Behaviour Therapy : Distress Tolerance · United States
Talk · Working Therapeutically with Infants, Young Children and their Parents · United States
Uploading an Article · United States
About Contributors · United States
Frequently Asked Questions · United States
Calabash · Canada
Calabash Articles · Canada
Calabash Partners · Canada
Calabash Contributors · Canada
Calabash Speakers · Canada
Calabash Talks · Canada
Calabash Sign up · Canada
Calabash Sign in · Canada
Occupational Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Speech Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Audiologists CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Article · SAPC Dialogues: Sue Hawkridge · Canada
Article · Medication for Anxiety · Canada
Article · Coming Out: Parent's reactions and Their Impact · Canada
United States CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Neurodiversity CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
United States CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Talk · Addressing Structural Racism · Canada
Talk · An Introduction to Child-Centred Mediation · Canada
Talk · Neuropsychology of HIV: Effects and Assessment · Canada
About Partners · Canada
Privacy Policy · Canada
Uploading a Talk · Canada
Psychologist in Sydney