Is sobriety a condition for therapy?

New Zealand · 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
Physiotherapists CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Occupational Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Psychologists CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Article · Literature & Mental Health · South Africa
Article · Understanding sensory processing disorder · South Africa
Article · A bit about SANDTA · South Africa
South Africa CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Occupational therapy CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Personality Disorders CPD courses & CPD points · South Africa
Talk · Grappling with the Gifts & Challenges of the Online World · South Africa
Talk · Growing a Capacity for Self-reflective Practice amongst Educators, Allied Professionals and Parents in the Early Years · South Africa
Talk · A Brief Introduction to the Enneagram · South Africa
About Contributors · South Africa
How It Works · South Africa
About Partners · 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
Speech Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Psychiatrists CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Psychologists CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Article · Examining Exams: School, Stress, and the Impact on Young Minds · Australia
Article · COVID-19 and Stigma · Australia
Article · Useful Resources for Neuroanatomy · Australia
United States CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
United Kingdom CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
post-graduates CPD courses & CPD points · Australia
Talk · Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability: Theory and Background · Australia
Talk · Mind Brain Body Connection and the Rhythms of Regulation · Australia
Talk · South African Psychologists Moving to The UK: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started · Australia
Terms of Use · Australia
Uploading an Article · Australia
Uploading a Talk · 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
Audiologists CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Speech Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Occupational Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Article · Decolonising Psychology? · New Zealand
Article · When things seem to be falling apart, just go to the bathroom: Insights and Tools from sports and performance psychology · New Zealand
Article · Medications for ADHD · New Zealand
Eating Disorders CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Australia CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Addiction CPD courses & CPD points · New Zealand
Talk · Adolescent Depression: Diagnosis, Risk Factors, & Treatment · New Zealand
Talk · Working with Posttraumatic Stress: Current and Contextual Considerations · New Zealand
Talk · Supporting People through Grief, Loss and Bereavement · New Zealand
About Calabash · New Zealand
Uploading an Article · New Zealand
Frequently Asked Questions · 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
Psychiatrists CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Occupational Therapists CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Physiotherapists CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Article · Case Study: Managing tinnitus in my practice · United Kingdom
Article · On Becoming a Play Therapist · United Kingdom
Article · Who's afraid of getting into trouble? · United Kingdom
Australia CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Cancer CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
CPD courses & CPD points · United Kingdom
Talk · Understanding and Managing Enuresis and Encopresis · United Kingdom
Talk · The Origins of Mentalising & Implications for Attachment, Personality & Psychotherapy - Part 3 · United Kingdom
Talk · Sexuality: Thoughts on Perversions and Sexual Dysfunctions · United Kingdom
About Calabash · United Kingdom
About Partners · United Kingdom
How It Works · 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
Physiotherapists CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Psychiatrists CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Audiologists CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Article · Relationships with parents · United States
Article · Common Medications for Depression · United States
Article · What is Emotion-Focused Couple's Therapy (EFT)? · United States
Legal Work CPD courses & CPD points · United States
United States CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Personality CPD courses & CPD points · United States
Talk · Phobia: Putting Exposure into Practice · United States
Talk · Current Trends in Childhood Psychiatric Diagnosis · United States
Talk · Intuitive Eating as a non-diet approach to use in practice · United States
Privacy Policy · United States
Uploading an Article · United States
About Partners · 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
Dieticians CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Registered Counsellors CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Physiotherapists CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Article · SAPC Dialogues: Introduction to Public Mental Health · Canada
Article · Is sobriety a condition for therapy? · Canada
Article · Colinda Linde on No Shows in Therapy · Canada
Board Exam CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
United Kingdom CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Speech disorders CPD courses & CPD points · Canada
Talk · Emotionally dysregulated clients: Supporting Families - 2. Accepting Feelings & Changing Behaviour · Canada
Talk · Gender-Based Violence: Towards an Understanding of causes & Prevention · Canada
Talk · Sensory Modulation Patterns in children with Cerebral Palsy · Canada
Terms of Use · Canada
Uploading an Article · Canada
About Contributors · Canada
Psychologist in Sydney