Seeking Safety

An integrative treatment approach is presented, developed specifically for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse. Focus is on working toward discontinuing substance abuse, letting go of dangerous relationships, and gaining control over extreme symptoms such as dissociation and self-harm. Twenty-five units addressing cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal domains provide practical tools and techniques to engage clients and include questions and answers, worksheets, and checklists in the form of reproducible handouts. Najavits teaches psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and directs the Trauma Research Program in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Program of McLean Hospital. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
This manual presents the first empirically studied, integrative treatment approach developed specifically for PTSD and substance abuse. For persons with this prevalent and difficult-to-treat dual diagnosis, the most urgent clinical need is to establish safety--to work toward discontinuing substance use, letting go of dangerous relationships, and gaining control over such extreme symptoms as dissociation and self-harm. The manual is divided into 25 specific units or topics, addressing a range of different cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal domains. Each topic provides highly practical tools and techniques to engage patients in treatment; teach "safe coping skills" that apply to both disorders; and restore ideals that have been lost, including respect, care, protection, and healing. Structured yet flexible, topics can be conducted in any order and in a range of different formats and settings. The volume is designed for maximum ease of use with a large format, lay-flat binding, and helpful reproducible therapist sheets and handouts.