Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders Among Veterans
Therapist Manual
Josephine M. DeMarce, Ph.D. Maryann Gnys, Ph.D. Susan D. Raffa, Ph.D. Bradley E. Karlin, Ph.D.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders Among Veterans
Therapist Manual
Suggested Citation: DeMarce, J. M., Gnys, M., Raffa, S. D., & Karlin, B. E. (2014). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders Among Veterans: Therapist Manual. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Table of Contents
Table of Figures ...... vii Acknowledgements ...... ix Preface ...... x
Part 1: Background, Theory, Case Conceptualization, and Treatment Structure ...... 1 Introduction ...... 2 What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? ...... 2 About the Manual ...... 2 A Word about Language ...... 2 Case Examples ...... 3 Cognitive Behavioral Theory of Substance Use Disorders ...... 4 CBT Intervention Technique ...... 7 Building Rapport and the Therapeutic Alliance ...... 7 Structure of Treatment ...... 9 Overview of Treatment Structure ...... 9 Treatment Considerations ...... 10 General Session Structure ...... 10 Bridge from Previous Session ...... 11 Functional Analysis ...... 12 Agenda Setting ...... 12 Discussion of Agenda Items/Cognitive Behavioral Strategies ...... 13 Closing the Session/Planning the Home Assignment ...... 14
Part 2: Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Substance Use Disorders ...... 15 Initial Phase of Treatment: Preparing and Planning for Change ...... 16 Addressing Motivation ...... 16 Initial Clinical Assessment ...... 26 Clinical Interview ...... 26 Conducting a Functional Analysis ...... 27 Clinical Assessment Measures ...... 33 Obstacles to Treatment ...... 36 Orientation to CBT ...... 36 ...... 37 Case Conceptualization and Planning for Change ...... 39
v Case Conceptualization ...... 39 Planning for Change ...... 42 Case Conceptualization and Planning for Change: Case Example #1 ...... 44 Case Conceptualization and Planning for Change: Case Example #2 ...... 50 Middle Phase of Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Strategies ...... 57 Core Components ...... 57 Cravings and Urges Parts 1 and 2 ...... 58 Refusal Skills ...... 88 Elective Components ...... 116 Mood Management ...... 117 Social and Recreational Counseling ...... 129 Support for Sobriety ...... 137 Listening Skills ...... 148 Problem Solving...... 161 Later Phase of Treatment: Maintaining Change and Termination ...... 172 Maintaining Change ...... 172 Termination ...... 174 Pull-Out Procedures ...... 177 Addressing Resumed/Increased Use ...... 177 Assessing Safety and Safety Planning ...... 183 Management of Acute Intoxication ...... 185
References ...... 187 Appendix A: Session Handouts ...... 191 Appendix B: Additional Resources ...... 214
vi Table of Figures
Figure 1. Relationship Among Thoughts, Emotions, Behaviors, and Situations ...... 4 Figure 2. Cognitive Model (Beck et al, 1993) of Substance Use Applied to Jim ...... 6 Figure 3. Suggested Timing for Administration of Clinical Assessment Measures ...... 35 Figure 4. Timeline of CBT-SUD: Case Conceptualization and Treatment Planning ...... 39 Figure 5. Cognitive Conceptualization Diagram ...... 41 Figure 6. Cognitive Conceptualization Diagram for Matt ...... 46 Figure 7. Cognitive Conceptualization Diagram for Laura ...... 51 Figure 8. Timeline of CBT-SUD: Cognitive Behavioral Strategies ...... 57 Figure 9. The Link Among Situations, Thoughts, and Feelings ...... 78 Figure 10. Timeline for CBT SUD: Maintaining Gains and Termination ...... 172 Figure 11. Cognitive-Behavioral Model of the Relapse Process (Marlatt & Gordon, 1985) ...... 178
vii viii Acknowledgements
Support for this manual was provided by Mental Health Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office.
The authors thank (in alphabetical order) Drs. John Baer, Michelle Drapkin, D. Ryan Hooper, and Daniel Kivlahan for their thoughtful feedback and comments during the development of this manual.
This manual was influenced by the work of Marlatt and Gordon (1985) and Monti and colleagues (Monti, Abrams, Kadden, & Cooney, 1989; Monti, Kadden, Rohsenow, Cooney, & Abrams, 2002). Portions of this manual were drawn from work by Wenzel, Brown, and Karlin (2011). Some material used in this manual was derived from previously published treatment manuals that are in the public domain. Material presented in this manual, particularly the section on cognitive behavioral strategies, draws extensively from the following manuals developed and/ or evaluated with funding provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, and/or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
Carroll, K. M., (1998). A cognitive-behavioral approach: Treating cocaine addiction. Therapy manuals for drug addiction. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Miller, W. R. (Ed.) (2004). Combined Behavioral Intervention manual: A clinical research guide for therapists treating people with alcohol abuse and dependence. COMBINE Monograph Series, (Vol.1). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. DHHS No. 04-5288.
Kadden, R., Carroll, K. M., Donovan, D., Cooney, N., Monti, P., Abrams, D., . . . Hester, R. (1995). Cognitive-behavioral coping skills therapy manual: A clinical research guide for therapists treating individuals with alcohol abuse and dependence. Project MATCH Monograph Series, (Vol. 3). Rockville, MD: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: DHHS No. 94- 3724.
Steinberg, K. L., Roffman, R. A., Carroll, K. M., McRee, B., Babor, T. F., Miller, M., . . . Stephens, R. (2005). Brief counseling for marijuana dependence: A manual for treating adults. Rockville, MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: DHHS No. (SMA) 05-4022.
ix Preface
In an effort to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed national initiatives to disseminate and implement evidence-based psychotherapies for substance use disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, insomnia, chronic pain, serious mental illness, and other conditions throughout the Veterans Health Administration (VHA; Karlin & Cross, 2014). Initial program evaluation results have shown that training and implementation et al., 2012; Karlin, Trockel, Taylor, Gimeno, & Manber, 2013; Trockel, Karlin, Taylor, & Manber, 2014; Walser, Karlin, Trockel, Mazina, & Taylor, 2013).
VA has developed national staff training programs in several evidence-based psychotherapies focused on the treatment of problematic substance use, including Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Behavioral Couples Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The overall goal of the CBT for Substance Use Disorders Training Program is to provide competency-based training to VA mental health clinicians, which includes experientially-based workshop training followed by ongoing consultation with an expert in CBT for substance use disorders (SUD).
The VA CBT for Substance Use Disorders Training Program focuses on both the theory and application of CBT based on the protocol described in this manual. The program is designed to provide state of the art, This manual is designed to serve as a training resource for therapists completing the training program, as well as for others inside and outside of VHA who are interested in further developing their CBT-SUD skills, particularly as they are applied to the treatment of problematic substance use. This CBT treatment strongly emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and therapeutic strategies in CBT and differs from approaches to CBT that are primarily psycho-educational or solely skills-based. This protocol also places primary importance on case conceptualization, as in other CBT protocols being implemented in VHA (e.g., Wenzel, Brown, & Karlin, 2011). The conceptualization guides the direction of this individualized therapy as it takes place within the context of a collaborative and supportive therapeutic relationship.
This manual is designed primarily for clinicians who are already providing treatment for substance use substance use disorders are used throughout the manual to illustrate the process of case conceptualization and the implementation of CBT strategies.
x Part 1: Background, Theory, Case Conceptualization, and Treatment Structure
1 Introduction
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? psychotherapeutic approach that has been used to treat a number of mental and behavioral health conditions. CBT involves a structured approach that focuses on the relationships among cognitions (or thoughts), emotions (or feelings), and behavior. As the name suggests, CBT is guided by an integration of cognitive and behavioral theories. Cognitive behavioral theory has informed treatment for a variety of different mental health conditions. Treatments based on cognitive behavioral theory have been successfully applied to problematic substance use (Budney, Roffman, Stephens, & Walker, 2007; Dutra, Stathopoulou, Basden, Leyro, Powers, & Otto, 2008; McHugh, Hearon, & Otto, 2010; Project Match Research Group, 1997).
About the Manual intervention technique, the therapeutic alliance, and the structure of treatment. The second part of the manual focuses on the implementation of CBT for substance use disorders and contains several sections, including: a) preparing and planning for change, b) cognitive behavioral strategies, c) termination and maintaining gains, and d) pull-out procedures, or information that will be useful for a subset of Veterans.
It is important to note that for clinicians new to CBT for substance use disorders, the role of consultation and/or supervision is critical. This manual provides a common conceptual framework for clinicians, consultants, and supervisors to use when discussing the implementation of CBT for substance use disorders. It is a tool that provides a foundation on which to base subsequent discussions about implementation.
Often times, CBT for substance use disorders will not be a stand-alone treatment. As a part of comprehensive care, the Veteran should also be made aware of treatment options related to pharmacotherapy and, if the Veteran is interested, referred for an evaluation for medication to assist with achieving and maintaining abstinence.
A Word about Language Sometimes, unintentionally, the language that is used when describing substance use or individuals who use substances can be judgmental or contain moralistic overtones. The way that substance use related conditions are described can perpetuate associated stigma or attenuate it. For example, when a person is referred to as a substance “abuser” it may evoke more blaming and punitive attitudes toward the person than if that same individual is described as “having a substance use disorder” (Kelly, Dow, & Westerhoff, 2010). This manual strives to avoid potentially harmful language and instead focuses on describing the behavior. For instance, “resumed alcohol use” or “resumed cocaine use” are used to describe a person who abstained for a period of time and then used a substance. Changes in the quantity or frequency of substance use are described as “increased use” or “decreased use.” Describing behaviors in this way also addresses the problems inherent in dichotomous terms such as clean/dirty, drunk/sober and so forth. The word “relapse” is
2 Case Examples Throughout the manual the three case examples below are used to illustrate CBT including case conceptualization, the therapeutic relationship, and application of cognitive behavioral intervention strategies.
Matt Matt is a 25-year-old, male Veteran who recently returned from his second deployment to Afghanistan. Matt is married and has a two-year-old son. He came to the VA at the urging of a friend and fellow Veteran who told him he needed to get help for his alcohol and cannabis use. Matt reported that he has been spending more time alone and has been less interested in spending time with his friends. Matt reported that he gets along well with his wife and son, but that he is having trouble connecting with other people both at work and outside of work. He has been getting angry more easily than he used to and has broken some things at the house. His wife expressed concern about his anger and unsafe driving. Matt has used alcohol and cannabis since he was 15-years-old, but during the past year his use has increased and he has been drinking every evening. He works full-time for a landscaping company and he and his co-workers use cannabis throughout the work day.
Jim Jim is a 70-year-old, retired male Veteran who has used multiple substances in the past and has an extensive history of problematic alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis use. It has been more than 10 years since he used cocaine or cannabis. Five years ago, he completed an intensive outpatient treatment program and following that episode of care he remained abstinent from alcohol for four years. During the past year, he began using alcohol again and his use has become problematic. He is married for the third time and has informed his treatment providers that his wife is saying she will leave if he continues to drink. He has one adult daughter he is close with and speaks with regularly. He also has two grandchildren, ages diagnosed with diabetes and he was recently informed that his liver enzymes are elevated.
Laura She was referred by her primary therapist who has been providing treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Her primary therapist expressed concern that Laura’s alcohol intake is increasing. The therapist said Laura is using alcohol as a form of avoidance and is drinking to cope with uncomfortable emotions. Laura has said that she does not see her alcohol use as problematic, but acknowledged she does not want her use of alcohol to increase. Laura is employed full-time at a local newspaper and has expressed concern about taking more time away from work for treatment.
3 Cognitive Behavioral Theory of Substance Use Disorders