Combining Medication and Psychosocial Treatments for Addictions
Synopsis Recent studies have shown combined addiction treatments to be more effective than either medication or talk therapy alone. This practical manual presents an empirically supported 6-stage framework for managing biopsychosocial treatment of alcohol and drug dependence. The BRENDA approach helps practitioners integrate emerging and established psychosocial and medical intervention approaches into a comprehensive treatment program that is tailored to the needs of the individual patient. Fully compatible with cognitive-behavioral and 12-step treatment models, BRENDA incorporates the use of newly developed medications, such as naltrexone, that target the biological underpinnings of addiction. The approach has been demonstrated effective in more than 80% of alcohol dependent referrals to the authors' treatment program. Illustrated with extended case examples, the manual describes how to conduct a thorough evaluation and assessment, select appropriate interventions, enhance the patient's motivation to change, coordinate service delivery with other providers as needed, and maximize treatment compliance.
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