Addressing Addiction in Couples Therapy
$27.00
While addiction is often referred to as a “family disease,” current approaches in recovery do not provide treatments that address or account for the relationship between the person with an addiction and their partner. Even if the partner with the SUD has sought treatment and is maintaining their sobriety, it does not take away maladaptive patterns of communicating, broken trust, and emotional pain in the relationship. This training aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively address addiction within the context of couples therapy.
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Understand Addiction Dynamics by providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of addiction, including its impact on individuals and relationships.
- Identify the Differentiation of Roles and Responsibilities by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each partner in the context of addiction and discuss how these roles may contribute to the dynamics of substance use and abuse.
- Teach Goal Setting for Recovery by guiding participants in setting realistic and achievable goals for addiction recovery within the couple and explore the importance of collaborative goal-setting for successful outcomes.
- Help Clients Build Trust and Repair Relationships by exploring rebuilding trust within the relationship that has eroded due to addiction and provide strategies for repairing and strengthening the overall relationship
Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 Clinical/Substance-Specific asynchronous continuing education credits.
For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 1.5 hours of Clinical, Substance-Specific, Evidence-Based Practices, and General Skill Building continuing education training.
Course Instructor: Zumrad Ahmedjanova, LCSW-S, LCAS, CCS (she/her)
Recording Date: 5/10/2024
Recorded Live Webinar with downloadable presentation slides and/or handouts, evaluation, and a required quiz. The learner is required to pass with a 70% or higher to achieve the CE certificate of completion. The learner is able to reset the test until a satisfactory score is achieved. CE Training Workshops, LLC, provider #1770, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/2/2022 – 8/2/2025. CE Training Workshops, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7091. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Training Workshops, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. System Requirements: Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Safari, Edge on any modern operating system (Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS). A desktop browser is recommended. We do not provide support resources for issues encountered using a mobile device. For more information about our policies and board approval statements, please visit our FAQS page.
Zumrad Ahmedjanova, LCSW-S, LCAS, CCS (she/her) is a mentor, speaker, business owner, licensed clinical social worker and Board-Approved Social Work and Substance Abuse Supervisor with 15 years of experience and a wide range of areas of expertise.
Addressing Addiction in Couples Therapy (1.5 HR) Syllabus
I. Understanding Addiction Dynamics
- Addiction affects both individuals and their relationships
- Common relational dynamics: denial, secrecy, enabling, codependency
- Impacts on communication, trust, and intimacy
II. Models of Addiction
- Moral Model
- Temperance Model
- Disease Model
- Biopsychosocial Model
- Behavioral Addictions Model
- Harm Reduction Model
- Brain Disease Model
III. Neurobiological Perspectives on Addiction
- Changes in brain neurochemistry and circuitry
- Dopamine and reward system disruption
- Structural impacts on decision-making and emotion regulation
- Mechanisms contributing to dependence and cravings
IV. Cycle and Definition of Addiction
- Compulsive use despite harmful consequences
- Cravings, loss of control, tolerance, and withdrawal
- Chronic nature and preoccupation with substance or behavior
V. Goal Setting for Recovery
- Establishing realistic and achievable goals
- Importance of collaborative goal-setting between partners
- Short- and long-term recovery planning
- Overcoming obstacles and sustaining motivation
VI. Rebuilding Trust and Relationship Repair
- Impact of addiction on trust and emotional safety
- Strategies for rebuilding communication and addressing past hurts
- Reinforcing support and commitment throughout recovery
VII. Stages of Change in Couples Therapy
- Precontemplation: denial and resistance
- Contemplation: ambivalence and awareness of consequences
- Preparation: planning and seeking support
- Action: behavior change, therapy, and coping strategy implementation
- Maintenance: relapse prevention and sustained progress
VIII. Behavioral Couples Therapy Approach
- Enhancing relationship dynamics to support abstinence
- Inclusion criteria and treatment duration
- Structure of substance- and relationship-focused interventions
IX. Substance-Focused Interventions
- Sobriety contracts and daily commitment
- Integration of medication-assisted treatment
- Inclusion of AA/NA meetings and accountability practices
- Crisis intervention and trigger identification
X. Relationship-Focused Interventions
- Improving communication and emotional connection
- Techniques: Catch Your Partner Doing Something Nice, Caring Day, Shared Activities
- Promoting positive reinforcement and goodwill
XI. Mindfulness-Based Approaches
- Core principles: awareness, acceptance, and compassion
- Practices: meditation, body scan, and mindful breathing
- Enhancing emotional regulation and attunement
XII. Attachment-Based Approaches
- Exploring early attachment patterns and relational coping
- Identifying unmet attachment needs driving addictive behaviors
- Building secure emotional bonds through therapy
XIII. Communication Skills Training
- Effective listening and direct expression
- Role-play and structured practice sessions
- Positive requests and conflict negotiation techniques
XIV. Maintenance and Relapse Prevention
- Long-term recovery planning and follow-up
- Identifying high-risk situations and developing coping strategies
- Post-treatment support over several years
XV. Special Considerations and Ethical Contradictions
- Situations where couples therapy may not be appropriate
- Risk factors: active psychosis, domestic violence, restraining orders
- Consideration of mutual addiction and commitment levels
XVI. Codependency in Couples Therapy
- Historical context and critique of codependency concept
- Differentiating caring from enmeshment and loss of boundaries
- Role of attachment theory in understanding relational dependency
- Pathways to healthier interdependence and mutual respect
