Practically Speaking - Behind the Episode, “Meeting Clients Where They Are - EBPs in Dual Diagnosis Cases”
By show of hands, how many of us encounter clients that are struggling with substance abuse and addiction in the midst of dealing with other mental health issues? Ok, this is a blog, so of course I can’t see your hands, but I am imagining a wall of hands in the air of everyone reading this. And of course that is because substance use disorders are highly co-morbid with other mental health conditions. If you’re like me, having received training in several evidence-based psychotherapies for various conditions, you may not have a lot of experience or training in how to treat or manage co-morbid substance use disorders (SUD). This can be particularly true regarding the addition of medication-assisted therapist (MAT) for SUD.
Listen to the full discussion here: Meeting Clients Where They Are - EBPs in Dual Diagnosis Cases
Despite the pervasive stigma surrounding MAT, research indicates that MAT can be an important component of effective addiction recovery. MAT is a highly effective approach in treating SUDs, offering a blend of pharmacological intervention and behavioral therapy. One of the primary benefits of MAT is its ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings, which are major barriers to recovery. Medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone have been shown to stabilize brain chemistry, block the euphoric effects of opioids, and alleviate the intense cravings that often lead to relapse. By mitigating these symptoms, MAT allows individuals to focus on the psychological and social aspects of their recovery, which are essential for long-term success.
And yet many people, including some healthcare providers, view it as simply substituting one addiction for another, rather than recognizing its role in stabilizing brain chemistry and reducing the harmful effects of substance use. This stigma can deter patients from seeking or continuing treatment. Additionally, access to MAT can be uneven, especially in rural or underserved areas. There are often shortages of trained providers and facilities equipped to offer comprehensive MAT services. Financial barriers, such as lack of insurance coverage or high out-of-pocket costs, further complicate access.
The integration of MAT with other therapeutic approaches is crucial yet challenging. Effective MAT requires a holistic approach that includes psychosocial support, which can be difficult to coordinate and sustain over the long term. Therapists must meet their clients where they are in order to best treat these cases. In this episode, Dr. Mark Campanile, talks with our hosts about the challenges and triumphs of combining MAT, Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Motivational Enhancement (ME) with other evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs), such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), and others, in dual-diagnosis cases a VA clinic.
If you have feedback our questions for our guests, hosts, or the show in general, or if you have suggestions for future topics for an episode, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave us a voice message on our Speak Pipe account at www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p or email us a cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu.
Listen to the full discussion here: Meeting Clients Where They Are - EBPs in Dual Diagnosis Cases
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Kevin Holloway, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist working as Director of Online Training, Technology and Telehealth (OT3) at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this capacity, he leads a team of subject matter experts and support staff to develop and present workshops across the world to military and civilian audiences on topics in deployment behavioral health and evidence-based therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
By show of hands, how many of us encounter clients that are struggling with substance abuse and addiction in the midst of dealing with other mental health issues? Ok, this is a blog, so of course I can’t see your hands, but I am imagining a wall of hands in the air of everyone reading this. And of course that is because substance use disorders are highly co-morbid with other mental health conditions. If you’re like me, having received training in several evidence-based psychotherapies for various conditions, you may not have a lot of experience or training in how to treat or manage co-morbid substance use disorders (SUD). This can be particularly true regarding the addition of medication-assisted therapist (MAT) for SUD.
Listen to the full discussion here: Meeting Clients Where They Are - EBPs in Dual Diagnosis Cases
Despite the pervasive stigma surrounding MAT, research indicates that MAT can be an important component of effective addiction recovery. MAT is a highly effective approach in treating SUDs, offering a blend of pharmacological intervention and behavioral therapy. One of the primary benefits of MAT is its ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings, which are major barriers to recovery. Medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone have been shown to stabilize brain chemistry, block the euphoric effects of opioids, and alleviate the intense cravings that often lead to relapse. By mitigating these symptoms, MAT allows individuals to focus on the psychological and social aspects of their recovery, which are essential for long-term success.
And yet many people, including some healthcare providers, view it as simply substituting one addiction for another, rather than recognizing its role in stabilizing brain chemistry and reducing the harmful effects of substance use. This stigma can deter patients from seeking or continuing treatment. Additionally, access to MAT can be uneven, especially in rural or underserved areas. There are often shortages of trained providers and facilities equipped to offer comprehensive MAT services. Financial barriers, such as lack of insurance coverage or high out-of-pocket costs, further complicate access.
The integration of MAT with other therapeutic approaches is crucial yet challenging. Effective MAT requires a holistic approach that includes psychosocial support, which can be difficult to coordinate and sustain over the long term. Therapists must meet their clients where they are in order to best treat these cases. In this episode, Dr. Mark Campanile, talks with our hosts about the challenges and triumphs of combining MAT, Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Motivational Enhancement (ME) with other evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs), such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), and others, in dual-diagnosis cases a VA clinic.
If you have feedback our questions for our guests, hosts, or the show in general, or if you have suggestions for future topics for an episode, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave us a voice message on our Speak Pipe account at www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p or email us a cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu.
Listen to the full discussion here: Meeting Clients Where They Are - EBPs in Dual Diagnosis Cases
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Kevin Holloway, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist working as Director of Online Training, Technology and Telehealth (OT3) at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this capacity, he leads a team of subject matter experts and support staff to develop and present workshops across the world to military and civilian audiences on topics in deployment behavioral health and evidence-based therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).