My colleague and friend Cynthia Hoffman offered this piece of wisdom recently. She offers another option to 12-Step, for those who need support with their relationship to substances.

12-Step Doesn't Work for Everyone: Why I Love Harm Reduction

by Cynthia Hoffman on July 14, 2014
First appeared on the website PsychedinSanFrancisco

She comes in and sits on the edge of the couch, anxious. As she tells me why she's sitting in my office, she looks over furtively, both fearful and defended. I ask personal questions, some that she hasn't answered even for herself. For example, I ask her what alcohol does for her, how it helps her. I help her identify the ways in which she has already employed harm reduction. Maybe she takes nights of the week off, or tries to eat dinner before she starts drinking. We solidify what she wants for herself, maybe do a pros and cons list about her drinking. She starts to relax in the seat. She begins to realize that I'm not going to give her a prescription of 12 step meetings or rehab, that I'm not even going to suggest that she stop using. She realizes through our conversation that she can be honest with me, that I'm not going to judge her or talk down to her.

This is a common example of what can happen during an initial Harm Reduction Therapy session.

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For more info or to connect with Cynthia visit
http://www.cynthiahoffmanmft.com

Creating A Life Worth Living

by Kaitlin Geenen, M.A., MFT Registered Intern

The term DBT or Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a therapeutic modality that has gained popularity in recent years. Created by Marsha Linehan to help people who felt their emotions controlled them, DBT was designed to help them get control of their emotions and develop a life worth living. Currently DBT is widely used to help people in many different treatment settings. DBT’s reputation as an evidence -based therapy refers to the multitude of research supporting successful treatment outcomes. The success seemingly stems from the style of DBT. DBT skills are taught in a hands-on, experiential way, giving participants a practical toolbox of skills to practice and apply in real life. Group members practice and gain a sense of skillfulness in dealing with emotionally overwhelming situations.

One of the first skills taught in a DBT skills group is mindfulness. Mindfulness, which Linehan adapted from Buddhist meditation practices, helps clients build awareness of their thoughts, sensations and emotions. Mindfulness is not about learning how to become a Buddhist or sit quietly like a monk for hours. It’s about paying attention to the present moment, kind of like the antithesis of multi-tasking. And the most important tenet of mindfulness practice is observing our experience non-judgmentally. That’s right no judging! This proves to be a helpful tool for many clients, including those struggling with eating disorders, who are often plagued by self-judgments. Criticism and self-judgment are common mindtraps for many people. Mild self-judgment can limit your life, but more extreme versions can lead to self-harming behaviors. What DBT offers to those who struggle with self-judgments is a practice in awareness which helps to overcome the habit of negative thinking and develop self-compassion and acceptance. Mindfulness practices teach clients how to notice thoughts and emotions without getting swept away by them. They are then better able to make wise choices that are in alignment with their life goals.

Other skills taught in DBT include interpersonal effectiveness skills for achieving healthy relationships, distress tolerance for getting through tough times without making things worse and emotion regulation skills for learning how to master feelings rather than running from them.

Individual DBT-informed therapy and weekly skills group are offered by Kaitlin Geenen, MFT Registered Intern at New Perspectives Center for Counseling.

My colleague and friend Cynthia Hoffman offered this piece of wisdom recently. She offers another option to 12-Step, for those who need support with their relationship to substances.

Creating A Life Worth Living

Kaitlin Geenen, LMFT

415 364 8231