In it together
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Behavioural couples therapy for alcohol dependence can both strengthen relationships and reduce problematic drinking , says Kate Thompson
Although behavioural couples therapy has been recommended in NICE guidance since 2011 for ‘ harmful drinkers and people with mild alcohol dependence who have a regular partner who is willing to participate in treatment ’, counselling and therapy that focuses on the couple and parental relationship has never formed any significant part of the alcohol treatment service landscape .
In 2009 Tavistock Relationships was commissioned by the NHS to develop a couple-based treatment for depression – known as couple therapy for depression or behavioural couples therapy – a talking therapy which year-on-year achieves some of the highest rates of recovery from depression and anxiety within IAPT ( improving access to psychological therapies ) services nationally . So , when the
‘ children of alcohol dependent parents ’ funding stream was announced by the Department for Health and Social Care in 2018 , we were keen to take on the challenge of delivering training to practitioners in behavioural couples therapy for alcohol dependence ( BCT-AD ) to see whether this treatment could be introduced and embedded into existing treatment services .
To this end , in 2019 , Tavistock Relationships delivered a total of three sets of training – in Leeds , Bristol and London – to 29 practitioners from a range of professional backgrounds including counsellors and drug and alcohol workers . We then supervised these trainees as they set about identifying suitable couples experiencing alcohol dependence who would become their ‘ training cases ’, over a period of eight to 12 months .
‘ In 2019 , Tavistock Relationships delivered a total of three sets of training – in Leeds , Bristol and London – to 29 practitioners from a range of professional backgrounds including counsellors and drug and alcohol workers .’
20 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • APRIL 2021 WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM