PSYH 413 - 581

Recovery & Relapse

Summer II, 2008

Course Description:

This course is designed to address the diverse issues that are related to the recovery from addiction as an ongoing process involving physical, psychological, social, intellectual, spiritual and cultural aspects of the individual.  Major themes of the course include the passages of recovery, relapse prevention principles, relapse warning signs, and the twelve-step approach to recovery.  Using a holistic perspective, students will gain insight into basic recovery principles as they are related to the process and prevention of relapse. 

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course, the student will be able to:

• Define recovery and discuss its relationship to professional treatment

• Explain the Transtheoretical Model of Change proposed by Prochaska & DiClemente as it applies to addictions

• Name and describe the six major models for treatment of chemical dependence: Pharmacological, Twelve-Step, Minnesota, Faith-Based, Therapeutic Community and Drug Court

• Name and describe the major psychotherapeutic and psychosocial theories including: Gestalt, Rational Emotive, Psychodynamic, and Behavior

• Evaluate personal, environmental, physiological and psychological obstacles in recovery

• Discuss and apply various methods to help clients overcome obstacles that hinder recovery

•  Discuss the importance of spirituality in recovery

• Identify the warning signs of relapse

• List and discuss the principles of relapse prevention

• Maintaining Recovery

  • Lifestyle issues

  • Dealing with relapse

  • Discuss and demonstrate the positive correlation between lifestyle issues -- such as exercise, nutrition, stress reduction -- and the recovery process

Required Textbooks:

No textbook required; all readings online