Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
You have the power to start getting better today.

A difficult part of the recovery process is learning how to be happy without the use of alcohol or drugs. To assist individuals in this, Assisted Recovery uses many of the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to address the psychological and social components of alcohol dependence. These tools are designed to assist individuals in their recovery process. They include, but are not limited to:

Enhancing motivation to quit drinking and to remain abstinent

Learning how to refuse to act on urges when they arise.

Learning how to manage life’s problems in a sensible and effective way.

Developing a positive, balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Motives and Goals
Motivation is a key element in nearly everything that you do. Consider this: we all have two primary goals- survival and happiness. You can increase awareness of your addiction, your addictive behavior, and of your reasons for quitting. Then you will feel better about the idea of changing your life. Setting positive goals and achieving them is the key to lasting recovery, and a healthy new life.

Beliefs
What you believe about your addiction is important, and there are many ideas being tossed around about addiction and recovery. You may believe, for example, that you have an incurable disease, that you are "powerless," or that the first drink causes you to lose all control. These beliefs may actually be damaging to you.

Some people have additional beliefs. For example, "I've tried and failed before, so I can't do it. I need alcohol (or other drugs) to cope." Or even worse, "Because I've tried to quit and failed, I must just be weak." These beliefs, and many like them, can't be justified because the evidence just doesn't support them.

Emotions
People often use alcohol and drugs to cope with their emotional problems, including guilt, anger, anxiety, and low self-esteem. At Assisted Recovery, we teach you how to diminish your emotional disturbances, and how to increase your self-acceptance. You can then have greater motivation to remain abstinent, and to live more happily and productively.

Behaviors
Changes in thinking and feelings are not enough. Commitment and follow-through are essential. We encourage clients to work at solving their problems, and to become involved in enjoyable and beneficial activities, in place of their chemical dependence.


At Assisted Recovery, we do NOT require:
A belief in a Higher Power is NOT required. Spirituality is an issue left to the individual.

A commitment to abstinence for life is NOT required, although, for most, abstinence is the best option.

A commitment to attend meetings for life is NOT required. Recovery is a process, many clients move on with their lives once they learn what they need to.

An individual does NOT need to assume the label of being an “alcoholic” or “drug addict.” We discourage putting a label of any type on an individual.

People do NOT need to proclaim “powerlessness” over his or her addiction. We seek to empower people to assume control over their lives.

An individual does NOT need to accept the guidance of a non-professional “sponsor.” This is far too serious an issue for amateur advise.

Contact Assisted Recovery today at
(602) 264-7897 or toll free (800) 527-5344

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Copyright © 1997-2007 Assisted Recovery Centers of America. All rights reserved. Updated August 20, 2007

My life now has meaning.
I actually like waking up
in the mornings.

-ARCA Client

ARCA is licensed by
the
Arizona Department of Health Services.

CBT Tool Box:
Click to see a short overview presentation about CBT basics.
(MS Power Point Viewer Required)



ARCA employs a variety of tools and techniques
to help individuals gain independence from addictive behaviors. We encourage you to learn how to use each tool and to practice the tools and techniques as you progress through the program in order to achieve a fulfilling and healthy life. These tools include:


CBT vs. 12-Step Programs
At ARCA, we believe that each individual finds hisor her own path to recovery. For some, that may include traditional 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). While the CBT approach differs from AA and NA, it does not exclude them. Some ARCA participants choose to still attend AA or NA meetings. Some find that what they hear at AA or NA meetings helps them on their path to permanent recovery.


Cognitive Therapy More Effective with Naltrexone
by the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. Funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.


The addition of naltrexone
(ReVia ®) to cognitive behavioral therapy was more effective in treating patients with alcohol dependence than cognitive therapy alone.

Naltrexone appears to reinforce the principal goal of cognitive behavioral therapy, which seeks to prevent an alcohol "slip" from turning into a relapse. The drug may increase resistance to alcohol-related thoughts and behavior, leading to better control of these aspects of craving.

ARCA's clinical Director, Emmett Velten, PhD.
Emmett Velten, ARCA's Clinical Director, is past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, a member of the Board of Trustees and of the Board of Professional Advisors of the Albert Ellis Institute in New York, and editor of the SMART Recovery newsletter News & Views. He co-authored, with Dr. Albert Ellis, When AA Doesn't Work for You and Optimal Aging: Get Over Getting Older. For additional information on Dr. Emmett Velten, visit his web site.

Not just another
self-help book


Rational Steps to Quitting Alcohol: When AA Doesn't Work For You
by Albert Ellis, Ph.D. and ARCA's Clinical Director, Emmett Velten, Ph.D.