A Psychotherapist’s Guide to Implementing Alcohol Moderation and Harm Reduction Strategies in Office-Based Practice
Description
For many people seeking help with alcohol problems, learning to drink more moderately and safely can be a realistic, sustainable goal. For others, managed drinking serves as a valuable first step toward abstinence—temporary or long-term. Whatever a client’s goals, clinicians must be prepared to help them assess drinking patterns and support positive, incremental change.
Although abstinence-only models have long dominated treatment, research and clinical practice increasingly support harm reduction strategies, including moderate drinking, as effective options for individuals with less severe or earlier-stage alcohol issues and as extremely helpful engagement strategies for those with more severe problems. This approach promotes flexibility, inclusivity, and greater engagement among clients who might otherwise avoid treatment.
Because office-based psychologists and other mental health therapists are often the first professionals consulted about alcohol concerns, all mental health practitioners—regardless of specialty—need the knowledge and skills to address these issues competently. This three-hour webinar offers a practical, evidence-informed toolkit featuring integrated behavioral and pharmacological interventions, case examples, and ethical considerations. Participants will gain additional confidence and skills to help clients achieve meaningful, sustainable improvements—whether their goals involve moderation or abstinence.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:
- Summarize the relevant empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of alcohol moderation and other harm reduction strategies
- Describe the most salient evidence-based techniques for helping patients reduce alcohol intake to safer levels or stop drinking completely.
- Explain the most common dilemmas, ethical issues, and practical considerations in supporting both abstinence and non-abstinence treatment goals
Instructor Bio
A psychologist specializing in the treatment of substance use and other behavioral health problems, Dr. Washton is co-founder of The Washton Group, a private practice in Princeton NJ and NYC. He has served as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, as director of several nationally recognized addiction treatment and research programs, and as consultant to professional sports teams, government agencies, media organizations, and major corporations. Dr. Washton has been a recipient of research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has served on the Substance Abuse Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and has given expert testimony before special committees of The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on drug abuse trends in America. He is the author of several books, including "Treating Alcohol and Drug Problems in Psychotherapy Practice: Doing What Works" (Guilford Press) and “Willpower’s Not Enough: Understanding and Recovering From Addictions of Every Kind” (Harper-Collins). Dr. Washton has devoted his professional career to developing individualized approaches to treating addiction that incorporate the principles and practices of client-centered psychotherapy.
Dr. Washton has no conflicts of interest for this webinar.
Contact Us
For questions, please contact: ce@gsapp.rutgers.edu
Continuing Education Policy:
Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0123.
LMFT/MFT and LPC/LAC Licensed in New Jersey: Programs approved by the American Psychological Association are acceptable sources of continuing education credits. Please see https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/regulations/Chapter-34-Subchapters-10-31-Professional-Counselors.pdf, Section: 13:34-15.4 APPROVAL OF COURSES OR PROGRAMS on page 27. For all other professional licenses and certifications, please reference your issuing state board regulations regarding reciprocity of continuing education credits.
Rutgers Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Rutgers Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content