Chemical Dependence Treatment Homework Planner

by James R. Finley, Brenda S. Lenz

Help substance abusers work through their problems between sessions.In today's climate of managed care and leaner benefits packages, chemical dependence treatment providers must find ways to achieve measurable success in less time and with less client contact. The time between therapy sessions is an important component of the recovery process--and homework assignments are effective tools for helping clients participate actively in recovery.

"The Chemical Dependence Treatment Homework Planner" arms you with an array of client homework assignments for every phase of treatment, from diagnosis through relapse prevention.

This handy sourcebook features: Over 50 copier-ready exercises including cognitive-behavioral, brief therapy, psychodynamic, and 12-Step-based tasks that cover the most common issues in chemical dependence treatment. Exercises grouped by behavioral issues and treatment phases (e.g., addressing denial, identifying strengths, and measuring progress). A quick and easy cross-reference table--simply look up the issue you're working on and you'll find a list of related exercises. Expert guidance on how and when to make the most efficient use of the exercises. Assignments that are cross-referenced to The Chemical Dependence Treatment Planner so you can quickly identify the right exercise for a given situation or behavioral problem. A computer disk that contains all the exercises in a word-processing format--allowing you to customize them to suit you and your clients' unique styles and needs.

"The Chemical Dependence Treatment Homework Planner" is an indispensable, time-saving tool of the trade for all chemical dependence counselors and therapists working in individual or group therapy settings.

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1999

About the author

I'm a retired Marine (1976-1996) and retired psychotherapist and author. In the Marine Corps I served as an infantryman, marksmanship instructor, drill instructor, career planner, computer operator, data systems officer, and communications officer. As a clinician I worked primarily with people with addictions, mood disorders, PTSD, and anger management issues. As a therapist I worked more years in the state prison system than anywhere else, including stints in the state forensic psychiatric hospital and teaching at the Corrections Academy, as well as working with gang members, couples, and families. I wrote or co-authored books for clinicians with the goal of providing practical resources, mainly therapeutic homework assignments for clients, that they could adapt to their specific needs.
Books in print: two coauthored with Brenda S. Lenz, with whom I also designed and ran an intensive outpatient addiction treatment program, The Addiction Counselor's Documentation Sourcebook, 2nd Ed., and The Addiction Treatment Homework Planner, 4th Ed.; one written solo, Integrating the 12 Steps Into Addiction Therapy; and one as co-author with Bret A. Moore, a psychologist who was working with military personnel at the time, the Veterans and Active Duty Military Homework Planner.
I am also in recovery and have been clean and sober since 1990.
Home life: I live in New Mexico with my wife Jan. I have one brother living nearby, and adult children, grandchildren, and one great-grandson living in California. I still work for one cat, a benevolent tortoiseshell tyrant, named Bolt for her habit of zooming through any door leading to someplace she isn't supposed to go if it's open for a millisecond (I actually think she teleports but haven't caught it on video.)
I have strong interests in military affairs, psychology, domestic and world politics, history, and various hobbies including woodworking and cooking which I practice with more enthusiasm than skill. I like science fiction and fantasy. One of these days I want to tackle writing some military/political science fiction. I've completed NaNoWriMo once but not finished the resulting manuscript yet.