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Relationship-Based Recovery Case Study: An Interpersonally-Empowering Approach to Recovery from Substance Use Disorder and PTSD

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Abstract

Background

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) are prevalent and pernicious disorders that are commonly comorbid. Though promising findings have been documented for psychotherapies addressing PTSD/SUD, this is a relatively new area of inquiry.

Aims

To (a) describe relationship-based recovery (RBR), a recently developed cognitive-behavioural treatment for comorbid PTSD and SUD, and (b) explore how RBR might facilitate reduction of PTSD and substance use problems.

Methods

This study used a single case design, with assessments occurring at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up.

Results

Clinically significant reductions in PTSD and SUD, as well as increased satisfaction with interpersonal relationships, were found at post-treatment and 3-month follow-up. Following treatment, the patient no longer met diagnostic criteria for disorders identified at pre-treatment.

Conclusions

The patient appeared to benefit from the treatment. Research investigating RBR as a potential treatment for PTSD/SUD is warranted.

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Notes

  1. RBR began as a 15-session protocol, which was expanded to 16 sessions to reduce the amount of out-of-session practice asked of participants in the first 2 sessions. This modification included transferring some of the treatment content from sessions 1 and 2 into an additional session subsequent to session 3. All of the content remained the same between the original 15-session protocol and current 16-session protocol. Paul completed the 15-session protocol and received an additional two sessions. The first was because he had lost his treatment binder with all of his handouts, and the second was after a 2-month break in therapy due to a relapse to alcohol use.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to extend our gratitude to the client who participated in this study. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Government or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Sonya G. Wanklyn

    Present address: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 1001 Queen Street West, Toronto, OH, M6J 1H4, Canada

  2. Jeremiah A. Schumm

    Present address: School of Professional Psychology, Wright State University, Ellis Human Development Institute, 9 North Edwin C. Moses Boulevard, Dayton, OH, 45402-6837, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada

    Sonya G. Wanklyn, Andrew E. Brankley & Candice M. Monson

  2. St. Stephen’s Community House, 340 College Street, suite 1-8, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Gab Laurence

  3. Cincinnati VA Medical Center, 1000 South Fort Thomas Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Jeremiah A. Schumm

  4. University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Jeremiah A. Schumm

Authors
  1. Sonya G. Wanklyn
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  2. Andrew E. Brankley
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  3. Gab Laurence
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  4. Candice M. Monson
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  5. Jeremiah A. Schumm
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sonya G. Wanklyn.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Wanklyn, S.G., Brankley, A.E., Laurence, G. et al. Relationship-Based Recovery Case Study: An Interpersonally-Empowering Approach to Recovery from Substance Use Disorder and PTSD. J Contemp Psychother 47, 41–50 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-016-9340-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-016-9340-9

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