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May 17 CE Lunch: DBT for Substance Use Disorders

DBT for Substance Use Disorders: Advances in a Novel Approach for Clients Struggling with Chronic Emotion Dysregulation and Addiction

Presenter: Sandra Powers, PsyD, Associate Clinical Director, Clearview Treatment Programs When: Friday, May 17, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Where: Il Davide Private Dining Room, 901 A Street, San Rafael Cost: $25, includes 1.5 units Continuing Education

Substance abuse frequently co-occurs with Borderline Personality Disorder and may cause heightened symptoms in either disorder. The co-occurrence of the two disorders can cause severe emotional dysregulation, increase the probability of relapse and poor treatment outcomes, and increase the risk of suicide. DBT for Substance Abuse pushes for immediate and permanent abstinence, while also teaching that a relapse, should it occur, does not mean that the patient cannot achieve the desired result. Learn how this well researched modality is used to help clients struggling with substance abuse and bring home some DBT skills that can be taught to your clients.

 This event is co-sponsored by Clearview Treatment Programs and moderated by Katy Tarella, LCSW, Mind Therapy Clinic, Assistant Clinical Director.

Attendees at this presentation will be able to:

  • Describe Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) protocols

  • Discuss how DBT has been adapted to help clients struggling with substance abuse

  • Assess how a DBT perspective informs conceptualization of cases

About Our Presenter

Sandra Powers, PsyD, Associate Clinical Director, Clearview Treatment Programs

Dr. Sandra Powers received her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hartford in West Hartford, CT. She completed her clinical internship at Yale University, where her intensive training focused on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Borderline Personality Disorder. There, she provided individual and group therapy using DBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and existential therapies in an intensive outpatient setting. She received intensive training in CBT for anxiety disorders at the Yale Child Study Center. She is a member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). As associate clinical director of Clearview Treatment Programs, Dr. Powers oversees the clinical program at outpatient services and provides mindfulness, DBT, and process-oriented group therapy, as well as DBT- and CBT-informed individual therapy.