Anger Management Based Alcohol Treatment: Integrated Therapy for Anger and Alcohol Use Disorder

Anger Management Based Alcohol Treatment: Integrated Therapy for Anger and Alcohol Use Disorder is an innovative, hands-on guide that introduces clinicians to research-based anger management skills for treating clients with alcohol use disorder. Research has demonstrated an important infl uence of anger-related emotions on drinking behavior and risk for relapse among individuals with drinking problems. This book will empower clinicians to address clients’ alcohol use and anger emotions through an effective blend of cognitive, relaxation, and sober coping skills. This combination of skills offers clinicians a concrete method for helping clients manage anger-related emotions and disconnect the anger–alcohol linkage, thereby improving clinical outcomes.

The book also features useful ideas for client self-monitoring and accessible tools for evaluating progress in treatment. Three case studies are presented and followed to illustrate the full course of treatment. Practical therapeutic techniques are explained and demonstrated through clinical dialogue examples. This book is ideal for developing clinicians, for experienced clinicians looking to enhance skills, and as an instructional text in training programs.

• Empirically-based sobriety and anger management coping skills that are easily integrated
• Step-by-step guidance and useful tips for treatment implementation
• Reproducible handouts, forms, and assessment tools
• Brief reviews of empirical literature, research fi ndings, and suggested readings
• Three intensive case studies with detailed examples of clinical dialogue

Deputy Director and Senior Research Scientist at University of Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions. Research Associate Professor at the University of Buffalo Psychology Department. Dr. Walitzer has been actively involved in clinical research on alcohol problems for 25 years. She is a New York state licensed psychologist, and completed an NIAAA-funded RO1 NIH grant award, “Developing Anger Management (CRCS) for Use in Alcoholism Treatment”. She has also completed a pilot study on anger management-based smoking cessation in conjunction with nicotine replacement therapy.

Dr. Deffenbacher has 30 years of experience in clinical outcome research on anger reduction, having designed and assessed anger reduction interventions.

Therapist and supervisor at the Research Institute on Addiction Treatment Services. During this time she has served as the primary therapist on the pilot studies for both the anger management for alcohol use disorders as well as anger management in nicotine dependent smokers.