Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse [Paperback]

"This landmark volume presents a cutting-edge approach to the treatment of patients who depend on drugs to soothe the pain of PTSD. In stunning detail, Najavits shows how the same therapist can treat both conditions concurrently. Her kinder and gentler approach is a welcome change from traditional confrontational interventions. The volume is enriched by her empathy and wisdom. All therapists attempting to help these patients should have this book to guide them."--Aaron T. Beck, MD, University Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania

"Fabulous! This treatment manual provides practical, clearly described procedures for treating an extremely difficult group of clients. The organization of the treatment is superb. From my perspective, the most important parts of a comprehensive treatment are here--attention to the client's safety, targeting substance use simultaneously with targeting PTSD, integrating ideals and values (I love the quotations!), a core of cognitive-behavioral interventions, a focus on interpersonal relationships, and attention to the needs of the therapist. Very impressive. Obviously written by an experienced clinician."--Marsha M. Linehan, PhD., University Professor of Psychology, University of Washington

"Born of experience and energized by passion, this carefully crafted and thoughtful treatment manual will guide clinicians through the tricky waters of substance abuse and PTSD treatment. Seeking Safety will help clinicians decide what to do and how to do it well. As empirically guided treatment manuals begin to emerge in greater numbers and varying quality, Najavits maintains an essential and elegant balance between a lucid map of treatment directions, on the one hand, and the complex dynamics of the clinical territory on the other. This is a very important work that I highly recommend for clinicians of every stripe."--Howard J. Shaffer, PhD, CAS, Director, Division on Addictions, Harvard Medical School

"Fills a tremendous gap in treatment resources....Provides clinicians with an empirically based and well-developed treatment program that enables them to intervene in comorbid SUD and PTSD in an integrated way....Provides a breath of fresh air by rising above the often contentious debate on whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic interventions, or 12-step-oriented approaches are the best treatment model....The manual is well organized, easy to use, and relevant to the treatment needs of individuals with comorbid PTSD and SUD. It is an innovative, flexible, and practical program that is adaptable to a variety of treatment settings. Although this manual is particularly useful for clinicians, I highly recommend it as a resource for students and researchers who seek to gain a better understanding of the treatment needs of individuals who have concomitant SUD and PTSD as well."--Criminal Justice Review