Relapse Prevention in Mental Health and AOD treatment

Learn relapse prevention strategies for clients to support their recovery from mental health and/or AOD issues. You will be introduced to a range of tools to assist with monitoring wellbeing.

a. Relapse prevention is an essential aspect of behavioural change for clients addressing both AOD and mental health issues. It involves understanding the process of change; differentiating between a lapse and a relapse; eliminating a sense of failure; identifying triggers and developing strategies to address them.
b. The course is both important and relevant as it aims to prevent re-presentation to services.
c. The course will address workers and sector’s needs as it will provide them with knowledge and skills to support people to maintain both AOD and mental health recovery, whilst they are addressing other issues.
d. This course will equip learners with confidence to work more effectively with clients with AOD and mental health issues, in the area of relapse prevention. Thus workers will feel that they are able to support long term change, and assist clients if relapse should occur to get back on track.
e. This course will definitely make a positive difference to clients as they will have knowledge and skills to keep them well in recovery, long after active treatment has ceased. It will support them with reintegration into their communities, and they will have clear knowledge of warning signs, physical, emotional and mental, that they need to be aware of. It will also provide them with the confidence to avoid lapses, or how to quickly cease a lapse if it should occur.

• Develop knowledge of the Stages of Change model.
• Develop knowledge of the CBT Model of Relapse Prevention in AOD work
• Develop knowledge and skills in Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention.
• Identify key factors in relapse experiences for both AOD and Mental Health recovery.
• Understand the differences between a lapse and a relapse, and how this benefits client’s recovery
• Develop skill in conducting relapse prevention training with clients, which includes: Demystifying relapse; Enhancing a commitment to change; Identifying high risk triggers; teaching coping and other useful skills, such as coping with cravings; developing social support networks.
• Develop skill in the use of a Situational Confidence Questionnaire with clients.
• Develop skill in supporting a client to develop a Wellness Recovery Action Plan.

Who should attend?

Anyone working with clients who are experiencing transition in their AOD use or mental health treatment, even when working with these clients in another context.