The Holy Trinity

Abstract

Decades of research have identified three effective treatments for substance use disorders. This chapter explores the three most studied and proven evidence-based interventions: Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Twelve-Step Facilitation. The inconsistency or infrequency with which evidence-based interventions are used in the treatment of addictions is finally getting some attention at the national level, and there are new recommendations regarding the deployment of treatment approaches. It is important for the reader to understand the roots of these three interventions and why, despite being easy to learn and likely to work, they are not regularly being deployed inside of treatment centers.