Twelve-Step Facilitation Therapy: A Program That Works
Is Twelve Step Facilitation Therapy Necessary?
Certainly, alcohol addiction and drug abuse has become a huge problem in the last few decades. Suitable treatment that leads to long-term, strong sobriety is available, but sometimes hard to find. There are various treatment and rehabilitation centers in the US who are using modified and complex integrated therapeutic approaches to deal with drug addiction, including alcohol, cocaine, nicotine or marijuana. Many programs focus on the therapeutic approach to substance abuse treatment. These facilities emphasize individual psychotherapy and life-skills training to combat relapse. A far smaller number of addiction rehabilitation focus on the philosophy of 12-step fellowship programs, including Alcohol Anonymous or Nicotine Anonymous, in tandem with clinical therapy. This therapy approach, sometimes called Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) has been proven to be very successful among those who want to be free of alcoholism and drug addiction.
What is Twelve-Step Facilitation Therapy?
TSF is a structured, brief and manualized treatment plan that is designed for the treatment of addiction. Its main aim is to engage patients with addiction in 12-step fellowship programs and involvement in the community. This treatment model defines addiction as a spiritual as well as a medical disease.
Structure of Twelve-Step Facilitation Therapy
Twelve Step Facilitation focuses on the tools use in Alcoholics Anonymous The first step includes the acceptance, second and third step focuses on the surrender and active participation in the process required to remove the obsession to drink alcohol and use drugs. These steps are crucial to this sort of treatment. In steps four and five, the focus shifts towards the development of moral inventories, uncovering resentments, fears and interpersonal behaviors from the past that lead to substance abuse and addiction. Steps six and seven establish new behavior patterns and active striving to be a better person. Steps eight and nine allow someone to look at their past behavior with friends, family members and coworkers, and make amends for any wrongs done. Steps ten and eleven focus on clearing any new psychological unrest as well as strengthening their personal spiritual connection. Step twelve emphasizes service to others. Helping those who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction is essential to staying sober.
During the whole TSF process, the therapists can act as a facilitators encouraging participants to actively engage in the twelve steps as well as 12-step fellowship programs. The goals of TSF is complete abstinence from the substance of abuse and the development of therapy best-suited to the needs of the patient. Individual and group therapy sessions help clients traverse new internal territories as they uncover and discard feelings and habits that foster and perpetuate addiction.
Efficacy of Twelve-Step Facilitation Therapy
TSF is a highly efficient and useful therapy in the treatment of addiction and abuse. It is empirically proven that when used independently or in the combination of other 12-step fellowship programs and therapies, i.e. cognitive behaviour therapy and motivational interviewing, it decreases the likelihood of relapse. It is also associated with increased post-treatment follow-up sessions and abstinence. It is found to be equally effective for adults as well as adolescents.
In short, TSF, although it seems similar to 12-step programs, is used independently or in combination with other therapies and treatment approaches to deal with the addiction and abuse. Thus, it is highly recommended to approach rehabilitation and treatment centers that use Twelve-Step Facilitation Therapy professionally with their patients. We are efficiently providing TSF to the patients with the facilitators who are expert in this field and has vast experience in conducting TSF. You can contact us for further information.
Recommended readings
Kingree, J. B. (2013). Twelve-step facilitation therapy. Comprehensive addictive behaviors and disorders, 3, 137-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-398338-1.00015-4
Nowinski, J., Baker, S., Carroll, K.M., 1994. Twelve Step Facilitation Therapy Manual: A Clinical Research Guide for Therapists Treating Individuals with Alcohol Abuse and Dependence. In: Project MATCH Monograph Series, vol. 1. NIAAA, Rockville, MD. DHHS Publication No. 94–3722. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/projectmatch/match01.pdf
Kelly, J. F., Yeterian, J. D., Cristello, J. V., Kaminer, Y., Kahler, C. W., & Timko, C. (2016). Developing and Testing Twelve-Step Facilitation for Adolescents with Substance Use Disorder: Manual Development and Preliminary Outcomes. Substance abuse: research and treatment, 10, 55–64.
https://doi.org/10.4137/SART.S39635
