Our clinician, Dallas Newton, recently delivered an informative and up-to-date presentation on substance abuse disorders to all our clinicians. At Handel Behavioral Health, we understand that learning is never-ending, and that ongoing research and education is crucial to provide clients with the best care possible.

We also acknowledge how important it is that clients feel that they are the ones leading their mental health journey, and so we want to share this knowledge with you!

Substance Abuse Doesn’t Happen in a Vacuum

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) rarely occur in isolation. For many individuals, substance use is deeply connected to mental health concerns, trauma histories, and emotional coping patterns.  

Addressing only one part of the equation can often make the individual feel that their substance use is a moral failing, leading to lower adherence to treatment and relapse. An integrated, holistic approach to therapy is considered best practice.

Mental health conditions that often overlap with substance use include:

• Depression and mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Trauma-related disorders, including PTSD
• Bipolar disorder
• ADHD
• Personality disorders (such as BPD)
• Psychotic disorders

Substance abuse and these conditions can also often be bidirectional. A person may use substances to self-medicate their emotional symptoms, stress, or trauma. Over time, substance use can intensify mental health symptoms, creating a cycle that becomes difficult to break without professional support.

Whether you are exploring whether you want to seek help or are ready to find a therapist for substance abuse, understanding these connections is essential to determine your options and how you and your clinician will approach treatment.

Treatment Options for Substance Abuse Therapy

Not all substance abuse disorders look the same, and an individualized treatment plan is necessary for the best outcomes. Your clinician will work with you to determine your support needs and explain your options.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

• Highlights strengths and past successes.
• Promotes small, achievable behavior changes.
• Works well in short-term settings.

Harm Reduction/Safety Planning is an approach focusing on reducing immediate risks while supporting long-term change.

• Reduces immediate risks and supports safer use.
• Builds rapport and engagement.
• Supports gradual, client-driven change.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) helps individuals explore ambivalence and clarify values.

• Improves engagement and follow-through.
• Creates intrinsic motivations rather than imposing them.
• Flexible for harm reduction or abstinence.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that drive substance use and maintain addictive cycles.

• Teaches coping strategies, craving management, and relapse-prevention skills.
• Identifies triggers and thought patterns.
• Strong evidence base for both substance reduction and long-term maintenance.

It’s also important to distinguish between physical dependence and a substance use disorder, as this impacts the type of care that will be most helpful.

When Substance Abuse Requires Emergency Care

There are times when substance abuse becomes a medical or psychiatric emergency. Immediate referral to emergency services is necessary when a client is experiencing:

• Loss of consciousness, slowed breathing, seizures, or overdose risk
• Polysubstance use involving central nervous system depressants
• Suicidal or homicidal thoughts
• Psychosis, extreme agitation, or loss of behavioral control

Emergency intervention is not a failure of substance abuse treatment nor a punishment, but a critical choice to protect one’s health and safety.

Finding a Therapist for Substance Abuse

Substance abuse therapy is most effective when it reflects the complexity of a person’s experience. Recovery does not come from willpower alone—it comes from compassionate, appropriate, and well-matched care.

Finding the right therapist for substance abuse can feel overwhelming, especially when mental health concerns are also present, but you don’t have to navigate this process alone.

If you’re considering substance abuse treatment or searching for a therapist who understands both mental health and substance use, we’re here to help.

HBH has a number of compassionate, experienced therapists who are ready to help you achieve your goals. We offer both online/tele-health therapy and in-person therapy in Massachusetts in any of our offices, Amherst, Franklin, Natick, West Springfield, and Wilbraham. 

About The Author