Dr. Katie Witkiewitz - Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention
Feb 14, 2024
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Dr. Katie Witkiewitz discusses the history of relapse prevention and mindfulness-based relapse prevention. The podcast explores the impact of mindset on daily activities, the beauty of nourishing moments, and intentional decision-making. It delves into embracing suffering as part of life, understanding relapse risks in non-abstinence recovery, and the integration of mindfulness in addiction treatment.
Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention integrates traditional meditation principles with Western standards for effective relapse prevention.
Participants in the program practice intentional awareness of body, mind, and breath, while engaging in exposure and response prevention to manage urges and negative emotions.
The treatment emphasizes developing deep self-awareness and insight, aiming to understand the root motives behind behaviors and cravings to foster emotional resilience.
Deep dives
Origins of Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention
The development of Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention stemmed from the rejection of a Vipassana meditation approach due to cultural conflict. It evolved following grant rejections that prompted a shift towards a Westernized, secularized version. The approach was tailored to embody similar principles of traditional meditation practices while aligning with Western scholarly standards.
Core Components of Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention
Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention comprises simple yet powerful components. Sessions focus on meditation practices centered on intentional awareness of body, mind, and breath. Participants engage in exposure and response prevention, holding space for urges and negative emotions. The treatment emphasizes cultivating daily mindfulness through practices like the 'sober breathing space' and urge surfing.
Mindfulness in Daily Life
Mindfulness practices aim to enrich daily life experiences by integrating present moment awareness. Sessions encourage mindfulness in routine activities, ensuring that the benefits extend beyond formal meditation practices. The treatment includes practices that explore the intentions behind engaging in certain behaviors, spotlighting wholesome human needs that drive actions.
Shift from Symptom Management to Intrinsic Understanding
Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention shifts the focus from managing symptoms to developing intrinsic understanding and insight. Participants are guided to explore the root motives behind behaviors and cravings, leading to a deeper awareness of their mental and emotional responses. The treatment endeavors to foster profound self-awareness and to illuminate alternative paths for fulfilling underlying needs.
Holistic Approach and Acceptance of Suffering
Choosing how to respond in difficult situations, accepting suffering as part of life, and practicing mindfulness to prevent reactive behaviors that worsen distress. Encouraging individuals to embrace the full spectrum of human experiences and to engage intentionally in nourishing activities. By acknowledging the inevitability of distress and actively sitting with it, individuals can reduce suffering and avoid exacerbating negative emotions, fostering emotional resilience.
Changing Relationship with Terms and Embracing Diversity
Critiquing the use of the term 'relapse' due to its varied interpretations and contribution to stigma and shame. Advocating for a more precise and nuanced understanding of behaviors related to substance use to guide treatment effectively. Urging practitioners to personally engage in mindfulness practices to authentically lead clients and emphasizing the importance of understanding diverse experiences and maintaining curiosity, especially for historically underserved populations.
Many with substance use disorders make recovery attempts, whether through abstinence or reduction goals. However, some level of return to previous levels of use are relatively common, and treatments developed over the past four decades have typically included elements focused on relapse prevention. However, this was not always the case. Dr. Katie Witkiewitz discusses the history of relapse prevention and her work in the space of mindfulness-based relapse prevention. She also discusses recent conversations about the phrase "relapse": what does it mean, and how is it captured in scientific studies? Dr. Witkiewitz is the Director of the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, And Addictions (CASAA) and a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Mexico.
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