Written By: Cheryl L. Kennedy, C.S.W., Cynthia L. Birke, B.S., William Fals-Stewart, Ph.D., & Gary R. Birchler, Ph.D.

This program is a collection of information, skills, and lessons learned from years of research that has been used directly with couples in our BCT programs who have reported struggles in their relationship and family as a result of a substance use problem. Countless couples and families have benefited from learning about and using the very skills and information that are presented in this program. Work in this area has shown that people can change behavior which results in change in other aspects of their lives; specifically, their intimate relationships and the functioning and well-being of the whole family. This skills-based program addresses issues of substance abuse, relationship distress, family conflict, and communication problems. How substance abuse relates to HIV and interpersonal violence is also discussed. Furthermore, each section provides the reader with a number of strategies and skills that can be implemented to address these very common concerns. The overarching goal of this program is to assist couples in gaining a greater understanding of substance abuse and various methods and tools for supporting sobriety. This program requires active participation on the part of the couple(s) and/or the facilitator. Thus, there are a number of exercises that help couples work through and practice each skill as it is introduced.

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