Renewal Health Group and Montare Behavioral Health CEO JD Kalmenson and Regional Director of Clinical Services of Montare Behavioral Health, Tiffany Dzioba, PsyD, LMFT, shared strategies for reconceptualizing relapse prevention during the West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders in October.
One of the biggest reasons for relapse, Kalmenson explained, is a blanket approach to recovery used by many practitioners that fails to take into account nuances around usage patterns, substance use severity, and causation.“When that level of general ambiguity is the standard, we will continue to see the unforgivable 60% relapse rates,” he said. Kalmenson and Tiffany Dzioba, PsyD, LMFT, Montare Regional Director of Clinical Services, shared their vision for addiction recovery that puts an emphasis on recognizing patients’ unique triggers and cravings, and tailoring an approach to addressing those factors. Kalmenson chronicled a series of case studies in which 3 patients exhibited similar substance use, but noted that each presented significant differences in their pathways to and causations of substance use, necessitating different treatment plans.