" (Teasdale, 1995, pg. 25) These elements are important, because they are showing how this form of treatment can be effective in dealing with patients that are recovering. The problem is, making sure that there is: consistent follow up and dealing with some of the changing the thoughts they will experience over the long-term. (Teasdale, 1995, pp. 25 -- 39) As a result, this approach is effective at dealing with substance abuse. The key to ensuring any kind of long-term success is to make certain that there consistent discussions with the therapist. If this can occur, it will help to ensure that the addict is able to make a full recovery. The biggest strength of emotional behavior therapy is that it is dealing with: the pent up emotions and feelings that many individuals will have associated with their addiction. This is because it is helping them to: understand what they mean and how they can change the way that they are reacting to various situations. Once this occurs, they can be able to introduce new techniques that will allow them to change how they are responding to different events. A good example of this can be seen with a study that was conducted by Linehan (1999). She observed that, "Emotional behavior therapy can be effective for drug-dependent women with borderline personality disorder when compared with treatment-as-usual in the community." (Linehan, 1999, pg. 279) However, this approach has its weaknesses the most notable is: that it can often address only a part of the problem itself. The reason why, is because most addicts will begin to make some kind of improvement over the short to medium term. Yet, without any kind of effective follow up they will often relapse into their old behaviors. This is the point that they will begin to experience more substance abuse related issues. (Linehan, 1999, pp. 279 -- 292) In this case, the strategy that is being utilized is effective at the helping addicts. The key to ensuring any kind of long-term success is that the patient must meet on a consistent basis with the therapist. If this can take place, it will help them to have some kind of transformation in their underlying behavior.

What are the strengths and limitations of these theoretical approaches for substance abuse counseling when used with clients from diverse social-cultural backgrounds?

In the case of cognitive treatment, the biggest strengths are that it helps to identify specific thoughts and interpretations about what the addict is thinking. This allows therapists to introduce new ways that they can effectively evaluate the situation. However, at the same time, this has a weakness in that the psychologist may not fully understand the overall scope of these feelings, due to the fact that they cannot relate to them culturally. Once this occurs, it can result in them taking a one size fits all approach without fully comprehending the ramifications. Evidence of this can be seen with a study that was conducted Bhruga (1998). He found that while this form of therapy is effective, most professionals will often try to use the same techniques when it comes to addicts from different cultural backgrounds. As a result, he recommends that therapy engages in a strategy of understanding the addict's culture and their challenges. This will help them to make more specific recommendations in allowing them to know how to specifically deal with their addiction. (Bhruga, 1998, pp. 310 -- 326)

When it comes to emotional behavioral therapy, this helps patients to identify specific emotions that are having an adverse impact on their behavior (which is contributing to their addiction). Like with the cognitive...

This is problematic, because they are failing to comprehend how: the background of a person could have influenced their emotions and the way they react to various situations they are dealing with. As a result, therapists must be focused on the different ways the culture and social status of individual will influence their behavior. Once this takes place, they can be able to effectively relate to them on their level. This is the point that they will begin to have a positive influence on how they are reacting to number of different events. Evidence supporting this kind of approach can be seen with observations from Roberts (1998). He found that having some kind of cultural and social awareness will help the therapist more effectively reach out to the patient from an emotional standpoint. Once this occurs, is when they can introduce changes in the way that the person is reacting towards a host of situations. This information is important, because it is highlighting the underlying strengths and weaknesses of this approach. While at the same time, it is illustrating how they can be effectively dealt with to: improve the overall quality of the therapy. (Roberts, 199, pp. 293 -- 299)
After you have presented your evaluation of these two theories, describe some of the gaps you observed in the professional literature regarding the treatment of addiction and substance abuse.

The different gaps that were discovered in the literature are: they failed to discuss the rates of success of using both forms of therapy. This is troubling, because all the information is highlighting how they can help addicts to deal with their situation. Yet, they are not providing specific insights about the long-term effectiveness of these programs. As a result, it is obvious that there are three major questions that need to be addressed in these areas involving any kind of future research to include:

What are long-term rates of success for cognitive and emotional behavior therapy?

What specific techniques were used by therapists to deal with these long-term issues?

How can these theories be adapted to a variety of situations to improve the effectiveness of treatment options? What would be the results?

These different elements are important, because they are showing how both kinds of therapy are effective at dealing with the underlying issues of addiction. However, more research needs to be conducted to determine if this can be used on long-term scale and what techniques would work the best in achieving these objectives. Once this occurs, it will provide us with specific insights that can be used to improve our understanding of addiction and how they can effectively address these problems. This is the point that therapists will have a model they can utilize to improve the recovery rates and reduce the number of people who have relapses.

Bibliography

Drug Related Emergency Room Hospital Visits. (2010). National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Beck, J. (2007). Cognitive Therapy. Handbook of Homework Assignments in Psychotherapy. 1, 51 -- 63.

Bhruga, D. (1998). Psychotherapy for Ethnic Minorities. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 14 (3), 310 -- 326.

Chan, J. (2003). An examination of family-involved approaches to alcoholism treatment. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 11(2), 129 -- 138.

Ellis, S. (2000). Types of Interventions.…