If you’re struggling with alcohol dependence, reaching out for help can be confusing, intimidating, and overwhelming. The internet is saturated with articles outlining different avenues for treatment, which can make recovery too much to think about–especially when you’re already grappling with addiction.
Learning about different approaches to alcoholism therapy can help make your next steps clearer. Knowing exactly how treatment can help often provides the clarity needed to reach out for support.
Here’s a breakdown of the different types of therapy for alcoholism and the unique strategies each approach offers as you recover from AUD.
What is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?
AUD is the inability to stop or control the amount you drink or frequency of alcohol consumption. Excessive, long-term alcohol use can negatively impact your personal relationships, work life, and physical and mental health. If you have AUD, you’ll typically struggle to control your drinking habits despite these adverse effects. AUD is a spectrum that ranges from mild to severe, which means your treatment approach can vary depending on the severity of your addiction 1 .
Common symptoms of AUD
Like other substance use disorders, AUD symptoms can vary from person to person. However, it might be time to reach out for professional help or an alcohol abuse counselor if three or more of these indicators apply to you 1 :
- Your level of alcohol consumption starts to affect your personal life or work life.
- You constantly think about the next opportunity to drink.
- Refraining from consuming alcohol causes withdrawal symptoms.
- You need to consume alcohol to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
- Drinking alcohol feels necessary to complete everyday activities, such as grocery shopping.
- Everytime you drink, you consume more than you intended.
- Recovering from hangovers consumes much of your time.
Although these signs may be challenging to acknowledge, they can serve as a powerful catalyst for positive change through professional support.
Related: Types of Medication for Addiction
How Therapy for Alcoholism Can Support Your Recovery
If you are struggling with AUD, reaching out for an initial addiction therapy consultation can be life-changing. A therapist will be able to unpack environmental, social, and personal factors that affect your drinking while assessing your medical history and relationship with alcohol. This will help them identify the best treatment approach, and whether you need medication for alcohol detox.
Your therapist can also help you anticipate and prepare for the unique challenges that arise during recovery. They’ll work with you to develop practical strategies for handling triggers, navigating social situations without alcohol, and building a fulfilling life beyond drinking. Additionally, they can connect you with other vital recovery resources, from support groups to alcohol abuse counselors, creating a comprehensive support network that extends beyond the therapy room.
Support group options for treating alcoholism
Therapists who specialize in alcohol addiction treatment typically have a list of reputable support groups that can help you during recovery and journey towards sustained sobriety. These groups can vary based on your needs, but a few different types exist, including:
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): According to the American Addiction Center, AA is a fellowship of peers who use mutual support as a tool to overcome AUD 2 . Members follow a faith-based 12-step program, discuss issues and concerns related to their addiction, and support each other through triumphs and relapses.
- Women for Sobriety (WFS): WFS emerged from the recognition that women who are recovering from AUD may have differing needs from their male counterparts 3 . This offers a similar space to AA that incorporates peer support as a fundamental tool for recovery. To ensure support is always accessible, WFS offers phone counseling and online chat meetings in addition to in-person gatherings 4 .
- Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART): SMART was created as a group-based, evidence-informed recovery method that incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). If traditional faith-based approaches like AA or WFS don’t resonate with your personal worldview or recovery needs, SMART Recovery offers an evidence-based alternative that focuses on self-empowerment and CBT techniques to support your healing journey.
A therapist will be able to assess your AUD and determine which option is best for you.
Different Types of Therapy for Alcoholism
Modern approaches to AUD recognize that recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. Just as everyone’s journey with alcohol is unique, the path to recovery often requires a personalized combination of therapeutic approaches.
Here are some types of therapy that are used to treat alcoholism.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT helps you understand and change the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and drinking behaviors. You’ll learn concrete skills for managing triggers, handling cravings, and building new coping mechanisms that don’t involve alcohol.
Another focus of CBT is improving relationships strained from alcohol abuse by teaching better communication skills and ways to rebuild trust with family and friends. This approach is particularly effective because it provides real-world strategies you can use immediately in challenging situations.
Related: TMS and CBT for Anxiety and Depression
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
MI is another collaborative approach that’s used to increase engagement and motivation for self-improvement, recognizing that change comes from within. You’ll be asked open-ended questions and be able to talk without judgement or disregard about your relationship with alcohol. Instead of being told what to do, your therapist guides you to explore your own reasons for wanting to change your drinking habits.
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
DBT emphasizes coping skills so individuals do not instinctively turn to alcohol when they are struggling with anxiety or symptoms of depression. Instead, DBT teaches you to face hard situations head-on and accept them as an inevitable part of life. It combines mindfulness practices with concrete coping strategies for stress and other triggers, helping you navigate situations with greater awareness and resilience.
There are four key components of DBT that can help you overcome addiction, including:
- Emotional Regulation: DBT teaches specific skills to identify, name, and manage intense emotions without turning to substances, helping you develop a greater tolerance for distress and reducing the automatic impulse to escape uncomfortable feelings through alcohol.
- Self-Compassion: Learning to respond to personal struggles with kindness rather than harsh self-judgment creates space for healing and reduces shame-based relapse cycles, allowing you to view setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than evidence of failure.
- Interpersonal Connection: Learning to respond to personal struggles with kindness rather than harsh self-judgment creates space for healing and reduces shame-based relapse cycles, allowing you to view setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than evidence of failure.
- Valued-Centered Living: By clarifying what truly matters to you beyond immediate gratification, DBT helps align your daily choices with your deeper values, providing meaningful motivation for sobriety that goes beyond simply avoiding substances.
These four core components of DBT work synergistically to address both the emotional vulnerabilities that often underlie addiction and the practical skills needed to build a fulfilling life in recovery, creating a comprehensive framework that honors both healing from past patterns and growth toward future possibilities.
Family therapy
Family therapy addresses how AUD affects the entire family unit, not just the individual. This approach brings family members together to heal relationships damaged by alcoholism, improve communication, and create a strong support system for recovery.
Through guided sessions, families learn to understand addiction’s impact on their dynamics while developing healthy ways to support sobriety without enabling. The result is a more supportive home environment that promotes lasting recovery.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy
TMS can be used for addiction treatment and can help individuals grappling with co-occurring mental health conditions like depression and substance abuse, which can exacerbate AUD. TMS therapy is a non-invasive treatment to promote brain health, and support in diminishing brain fog, or other symptoms that occur with your mental health condition 5 .
Related: TMS for Anxiety
Holistic Approaches That Can Support Recovery
While traditional therapy forms the foundation of many recovery programs, holistic treatments can be complementary approaches that work alongside traditional therapy to address both the physical and psychological aspects of AUD. Common holistic therapeutic practices include meditation, art therapy, yoga, exercise, and different types of mindfulness practices. These practices can help you reconnect the body and mind, providing a well-rounded approach to recovery and repairing the damage to your mental well-being caused by long-term alcohol abuse.
How Neuro Wellness Spa Can Help Your Path Towards Recovery
Neuro Wellness Spa’s care team includes qualified and compassionate mental health professionals that can offer the therapy you need to overcome AUD. In addition to online and in-person addiction therapy, we also offer other treatments such as talk therapy, mental health genetic testing, magnetic e-resonance therapy (MeRT), and TMS Therapy for those living in the Southern California.
Don’t let AUD consume you–we’re here to help. Call Neuro Wellness Spa now and begin your journey of alcohol use recovery.
References
- Helpguide.org. “AA and Other Support Groups for Alcohol Addiction.” HelpGuide.org, 24 May 2023, www.helpguide.org/mental-health/addiction/aa-and-other-peer-support-groups-for-alcohol-addiction
- Wagener, Dan. “What Is the Success Rate of AA?” American Addiction Centers, 10 May 2024, americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/12-step/whats-the-success-rate-of-aa
- Mayo Clinic. “Alcohol Use Disorder – Diagnosis and Treatment – Mayo Clinic.” Mayoclinic.org, Mayo Clinic, 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369250
- Women For Sobriety. “About.” Women for Sobriety, womenforsobriety.org/about/
- Belgers, M., Van Eijndhoven, P., Markus, W., Schene, A., & Schellekens, A. (2022). rTMS Reduces Craving and Alcohol Use in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder: Results of a Randomized, Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(4), 951. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11040951