Michael Groat
The Menninger Clinic-Baylor College of Medicine, USA
Title: Transforming vicious cycles into virtuous ones: Psychodynamic perspectives on treatment of the addicted patient
Biography
Biography: Michael Groat
Abstract
Individuals troubled by addictive illness present clinicians with serious challenges regarding the experience, understanding
and management of dual diagnosis disorders. Among them, the diffi cult-to-reach patient features prominently. Such
individuals can pull clinicians into intense and endless cycles of relapses, impasses and stalemates and thwarted progress. Not
only are clinicians and families left exhausted and frustrated, patients oft en earn the distinction of being deemed “treatment
resistant.” Outside the extremes, there are many subtle but no less powerful risks for the patient and professional engaged
in psychotherapy—where enactments around addiction (dishonesty/hiding, enabling, etc.) can wind their way throughout
a treatment and create havoc of their own. Using clinical examples and research fi ndings from work with diffi cult-to-treat
patients, this presentation will discuss multiple issues involving the vagaries of working with such patients within the framework
of psychodynamic treatment. Th e presenter will lead a discussion with the audience encouraging dialogue from everyone’s
clinical experience.