Other Resources

DBT

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) incorporates mindfulness as a foundation skill. DBT teaches a package of skills that with practice, can help us to accept our current experience so that we don’t make things worse by trying to avoid what is uncomfortable. It then invites us to consider things we might want to change and how to do it. It brings together the ideas of both ‘acceptance’ and ‘change’ in an accessible way. If your addictive or compulsive behaviour is extremely out of control right now, you might like to consider developing some of the DBT skills first. They could help you feel more ‘in the driving seat’ of your life so that you can make the best of your investment in therapy. Whether or not you decide to go ahead with therapy, if you learn and practice some of the skills in these resources, you are likely to find that you have more understanding and choice over your habitual behaviours. Selected free DBT resources from the internet: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.com offers a free, 40 session DBT course using videos, guides and worksheets, from their website: https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/ Presenting from a range of short, lively videos using a mix of live action narration and animation, DBT Bites brings together contributions from skilled and renowned practitioners. Some of the mindfulness modules are presented by practitioners from a more overtly spiritual, often Buddhist, background. https://www.dbtbites.com/ The Lisson Grove and Woolwell Medical Centre in Devon in the United Kingdom, provide a link to an excellent workbook that includes information and worksheets to begin your practice of many of the essential key DBT skills: https://lissongroveandwoolwellmc.co.uk/_common/getdocument/115333

CBT based Workbooks

A number of reputable organisations, from both within and outside the UK, have generously shared resources on their webpages. The links below are particularly helpful because they take you to workbooks that invite your engagement. Even if the specific compulsion or addiction that you are dealing with is not listed, please take a look anyway. You will see that there are many similarities between the workbooks with, for example, charts to track your triggers, emotions and motivation for change. These are all helpful ways to start taking charge of out-of-control behaviours.

Eating

NAADAC. Based in Vancouver, and originally an association for Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counsellors, NAADAC has now broadened its scope to include a wider range of addictions. Please follow this link to their CBT based workbook for binge eating. https://www.naadac.org/assets/2416/mitchell-cbt-for-bed-self-help-manual.pdf

Gambling

The Oregan Public Gambling Resource have produced a substantial workbook, for use on your own or with a counsellor. It draws on a range of therapeutic models to help you take steps to end problem gambling. https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HSD/Problem-Gambling/Documents/Updated%20-%20No%20Dice%203rd%20Edition%205%2024%2016%20(002).pdf

Drugs and Alcohol

The Get Self Help website provides a wide range of resources for many personal and mental health difficulties, often based on a CBT approach. This is the Get Self Help workbook for Alcohol and Substance misuse. https://www.get.gg/docs/CDATWorkBook.pdf

The Maltby Learning Trust offers a workbook specifically looking at our motivation to change which is an key aspect of moving forward from any addiction or compulsion. https://www.maltbylearningtrust.com/attachments/download.asp?file=92&type=pdf

Cannabis

The Wrap, a digital service for young people based in Gloucestershire, have provided a workbook to help people assess their own cannabis use and take first steps in addressing any problematic use: https://www.thewrapdhi.org.uk/uploads/Cannabis-Workbook.pdf

Pornography and Sex

The Impulse Treatment Center based in California, specialises in sex addiction for both men and women. They offer this very helpful workbook to begin working on your own behaviours. https://www.impulsetreatmentcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Freedom_from_sexaddiction_2017_rev1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR05zVRD02ZR2DdhiQvlCPpBrOPmrKnGvkYwZx5o08erCbr_nkiEjgvuH8c

Exercise

As part of their Eating Disorders resources, the Centre for Clinical Interventions in Australia has provided this workbook for Exercise Addiction that they refer to as Driven Exercise. https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/CCI/Consumer-Modules/Break-Free-From-ED/Break-Free-From-ED---10---Driven-Exercise.pdf

Please let me know through the Contact page if any of these links are broken or unusable.