Treating Couples: Surmounting Challenges

Substance use disorders (SUDs) and behavioral addictions remain major public health concerns, with significant impacts on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Despite advancements in pharmacological and behavioral treatments, overdose and relapse rates remain high and many individuals do not respond fully to existing interventions. Mindfulness-based therapies (MBTs), including Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), have emerged as promising adjunctive or alternative interventions for individuals with addictions. However, despite a growing body of supportive evidence, mindfulness-based approaches are still underutilized in clinical practice.

This new 5-week series will provide a foundational introduction to mindfulness-based approaches for addictions care, the evidence behind them, and strategies for introducing them with patients. The course will enhance clinician confidence, knowledge and skills in using MBTs to support relapse prevention, emotion regulation, and whole-person recovery. We invite all clinicians involved in addictions care to join us!.

*Generative AI was used to draft this overview; the HMS faculty course director(s) then reviewed and edited it to ensure clinical accuracy.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe several mindfulness-based therapies (MBTs) that have well-established evidence for effectiveness
• Review the neurobiological mechanisms of addiction and craving that respond to MBTs
• Summarize how MBTs help with emotion regulation
• Discuss effective long-term recovery pathways that integrate mindfulness
• Formulate strategies to implement MBTs into interdisciplinary clinical care
• Identify approaches for adapting MBTs for different population groups

ABMS/ACGME Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) / Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educational (ACGME) competencies:

• Patient Care and Procedural Skills
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Professionalism

IOM Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following Institute of Medicine Core Competencies:

• Provide Patient-Centered Care
• Employ Evidence-Based Practice

Course Directors

Elizabeth Brenner, LICSW
Jill Harkaway, EdD
Karen Kuc, MPH

Introduction

Jan. 9, 2026: A Mindfulness-Based Approach to Understanding and Treating Addictive Behaviors

Jan. 16, 2026: Long-Term Recovery Paths that Integrate Mindfulness

Jan. 23, 2026: From Savoring to Self-Transcendence: MORE Mindfulness for Chronic Pain and Addiction

Jan. 30, 2026: The Science of How Mindfulness Helps Us Break Addictive Habits

Feb. 13, 2026: Mindfulness during Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD (Course Director)

Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Center Director, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Director, Mindful Mental Health Service, and Director of Addiction Research, Cambridge Health Alliance; Faculty Affiliate, Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth

Carl Fulwiler, MD, PhD (Course Director)

Chair and Chief, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance; Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Sarah Bowen, PhD

Associate Professor and Research Faculty, Pacific University

Judson Brewer, PhD

Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center; Associate professor in Behavioral and Social Sciences at the School of Public Health and Psychiatry, Brown University School of Medicine

Eric Garland, PhD, LCSW

Endowed Professor in Health Sciences at the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Center for Addiction Science and Treatment at the University of California San Diego, and Director of UCSD ONEMIND (Optimized Neuroscience-Enhanced Intervention Design)

Kevin Griffin
Buddhist author, teacher, and leader in the mindful recovery movement

Psychologists

Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 7.5 continuing education credits.

Social Workers

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact us at cme@challiance.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an Approved Provider #0038 of continuing education for licensed social workers. This course offers 7.5 contact hours.

Counselors

Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5444.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This course meets the requirements for 7.50 continuing education hours, and is also applicable for Commonwealth of Massachusetts Counseling/Allied Mental Health accreditation for 7.50 credits.

Family Therapists

Application for LMFT continuing education credits has been submitted. Please contact us at cme@challiance.org for the status of CE accreditation

*Please note: This course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. In addition, this course has been approved as a live virtual series and we cannot issue certificates for only watching the recordings; participants must be present for all of the live sessions. For any questions regarding CE credit, please email cme@challiance.org.

Tuition for Treating Couples: Surmounting Challenges is listed below. You may register through our secure online environment and will receive an email confirmation upon receipt of your payment. Electronic syllabus and access to recordings for 30 days after the course are included.

At the end of the registration process, a $10 non-refundable processing fee will be added to your registration. Refunds, less an administrative fee of $75, will be issued for all cancellations received at least two weeks prior to the start of the course. Refund requests must be made in our secure online system or by email. “No shows” are subject to the full course fee.

Course Tuition

Course Registration - Treating Couples: Surmounting Challenges

Physician (MD/DO)

$275 / ($245 if registered by Wednesday, September 25, 2024)

All Other Health Professionals

$215 / ($190 if registered by Wednesday, September 25, 2024)

Tuition includes electronic syllabus.