2012

Increasing awareness of the co-occurrence of substance use disorders, mental health diagnoses and the presence of a history of traumatic experiences has lead researchers to take a closer look at the interaction of these factors and to explore current treatment approaches in an attempt to develop more effective and coordinated services for patients tangled in this multi-layered web (Becker et al., 2005; Brady, Beck & Coffey, 2004; Newmann & Sallmann, 2004; Turner & Lloyd, 2003). An examination of the relationship between traumatic experiences and substance abuse as well as implications for counselors, counselors in training, supervisors, and counselor educators will be provided.