Treating Impulsive, Addictive, and Self-Destructive Behaviors: Mindfulness and Modification Therapy

Dr. Wupperman’s book is a masterclass on MMT (Mindfulness and Modification Therapy). It explains in detail the five basic MMT strategies, guides practitioners step-by-step through the treatment modules, and provides invaluable insights regarding clients’ obstacles, objections, and concerns during treatment, as well as the thoughts and feelings therapists will likely experience. Reading the book is as good as watching Dr. Wupperman conducting therapy sessions and being able to read her and her client's mind at the same time.As a former director of EFP (Expertise center for Forensic Psychiatry, Utrecht, The Netherlands) and member of a team that produced several treatment programs for the clinical-forensic population - which typically struggles not with one but with a combination of dysregulated behaviors - I especially appreciate that Dr. Wupperman’s therapy targets the underlying factors of such behaviors using a respectful, nonjudgmental approach and thus is uniquely suited for treating a broad range of behavioral dysregulation in patients who are notoriously difficult to engage.

This book is a very useful guide to employing a novel, yet empirically based, therapeutic technique for addressing dysregulated behavior. Dr. Wupperman's conceptualization of addictive behaviors is rooted in compassion and an understanding that dysregulated behaviors are used in an effort to manage difficult emotions. Concise, easy to follow, and very helpful. Highly recommend.

"Dysregulated behaviors" are so common to the human experience. We see them portrayed in entertainment, they are central to so many news stories, and many of us experience them or know someone who experiences them in daily life. They encompass behaviors that are frequently described as addictive or impulsive, such as substance abuse, binge eating, gambling problems, and explosive anger/aggression, just to name a few. These are behaviors that satisfy our short-term needs providing us emotional relief in the moment, but cause long-term problems and pain for the individual and those around them. Wupperman's Mindfulness and Modification Therapy (MMT) proceeds by targeting the shared, underlying factors that have been empirically identified as common to so many of these dysregulated behaviors in a novel, integrative treatment of "third-wave" psychotherapies.What is so central and gripping about MMT is its caring, nonjudgmental, and compassionate person-centered approach. The goal of MMT is not to decrease dysregulated behavior as much as it is to help the client reach a life that's most synchronous with their goals and values. At the core of this intervention lies a focus on mindfulness practice, which is integrated with key components derived from a handful of some of the successful and well-established interventions to date. Wupperman also offers a comprehensive and pragmatic troubleshooting guide for tackling problems that frequently arise when dealing with clients who struggle with dysregulated behavior. Beginning and expert clinicians alike will benefit from a refreshing reorientation to the (often overlooked) humanistic element that is so indispensable to the therapeutic process. MMT is an absolute must for clinicians faced with the strenuous task of treating behavioral dysregulation. I will be referring to this manual for years to come!

This book describes a therapy that consists of an integration of several therapies with empirical support for treating addictive, impulsive, and self-destructive behaviors. But this book does more than that, It also provides strategies for building a therapeutic relationship and engaging and motivating patients who are known for being difficult to engage and motivate. I can easily see these strategies being incorporated into any mode of therapy, from CBT to psychodynamic to "third wave." The treatment modules themselves offer structured guidelines abut can also be modified and customized to fit the patient and the therapist. As an experienced psychotherapist who has been conducting therapy, reading therapy manuals, and attending workshops for many years, I believe that this book offers something unique to the field. I wish I had read it when I was first starting out, and I still found it helpful after years of experience. I love the compassionate focus on the patients' values and the working to understand and validate the explanations behind their behaviors. I feel like I understand my patients better after reading it. I devoured this book in less than two weeks, and now I intend to go back and read it again more thoroughly. I believe it will help me provide better treatment for my patients, and I'm going to assign it to the interns I supervise.

A fantastic explanation of this therapeutic modality. The author's text is well-written, richly relevant and simple to follow. It also challenges clinicians to think critically about treatment, as well as highlighting cultural considerations. Includes relevant research and practice materials. Definitely one for clinicians have on their bookshelf!

The word "mindfulness" has been thrown around the counseling world for many years now, and is often confused with "New Age" psychobabble. Fortunately Dr. Wupperman has done an excellent job of not only presenting the concept of Mindfulness in a way that everyone can understand it (not just doctoral professors), but she also instructs on how to use it as an example for creating an alternative to traditional, shame based, addiction therapy techniques and programs.Having worked for years as a counselor in addiction treatment programs that seemed to cause the clients more harm than good, it is refreshing to see someone put so much effort into creating an effective alternative.