Effectiveness Bank web site Matrix cell
Supported by Alcohol Change UK web site. The national UK charity that aims to create evidence-driven change to reduce alcohol-related harm Alcohol Change UK
The national charity working
to end alcohol harm through
evidence-driven change

Alcohol Treatment Matrix cell B2 Matrix cell logo
At the crux: the encounter between clinician and client
Influences explored across the Matrix come to a head in the encounter between clinician and client. Take a step back and (in the words of one of this cell’s reviews) you will see that therapies may be the “trees”, but the “forest” is the client-therapist relationship.

‘Bite’ commentary on selected key research highlights the 1970s study which predated variation-quashing standardisation of treatments and therapists, then under three headings develops evidence-informed understanding of the client-clinician relationship, in which ‘wrong’ can sometimes be ‘right’ and vice versa:
Aren’t effective relationships just a matter of being nice?
‘Don’t tell me what to do!’ Avoiding resistance-provoking mistakes may be more important than doing the ‘right’ things, but sometimes even the ‘wrong’ approach is right.
Demonstrating empathy is seen as critical, yet occasionally even something so ‘right’ can be wrong.

Click button below to view cell and ‘bite’ commentary.
View cell and bite
One of 25 cells in the Alcohol Treatment Matrix, a staff development resource mapping seminal and key research and guidance on alcohol brief interventions and treatment.
“Just wanted to thank you for posting the alcohol matrix bites – we are loving them.”
Clare Davies: Residential Rehabilitation Manager, Windana therapeutic community, Melbourne, Australia
Also see hot topic Treatment staff matter.

More on the matrices:
Drug Treatment Matrix for harm reduction and treatment in relation to illegal drugs
About the development and construction of the matrices
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Sent by the Drug and Alcohol Findings Effectiveness Bank to alert you to site updates and UK-relevant evaluations of drug/alcohol interventions. Findings is supported by the Society for the Study of Addiction and Alcohol Research UK and advised by the National Addiction Centre.