Treatment of an ever increasing variety of addictive behaviors owes much to a wide range of psychotherapeutic approaches that have tended to roll continuously in and out of fashion. Over recent years, an initiative has been established to appraise critically the use of psychotherapy in all areas of psychiatry. This work serves as a timely review of psychological treatments in the addictions field and provides a rare combination of expertise both from addiction specialists and those who use psychotherapeutic approaches to solve a wide range of personal problems. Its coverage includes contextual ideas that are basic to the choice of approach to therapy, and an exploration of particular treatment strategies. Throughout, this volume provides authoritative statements while engaging the reader in the excitement of debate. It forms a valuable reference that is sure to appeal to a wide range of practitioners and researchers concerned with alcohol and drug abuse.