Traditional CBT, including relapse prevention, has been the prevailing empirically-based treatment approach for alcohol and drug use disorders for the past 30 years. However, several variants of CBT (i.e., ‘third wave’ behavioral therapies) have emerged that target the context and function of psychological events (e.g., thoughts, emotions, physical sensations) rather than primarily targeting the content, validity, intensity, or frequency of such events (Hayes, Villatte, Levin, & Hildebrandt, 2011). These ‘contextual CBTs’, such as Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP; Bowen et al., 2009), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1993), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Luoma, Bond, Masuda, & Lillis, 2006), fit within a transdiagnostic approach to mental health and apply processes of acceptance, mindfulness, and values to treating substance use disorders. For instance, acceptance and emotion regulation skills are used to facilitate willingness to live with distressing events and reduce vulnerability to overwhelming emotions; mindfulness-based practices are used to increase awareness of triggers and consequences of substance use in a flexible and non-reactive manner; and living a valued and meaningful life is emphasized above a focus on reducing/eliminating addictive
