title: The primary care therapist and patient needs in substance abuse treatment.
abstract: The author advocates that a clinician play the role of a primary care therapist (PCT) for substance abusers to assure that appropriate treatment interventions are provided to meet patient needs. In treating substance abusers, the PCT must be concerned about patients' needs for control, containment, contact, and comfort, especially initially, but also in an ongoing way. The PCT functions in direct, coordinating, and monitoring roles in order to optimally provide and combine psychotherapeutic and self-help elements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Hospital, Massachusetts 02139.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Khantzian
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*