ABSTRACT
Relapse prevention is a term which originated in work with addictions to highlight the fact that relapse often occurs and that a concerted effort to help clients prevent relapse is frequently necessary. A major part of relapse prevention involves helping clients to become aware of a variety of vulnerability factors. These client vulnerability factors can occur in their external and internal environment. Taking dealing with alcohol problems as an example, external vulnerability factors include the sight and smell of alcohol, other people drinking and television adverts for drink, while internal vulnerability factors include clients’ styles of thinking (thinking of all the positive aspects of drinking alcohol) behaviour patterns (deliberately walking past pubs and bars) and emotional responses (positive feelings associated with drink). All of these serve as invitations to drink.
