Learn to Deliver the COPE Treatment
News & Updates
About COPE
Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE)
COPE is an evidenced-based, trauma-focused therapy for the treatment of co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD). COPE is an integrated treatment that combines prolonged exposure techniques for PTSD with cognitive behavioral techniques for SUD.
The primary goals of the COPE treatment are to:
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Provide psychoeducation about PTSD, substance use disorders, and their interconnection
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Reduce PTSD symptoms
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Decrease substance use
To support the treatment process, a COPE Therapist Guide and a COPE Patient Workbook are available to guide you and your patients step-by-step through the treatment. The COPE manuals can be purchased from Amazon.com or Oxford University Press.
COPE was designated as a first-line treatment for co-occurring PTSD and SUD in the 2025 APA Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the Treatment of PTSD.
🎧Want to learn more? Click here to listen to a recent podcast from the Society for Addiction Psychology (APA Division 50). It provides an overview and discussion of the core treatment components, mechanisms, and efficacy of COPE.
Click here to learn more about how to get trained in COPE.
COPE Training Testimonials
Read what professionals say about the trainings
Stephanie Peluso-Abbott, MSW
As a PTSD trauma-focused therapist, I have always felt the need to address substance use as it relates to avoidance symptoms of PTSD. I was excited to have the opportunity to attend the COPE training to learn an evidence-based approach to dealing with both issues simultaneously. The trainers are extremely knowledgeable and create a welcoming atmosphere for learning. Excellent training!
Anonymous
I really enjoyed this training and found it very informative. I not only learned the modality but grew my confidence in how to implement it. Drs. Brown and Santa Ana were amazing! They helped make the material feel tangible and talked through real life applications. I appreciated the effort to anticipate challenges and talk through how to work with individual circumstances. Highly recommend!
Anonymous
Participating in the COPE training was an incredibly valuable experience for me. I gained a much clearer understanding of how to effectively integrate trauma‑focused work with substance use treatment. The trainers were knowledgeable, engaging, and made the material feel applicable to real clinical situations.
Anna Birks, PsyD
I have been using PE with veterans for nearly 15 years, however I was always very wary of how to address substance use disorders during treatment. The COPE training addressed my hesitation and really helped me to feel confident with how to assess, monitor and address this common clinical concern. I am so glad I completed the training.
Angela Taylor, LCSW
The training on COPE was incredibly helpful. I have gained more knowledge and confidence about how to implement interventions for PTSD and co-occurring substance use disorders. I recommend this training to anyone looking to incorporate integrated treatment into their practice.
Anonymous
This course really gave me the confidence boost to actually start using COPE with patients. The way we went through each session in detail made it clear how to deliver this treatment in a structured manner. Also, the possibility to ask plenty of questions and role play therapist skills was a helpful element.
Justin Baker, PhD
Comorbid PTSD and Substance Use Disorders are difficult to treat. The COPE training provided me with the needed skill and understanding to tackle this difficult population and bring much needed relief to those suffering.
COPE Training & Consultation
📢Get 25% off the July 16-17 Foundational COPE Training with coupon code COPESUMMER!
We offer flexible training and consultation options to meet the needs of clinicians and organizations interested in delivering COPE. See below to learn more and register for one of our upcoming training opportunities.
COPE Foundational Trainings
Our Foundational Trainings provide a comprehensive overview of the treatment model, session structure, and core therapeutic techniques. These live, interactive trainings typically last two to three full days (9:00 am – 5:00 pm) and are led by expert COPE trainers. Whether you're new to the COPE treatment or seeking a refresher, the Foundational Trainings will help prepare you to implement COPE with confidence and fidelity.
Consultation and Implementation Services
To further support clinicians and organizations in enhancing implementation, we offer personalized consultation in individual or group format. Our consultation services are designed to help clinicians build confidence, refine skills, and troubleshoot any clinical challenges that may arise as providers learn to deliver the intervention and work with patients with PTSD and SUD. Consultation is highly encouraged following COPE training and can be tailored to meet your specific needs.
For organizations, we also provide tailored implementation services, needs assessment, leadership planning, clinic or regional implementation and evaluation strategies, training and supervision in COPE, certification, and fidelity monitoring. In addition, we provide refresher or "booster" trainings for organizations, outcomes evaluation, Train-the-Trainer programs, and continuing education services.
On-Site or Virtual Trainings Tailored for Your Team
We offer on-site or virtual trainings for specific groups, clinics, teams, or agencies. Our expert COPE trainers will travel to your location or meet with your team via Zoom. For on-site trainings, the cost is typically $3,000 per day (for 2–3 day trainings) plus travel expenses. We can generally accommodate around 15-20 clinicians per training.
Need a Customized Option?
We’re happy to work with you! Contact us to explore customized training packages, hourly rates (e.g., for one on one case consultation or organization planning), or special arrangements to best meet your training needs. Email us at COPEforPTSDSUD@gmail.com.
Special Offers:
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Register early (1 month before training) and save 10% with promo code EARLYBIRD10
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Students save 15% with promo code STUDENT15
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Training scholarships are available. See below for more details!
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550 US dollarsEnded
550 US dollars- Zoom
One on one consultation following COPE training to provide tailored support and guidance
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2,000 US dollars - Zoom
Group consultation following COPE training to provide tailored support and guidance
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1,200 US dollars
Subscribe to our mailing list below to receive additional updates on COPE trainings!
Please note, if you are seeking intensive training and/or formal certification in Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy for PTSD (first-line treatment for PTSD), see the official PE therapy training program developed by the late Dr. Edna Foa and colleagues at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety.
COPE Training Scholarships
How to apply
Email the following application materials in one PDF document to COPEforPTSDSUD@gmail.com
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A one-page statement describing your financial need for the scholarship as well as how you intend to use the training.
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A current CV or resume.
Deadline
All scholarship application materials must be submitted at least 1 month prior to the training date. Any applications submitted after that will not be considered.
Number of available scholarships
1-2 per training.
Decision process
The selection committee will review all applications carefully. Scholarships will be awarded based on financial need and how the applicant plans to use the COPE training. Applicants who receive the scholarship will be notified by email.
Research on COPE
COPE has been extensively evaluated over the past two decades through rigorous clinical trials and applied in various clinical settings worldwide. The COPE treatment is supported by empirical evidence demonstrating its ability to help individuals with PTSD and SUD experience significant healing and improvement in their lives. Individuals with co-occurring PTSD and SUD often have a history of multiple traumatic events (on average, patients in clinical trials of COPE have experienced 6-8 different types of traumas) and may use multiple substances, making COPE’s integrated approach particularly beneficial. Based on the scientific evidence, APA designated COPE a first-line treatment for PTSD and SUD in the 2025 Clinical Practice Guideline.
COPE significantly reduces PTSD symptoms and substance use. COPE has also been shown to help alleviate depression, trauma-related guilt, and anger, while increasing positive emotions such as love and happiness.
COPE has proven effective with individuals with complex trauma histories and various types of trauma, such as military combat, sexual and physical assault, childhood abuse, serious accidents (e.g., automobile accidents), terrorist attacks, and natural disasters.
COPE has been shown to help individuals with various types of substance use disorders (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, opioids, cannabis), reduce their frequency and amount of use.
To learn more about empirical research supporting the COPE treatment, please click the button below.
COPE Manuals
The COPE therapy manual includes 12 individual, 90-minute sessions, typically delivered once or twice per week. Clinicians have the flexibility to extend treatment by adding extra sessions to review, repeat, or explore specific topics in greater depth. Clinical trials of COPE have demonstrated positive outcomes with both the standard 12-session protocol and a flexible approach of up to 16 sessions. In some cases, patients achieve their treatment goals in fewer than 12 sessions, although this is less common. We encourage you to work closely with your patients and tailor the treatment to meet their individual needs.
We request that you obtain the COPE manuals (Therapist Guide and Patient Workbook) prior to attending the training. The COPE manuals are available for purchase on Amazon.com and Oxford University Press in paperback and e-book format. You may also be able to access the manuals for free via your institution or workplace. You can download the patient workbook handouts for free here at Oxford University Press.
COPE Trainers
Our COPE trainers are highly qualified clinician-scientists, consisting of COPE treatment developers, licensed psychologists, and highly experienced COPE providers and supervisors. In addition, our trainers are expert national and international educators, recognized for their ability to effectively deliver training on COPE methods across various settings.
Sudie E. Back, PhD
Dr. Back is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, a licensed Clinical Psychologist, and a Staff Psychologist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System. She is a leading expert in trauma-focused integrated treatment of PTSD and co-occurring substance use disorders, with over 25 years of clinical and research experience. She is a developer of the COPE treatment and has extensive experience training providers from diverse training backgrounds and in diverse clinical settings across the U.S. and internationally in the implementation of COPE.
Tanya C. Saraiya, PhD
Dr. Saraiya is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at MUSC, a licensed Clinical Psychologist, and an affiliate faculty member at Rutgers University. Across her many roles as a researcher, clinician, and teacher, she has been fortunate to help individuals heal from traumatic stress underlying substance use and other conditions using the COPE intervention. She has also led national and international trainings on COPE. She is passionate about culturally attuned mental health care that attends to minoritized communities and increasing the dissemination of trauma-focused therapies.
Therese Killeen, PhD, APN
Dr. Killeen is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina with over 30 years of experience in the field of substance use and mental health disorders, with a specific focus on trauma and PTSD. She has extensive experience training and supervising clinicians in evidence-based psychotherapies, including COPE, at the local, national, and international level. Dr. Killeen is a co-author of the COPE therapy manuals.
Delisa G. Brown, PhD
Dr. Brown is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina and a licensed Counseling Psychologist. Her research examines health disparities in mental health, including trauma/PTSD and substance use, as well as race-related stress and culturally tailored interventions. She has extensive clinical experience delivering COPE and other evidence-based treatments for substance use and trauma.
Elizabeth Santa Ana, PhD
Dr. Santa Ana is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Amber M. Jarnecke, PhD
Dr. Jarnecke is licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Jarnecke has substantial expertise in the treatment of substance use and traumatic stress disorders as well as other behavioral and mental health concerns and considerable experience delivering the COPE intervention. She has trained, supervised, and provided consultation on best practices in mental health care and evidence-based treatments to numerous clinicians from diverse backgrounds and professional disciplines.