Gain Maintenance Plan

A relapse-prevention plan to consolidate progress, identify high-risk situations, and prepare coping strategies.

Module 1

Gain Maintenance Plan

A relapse-prevention plan to consolidate progress, identify high-risk situations, and prepare coping strategies.

Introduction 1

The Gain Maintenance Plan (aka. relapse prevention) is a structured approach to help you:

  • Consolidate the progress you've made
  • Effectively manage potential setbacks

Introduction 2

This worksheet guides you to:

  • Identify high-risk situations that might challenge your progress
  • Develop personalised coping strategies for risk situations
  • Create a support network to assist when needed.
Introduction 2
Introduction 2

Introduction 3

Documenting regular maintenance strategies and establishing a clear plan for difficult moments helps you be proactive in your approach to wellness.

Gain maintenance planning also helps normalise setbacks as a natural part of change.

Introduction 3
Introduction 3

Introduction 4

This exercise provides the basis for a comprehensive plan based on your specific needs, ensuring you have practical strategies to sustain your improvements over time and prevent minor lapses from becoming major relapses.

Introduction 4
Introduction 4

Example worksheet

Here is a completed gain maintenance plan example.

You will see that this person tends to consume more alcohol than intended when deciding to have a drink.

They has done an excellent job identifying high risk situations and formulating an appropriate response plan.

Example worksheet
Example worksheet

Worksheet

The gain maintenance plan worksheet consists of six columns:

  • Understanding or Definition Problem: Clearly describe the problem, focusing on clearly identifiable behaviours.
  • High Risk Situations: Record the times, places, etc, where the problem behaviour is most likely to occur.
  • Coping Strategies: List helpful management strategies (often developed with your therapist) that target characteristics of high risk situations.
  • Support Network: Note the individuals and/or groups you can rely upon to provide effective support to follow your gain maintenance plan.
  • Maintenance Strategies: List your most important strategies to maintain general health and wellbeing, designed to reduce the need to engage in the problem behaviour.
  • Emergency Plan: Note what you will do when you find yourself engaging in the problem behaviour.
https://space.care/p/gain-maintenance-plan