At baseline | · Conduct screening/assessment of alcohol use |
30 min | · Provide feedback on results of screening/assessment |
 | · Increase knowledge of how alcohol use impacts on physical and mental health |
 | · Use MI to build rapport and develop readiness to change |
 | ° Assess readiness to change (using readiness ruler for confidence and importance) |
 | ° Assess pros and cons of change (Decision-balance exercise) |
 | ° Use MI to try and shift participant and elicit a commitment to change |
Session 1 | Patient check-in (using MI) (5Â min) |
60 minutes | · Build the Rationale for PST (15 min): |
 |   · Explain the structure of PST |
 |   · Explain the link between problems and alcohol use, and the rationale for PST |
 |   · Establish positive problem orientation |
 |   · Describe the steps of PST |
 |   · Build the rationale for activity scheduling |
 | · Describe the steps of Problem Solving (15 min) |
 | · First Problem Solving Session with counsellor (using the steps) and describe homework (25 min) |
Session 2 | · Patient check-in (using MI) (5 min) |
40 minutes | · Review homework from previous week and challenges/difficulties (5 min) |
 | ° Elicit positive change talk and affirm commitment to change using MI techniques |
 | ° Review PST steps and affirm attempts to change |
 | · Explain what can be done about problems that are not important (coping with negative thoughts) (10 min) |
 | · Second Problem Solving Session with counsellor and an exercise (25 min) |
Session 3 | · Review practice exercises from session 3 (5 min) |
40 minutes | · Explain what can be done about problems that are important but cannot be solved (5 min) |
 | · Third Problem Solving Session with counsellor and an exercise (30 min) |
Session 4 | · Review practice exercises from session 3 (5 min) |
40 minutes | ·  Fourth Problem Solving Session with counsellor and an exercise (30 min) |
 | · Use MI to affirm progress to date and discuss way forward and follow-sup (5 min) |