Active Listening

There are several counseling skills that are effective when working with addicted clients. One skill is Active listening. Active listening allows the counselor to connect to and reflect attitudes, emotions, and thoughts of his or her clients (Myers and Salt). An example of an active listening skill is paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is described as the verbal response from the counselor which rephrases the main idea of the client’s message. Engagement is another counseling skill that is effective when working with addicted clients and are dire when establishing a positive counseling relationship (Myers and Salt). Facilitation of engagement can be demonstrated through qualities of immediacy, warmth, genuineness, as well as a non-judging attitude,

which occurs when a counselor develops the skill of attending. Influencing is also a counseling skill that is effective when working with addicted clients. Excreting a positive influence is essential in helping a client further treatment. An example of an influencing skill is interpretation which is used by counselors to provide alternative ways of looking at situations. Seeing connections between situations, feelings, beliefs, and behavior all involve interpretation. Lastly, leading skills are effective when working with addicted clients. Leading skills are used by counselors to suggest and encourage connections that help clients move forward in self-exploration and also help clients develop the habit of self-reflection. Personal insights are gained by clients with the use of leading skills as well (Myers and Salt).

Addictions counseling and counseling in general are both similar and different in many ways.

They are both similar in a sense when it comes to helping and rehabilitating individuals. They are also similar because they both include a corporation of skills used by counselors during the therapeutic relationship (Myers and Salt). Another way the two are similar is they both comprise of the counselors or group leader’s support. The definition of counseling is described as an empathic and supportive professional relationship that provides an agenda for the exploration of behaviors, emotions, and thinking patterns which lead to the facilitation of healthy changes. Addictions counseling is different from regular counseling because it may involve many levels of multiphasic treatment system, as indicated by the clinical assessment of a client (Myers and Salt). Another way addictions counseling differs from regular counseling is provided at an individual, group, and family level or setting. Lastly, addictions counseling differs from regular counseling because it comprises of eight dimensions of practice. Those dimensions of practice are the clinical evaluation, treatment planning, referral. Service coordination, counseling, education, documentation, and professional and ethical responsibilities (Myers and

Salt).

Counselor’s biases can damage treatment outcomes in tremendous ways, one thing a counselor’s biases may cause is confrontation in a negative way. A counselor’s preconceptions and thoughts about an issue or topic may be the opposite of what the client believes or feels. A counselor’s biases may also lead to unrealistic expectations which may damage treatment outcomes (Myers and Salt). The biases of counselors can impact the outcome of treatment when it comes to relapses. For example, if a counselor already has a biases pertaining to individual relapsing, they may not be able to prevent clients from doing so throughout treatment. The overall outcome of treatment can be effected by biases of counselors being that their clients need their support and understanding. For example, if a counselor believes that alcoholism is incurable, it would be difficult for the counselor to rehabilitate someone struggling with alcohol dependence.