Introduction A career path which I am considering for my future is that of a substance abuse counselor. Substance abuse counselors provide assistance and therapy to clients wishing to stop their use and abuse of alcohol and drugs. I am considering this field because of my personal experience with substance abuse and a desire to help others towards recovery, as well. In order to further understand this occupation, an acquaintance who works in the field and who possesses a similar background agreed to meet with me to discuss her career. Interview Summary I met with Christine, an acquaintance I know through members of a twelve step program. We met for about 20 minutes over coffee. As we spoke, I asked the questions that I prepared, omitting some and adding others based on the responses given. The list of questions in reproduced in the last section of this work. Christine works at an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in New Jersey, the specifics of which have been intentionally omitted. Her interest in the field is identical to mine; she has a personal history of substance abuse. After obtaining sobriety, she wished to help others with her experience. This similarity is the primary reason I wanted to discuss this topic with her. Christine’s current position requires a bachelor’s degree in a health related field, although she noted other counselors at her place of employment have master’s degrees. She is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) in the State of New Jersey. Certification involved verifying education and experience, completing an exam, and paying a fee. Christine is also a member of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC). Membership in this organizat... ... middle of paper ... ... What do you do in group therapy? # 13.) What do you do in family therapy? # 14.) What does your job entail besides counseling? 15.) What is the best part about your job? 16.) What is the worst part about your job? 17.) What kind of money do you earn? * 18.) What are the benefits of your job? * 19.) Do you think the best substance abuse counselors are recovering addicts themselves? Why or why not? 20.) What have you learned from working in the field? References Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-and-behavioral-disorder-counselors.htm Kuther, T. L., & Morgan, R. D. (2013). Careers in psychology: opportunities in a changing world. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth.
Alcoholism is as prevalent in my family, as blood is in our veins. When previously asked to observe 12-step groups, I ritualistically flocked to Alcoholics Anonymous, without consideration of the possibility that other groups had any potential to make an impact on me. I always pride myself in my ability to identify as an individual that is not ensnared in alcoholism, but unfortunately am an individual that was highly tormented by alcoholism. Through observation of the group and how it processed, as well as identifying how I felt as a new attendee, I was able to understand why self-help, support groups are so vital for individuals in recovery. I finally realized, I too am in recovery.
The following protocol, TIP 48 Managing Depressive Symptoms in Substance Abuse Clients during Early Recovery, will be discussed in conjunct with class notes in order to discern ways to effectively work with clients with co-occurring disorders. Clinicians need to be able to assess accurately for mental health disorders, substance use, and readiness for change.
Though not much research has been done to find out the effectiveness on NA meetings for persons with addictions, there are some studies done to show outcomes of this form of treatment. Many addicts try to put themselves in rehab or some form of treatment to help them with their recovery. According to the article “Attendance at Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, frequency of attendance and substance use outcomes after residential treatment for drug dependence: a 5-year follow-up study” by Michael Gossop, Duncan Stewart, John Marsden, they state “…the relatively high rate of relapse which often occurs after leaving treatment gives rise to concern” (Gossop, Stewart, & Marsden ,2008). This means after rehab there is no form of treatment helping them with their sobriety. “Studies that looked specifically at NA have found an association between group attendance and improved drug-using outcomes and length of time in NA has been found to be related to abstinence from illicit drugs” (Gossop, Stewart, & Marsden ,2008). Another study on youth, ages ranging from 30 and under, from the article “Can 12-step group participation strengthen and extend the benefits of adolescent addiction treatment? A prospective analysis” by John Kelly, Sarah Dow, Julie Yeterian, and Christopher Kahler, explains “…high post-treatment rates
Severe mood swings, violent rages, memory loss—each of these problems were a part of my family life during the past two or three years. These problems are the result of alcoholism. Recently, a member of my family realized his abuse of alcohol was a major problem to not only himself, but also to those around him. He would lose control of his temper and often would not even remember doing it the next day. Alcohol became a part of his daily life including work, home, and any other activities. His problem was that of a "hidden" and "high-society" alcoholism. When he was threatened with the loss of his job and the possibility of losing his family, this man knew it was time to get help. After he reached his lowest point, he took the first step towards recovery—admitting his problem.
An addiction counselor is a support system for someone that is having problems with drug and alcohol problems, eating disorders and other addictive problems they are having. They teach people how to modify their behaviors with the intention of a full recovery. One step at a time. One hour at a time. One day at a time. This talks about how the counselors are helping one step at a time, they are doing it one hour at a time, and they are doing it one day at a time, this is all helping the addicted person through it all. It is critical to have someone there for them at all times and addiction counselors provide this support that they need. After receiving the training one is able to enjoy this career with the great reward of helping others.
Your Vision as a Psychology Practitioner-Scholar Introduction One of my visions as a psychology practitioner scholar is becoming a clinical counselor. My purpose in psychology is to help people understand their life in a clear distinct way. I specifically want to target children and, help them grow and be more than they have the potential to be. I want to focus on the child development of children based on their environment. I want to be able understand children react the way they do in certain situations.
“Motivational interviewing was introduced by Dr. William R. Miller in 1983, to help problem drinkers prepare for treatment and has been developed in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Rollnick. Motivational interviewing is a client centered directive method of communication for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by helping people to explore and work through ambivalence. (Miller &Rollnick,2002).” This definition simply means that motivational interviewing is a method that uses the techniques taught by Carl Rodgers, such as empathy, positive regard, and congruence all of which lead to a collaborative relationship between the counselor and the client. This supportive and collaborative relationship will enable the client to open up and have honest discussions with the counselor. Therefore, the counselor will be able to help the client recognize:
I have wanted to be a counselor since my freshmen year of high school and in the counseling field there are many specialties that I can focus on. I am fairly certain that I want to specialize in helping people with substance abuse and their families. I have always focused my studies, interests, and work on things that will help me in this field and I have a lot of qualities that help to enhance me in my eventual career. There are difficulties when I get to practice also like what people perceive as correct counseling style, challenges with my gender and race, and finally creating my own counseling style and plans.
HS 43 Term Paper 4 Core functions of a Substance Abuse Counselor By Roslyn Smith Introduction This paper will discuss the following 4 Core Functions of a Counselor: Case Management, Client Education, Crisis Intervention, Referral and their primary purposes. Discussion Case Management According to IC & RC, Case Management is defined as, “activities intended to bring services, agencies, resources, or people together within a planned framework of action toward the achievement of established goals.
Objectives/Progress: Pt. has continued his struggle in achieving his goal of establishing a healthy social support network over the last quarter. Pt has not made any new relationships or attempts to enjoy leisure recreation and associate with positive people, he continues to associate with those who have addict behavior, which include his old friends. Counselor will defer this goal next quarter if the pt. has not attempted to follow through with it. Primary Counselor will monitor the pt. for compliance and continue o express concern about his weak social support system and substance use during the next quarter.
The group members chosen was an African-American male, Caucasian female, and an African-American/Puerto Rican lesbian. Their ages eighty, sixty-one, and forty-three respectively. Each participant was chosen as a representation of diversity across age, gender, ethic, and social backgrounds. The African-American male is a retired labor movement organizer and has a daughter who has been clean now for several years. The Caucasian female is a therapist in the field of addiction and has twenty-two years clean. The African-American/Puerto Rican lesbian is a dog groomer who has struggled with staying clean for the past twenty-three years. Each person chosen has a personal connection my father, my sponsor, and my ex-partner of three years. Although the group appears to be diverse they all have a common denominator each on...
A career in psychology is one that offers a wide variety of paths in which you can pursuit it. When one decides that they want to accomplish a degree in psychology, the next step is to decide what specific path you are willing to take. In the beginning we might feel overwhelmed, unsure and scared by having all these choices, and not knowing which one to turn to, or if were even making the right choice. Exploring the different paths in the career can help us narrow down the alternatives that we are exposed to. I have decided to major in psychology and work in a field with kids, and have decided to explore the following jobs in the field of psychology: clinical psychology, developmental psychology,
Nevid, J.S., & Rathus, S.A. (2005). Psychology and the challenges of life: Adjustment in the new millenium (9th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Boyd, D., Wood, E.G., Wood, S.E. (2014, 2011, 2008). Mastering the world of psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. 128-129, 329-330, 335-340. Print.
Layne, Elizabeth. "What Are the Working Conditions for Psychologists?" Everyday Life. Global Post, 13 Feb. 2014. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.