An Effective Substance Abuse Counselor - 1268 Words

To become an effective substance abuse counselor, there are six key points which include: knowing the principles of MI, being able to help strengthen a client’s coping skills, being able to utilize OARS, understanding Thomas Gordon’s Twelve Roadblocks, being knowledgeable about drugs, and having knowledge of assessing and Individualizing Evidence Based Treatment Plans. An effective substance abuse counselor needs to utilize the OARS. The OARS acronym includes: open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarizing. Open-ended questions allow for the counselor to gather information from the client during individual counseling sessions. Affirmations allows for a substance abuse counselor to mention statements focusing on understanding and appreciating the clients strengths. Reflective listening involves a substance abuse counselor understanding and empathizing with the client’s ideas, and for reassurance of accuracy repeating the idea back to t he client. Reflective listening has five types which, include: simple, complex, amplified, double-sided, and metaphor. Simple reflection allows for a substance abuse counselor to show interest in the conversation by rephrasing the client’s statement. â€Å"Complex reflection involves the counselor cognitively reframing the client’s statement for a clearer understanding† (MI, 47). Amplified reflection focuses directly on a statement given by the client to help them change direction. Double-sided reflection involves aShow MoreRelatedSubstance Abuse Counseling Laws And The Aca Ethics Code1465 Words   |  6 Pages Substance abuse counseling can be a rewarding career for anyone who has a desire to help people who are battling an addiction to drugs or alcohol. A substance abuse counselor can work in hospitals, prisons, therapeutic facilities, and halfway houses. The purpose of a substance abuse counselor is to help those who have an addiction manage it. In this paper I will be discussing Texas state counseling laws and the ACA ethics code and how these two can guide my work as a substance abuse counselorRead MoreSubstance Abuse Counselors Should Follow The Four Ethical Principles1181 Words   |  5 Pagesinclude: hiring competent substance abuse counselors, effective assessing guidelines, appropriate Evidenced Based Treatment Plans, case management services, programs for Change, family services, and promoting prevention programs. The treatment program being designed will offer a warm and inviting atmosphere that welcomes all clients. Hiring competent substance abuse counselors will be beneficial for designing a successful treatment program. The substance abuse counselors will be unbiased, knowledgeableRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Abuse On The School Aged Populations787 Words   |  4 PagesSings of Substance Abuse and Addiction in the School-Aged Populations One study asked counselors about the prevalence of substances used by high school students and found that the counselors most often dealt with alcohol issues (Burrow-Sanchez Lopez, 2009). While alcohol may be one of the most widely dealt with substances from a counselor’s perspective, it is essential to be able to identify signs of alcohol abuse and other substance abuse so that action can be taken. Signs of substance abuse can varyRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Addictive Behaviors760 Words   |  4 PagesSchool Counselors support all students so that they can succeed in the school setting, including those that have addictions or addictive behaviors. 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Most common among clients is serious depression (U.S. Public Health Service 1999), brought on by substance abuse or aggravated by suicidal ideations orRead MoreA Brief Note On Academic And Experiential Learning1038 Words   |  5 PagesAcademic Experiential Learning The manner with which school counselors are encouraged in taking on prevention and intervention strategies will be utilized through is a combination of psychoeducational and small groups. Psychoeducational groups work on developing and expanding students’ cognitive, social and behavioral perceptions of drug use (Corey, Corey Corey, 2014) while counseling groups will focus on personal, emotional and social/interpersonal development, problem-solving and in introducingRead MoreThe Prevalence of Co-Occurring Disorders Essay893 Words   |  4 PagesPrevalence of Co-Occurring Disorders Launita D. 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Motivational interviewing is a highly individualized therapeutic approach that isRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Abuse Among Adolescents1296 Words   |  6 Pages Substance abuse has become a notable public health threat to today’s adolescents. Substance abuse is associated with an array of behavioral and psychological consequences that can jeopardize the future of the young people. Lifelong dependence is another possible consequence of drug abuse among adolescents. Ultimately, counselors are supposed to come up with effective programs to address addiction issues among the adolescents to prevent them from relying on drugs in future. Counselors rely onRead MoreWhy I Chose to Become a Mental Health Counselor Essay1290 Words   |  6 Pagesmental health counselor Counseling others is a difficult job that requires people to listen, take notes, and respond in ways that are positive and helpful. It is important that trust be built between the counselor and the patient so that the patient will feel comfortable speaking about issues that are private or embarrassing. There are many different types of counselors including drug counselors; marriage counselors, grief counselors, job counselors, diet and exercise counselors, and others that