Addiction
Counselling:
Content and Process
From
the authors:
‘For many counsellors and therapists, clients who have alcohol and other drug problems present a particular challenge. High drop-out rates, irregular attendance at sessions, on-going drug use, suicidal ideation and attempts, difficulties forming a solid therapeutic relationship, slow progress, and co-occurring psychological disorders, are just some of the difficulties counsellors face. For counsellors who deal with these and other issues with addiction clients, this book will provide a wealth of information and helpful strategies.
Both the content of addiction counselling and the process of working with addiction clients are focused on. Content includes basic addiction counselling strategies, such as motivational interviewing and relapse prevention, and strategies for more general issues, such as suicide prevention, emotion management, anger management, assertion, and grief. The process section examines the interaction between client and counsellor, showing how early experiences shape clients’ responses to their counsellors and to others in their lives, and demonstrating how counsellors can respond to clients in powerfully healing ways, enhancing client retention and progress. A final section shows how counsellors of addiction clients can integrate content and process. Basic information on drugs of addiction, the aetiology of drug problems, and pharmacotherapies is provided. Numerous case studies illustrate addiction counselling principles and challenges. ‘Tip-sheet’ summaries of core material will facilitate understanding. On several topics, client handouts and work sheets are presented in reproducible form.
Beginning counsellors, counsellors who already have basic knowledge of working with addiction clients, and experienced counsellors who wish to promote their understanding of how the therapeutic relationship might be used to best advantage, will all find the book invaluable.
Bibliographic
details
Published, April, 2006. 240 x 170mm. 384 pages.
Includes bibliography and index.
Paperback.
ISBN: 0-9752374-5-4. $A70.00 rrp.