Monday 20 January 2014

The Importance Of Continuing Education For Substance Abuse Counselors

By Marissa Velazquez


Continuing education for substance abuse counselors is necessary because one needs to keep up to date with the times. It is important to keep on expanding on your knowledge so that you can continue to help those who are crying out in desperation. Times move on, and one needs to know the different types of drugs that are available as well as the methods of counseling.

People who specialize in addicts will use certain types of methods. However, these are always been changed and adapted depending on the needs of the patients. Often one looks at the statistics and this comes from groups at rehab centers and clinics where people are trying to come clean. If you stay in one place, then you won't move forward and patients will keep on coming back.

In a case like this you may have to use cognitive behavioral therapy where you try and help your client to change negative feelings into something which is more positive. Some people use drugs for recreational purposes or because they have problems with their self esteem or confidence and this is a way of getting around it.

The therapist must also look into other aspects, such as why the addict would turn to substance abuse. Apart from certain conditions, such as bipolar and other illnesses like this for example, there may be other negative feelings that the person is experiencing. They could be stressed or they could just be using the drug for recreational purposes.

One must weigh all of these reasons up when it comes to counseling. Once you have done this, it is possible to go onto the next stage and to find the method that is appropriate for the client. You may want to use cognitive behavioral therapy for someone who is acting in a very negative way because you may change these feelings into those which are more positive.

Therapists also need to counsel the families of the addicts because this is a process where relationships need to be healed. Even in the case, when kids and spouses are no longer in the picture, one must still try and reach out. It is the addict's responsibility to do this because it is part of the healing process.

Counselors need to know how to cope with this because it is a situation that needs to be treated delicately. There are lots of emotions involved, which may have been blocked for a long time and you need to know how to handle this. This is what this type of education is all about and this is why it is so important.

One can now see why continuing education for substance abuse counselors is so important. It also provides support for the counselors, because anyone will tell you that this is not an easy job. Once you are finished dealing with a client you need the emotional support of someone else. Doing it alone can be difficult.




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