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Understanding The Complex Roles Of A Substance Abuse Counselor

By Harriett Crosby


It is never easy turning away from addictive substances. This requires genuine desire and steadfast determination. More importantly, this calls for professional help. Substance-dependent individuals need counseling to successfully eradicate drugs and alcohol from their system. An effective program always includes a substance abuse counselor Pasadena. The professionals do not only understand the client's needs. They also look into the other aspects throughout their recovery.

Although the detoxification process efficiently eliminates the substances out from a patient's body, this is not enough. Since physical dependence is but one of the many facets of addiction, relapse is still a risk. Psychological, social and emotional factors must also be addressed. These are powerful stimuli that imperils the patients to regressing.

The counselors will serve as a guide throughout this grueling journey. Starting a new life dissimilar to the ones you used to have never comes easy. The professional provides help beyond just putting an end to addiction. They see to it that the patients stop for good. At times, they may also need to attend to the patient's profession, marriage and family. After all, the aspects of life are interconnected, so an issue with one will eventually lead to another.

Moreover, the professional delves deeper into the issue. They try to understand what propelled the patient into addiction. This is vital in designing a program. Unless the counselor understands why the patient did it, he may not find out how to convince the latter otherwise. At times, this may take fixing old problems, ironing out a severed relationship or dealing with a past trauma.

The patients can also find support in the counseling sessions. The help and assistance of friends and families are greatly appreciated. Notwithstanding, a professional who totally understands the patient's situation is critical. In this rough time, the patients easily break down with frustration. A sincere gesture of help can be easily misunderstood as rude intrusion.

Furthermore, the professional creates a program for his client. This is aimed to help the patient recover quickly and easily. They make the patients realize the ill-effects of substance abuse. They are made to understand why they needed to stop. They are also taught problem-solving skills, communication skills, relapse prevention, stress management and coping mechanisms.

They work with the family members, too. Keeping a healthy relationship among family members can reinforce the program's efficiency. The process gets much easier when the patient realizes that he is not alone. Unfortunately, some family members may be unwilling or merely unaware. The counselor can be a big help in this case.

Aside from counseling, the patient may also need vocational training, financial assistance, child care, housing assistance, medical care and psychiatric care. As a professional, the counselor also knows a handful of specialties in other fields. They are quite familiar with the community resources to ensure that the patient gets all the help he needs.

Given the profound responsibilities of a substance abuse counselor Pasadena, it only makes sense that its practice is streamlined by the state. Each region has its own rules for qualifying an individual aspiring to become a counselor. Stringent rules and procedures are in place before official recognition is given to anyone interested. This is the only way to upkeep quality service and maintain high standards.




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