drug and alcohol addiction counsellor

Description

Drug and alcohol addiction counsellors provide assistance and counselling to individuals and families dealing with drug and alcohol addictions, monitoring their progress, advocating for them, performing crisis interventions and group therapy. They also assist the persons with the consequences of their addictions which can be unemployment, physical or mental disorders and poverty. Drug and alcohol addiction counsellors may also prepare educational programs for high-risk populations.

EssentialOptional

Theoretical Knowledge

supervision of persons dependency on drugs reflexion human psychological development social sciences psychological theories counselling methods legal requirements in the social sector behavioural therapy client-centred counselling adolescent psychological development social justice cognitive behavioural therapy psychology sophrology clinical social work

Practical Skills

assess social service users' situation maintain a non-emotional involvement apply socially just working principles have emotional intelligence deliver social services in diverse cultural communities accept own accountability follow health and safety precautions in social care practices build helping relationship with social service users communicate with social service users use motivational incentives in addiction counselling manage social crisis provide social counselling cooperate at inter-professional level undertake continuous professional development in social work assess the development of youth maintain the trust of service users apply quality standards in social services help clients make decisions during counselling sessions promote human rights demonstrate leadership in social service cases respond to individuals' extreme emotions promote social change promote the safeguarding of young people communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields organise relapse prevention refer social service users encourage counselled clients to examine themselves manage stress in the work place report on social development relate empathetically listen actively assess clients' drug and alcohol addictions prepare youths for adulthood support the positiveness of youths promote inclusion maintain records of work with service users perform therapy sessions inform on the risks of substance and alcohol abuse