Personal Growth and Addiction Counseling

Addictions counseling is a form of mental health counseling that specializes in understanding the addictive process and the impact of addiction on the client, family and society. The addictions counseling professional recognizes the potential for substance use disorders and behavioral addictions to mimic a variety of medical and psychological disorders. In addition, the addictions counselor recognizes the potential for medical and psychological disorders to co-exist with addiction.

The process of addictions counseling not only addresses the identified addiction but the co-existing issues related to family, relationships, employment, education, spirituality, physical health, mental health and legal concerns. A variety of helping techniques are tailored to meet the needs of the individual client or family member and within the context of a counseling session, the counselor and client develop a desired treatment outcome and strategies for achieving them.

Addictions counseling is appropriate for children, adolescents and adults who are addicted or who are affected by another person’s addiction. Treatment may include individual or group counseling sessions in one or more sessions in a week, outpatient treatment, inpatient rehabilitation, hospitalization or rehabilitation programs. Sessions are used for assessment, education, discussion about the addiction, planning strategies, support, evaluation of progress, recommendations and referrals. The length of treatment depends upon the specific substance or behavior, the client’s stage of readiness, environmental influence and co-existing complications.