Addiction Counselling Therapy

THE ROLE OF A COUNSELOR FOR ADDICTS

A counselor has an essential role to play in the life of an addict, and the absence of a counselor in the life of an addict might hinder or slow down the expected progress in the life of an addict. The counselor helps to put in place, an essential support system for individual who recover from alcohol and drug addiction; gambling addictions, and a host of other behavioral problems.

Once they form a solid relationship with their patients which is built on trust, the counselors provide important support resources and guidance which is judgment free, so that patients can use this in the process of addiction recovery.

Counselors help addicts to effectively manage long-term addiction management problems and crisis, which could be prompt medical intervention, and supporting them to manage their recovery in the long term.

The decision which an addict needs to take when it comes to seeking treatment, is often difficult, and it involves much trust between counselors and patients. Hence, counselors need to take ample time in ensuring that the bond created between they and their patients is very strong, and this is known as Therapeutic Alliance.

Basically, Therapeutic Alliance is the trust which patients exhibit towards their counselors, whereby they feel vulnerable while sorting their problems and they work together with the counselor towards a productive goal, which is addiction recovery.

It is the role of a counselor to ensure that he encourages patient recovery. Addiction recovery is difficult, and it has affected the needed motivation which a patient need to recover. Hence, the counselor comes in handy by bridging that gap, he motivates the patient to recover, no matter how frustrated the patient could be.

They also aid patients in the development of a relapse prevention plan. This is an integral feature which should not be left out. When a relapse prevention plan is not in place, there is a likely chance that the patient will go back to his addiction.

To wrap it up, a counselor also meets with friends and family members to discuss on how they can care for their addicted family member. Some families are known to push their addicted member aside, and this further strengthens the addiction. However, the counselor ensures that all fences are mended, and the family watches out for their loved one.

Leave a Reply