When seeking a substance abuse counselor Colorado is an effective location to address problems with chemicals. The treatment process usually starts with evaluation, which differentiates between substance addiction, abuse, and use. Assessment points out the stage of a client's readiness to change, and helps in collaboratively formulating a treatment plan.
Once a diagnosis is made, a counselor reviews and discusses the findings with the client. When agreeable, a treatment course is recommended to encompass the needs of the individual. It will identify strengths, and find ways to address the challenges inherent in most cases of addiction.
The topics covered in the assessment give the counselor an idea of a patient's awareness of his condition. It also provides information about the client's level of functioning. Some include, but are not limited to, marital status, legal status, physical health, education, mental health, employment, family, and substance use and abuse. When there are problems other than addiction, there is often a question about causal factors. For example, did depression cause the substance abuse or did the addiction cause the depression?
Matching therapeutic interventions with clients' stage of readiness is a logical task of therapy. It only makes sense to ask a client to stop or moderate his drinking if he understands that he has a problem. Some mandated clients believe that alcohol enhances their driving ability, so they view their DUI arrest as a situation in which the police were either out to get them personally, or at best, trying to reach a quota for a specified time period.
The person described in the previous paragraph would be classified as being in the precontemplative stage. That means there is absolutely no recognition of problematic behavior by the person. Consequences of impaired driving are believed to be caused by external factors. The counselor's task, in this case, is to provide education which explains how chemicals can impair judgement and the ability to safely operate machinery.
Once the identified client learns about the actual nature of problems that caused the referral for treatment, he then advances to the contemplation stage. In that arena, an openness to the possibility of client problems is initiated. There is generally less defensiveness and disinterest. Additionally, there is a slight tendency to consider the source of problems as coming from within, instead of continuing to project blame on others.
The determination stage is where there is a decision to make changes. Next is the action stage, where actual work is begun and continued. Once recovery is well established in the maintenance stage, a patient can sometimes feel safe relaxing and enjoying sobriety. Although there is never a permanent cure for addiction, it is possible to arrest the symptoms with continued support from various sources. Because addiction is a chronic condition, relapse often occurs; however, it can afford the energy for a renewed resolve to return to sobriety. Sometimes the recovering addict has a better quality of sobriety due to lessons learned in relapse; however, it is not recommended, because some individuals never make it back.
As for licensing standards for a substance abuse counselor Colorado therapists need to be qualified. Their education should enable the practitioner to understand, recognize, and facilitate movement through the stages of change. These stages do not always remain separate and linear, and may promote frustration and confusion for both the counselor and client.
Once a diagnosis is made, a counselor reviews and discusses the findings with the client. When agreeable, a treatment course is recommended to encompass the needs of the individual. It will identify strengths, and find ways to address the challenges inherent in most cases of addiction.
The topics covered in the assessment give the counselor an idea of a patient's awareness of his condition. It also provides information about the client's level of functioning. Some include, but are not limited to, marital status, legal status, physical health, education, mental health, employment, family, and substance use and abuse. When there are problems other than addiction, there is often a question about causal factors. For example, did depression cause the substance abuse or did the addiction cause the depression?
Matching therapeutic interventions with clients' stage of readiness is a logical task of therapy. It only makes sense to ask a client to stop or moderate his drinking if he understands that he has a problem. Some mandated clients believe that alcohol enhances their driving ability, so they view their DUI arrest as a situation in which the police were either out to get them personally, or at best, trying to reach a quota for a specified time period.
The person described in the previous paragraph would be classified as being in the precontemplative stage. That means there is absolutely no recognition of problematic behavior by the person. Consequences of impaired driving are believed to be caused by external factors. The counselor's task, in this case, is to provide education which explains how chemicals can impair judgement and the ability to safely operate machinery.
Once the identified client learns about the actual nature of problems that caused the referral for treatment, he then advances to the contemplation stage. In that arena, an openness to the possibility of client problems is initiated. There is generally less defensiveness and disinterest. Additionally, there is a slight tendency to consider the source of problems as coming from within, instead of continuing to project blame on others.
The determination stage is where there is a decision to make changes. Next is the action stage, where actual work is begun and continued. Once recovery is well established in the maintenance stage, a patient can sometimes feel safe relaxing and enjoying sobriety. Although there is never a permanent cure for addiction, it is possible to arrest the symptoms with continued support from various sources. Because addiction is a chronic condition, relapse often occurs; however, it can afford the energy for a renewed resolve to return to sobriety. Sometimes the recovering addict has a better quality of sobriety due to lessons learned in relapse; however, it is not recommended, because some individuals never make it back.
As for licensing standards for a substance abuse counselor Colorado therapists need to be qualified. Their education should enable the practitioner to understand, recognize, and facilitate movement through the stages of change. These stages do not always remain separate and linear, and may promote frustration and confusion for both the counselor and client.
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