DRINK & DRUGS NEWS :: Q&A

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Question:

I am a recovering addict of nearly five years and I am interested in becoming a substance misuse counsellor once I have completed the final year of my BSc in Psychology. Would anybody be kind enough to recommended pathways into this area as there are so many courses available it is hard to know which ones are effective, accredited by the relevant governing bodies, at the level needed in this field and so forth. Any help would be most appreciated. [Scott, by emai]

Your replies...

Dear Scott

As you say there are many paths, but there are some commonalities:

It is generally agreed that to practise as a counsellor you need to have a minimum qualification of a Diploma in Counselling.

A degree is psychology is great but it's not a counselling qualification.
Some specialist knowledge or training is essential if you want to work with substance misuse or dependency.

You can approach the qualification framework by first getting a Diploma in Counselling and then specialising in addictions, or you can set out to qualify as an addictions counsellor from the start.

If you take the general counselling route, then you need to decide which 'model' of counselling you wish to study and take it from there. There are a myriad of possibilities and most colleges and universities offer counselling courses in a variety of packages.

If you decide to go direct to training as a substance misuse counsellor, there are relatively few options. There is still a bit of a divide between the harm minimisation school and the abstinence-based approach, which you might want to investigate. Below are a few suggestions:

• Dedicated treatment centres which also offer 'in-house' counsellor training - eg Castle Craig.
• The Hazelden Foundation - a well-established American-based training unit.
• Clouds House - offers a Foundation Degree, either full or part-time.
• Leeds Addiction Unit - provides some distance learning courses which include addiction issues.
• RAPt - one-year full-time Addiction Counsellor Training Course, RAPt Diploma plus CPCAB Accredited Certificates at levels 2 & 3.

Good luck with your route.

Jane Norton, Training Manager at RAPt

Dear Scott,

There are as many pathways into this field as there are interfaces to work at. If you have the opportunity, choose where you'd like to be (setting) and then figure out what it takes to get there. A way to do this might be to consider the setting where you'd like to counsel substance misusers.

If you are unsure, visit as many agencies as you can, in as many settings… and talk to the clients. Ask yourself, are you interested in meeting them where they're at? Can you hear what they are saying to you? Could you make a difference? The agency will tell you what it requires with regard to competencies.

Try not to be influenced by the rubbish about counselling models you might hear in the counselling bazaar. There are hundreds of them, with new ones being invented every year. Why anyone would want to spend another shilling or write another word comparing one against the other is beyond me when all they ever discover is the same thing: none is more effective than any comparable other. There is significant research which demonstrates that the most important factor in eliciting change is the resources the clients themselves take. The next most important factor is the therapeutic alliance.

So, models are crucial… to the practitioner. Among other things, they offer a lens through which to focus and make sense of the client's presentation. In my experience, if we can't see the client properly, it's because there's something wrong with the camera, not the client. We know they have the strengths and resources and choices that will make a difference. Find a camera you're comfortable with.

The organisation I work with has placements in training from the Clouds foundation degree. We also have placements on a local integrative diploma and a local CBT diploma. All are excellent courses, but it is the individual qualities the placements demonstrate that make a difference.

Agencies have different employment polices. In a counselling position, we won't employ anyone with less than a recognised, accredited diploma. However we do employ a range of practitioners, addiction counsellors, Rogerian counsellors, CAT practitioners, psychodrama practitioners, systemic family therapists, CBT counsellors, and eating disorder specialists. Many cameras! And I'm bound to have offended someone by forgetting one.

You're welcome to visit here and meet with the clients and the staff, if you find it useful and practical.

Kind regards and bon voyage.

John Trolan, programme director, The Nelson Trust

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