Book Description

"Whether you are entering the field of addictions counseling or are a counselor who wants to be prepared for the screening, assessment, and treatment of addiction in your practice, this text provides a foundational basis. Foundations of Addictions Counseling addresses real-life clinical concerns while providing the necessary information to keep up to date with trends. It also addresses the evolving standards of professional organizations, accrediting bodies, licensure boards, and graduate programs and departments. Counselors in school, mental health, rehabilitation, hospital, private practice, and a variety of other settings must be thoroughly prepared to support clients in their quest to be healthy and unimpaired. As the addictions profession has matured, more and more emphasis has been placed on the importance of preparing counselors to work holistically and synthesize knowledge domains from mental health, developmental, and addiction perspectives. The authors provide this knowledge in support of your work on behalf of various clients and diverse communities. Counselors can expect some of their clients to want to address concerns connected with the use of substances and the development of addictive behavior. This book draws on the specialized knowledge for each contributed chapter. It is written for use in graduate-level preparation programs for counselors. Because of the clarity of the writing and the use of case studies, it may also be adopted in some undergraduate and community college courses. Requirements of the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and other certification associations have led most university programs in counselor education to require an addictions course for all students, regardless of specialization (school, community, rehabilitation, couples, marriage and family, student personnel, etc.). Addictions counseling is also being offered for CADC I and II certifications, which require undergraduate coursework related to addictions counseling. The book is designed for students taking a preliminary course in addictions counseling. It presents a comprehensive overview of the foundations of addictions counseling, the skills and techniques needed for addictions counseling, and addictions counseling in specific settings. As editors, we know that one text cannot adequately address all the complex and holistic factors involved in assisting clients who present with issues related to addictive behavior. We have, however, attempted to provide our readers with a broad perspective based on current professional literature and the rapidly changing world we live in at this juncture of the new millennium. The following overview highlights the major features of the text"--