2 answers
Julissa
Student
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Questions
Asked
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Is there a downside to addiction counseling that is not openly talked about?
Besides obviously having difficult days with people who are going through very emotional times, are there any catches to the profession people do not discuss?
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2 answers
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1879
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Julissa !
Interesting question. Initially, I can say that there are no "catches" to the profession that people do not talk about - everything is talked about on a large scale through trainings, conferences and on a small scale at office meetings. There can be disagreements, however, as with any job.
You will have clients at all levels of addiction, functional people actively using, very physically and mentally ill people using who demand not to be treated, occasional users, people who haven't used for a long period of time, etc.. Each client is different and it's important to take the time initially to engage in learning their history and what they want to accomplish. You have to be open minded and some clients are easy to serve and some aren't.
In one of my other answers to you, I brought up the dynamic that it's possible for people in this field of work to be judgmental about other fellow workers that didn't go through a drug addiction. You don't have to have a background of drug use yourself in order to be effective and create a good rapport with the clients. I brought it up because that is the one thing that sticks out for me as a downside. Because if you work in this or the general human services field and don't work as a group or have mutual respect for people's education or experience, it makes for a mindset that can prevent workers from working the best they can. It's not like this in all places and I have had some excellent co-workers who went through addictions who were outstanding and supportive, but to me, that was the only thing I can say was disappointing when it happened. I even had a co-worker once who literally questioned my education smugly as well as literally the courses I took in college and I was her supervisor ! She didn't last long for many reasons. This situation would just come up once in a while not at every job. If it does happen, having good insight about human behavior will make it possible to understand why it happens, if at all. A good example of this is that I was once informed by a colleague that this worker will not work with alcoholics because this worker was one and it triggers too much so the client would be assigned to a different worker. If one is drug and alcohol free all their life, I think it creates the capability to see the addict as a person first and the addictions as being one of many issues that they come to work on as issues.
So yes, even if you are a perfect worker, knowledgeable, well trained, there are disagreements sometimes in what to do for or how to treat clients. You do what your manager tells you according to guidelines and nothing that varies from that. The important thing is the interaction between you and the client. Trust needs to be built and in my opinion and the way I worked, you can't be nagging the client at every visit about their addiction. They have other areas of their lives that they want to develop too.
There are good days and bad days, challenges and triumphs, success and failures as lessons in every career. It's life experience and you will have your own individual experience as a CASAC or any position you acquire and it will make a big difference in the clients' life.
The important thing is to not worry about future downside days, just give it your all and know that you are an important contributor to your community.
Interesting question. Initially, I can say that there are no "catches" to the profession that people do not talk about - everything is talked about on a large scale through trainings, conferences and on a small scale at office meetings. There can be disagreements, however, as with any job.
You will have clients at all levels of addiction, functional people actively using, very physically and mentally ill people using who demand not to be treated, occasional users, people who haven't used for a long period of time, etc.. Each client is different and it's important to take the time initially to engage in learning their history and what they want to accomplish. You have to be open minded and some clients are easy to serve and some aren't.
In one of my other answers to you, I brought up the dynamic that it's possible for people in this field of work to be judgmental about other fellow workers that didn't go through a drug addiction. You don't have to have a background of drug use yourself in order to be effective and create a good rapport with the clients. I brought it up because that is the one thing that sticks out for me as a downside. Because if you work in this or the general human services field and don't work as a group or have mutual respect for people's education or experience, it makes for a mindset that can prevent workers from working the best they can. It's not like this in all places and I have had some excellent co-workers who went through addictions who were outstanding and supportive, but to me, that was the only thing I can say was disappointing when it happened. I even had a co-worker once who literally questioned my education smugly as well as literally the courses I took in college and I was her supervisor ! She didn't last long for many reasons. This situation would just come up once in a while not at every job. If it does happen, having good insight about human behavior will make it possible to understand why it happens, if at all. A good example of this is that I was once informed by a colleague that this worker will not work with alcoholics because this worker was one and it triggers too much so the client would be assigned to a different worker. If one is drug and alcohol free all their life, I think it creates the capability to see the addict as a person first and the addictions as being one of many issues that they come to work on as issues.
So yes, even if you are a perfect worker, knowledgeable, well trained, there are disagreements sometimes in what to do for or how to treat clients. You do what your manager tells you according to guidelines and nothing that varies from that. The important thing is the interaction between you and the client. Trust needs to be built and in my opinion and the way I worked, you can't be nagging the client at every visit about their addiction. They have other areas of their lives that they want to develop too.
There are good days and bad days, challenges and triumphs, success and failures as lessons in every career. It's life experience and you will have your own individual experience as a CASAC or any position you acquire and it will make a big difference in the clients' life.
The important thing is to not worry about future downside days, just give it your all and know that you are an important contributor to your community.
Mary Ann Francis
Sales
3
Answers
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Updated
Mary Ann’s Answer
I have a friend in Washington State that is a chemical dependency counselor and they go through alot of things besides group meetings 1 on 1 counseling and guidelines they have to follow. Also pay isn't the greatest at all. Hope you'd be in it because you've been through what they are going through . It's is better if you have gone threw because you can understand the addiction
I have been told by a friend that is a counselor, that the pay isn't the greatest. For all the person has to go thru and deal with there is a lot of stuff and guidelines you have to do.
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