Working with clients using alcohol or other drugs

Overview

Alcohol and other drug use is prevalent in our community, from use within recommended limits through to dependent and hazardous misuse of both legal and prohibited substances.

This one-day interactive workshop provides a practical approach to understanding and working with clients who misuse alcohol and other drugs, where the substance use is present but not necessarily the reason for presenting for treatment.

The workshop shares some of the practical frameworks and skills that were most helpful in my work over 13 years in the AOD sector. The aim is to gain a better understanding of where the substance use fits in to the bigger picture and to feel more resourced to explore and take substance use into account when it arises.

The workshop is informed by motivational interviewing, cognitive behaviour therapy and what resonated most with clients across many years of providing therapy for AOD use. The workshop offers ways to apply existing clinical skills to a potentially less familiar area of substance use, including:

• Understanding of the role of substance use and implications for treatment
• Simple yet practical frameworks that can be utilised in assessment and treatment
• Understanding patterns of use
• Strategies to reduce or cease use
• Managing cravings
• Referral options.

This workshop is for:

• Counselling professionals who want to better understand and work with clients with AOD use
• Early career AOD workers wanting practical skills
• Mid career AOD workers wanting to refresh your practice.

Please contact me if you are unsure if the workshop is right for you.