Addiction counseling is an area that we specialize in at Destination Hope – so much so that we have our own school that teaches and certifies addiction counselors for other rehab centers.
Addiction counseling is the most important treatment modality when helping an addict recover as it involves the discovery of triggers, development of coping skills techniques, and relapse prevention skills. When looking for the right drug or alcohol rehab program, it is vitally important that you find one with licensed and experienced addiction counselors, such as Destination Hope.
It is estimated that one in eight of all adults living in the United States suffers from some type of problem with substance abuse. In fact, according to the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), chemical dependency along with mental health disorders has become one of the most severe health and social problems in the country.
Addiction Counseling: What is it?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the characteristics of an ideal addiction counselor can be described in the following way:
“Addiction counselors should exhibit good professional judgment, be able to establish rapport with most clients, be good listeners, be accepting of the client for who he or she is (and not have a negative attitude toward working with addicts), and use confrontation in a helpful versus an inappropriate or overly punitive manner. A good addiction counselor must also be personally organized so as to be prompt for all sessions and able to maintain adequate documentation.”
Addiction rehab programs have the goal of helping those with substance abuse issues achieve full abstinence. This takes a lot of time and effort, and help from someone with experience and expertise. When evaluating rehab programs, find out how many certified addiction professionals, certified addiction counselors, and certified addiction specialists they have on staff as well as the number of years experience in the field of addiction. This is a foundational aspect of the team at Destination Hope.
There is much more to addiction than what is seen at the surface. Addiction counseling will help those suffering from substance abuse problems with all of the areas in their lives that are affected by addiction and those that contribute to addiction. This may involve family counseling to help with family issues as well as dealing with issues of anxiety, depression, anger management and other mental health issues both affected by and contributing to the substance abuse.
When seeking help for addiction, you want help from experts who are the most qualified and experienced in addiction counseling. Not all addiction rehab centers are the same and it is important to find one that can provide the help that you need.
