Addressing Substance Use Disorders: Evidence-Based Counseling Approaches
More than 20 million people in the United States over the age of 12 are affected by substance use disorders, highlighting the depth and breadth of the addiction crisis in this country. Treating substance use disorders often requires both multidisciplinary teamwork and a comprehensive approach, ensuring that the root cause of the substance use disorder is identified and addressed.
Evidence-based counseling approaches can be incredibly effective when treating substance use disorders. Counselors can rely on both behavioral change strategies and relapse prevention techniques to provide their clients with the care and compassion that they both need and deserve.
Motivational Interviewing for Substance Use
Motivational enhancement therapy is considered to be one of the most effective options for people who are suffering from addiction. According to the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, motivational interviewing techniques can be used to provide individuals suffering from addiction with an incentive to change their current behavior. Most often, motivational interviewing for addiction is used when an individual is unprepared to make a change or not receptive to the idea of changing their behavior. Counselors need to know how and when to use these techniques because while motivational interviewing is effective, it is not always the right option based on the individual needs of the client.
Core Principles of Motivational Interviewing
The core principles of motivational interviewing for addiction are:
- Being empathetic to the needs, concerns, and experiences of the person who is suffering from addiction. Adopting a nonjudgmental approach and listening carefully to your client are essential.
- Using discrepancy as a tool to help the client better understand their behavior. By employing the leading motivational interviewing techniques, you can help your client understand that their current actions do not actually align with their values and beliefs.
- Understanding that resistance is part of the process. You need to be aware of the fact that your client may know that their behavior needs to change, but they may be resistant to taking the steps needed to make the change. Rather than trying to convince them to simply make the right choices, you need to be aware of the various stages of change and work with your client through those changes. The Stages of Change Model provided by the Rural Health Information Hub can help you assess your clients' readiness to change their own behavior. This theoretical model outlines the stages of change that people go through, including pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, taking action, maintenance, and termination.
- Relying on empowerment to encourage your clients to take accountability for their actions. Empowerment can be incredibly effective in motivational enhancement therapy because it emphasizes the importance of accountability and transparency when changing behavior.
Practical Applications in Nonprofit Settings
Motivational interviewing has many practical applications in nonprofit settings. For example, if you are a counselor working for a non-profit organization that supports individuals battling addiction, you can use motivational interviewing techniques to help them prepare to change their behavior and maintain that change over the long term.
Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance abuse is one of the leading addiction treatment modalities. Also known as CBT, it is a strategic yet conversational approach to addiction therapy. The ultimate goal of CBT is to help transform the thoughts of the individual, allowing them to see addiction as a challenge that can be overcome through commitment, dedication, and behavioral change.
Understanding CBT in Addiction Treatment
Within the scope of addiction treatment, CBT can be incredibly effective. This addiction treatment modality allows an individual suffering from a substance use disorder to work one-on-one with a counselor to explore their current thought process and to identify the root cause of their behaviors. As a counselor, you should adopt a goal-oriented approach to CBT, which can help your clients identify and manage the symptoms of addiction and learn coping mechanisms. This approach is considered to be one of the leading relapse prevention techniques.
Integrating CBT Within Nonprofit Programs
Nonprofit organizations employing counselors will find that CBT is critical in their services. By relying on cognitive behavioral therapy strategies, counselors can help their clients better understand the root cause of their addiction and overcome the emotional trauma that is connected to addiction. It can easily be combined with other addiction treatment methods to provide individuals suffering from addiction with a comprehensive and holistic treatment plan.
Relapse-Prevention Techniques
In addition to treating the initial signs and symptoms of addiction, counselors must work closely with their clients to prevent relapse. Research published in the National Library of Medicine National Center for Biotechnology Information shows that the leading relapse prevention methods include ongoing cognitive-behavioral therapy, careful monitoring and social support. In some cases, patients may also require medication to prevent relapse, requiring counselors to work with other healthcare providers to ensure their clients receive the personalized care that they need.
Creating Structured Aftercare Plans
Aftercare plans play a crucial role in relapse prevention. Counselors can create structured aftercare plans that address the unique needs of their clients by:
- Creating a plan that includes ongoing therapy. When it comes to relapse prevention, group therapy for substance abuse is incredibly effective, but dialectical behavior therapy for addiction is important as well.
- Outlining the coping strategies the client can use when they feel tempted to resume former behaviors. These strategies may include meditation, journaling, or other mindfulness-based relapse prevention activities.
- Encouraging the client to adopt a healthy lifestyle after treatment. In your role as a counselor, you can encourage your client to eat a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly and adopt a healthy sleep routine.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments
Ongoing monitoring and support are absolutely essential for anyone who has suffered from a substance use disorder. The reality of the matter is that even when the best behavioral change strategies are used, those who suffer from addiction are at risk of relapse. By consistently checking in with your clients and adjusting their relapse prevention plan accordingly, you can help them continue to live a life free of addiction and substance abuse.
Funding and Organizational Leadership
Counselors and organizational leaders at non-profits often have to work to secure funding for the leading services and treatment options to adopt an effective and comprehensive approach to addiction treatment. By actively working to secure funding, non-profit organizations can provide the communities they serve with the most advanced and effective addiction treatment services.
Identifying and Securing Grants
One of the leading ways to secure funding is to identify and secure grants designed for addiction treatment services. Grants can provide you with a significant funding source and allow you to invest in technology and other resources that enhance the addiction treatment services that you can provide.
Effective Budget Management
In addition to securing funding, nonprofit organization leaders need to be able to manage their budgets effectively. Nonprofit organizations often work with limited funds, requiring them to use their financial resources effectively to maximize the addiction treatment services they offer.
Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration
Nonprofit organizations also have to collaborate with community stakeholders to raise awareness about their purpose and raise additional funds to supplement their budget. By enacting key stakeholder engagement strategies, organizational leaders and counselors can build community partnerships and develop a lasting connection with the people they serve.
You can continue to engage and collaborate with key stakeholders in your community by:
Building Community Partnerships
Organizational leaders at nonprofits often work closely with other community leaders to create lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships. Nonprofit organizations dedicated to addiction treatment services may actively work to establish partnerships with local businesses. These partnerships can support those recovering from addiction, such as a local restaurant offering jobs or a yoga studio offering discounts for relapse prevention.
Cultivating Donor and Volunteer Relationships
In addition, organizational leaders and counselors who work at nonprofits should actively work to build relationships with prospective donors and willing volunteers. Donors and volunteers are willing to give their money and time to serve the causes they care about, including substance use disorder treatment services. By cultivating these powerful relationships, organizational leaders can often improve the scope of the services they provide and the outcomes of the people they serve. Donors and volunteers can play an important role in the lasting success of a nonprofit organization's mission.
Explore the Leading Counseling Methods for Substance Abuse at Indiana Wesleyan University
Substance use treatment programs rely on the expertise of qualified and skilled counselors who know how to adopt a client-centered approach to treatment. At Indiana Wesleyan University, our Division of Counseling offers a wide range of counseling degree programs designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge required to effectively care for people suffering from substance use disorders. Throughout your degree program, you will learn about the leading cognitive behavioral therapy strategies and develop the therapeutic communication skills required to provide your clients with personalized and effective care.
Find your program today and request more information about our Christ-centered approach to education at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Sources
https://www.naatp.org/addiction-treatment-resources/treatment-methods
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3678283/
https://drugabusestatistics.org/
https://positivepsychology.com/motivational-interviewing-principles/
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/health-promotion/2/theories-and-models/stages-of-change
https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/how-can-community-based-organizations-kquoc
https://div12.org/treatment/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-for-substance-use-disorders/
