SOCW 6103 Week 3 Discussion post responses - Discussion: Team Approach to Addiction Treatment
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
· Chapter 4, "Important Professional Issues in Addiction Counseling" (pp. 66-86)
Pinderup, P., Thylstrup, B., & Hesse, M. (2016). Critical review of dual diagnosis training for mental health professionals. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14(5), 856-872.
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). Core competencies for peer workers in behavioral health services. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/programs_campaigns/brss_tacs/core-competencies_508_12_13_18.pdf
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2012d). Team approach to addiction treatment [Multimedia file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Discussion: Team Approach to Addiction Treatment
Addiction has an impact on every aspect of an individual's life, making a holistic approach to treatment essential. Fortunately, many treatment programs have adopted a team approach to treatment. This provides the opportunity to address the addiction, the physical and emotional consequences of the addiction, and other related issues. For example, in addiction treatment centers, the clinical staff may address a client's psychological needs while the medical staff addresses their medical and physical well-being.
For this Discussion, review the week's resources and the media piece, "Team Approach to Addiction Treatment." Explore the strengths and limitations of the team approach to addiction treatment. Think about how a client might respond to a team approach versus a single person.
Respond to colleagues and respond in one of the following ways:
· Share an insight from having read your colleague's posting on the benefits of addiction treatment teams.
· Share an insight from having read your colleague's posting on the benefits and challenges of addiction treatment teams from the perspective of the client.
· Expand on your colleague's posting on the strengths and limitations of using a team approach to addiction treatment from the perspective of both the counselor and the client.
Be sure to reference the learning resources above.
The following are the colleague original posts:
Colleague #1 (Tara-Ferma)
Week 3 Discussion
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As professionals, there will be a time during our career where we may be asked to be a part of an multidisciplinary team or utilize team approaches in order to enhance the well-being of our clients. There as several strengths associated with utilizing a team approach in addiction treatment. One being that you get to work with multiple professionals to accomplish one common goal, in which you’re giving someone their life back. A second strength would be teaching your client healthier coping mechanisms with the help of the other team members and watching them put down the substance(s) they were once addicted to. For example, Joey’s counselor Rebecca now sees how he is willing to open up more about his past, whereas during their first few sessions he was not very cooperative. As mentioned by Pinderup, Thylstrup and Hesse (2016) having mental health professionals engage in training that focuses on treating dual diagnoses has proven to have positive overall professional effects. By utilizing a team approach, members from various backgrounds are able to successfully achieve the same common goal by engaging with the client from different perspectives.
Limitations from the perspective of the addiction professional may include that the client is getting nowhere with you but may be willing to work with other members of the team. For example, Joey was not cooperating during the first few sessions he had with his addiction’s counselor Rebecca, whereas it does not mention that he gave Dr. Roesan a hard time when he wanted to discuss his progression in detox treatment (Laureate Education (Producer), 2012d). A second limitation might be not being on the same page with all of the team members in reference to the client. When professionals are working as a team to achieve one common goal for the client, it is essential for everyone to be knowledgeable about their role on the team. Capuzzi and Stauffer (2016) states, “it is extremely important that counselors and other health professionals have the clinical knowledge necessary to treat individuals dealing with polysubstance abuse” (p. 68).
From a client’s perspective, one strength would be having multiple health professionals who genuinely care about you working together as a team to ensure that the client remains healthy and stable during treatment. A second strength would be the members of the treatment team coming up with a treatment plan that Joey was actively willing to follow. For example, Joey was hard to crack at first but once he realized that everyone on the team was just trying to help him, he began to open up more (Laureate Education (Producer), 2012d).
A limitation from the client’s perspective is not actively engaging in treatment because they may believe that they do not have a problem, but it is the people around them who have a problem. A second limitation could be the client having trust issues with some of the team members by not establishing a positive relationship with them. For example, Joey may not want to engage with Rebecca and Tammy because he may feel as if they “don’t get him” whereas, Steve and Dr. Roesan might have a stronger relationship with him from the male perspective.
References:
Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2012d). Team approach to addiction treatment [Multimedia file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Pinderup, P., Thylstrup, B., & Hesse, M. (2016). Critical review of dual diagnosis training for mental health professionals. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14(5), 856-872.
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Colleague #2 (Cassiopia)
Week 3 Discussion
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Strengths to utilizing a team approach to addiction. You have a counselor to monitor the client’s mental and emotional health, by offering support, during treatment and advocating or their well-being. The counselor is there to help and support the client develop healthy coping skills and strategies and learn what their triggers are and how to cope and suppress those urges to use or leave the inpatient treatment center. The client will have case management, individual counseling, inpatient treatment and short and long-term treatment options, along with other therapeutic services. The counselor is there to help with different alternatives, such as to develop healthy boundaries, learn to cope, stability, and to achieve meaning purpose throughout their recovery (SAMHSA, 2015).
Utilizing a team approach to addiction is the foundation principle and the focus within a person-centered environment. The client is also paired with a recovery coach or a peer support specialist. According to Capuzzi & Stauffer (2016), “counselors are most effective at connecting with their clients with warmth, consistency, showing empathy, nonjudgmental, understanding, hope and belief that individual strive toward self-actualization,” (pg.68).
Limitation of using a team approach to addiction, the client may experience bouts of depression, anger, raw emotions, inability to regulate their emotions and mood. The counselor must maintain their professional boundaries at all times, which may hinder the client becoming friendly. Counselors must maintain, client recovery based services and not project their own opinions, make assumptions and participate in unethical practices (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).
This limits the client from forming an inappropriate relationship with the counselor, recovery coach and peer support specialist as well. The client worries about be ostracized, making assumptions and recognition. The counselor may struggle with projecting their opinion, maintain poor boundaries or bring personal feelings onto the client, burning out in a lack of competence. The counselor may also become overly friendly and take on the client’s problem (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2016).
Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). Core competencies for peer workers in behavioral health services. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/sites.default/files/programs_campaigns/brss_tacs/core-competencies_508_12_13_18.pdf.
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