Drug and Alcohol Counselling Level 3

What you will learn

1. Unit 1 - Introduction to Addictions

   This unit will encourage you to delve deeper into the physical and psychological reasons behind dependency. You’ll learn the signs, symptoms and consequences as well as the strains it may have on your finances, family and employment and its links to crime and mental health problems.

2. Unit 2 - Addictive Substances

   The world of drugs is forever changing and expanding, but this unit will aim to increase your familiarity of highly addictive drugs. You’ll have an improved understanding of Amphetamines, Benzodiazepines, Methadone, Heroin, Nicotine, Alcohol, Cocaine, MDMA and Crystal Meth.

3. Unit 3 - Models and Perspectives Surrounding Substance Misuse

   Next, you’ll look at a number of arguing theories behind dependency, including moral, medical, genetic and neurobiological, and psychological models. You’ll find out if an addictive personality has an impact on people with a dependency, looking closely at behavioural theory, social cognitive learning models, and sociocultural models too. Also learning about the neurophysiology of addiction as well as tolerance.

4. Unit 4 - Classification of Substances

   There are various category classifications of substances, often causing different sensations and feelings. During this unit you’ll get a better understanding of these categories including depressants, opioids and narcotics, stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabinoids and inhalants.

5. Unit 5 - Treatment and Preventions

   Treatment and prevention are a key aspect of this course, enlightening you on some of the preventative mechanisms used to help people with substance misuse problems, including primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. You’ll gain a better insight on how to assess those with substance misuse problems, functional analysis of behaviour prior to substance misuse, and highlight key information all practitioners must remember.

6. Unit 6 - Stages of Change

   During this unit you’ll be able to recognise a client as being at one of these six stages; pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and relapse. You’ll also explore the strategies for each stage of change and learn about how motivational interviewing can be carried out through discrepancy, empathy, ambivalence and resistance.

7. Unit 7 - Navigating Recovery

   In this unit you’ll visit SMART goals and how they can be used to aid recovery, covering areas such as withdrawal management, outpatient services, pharmacotherapy treatments, family counselling, twelve-step programmes and relapse prevention.

8. Unit 8 - Reflexivity and Diversity

   Lastly, you’ll learn about reflexivity as a practitioner, exploring the challenges faced and the questions to ask and not ask if someone has a history of substance misuse. You’ll also consider areas such as intoxication, compassion fatigue ad vicious trauma and client diversity. Concluding this course will leave you with an invaluable variety of skills needed to take forward into drug and alcohol counselling.

9. Unit 9 - Further Reading

   An in-depth exploration into the history, models, and aspects of drug addiction and counselling. Not a requirement for the course, but this further reading with greatly help when it comes to answering your assignment questions, as well as improve your knowledge of the field.