Drug, Solvent and Alcohol Abuse Counselling

Drug, Solvent and Alcohol Abuse Counselling

This Course At A Glance:

• Gain a detailed insight into substance abuse and methods of support
• Understand how counselling fits into the recovery process
• Gain a base knowledge for higher level counselling qualifications
• Learn online from the comfort of home
• Provides a certificate of achievement
• Does not include practical training

About Your Course

This substance abuse counselling course sets out in simple form the essentials for understanding alcohol and drug problems in order to make individual assessments, give appropriate help within one’s own competence and make referrals to the relevant agencies where necessary.

By studying this Drug, Solvent and Alcohol Abuse Counselling course, you’ll become equipped with a comprehensive understanding of addiction, from initial dependency and counselling skills to specific drug knowledge and treatment approaches. The course also covers crucial aspects like legal implications, motivational techniques, relapse prevention, and conducting in-depth diagnostic interviews. This knowledge empowers you to effectively support individuals struggling with addiction.

Who Should Study This Course?

Studying our Drug, Solvent and Alcohol Abuse Counselling course is beneficial for people in many ways. Personally, it deepens your understanding of addiction, potentially aiding loved ones or your own journey. Professionally, it equips you with valuable knowledge and skills for higher education in related fields, like social work or psychology, if that is a field you wish to work in eventually. Practically, it provides an additional skillset relevant to diverse jobs, from healthcare to education, where supporting individuals facing substance abuse is crucial.

Regardless of your position or goal, the knowledge gained in this course empowers you to make a positive impact.

Take The Next Step

Please note, this is a knowledge-based course, so it will not qualify you as a counsellor. It is intended as the ideal introduction to this area of counselling, so you can make an educated decision as to whether this career path is the right one for you.

To become a qualified counsellor in the UK, you need to complete a core practitioner training course in counselling or psychotherapy. This must be at the minimum level of a diploma, but could also be a foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

Your training should be accredited by a professional body, such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the National Counselling Society (NCS). This will ensure that your training meets high standards of quality and competence. Your training should also include a mix of theoretical and practical elements, as well as supervised work placements.

Getting Started

This online Drug, Solvent and Alcohol Abuse Counselling knowledge-based course is delivered by learndirect, the UK’s leading online learning provider. More than 4 million learners have achieved qualifications through our online training courses.

You will study this course online via our innovative learning platform, which you will have access to 24/7. You will, therefore, have the freedom to choose your study schedule, working whenever you wish without sacrificing your commitments. What’s more, there are no time restraints, so you can complete the course at your own pace.  

Modules

Module 1: Introduction: What is Dependency or Addiction

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Explore what is meant by dependency
• Examine the role of self-esteem
• Analyse what are good detective skills

Module 2: Basic Counselling and Interview Skills

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Describe how counselling differs from other types of assistance
• Explore the vocabulary of counselling
• Identify an appreciation for listening skills
• Explore good interview skills

Module 3: The Counselling Relationship and Motivational Skills

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Introduce the importance of empathy    
• Explore what is meant by trial and error
• Identify useful motivational skills
• Describe the factors that make the best counsellors

Module 4: Drugs and the Law – Counselling the Addicted

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:                     

• Explore the difficulties of counselling the drug abuser     
• Introduce the effects of drugs    
• List the different classifications of drugs
• Identify different counselling styles         
• Evaluate counselling skills

Module 5: Comprehensive Information on Drugs – Part 1

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Analyse drug recognition             
• Explore relapse prevention          
• Explain record keeping

Module 6: Comprehensive Information on Drugs – Part 2

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Explore the more commonly abused drugs
• Examine cravings and ways to get around them 
• Introduce the ways of coping with drug related problems

Module 7: Best Counsellor Practice

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Identify what constitutes an abuse problem
• Explore the peripheral problems
• Introduce the golden rules of counselling
• Explain how to counsel when the drug ecstasy is concerned

Module 8: Detoxification and Rehabilitation of the Opiates User

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Explore the concept of detoxification
• Explain post-detoxification symptoms and their treatment
• Investigate relapse indicators
• Analyse how to cope with sleep problems

Module 9: What Counsellors Should Know About Alcohol Addiction

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:                     

• Explore the therapeutic treatment philosophy                   
• Analyse a problem drinker vs. an alcoholic           
• Investigate the different alcoholic classification systems                
• Demonstrate the problem drinker’s problems     
• Explain what tolerance means to the alcohol addict

Module 10: Conducting the Diagnostic Interview – Part 1

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Explore the importance and stages of the diagnostic interview    
• Evaluate interview techniques
• Analyse the alcoholic diagnostic interview and how it works

Module 11: Conducting the Diagnostic Interview – Part 2

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:                     

• Introduce the important factors to consider at the initial interview           
• Explore the lines of questioning to discover what is important enough to your client to induce change
• Analyse the five diagnostic stages of alcohol abuse

Module 12: Creating a Treatment Plan in Relation to Alcoholism

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Explore the benefits of treatment            
• Introduce what Alcoholics Anonymous has to offer          
• Analyse the four aspects of recovery

Module 13: Treating the Individual (Phase 1)

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:      

• Explore the differences between drinkers
• Investigate how the treatment approach should vary according to the type of drinker 
• Explore how the phases of recovery differ amongst individuals.
• Analyse the concept of charting

Module 14: In Patient Treatment Programme (Phases 2 & 3)

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:                     

• Explore optimal treatment plans for in/out-patients
• Analyse techniques for assisting your client achieve abstinence
• Explore what it can mean to give up alcohol

For a more detailed syllabus on this course, click here

Entry Requirements

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

All course fees, inclusive of all payment plans including our Premium Credit Limited option, must be settled before certification can be ordered.

*You will have access to the course for 24 months.

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

On successful completion of your course you will receive the learndirect Certificate of Completion of Training in Drug, Solvent and Alcohol Abuse Counselling.

Your course certificate will also state the number of CPD points/hours the course is eligible for.

View a sample of the certificate (opens in new window)

learndirect is one of the largest integrated providers of courses and qualifications, training, and employment services in the UK

• Each year around 6,000 businesses equip their staff for success with learndirect
• learndirect have helped more than 75,000 businesses equip their employees with the skills needed to improve productivity.
• Almost 700,000 maths and English test passes have been achieved with learndirect.
• 300,000 people fulfilled their career ambitions last year with learndirect.
• Over 250,000 apprentices have achieved with learndirect.

Career

*Please note, this is a knowledge-based course, so it will not qualify you as a counsellor.

After successfully completing the Drug, Solvent and Alcohol Abuse Counselling course, you will have gained valuable skills and knowledge you can put towards completing a core practitioner training course in counselling or psychotherapy – training that is required to qualify as a counsellor in the UK.

Should you wish to progress straight into employment on completion of this knowledge-based counselling course, your ability to recognise, understand, and support individuals suffering from substance abuse will help you secure a number of entry-level roles in this space.

These can include:

• Peer support worker
• Harm reduction worker
• Residential support worker
• Recovery advocate
• Volunteer positions in addiction support services
• Administration/coordination roles within addiction treatment services