Counselling

Overview of the service  

The counselling service is specifically suited to individuals who wish to explore problem areas in their lives regarding their own, or a significant other’s, drug or alcohol use. Counselling helps people to explore the underlying reasons for their substance misuse. In so doing it enables clients to gain an understanding of their use in the context of their lifestyle. It helps clients to explore and identify options for change and to work towards a more satisfying life. It also helps individuals to develop a range of coping strategies so that they are able to respond to life problems without harmful substance use.

Suitable clients are typically offered six sessions after which their progress on agreed goals is reviewed. The counsellor and client next decide whether to terminate the counselling or to continue with additional sessions. Usually, counselling is reviewed after each additional six sessions. A maximum number of 24 sessions are available for each counselling episode.

Aims and Objectives

Counselling aims to help clients resolve the underlying factors that contribute to their own, or a significant other’s, drug and/or alcohol use. In this it aims to help clients to develop a more satisfying life without substance misuse.

It achieves these aims by helping clients to (a) understand the underlying functions of their substance use; (b) identify options for change, set goals to achieve change, and to support the implementation of change; and (c) to increase the awareness of high-risk situations and develop coping strategies to prevent relapse.

 

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