Perspective and Summary Perspective The above research conclusions support the following perspective regarding counselling clients with substance abuse problems. Counsellors, to be effective, first must have the ability to develop an open, collaborative relationship with clients wherein clients perceive trust and commitment. Carl Rogers identifies, and research supports, this ability as related to the counsellor’s skill in conveying, in interaction with clients, unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding (Austin, 1999). Within this relationship, the counsellor must provide focus for the process by addressing the client's presenting problems directly and identifying client need for change. Counsellors of clients with substance abuse problems often find this process difficult because of the chronic nature of interrelated destructive …show more content…
It is the most prevalent mind disorder, encompassing some 40 percent of the diagnoses in the DSM (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994), the number one continuing health problem, and the number one prison problem in the United States (Inaba, Cohen, & Holstein, 1997). Yet, school, rehabilitation, and mental health counsellor education programs do not require expertise in this area as a prerequisite to receiving a degree. Given this, a need exists to implement strategies to insure that all counsellors have expertise in this area. This digest focuses on identification of counselling outcome research implications for counselling individuals with substance abuse problems. The following conclusions regarding counselling individuals with substance abuse problems have been highlighted. All counsellors, no matter what work setting or clientele, will counsel individuals with presenting or related problems of substance abuse. Counsellors counsel and empower individuals with substance abuse problems versus treat the substance abuse