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COUN Courses:
COUN 8728 - Substance Abuse Counseling

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(5 credits)

The impact of substance abuse on the lives of people with addictions, and the lives of their families, makes for a highly complex and challenging area of mental health counseling. Counselors working with these individuals must possess a comprehensive understanding of the background, controversies, and current approaches in regard to the treatment of substance abuse. In this course, students examine psychological aspects of addictions involving alcohol, prescription medications, and illegal substances. They also examine current research in the field of dependency and addiction. Students engage in a variety of conceptual and application-based assignments on diagnosing patients, choosing among models of treatment, planning treatment, using group and family treatment plans, and ensuring treatment efficacy. They also consider strategies to promote change, including the trans-theoretical model of behavior change.

*Students may take this as a non-degree course, which means they do not have to be enrolled in a program. Contact an enrollment specialist [1-866-492-5336 (U.S.);1-443-627-7222 (toll)] for more information or visit School of Lifelong Learning for more information.