Substance Abuse Case Study: Intervention Strategies and Ethical Issues

This case study delves into the application of counseling and intervention techniques for substance abuse, focusing on a client named Talia and considering her cultural and linguistic background. It identifies the SADQ as an appropriate screening tool and formulates a case assessment, outlining potential challenges like relapse and the importance of social support. The study details initial interventions, such as involving family and friends, and rationalizes the use of motivational therapy to foster self-directed improvement. Referrals to qualified medical professionals are suggested for medication needs. The approach to relapse prevention emphasizes coping strategies and understanding triggers. Finally, it addresses ethical issues like data privacy and professional competency, referencing relevant codes of ethics. This resource is available for students looking for similar case studies and solved assignments on Desklib.

Running head: MANAGEMENT COUNCELLING
MANAGEMENT COUNCELLING
Student’s Name
University Name
Author note

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Introduction
There various intervention techniques and the focuses on the counseling and treatment
are preferred as it helps the victims of drug abuse get over the illness he or she is facing.
Counseling and treatment is essential to get over the addiction which is harmful for the victim.
it presents the basic concepts and theory and techniques which are applied during the process of
counseling. The inventions used are efficacious as secondary prevention strategy by indigenous
counselors.It is important to understand the treatment and gather knowledge in order to improve
the prospects for professional collaboration. Denial is a strategy to maintain stability. The major
cause of drug addiction is mostly genetic and environmental. In the given case study, Talia has
been influenced by her friends and engaged into drinking (Jarvis, Tet al., 2005). The main
purpose of counseling is to address the cause of the addiction and treat to prevent it. Counseling
would help Talia to handle the withdrawal from drinking and her cravings. The theories and
concepts will be effective during the counseling and therapy of treating the drug addiction
(Miller, 1998).
The essay considers the factors which are relevant to the Talia’s culture and language
background. It determines the appropriate screening tool to assess Talia. The report identifies the
challenges Talia would face and the potential supports for recovery further, it describes the
interventions used with the client. It determines the substance abuse counseling model that would
be used. Lastly, it describes my approach to prevent relapse and identify ethical issues which
would be used by me referring the relevant code of ethics.

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Discussion
 Factors relevant to Talia’s cultural and language background
From the given scenario, I assume that Talia has been under the pressure of her friends. Due to
excessive peer pressure, Talia have engaged into drinking with her friends on weekends. Her
friends influence her to the degree in which she falls unconscious. Further, I have analyzed that
Talia’s cultural problems have been a relevant factor to her drinking habits (Nardi, et al., 2013).
She is concerned about confidentiality, which shows that she is unable or is uncomfortable to
discuss things with her family members or the community. This increases her level of anxiety
and thereby engages more into drinking habits. Talia needs to share her joys and sorrows which
she is unable to do with her family or the community. This be the main factors why she socialize
with her friends going on the weekends, indulge in drinking, as it has become a place to vent her
sorrows or her pent up emotions.
 An appropriate screening tool that could be used to assess Talia
Screening is the initial stage of treatment and counseling. During the screening and the intake
process, the client forms her first impression. During this process the actual information is
gathered from the client (Jarvis, Tet al., 2005). The tone of treatment and counseling begins by
forming positive relationship with the client. Meta analysis is also used to reduce alcohol
consumption of the indigenous young people. The procedure for screening determines whether
the client will be requiring further assessment, it also ensures that the client receives a thorough
assessment (Nardi, et al., 2013). I have used a professional designed screening tool that is SADQ
(severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire) which helps to precisely establish the way to

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score responses of the Talia. It consists of patterns of questions which scores the particular
possible problem faced by Talia. The protocol provides details of actions accessed from Talia
and the scores in the positive range. The standard forms documents the results of screening
process. The screening process reveals the involvement of Talia with the alcohol and drugs. It
would provide detail of the substances that have affected the life of Talia. Some of the important
domains to screening includes: substance abuse, the risks involved to serious intoxication or
withdrawing, it assess the risks of self harming, violence or suicide, the health screenings, the
present and past mental disorders and other anxiety disorders such as mood and eating habits
(Patterson, et al., 2004). However, there is a critical barrier to the screening tool used, there are
high chances of failure in the process of screening and detect the risk involved by the indigenous
young person. Therefore it is a risk factor for the indigenous people consuming drugs.
 Assessment and case formulation of the client
Case formation and assessment implies gathering relevant information about the client regarding
the factors which might be required to plan the process of treatment(Swan & Tyssen, 2009). In
order to do so effectively, I have to consider the board range of issues and challenges and
identify the supports required for the recovery of my client. The potential challenges which
affect the drug abuser and her mental health conditions are highly influenced by interaction of
biological, psychological and the social factors. These factors affect the client’s ability to
recover. In the process of assessment and case formulation, I have considered wide range of
factors including the history of her addiction to alcohol and drugs, her physical and mental

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conditions, her family history and socio-cultural issues. Talia’s abilities such as spirituality,
ethnicity, and her social and economic status and cognitive abilities are also considered. The
major challenge that can be faced by Talia is relapse, it is one of the biggest challenges many
addicts face during the recovery phase, cravings, anxiety, stress, and old acquaintances can be
potential challenges faced by Talia (Swan & Tyssen, 2009). Since Talia have agreed to go to the
rehab, it will help Talia to establish her life skills and modify her unhealthy behavior. She would
develop and establish peer support group system which will help her firmly root to her sobriety.
However this method of counseling might affect indigenous people as there are social problems
and family problems involved which they might not want to discuss. Hence this counseling
method can affect the indigenous people. (Straussner, et al.,2013).
Further, I will create a strong bond with Talia and be her therapeutic alliance. This is to
provide support to her and generate trust with me as a counselor (Tolliver & Anton, 2015).
Having strong alliance with me will allow Talia, to feel vulnerable on sorting out problems and
work efficiently together she is highly in needs to moral and metal support to get rid of her
problems, hence being a trustworthy counselor will help Talia overcome her problems.
 The interventions used with the client in initial meeting and rationale for the use of
the intervention
The purpose of intervention is to help and support the affected person get into recovery and
rehabilitation (Swan & Tyssen, 2009). The intervention groups enlisted by me are family
members of Talia and her close friends. Questionnaire was prepared to acquire the details of
troubles and difficulties faced by the Talia. The rationale behind the use of this intervention
strategy is to prepare intense moments during the confrontation with the client. I will be
educating the participating members about addiction and addiction recovery; this will help the

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client to overcome her problems. Someone who is addicted to drug might not notice their actions
affected their near and dear ones. The intervening members will help Talia trigger the moment of
clarity by explaining her the ways she has troubled them (Rowe, 2013). The presence of the
intervening members is required to keep environment peaceful and productive.
 Description of the substance abuse model and the rationale for its use
I will use Motivational therapy, and motivational interviewing model as an approach to
indigenous counseling. This is an effective model suitable for indigenous counseling. This would
be used to reduce the risks and other potential self harm, destructive ad risky behavior of the
client. This model is particular used to improve the engagement of the client and the process of
retention in the recovery treatment program (Wetherill & Tapert, 2013). The concept of
motivational therapy is used, as Talia is highly in need of support and she cares about
confidentiality, she has things to share which cannot be shared with her family and community. I
have used this therapy as it is fairly risk free, and it can lead towards improvement in the
behavior in maximum cases. This model or therapy is particularly used as it allows the
indigenous client to decide the need to change while it offers motivation, empathy and much
needed support to the addicted person and leads to self directed improvement (Tolliver & Anton,
2015).
It is a therapy model which is often used for the treatment of addiction and drug abuse.
Applying this model enables the client to undergo a comprehensive assessment. The assessment
is used by the client to have a better understanding of the problematic behavior and pattern of
drug abuse (Enos, & Raths, 2009). The sessions involved in this therapy model will help Talia,
to find motivation to change on her own these unhealthy habits.

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 Referrals to other services that is taken, along with a rationale for the referral
The client might be facing severe mental health issues during the process of counseling
therefore; I would refer to a qualified medical health professional. Since Talia is under the
influence of drugs and alcohol abuse, I would refer to her a suitable qualified professional to take
the help she would need (Gregorowski, et al., 2013). Referring to the health care professional is
required for medication purposes, which is beyond the scope of the counselor; the rationale
behind referring to other service is that Talia being an Australian would encounter challenges
such as trauma and other health problem which in extreme case would require medication from
the health experts. Medication with proper therapy will help Talia to overcome her drug
addiction (Jarvis, Tet al., 2005).
 Discussion of my approach to relapse prevention
I will be developing strategies in order to cope with the high risk situations that can be faced by
my client. The relapse prevention therapy will be used to limit the relapses and will help Talia to
anticipate the circumstances that can provoke the relapses (Patterson, et al., 2004). The client
will be provided with sufficient knowledge about the circumstances that she is exposed to, which
can trigger relapses and prompt cravings. She needs to know about the certain situations, people,
places which are associated with her pleasurable feeling of addiction. The therapy will team my
client to place the relapse in certain proper perspective. I will be using my skills and knowledge
to assist Talia in modifying her behavior and help her to identify the things and situation which
compels and influence her towards drugs which is external rather than internal (Straussner, et
al.,2013). It is highly essential to assess the risk situations in order to ensure the possible triggers
of relapse. There are certain factors such as environment stressors and personality characteristics
which can make the indigenous clients vulnerable to drug and alcohol addiction. Training will be

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provided to Talia, which will help her to learn as an individual to create necessary changes in her
behavior as well as guiding her when she experience lapses.
 Identify ethical issues likely to be faced in counseling the client, referring to relevant
codes of ethics.
The ethical issues faced by the counselor are data privacy interpretations, personal problems and
conflicts, boundaries of professional competency, interpersonal boundaries (Brown, 2004).
Concerning the privacy issue, I would assure in their initial visits, that they must receive details
about th information concerning their ethical and legal rights, confidentiality and privacy. It must
be noted that the client must be assured that they can talk confidently without the fear of being
her private information disclosed. However, there are areas in which the counselor faces ethical
dilemmas about confidentiality (Jarvis, Tet al., 2005). As a counselor, I must maintain certain
professional boundaries. There must be ethical behavior between the counselor and the client.
However, counseling the indigenous client might face ethical issues in honestly on assess their
level of competency, ability and skill. The personal issues might be faced while counseling.
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be concluded that there are various factors such as client’s culture and
background which is relevant for unhealthy habits of the client. Appropriate screening tools must
be used to gather information and knowledge about the client. I have identified the potential
challenges for recovery stage and the supports needed for recovery. The intervention groups that
are used have been identified. The description about the counseling model used has been
provided. The description of the referrals has been used and has identified the ethical issues
which are likely to be faced by the counselor.

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