Course 415 - Session One

Course 415 - Session One
Materials used in this session:
/ Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide - by Ron Perkinson
/ Complete Study Guide - This file contains the complete study guide in PDF format.
/ Study Guide Professional Practices Intro
Learning Objectives for this Session:
·  To introduce the student to the content and purpose of this course.
·  To give the student an opportunity to become acquainted with the instructor and other students who are involved in this course.
Learning Projects for this Session:
Exercise 1 / Learn more about your professor for this course.
/ MelodyKipp
Life and Work Solutions
Orlando, FL
Then, read the Course 415 Syllabus.
Before beginning any other assignment, print the syllabus for future reference.
Exercise 2 / Please read the Introduction to Professional Practices in your Study Guide. Read the Preface of your text: Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide by Ron Perkinson.
Consider the following questions:
·  What is my idea of counseling?
·  How would I define “counseling?”
·  What are my expectations of the counseling process?
·  What am I, as the counselor, supposed to do?
·  What do I believe the client is supposed to do?
·  What do you believe will be difficult about counseling people with a chemical dependence?
·  What part of this type of “job” do you think will be rewarding for you?
1.  Write a 2 to 3 page reflective paper and submit it to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #1
Exercise 3 / In the Preface, Perkinson (2002) also noted that there are new medications are being developed and utilized in the chemical dependency field. He stated that “counselors need to keep up on new medications and use them whenever possible to maximize recovery” (p. xvii). Some counselors, especially those who are Christian, are against utilizing medications for chemical addictions.
·  What are your beliefs regarding using medications to treat chemical addictions?
·  What does Perkinson say is the most important thing any counselor can give to his or her patients? Do you agree or disagree?
1.  Reflect on the questions and post your reaction to the class discussion board.
2.  Respond to at least two other learners.
Exercise 4 / For this week's Class Bulletin Board posting: Introduce yourself to the rest of the class. Be sure to include in your message:
·  Your name.
·  The ministry or agency with which you are affiliated.
·  Your job title and duties (if applicable).
·  How you found your way to the ministry or agency.
·  A brief note about how you came to know Christ.
·  What you hope to get out of this course.
·  And, any other personal information you'd like to share.
·  Finally, ask a question of the instructor about anything regarding urban ministry.

These Assignments are due on
Course 415 - Session Two
Materials used in this session:
/ Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide - by Ron Perkinson
/ Complete Study Guide - This file contains the complete study guide in PDF format.
/ Screening - Dr. Melody Kipp
/ Study Guide Chapter 1
/ Substance Related Disorders
Learning Objectives for this Session:
·  Learn to list and implement various methods of beginning and maintaining the therapeutic alliance.
·  Begin to select and implement various screening and comprehensive assessment instruments that will be sensitive to the client’s needs and best determine client pathology and severity of addictions.
·  Introduce the student to the psychopathology related to addictions
Learning Projects for this Session:
Exercise 1 / Read Chapter 1: The First Hours of Chemical Dependency Counseling: APractical Guide by Perkinson. Answer the questions in your Study Guide.
1.  Submit answers to questions to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #2
Exercise 2 / The initial impressions made between the counselor and the client can be crucial to building a good, trusting therapeutic alliance. Some people are more outgoing thus better with “first meetings” and build rapport seemingly without effort, whereas others are more reticent and seem to have to work at building trust and rapport.
·  Where do you fall in that continuum?
·  Do you easily build rapport or does it take more effort on your part?
·  Practice “Making Initial Contact” with several people you do not know where you initiate the interaction.
·  Write about your experiences. Reflect on the ease at which you felt taking the initiative.
o  What made it easy?
o  What made it difficult?
o  Do you believe that the “easiness” was about you or the other person?
1.  Submit your answers to your instructor in 2 to 3 pages.
Submit Assignment #3
Exercise 3 / Do an Internet search using the phrase “DSM-IV-TR.”
·  Read and click through the various sites.
Look at the DSM-IV-TR Disorders PDF
·  What do you think about the number of different substance-related diagnoses?
·  Did you know there were these distinctions in “diagnoses?”
·  What difference do you think the different diagnoses will make in your job as the counselor?
1.  Post your answers to the class discussion board.
2.  Respond to at least 2 other learners.
Exercise 4 / Read Appendices 1 through 6 in Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide by Perkinson.
·  Conduct an Internet search on the various screening tools listed in appendices 1 through 6.
·  Continue your search on the Internet for other screening tools that are not listed in your text.
1.  Report your findings about the screening tools.
2.  Post your answers to the class discussion board.
3.  Respond to at least 2 other learners.

These Assignments are due on
Course 415 - Session Three
Materials used in this session:
/ Biopsychosocial Assessment
/ Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide - by Ron Perkinson
/ Complete Study Guide - This file contains the complete study guide in PDF format.
/ Study Guide Chapter 2
Learning Objectives for this Session:
The Biopsychosocial assessment process is complex. It takes much study to become closely acquainted with the instrument and demands practice to become a skilled and proficient interviewer. Session Three is continued into Session Four.
·  Learn to summarize findings from the implementation of the screening and assessment instruments into a narrative format.
·  Understand the Biopsychosocial assessment process and its relevance to treatment.
·  Gain the experience of conducting a Biopsychosocial assessment.
Learning Projects for this Session:
Exercise 1 / Read Chapter 2: The Biopsychosocial Interview in Chemical DependencyCounseling: A Practical Guide by Perkinson. Answer the questions in your Study Guide.
1.  Submit answers to questions to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #4
Exercise 2 / Perkinson (2002) stated that you should be “relaxed” as you begin the biopsychosocial assessment process. The biopsychosocial may seem to be an overwhelming task to many counselors, especially beginning therapists.
·  What do you think will help you to be relaxed during your first assessment?
·  Do you think it will be “fun” as Perkinson suggested?
1.  Post your answers for your fellow learners on the discussion board.
2.  Respond to at least 2 other learners.
Exercise 3 / Download and print the Biopsychosocial Assessment. Read through the assessment and make notes of the information that is gathered during the interview.
Exercise 4 / 1.  Watch the video clip of the Biopsychosocial assessment.
2.  Write a 2 to 3 page reaction paper about the assessment and submit it to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #5
Exercise 5 / Becoming a skilled interviewer takes practice, practice, and more practice. Conducting Biopsychosocial assessments also takes flexibility: the ability to follow your client’s lead all the while you are “directing” the interview.
(Please be easy on yourself: You will not be “skilled” after just one or two interviews.)
·  To begin developing your assessment skills, use yourself as your first “guinea pig.” Make a copy of the Biopsychosocial Assessment in Appendix 32 on page 385 of your text. Complete the assessment using yourself as your “client.”
·  While you are completing the assessment, read pages 24 through 29 of your text. Notice that there are questions to help you gain necessary information about the client. Ask yourself those questions. Pay attention to how you “ask” and “answer” those questions.
·  Read over your completed Biopsychosocial.

These Assignments are due on
Course 415 - Session Four
Materials used in this session:
/ Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide - by Ron Perkinson
/ Complete Study Guide - This file contains the complete study guide in PDF format.
/ Substance Related Disorders
Learning Objectives for this Session:
The Biopsychosocial assessment process is complex. It takes much study to become closely acquainted with the instrument and demands practice to become a skilled and proficient interviewer. Session Four is a continuation of Session Three.
·  Summarize findings from the implementation of the screening and assessment instruments into a narrative format.
·  Understand the Biopsychosocial assessment process.
·  Gain the experience of conducting a Biopsychosocial assessment.
Learning Projects for this Session:
Exercise 1 / Imagine yourself sitting in a comfortable chair in your office. You are relaxed and ready to begin the Biopsychosocial Interview with the client sitting across from you.
·  What will you say to the client as you begin the Biopsychosocial Interview?
·  Are you nervous? If so why? If not, why not?
1.  Post your ideas to the discussion board.
2.  Discuss different ways to begin the interview with your fellow learners.
3.  Respond to at least 3 of your fellow learners.
Exercise 2 / Look at the sample Biopsychosocial Interview in Appendix 32 on page 385. Make a copy of it and this time, practice by conducting an interview with a friend or family member who pretends he or she is having a problem with alcohol and/or drugs and is seeking treatment for the first time. (Allow 2 or more hours of uninterrupted time to complete the interview).
After you have completed the practice interview, reflect on these questions:
·  How did you feel after the interview was completed?
·  What part of the interview was effortless for you?
·  What part required more effort than you thought?
·  Where do you believe you could improve?
·  Ask the person you interviewed to give you some constructive feedback on how they felt during the interview and what they thought went well and what could use improvement.
·  Watch thevideoclip and listen to others process their interview experiences.
1.  Submit your assignment to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #6
Exercise 3 / Look at the completed Sample Biopsychosocial Interview in Appendix 7 on page 249-253 or your text. You may also want to enlist the help of a seasoned professional counselor to observe you conducting the Biopsychosocial interview. That person could then offer you more constructive criticism that will help you improve your clinical skills. Using that sample as a guide, write a narrative summary of your interview using the following headings:
·  Patient Name
·  Demographic Data
·  Chief Complaint
·  History of the Present Illness
·  Past History
·  Medical History
·  Family History
·  Mental Status
1.  Submit your narrative summary to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #7
Exercise 4 / Based on the information gathered during the Biopsychosocial Interview, a diagnosis is determined by consulting the
DSM-IV-TR.
Please note that only trained and licensed professional counselors are able to diagnose an individual with a mental health or substance use disorder.
·  Refer back to your Internet search using the phrase “DSM-IV-TR” in week 2.
·  Look under the classification of substance related disorders.
·  Note the differences between substance abuse and substance dependence.
·  Do you believe your pretend client has a substance abuse or substance dependence classification?
·  What specific criteria did you use to reach that conclusion?
1.  Submit your answers to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #8
Exercise 5

These Assignments are due on
Course 415 - Session Five
Materials used in this session:
/ Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide - by Ron Perkinson
/ Complete Study Guide - This file contains the complete study guide in PDF format.
/ Study Guide Chapter 3
Learning Objectives for this Session:
·  Learn to plan the proper course of treatment for individual clients which will include identifying and defining the client’s problems and devising goals, objectives, and interventions to help return the client to normal functioning.
·  Gain knowledge of therapeutic and supportive resources in their community to help clients achieve and maintain recovery.
·  Document all aspects of the client’s treatment from the client’s initial screening through to discharge from program.
Learning Projects for this Session:
Exercise 1 / Read Chapter 3: The Treatment Plan in Chemical Dependency Counseling: A Practical Guide by Perkinson.
1.  Answer the questions in your Key Learning Guide.
2.  Submit answers to questions to your instructor.
Submit Assignment #9
Exercise 2 / Look at the biopsychosocial you completed on your friend or family member. Develop three problem statements and describe the evidence you found that supports the problems you listed. Identify what the client needs to do to return to normal functioning and identify three goals.
·  What two questions will help you develop treatment goals?