Course Fee: $855 (Canadian currency)
This practical, informative diploma course is designed to enhance the student’s understanding of addictions, and recovery from addictions. It will give you crucial insights and teach you techniques to help your clients break the addictive cycle, and avoid the danger of relapse.
Specifically, this course will address the following: Introduction to addictions; a drug or alcohol addiction; a gambling addiction; eating addictions; compulsive spending; sexual addiction; internet and gaming addictions; understanding how addictions develop; breaking free from an addiction; staying addiction free; co-occurring disorders; addictions and the family; treating addictions.
SYLLABUS
Part 1
Module 1: Introduction to Addictions
Topics Studied
• Defining and categorising addictions
• Who is at risk?
• The stages of an addiction
• How addictions can affect an individual’s life
• The impact on the children
• The Preoccupation and Impact Scale
• Treatment options
• What is counselling?
• The core counsellor qualities
• Counselling microskills
• Brushing up on skills: Effective listening
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Determine who might develop an addiction.
• Explain how a habit becomes an addiction.
• Analyse the basic conditions for effective counselling.
Module 2: An Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Topics Studied
• Alcohol and alcoholism
• Contributing factors to an alcohol addiction
• The addict, the family, and co-dependency
• Symptoms of an alcohol dependency
• Diagnosing an addiction
• Contributing factors to a drug addiction
• Symptoms of a drug dependency
• Warning signs of a drug addiction
• How addictions can affect your life
• Prescription drug addiction and abuse
• Counselling skills practice
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• State how alcohol works on the body.
• Discuss the possible causes of an alcohol or drug addiction.
• Appraise the consequences of a drug addiction.
Module 3: A Gambling Addiction
Topics Studied
• What are the different forms of gambling?
• Self-awareness questionnaire
• What is compulsive gambling?
• Types of problem gambler
• The phases of problem gambling
• Contributing factors to a gambling addiction
• Assessment tools
• The road to change and recovery
• Essential counsellor skills: Developing a feelings vocabulary
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Review the different forms of gambling.
• Connect the different phases of problem gambling.
• Propose possible causes of a gambling addiction.
Module 4: Eating Addictions and Compulsive Spending
Topics Studied
• What is a food addiction?
• Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder
• Indentifying the warning signs of
• Contributing factors
• Health consequences
• Treatment and recovery
• Retail therapy or a true addiction?
• Warning signs of a compulsive shopper
• Developing preventative strategies
• Breaking free from a shopping addiction
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Discuss the warning signs of anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
• Describe the health consequences of anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
• Appraise what is meant by binge eating disorder.
Module 5: A Sexual Addiction
Topics Studied
• The causes of a sexual addiction
• The role of genes and biochemistry
• Identifying the warning signs
• The addiction cycle
• The consequences of a sexual addiction
• Treatment and recovery
• Cybersex
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Recognise the cyclical nature of a sexual addiction.
• Present the consequences of a sexual addiction.
• Critique the key components of cybersex.
Module 6: Internet and Gaming Addictions
Topics Studied
• Symptoms of an internet addiction
• What needs are being met on the internet?
• Types of internet addiction
• How male and female addicts differ
• Factors which increase the risk of addiction
• Children and the internet
• Tips and guidelines for parents
• Treatment and recovery
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Review the different types of internet addiction.
• Interpret the differences between male and female addicts.
• Compile tips for parents who are dealing with an internet or gaming addiction.
Part 2
Module 1: An Overview of Addictions
Topics Studied
• Reviewing the signs that indicate we are addicted
• How we get drawn in
• Understanding the many faces of addiction
• Some secondary gains which may be driving an addiction
• What we learned about addictions from the Vietnam war
• Addiction assessment questionnaires
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Summarize the stages associated with being drawn into an addiction.
• Discuss key factors which shape and influence the development of an addiction.
• List some of the secondary gains which may be driving an addiction.
Module 2: Breaking Free of An Addiction
Topics Studied
• Breaking through denial
• Should I quit: Making the decision
• Assessing level of commitment to quitting
• Choosing to take care of the child within
• Turning the decision into action
• What to expect in the early stages of recovery
• Some online recovery resources
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Discuss the importance of breaking through denial.
• Describe the active steps for turning good intentions into recovery.
• Outline what a recovering addict may experience during the process of recovery.
Module 3: Staying Addiction Free
Topics Studied
• Myths about relapse
• Understanding the relapse chain
• Reducing your vulnerability to relapse
• Some coping skills for dealing with reality
• How to manage painful feelings
• The three key elements of self-compassion
• The self-observation check list
• Recovering from a slip
• Important counsellor characteristics
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Discuss key myths related to relapse.
• Suggest ways of reducing your vulnerability to relapse.
• Describe coping skills for dealing with reality, and also for managing painful feelings.
Module 4: Co-Occurring Disorders
Topics Studied
• Which comes first: mental illness or addiction?
• Anxiety-related disorders
• Mood-related disorders
• Personality disorders
• The need for an integrated treatment plan
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Debate the relationship between mental illness and addiction.
• Describe some anxiety-related disorders which sometimes co-exist with addictions.
• Describe some mood disorders which sometimes co-exist with addictions.
Module 5: Addictions and the Family
Topics Studied
• Interactional patterns in addicted families
• Supporting families where a partner or spouse is addicted
• Supporting families where a parent is addicted, and children are living in the home
• Supporting families where an elderly parent is addicted
• Supporting families where an adult child is addicted
• Addict family roles and traits
• Enabling and co-dependency
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Describe some common interactional patterns observed in addicted families.
• Discuss addict family roles and traits.
• Summarize what is meant by enabling and co-dependency.
Module 6: Treatment for Addictions
Topics Studied
• Treating substance abuse
• Long-term residential treatment programs
• Short-term residential treatment programs
• Outpatient treatment programs
• Individualized drug counselling
• Group counselling
• CBT and recovery
• Exploring automatic thoughts and core beliefs
• CBT treatment tools: The DRDT
• 12 Step programs
• Understanding the need to grieve
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Suggest different ways of treating substance abuse.
• Discuss how CBT can be helpful in recovery.
• Outline the key components of 12 step groups.
Suggested textbook for the course (to be purchased by the student)
Perkinson, R.R., Jongsma Jr, M.E., & Bruce, T.J. (2014). The addiction treatment planner: Includes DSM-5 Updates (5th Ed.). London: John Wiley & Sons.