Effective substance abuse counselors must be in touch with their own personal, often unconscious, attitudes and biases in order to minimize the impacts these things can have on the diagnosis and treatment process. It is human nature to judge others, but substance abuse counselors are obligated to put certain attitudes and biases aside for the benefit of the client and for the sake of their own professional effectiveness.
Read the Final Project Case Study PDF document and jot down notes as you wish.
Create a journal assignment and discuss at least two of the following, focusing on your personal beliefs, attitudes, and biases and their historical and current underpinnings:
The “culture of abuse” Joe grew up with
The “culture of drug abuse” he experienced
The “gay culture” he is currently embedded in
The increasing frequency and amount of drug use
Joe’s attitude toward past counseling
Also answer this question: Does Joe relapse or does he fail? Explain your answer.
Review the Biopsychosocial Assessment instrument. Then return to your journal assignment and list any questions you have. Your instructor will review your questions and provide you with feedback.
