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Barriers to effective addiction counseling

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I am supposed to interview an addictions counselor or one specializing in compulsive behavior. However, I have not been able to locate one that wants to help. If you can help me, I would greatly appreciate it. What are some of the limits and barriers you (or may) encounter in delivering services to clients (two to three different ones), i.e. lack of insurance, proximity to clinics, legal issues, ethical issues, etc?

What barrier might you encounter in attempting to deliver treatment to two of the five following clients.

-A client whose treatment is court-ordered.
-A homeless 25-year-old sex addict.
-An addiction counselor addicted to cocaine, currently providing treatment to clients in a city-funded hospital.
-A juvenile alcoholic, living independent of his or her parents.
-A 17-year-old small-town high school football athlete with an eating disorder who has no medical insurance.

What are systems and community resources available in your area to overcome the barriers identified (two or more).

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Solution Summary

This post examines some specific addictions and the barriers to effective counseling needed in order to break the cycle of addiction. Specific examples are used. Over 900 words of original text. Since these are hypothetical cases the solution is a commentary and analysis rather than a report with documented sources.

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-A client whose treatment is court-ordered.
The primary barrier that would be encountered in this situation is one of motivation. If the client is not seeking help of their own free will, the results are almost always temporary at best. Just as a person who does not believe they are lost will not ask for directions, so a person who does not think they have a problem with addiction will not ask for help in breaking free from the addiction. In a situation such as this where the court has ordered that the individual seek help, there will likely be a resistance to change. The client will see the court as the primary oppressor however they will likely transfer those feelings from the court to me as their counselor. They did not seek me out therefore in a way I am responsible for their loss of freedom and for their required participation in their sessions with me.

-A homeless 25-year-old sex addict.
There are numerous barriers in this situation. The fact that they are homeless makes regular consultations problematic. How will they get transportation to come and see me? Will they be aware of the time and be able to keep appointments? As a counselor I will need to determine whether their homeless condition exacerbates their addiction or is an independent factor. If their sex addiction is impacted by their homelessness I will need to decide ...

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