Addiction Counseling and Treatment I

This course will provide an overview of addiction, including the addiction process, addictive disorders, treatment and recovery, relapse, self-help groups, and milieu management. Students will study theories of addiction, and gain an understanding of addiction as a brain disease and how drugs affect the physical, emotional, and social aspects of the person. Societal and cultural views of addiction will be discussed. In addition, this course will focus on assessment and treatment of families where one or more members have an addictive disorder. Topics in this area include codependency, survival strategies of family members, and family interaction patterns and communication processes. Intervention techniques will also be covered.