C. COUNSELING FAMILIES, COUPLES, AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS  

1. Understand the characteristics and dynamics of families, couples, and significant others affected by substance use.

Knowledge

1. Dynamics associated with substance use, abuse, and dependence in families, couples, and significant others.
2. Impact of interaction patterns on substance use behaviors.
3. Cultural factors related to the impact of substance use disorders on families, couples, and significant others.
4. Systems theory and dynamics.
5. Signs and patterns of domestic violence.
6. Impacts of substance use behaviors on interaction patterns.

Skills

1. Identifying systemic interactions that are likely to affect recovery.
2. Recognizing the roles of significant others within the clientís social system.
3. Recognizing potential for and signs and symptoms of domestic violence.

Attitudes

1. Recognition of non-constructive family behaviors as systemic issues.
2. Appreciation of the role systemic interactions plays in substance use behavior.
3. Appreciation for diverse cultural factors that influence characteristics and dynamics of families, couples and significant others.

 

2. Be familiar with and appropriately use models of diagnosis and intervention for families, couples, and significant others, including extended, kinship, or tribal family structures.    

Knowledge

1. Intervention strategies appropriate for systems at varying stages of problem development and resolution.
2. Intervention strategies appropriate for violence against persons.
3. Laws and resource regarding violence against persons.
4. Culturally appropriate family intervention strategies.
5. Appropriate and available assessment tools for use with families, couples, and significant others.

Skills

1. Applying assessment tools for use with families, couples, and significant others.
2. Applying culturally appropriate intervention strategies.

Attitudes

1. Recognition of the validity of viewing the system as the client, while respecting the rights and needs of individuals.
2. Appreciation for the diversity found in families, couples, and significant others.

 

3. Facilitate the engagement of selected members of the family, couple, or significant others in the treatment and recovery process.   

Knowledge

1. How to apply appropriate confidentiality regulations.
2. Methods for engaging members of the family, couple, or significant others to focus on their own concerns when the substance abuser is not ready to participate.

Skills

1. Working within the bounds of confidentiality regulations.
2. Identifying goals based on both individual and systemic concerns.
3. Using appropriate therapeutic interventions with system members that address established treatment goals.

Attitudes

1. Recognition of the usefulness of working with those individual systems members who are personally ready to participate in the counseling process.
2. Respect for confidentiality regulations.

 

4. Assist families, couples, and significant others to understand the interaction between the family system and substance use behaviors. 

Knowledge

1. The impact of family interaction patterns on substance use.
2. The impact of substance use on family interaction patterns.
3. Theory and research literature outlining systemic interventions in psychoactive substance abuse situations, including violence against persons.

Skills

1. Describing systemic issues constructively to families, couples, and significant others.
2. Teaching system members to identify and interrupt harmful interaction patterns.
3. Helping system members practice and evaluate alternate interaction patterns.

Attitudes

1. Appreciation for the complexities of counseling families, couples, and significant others.

 

5. Assist families, couples, and significant others to adopt strategies and behaviors that sustain recovery and maintain healthy relationships. 

Knowledge

1. Healthy behavioral patterns for families, couples, and significant others.
2. Empirically based systemic counseling strategies associated with recovery.
3. Stages of recovery for families, couples, and significant others.

Skills

1. Assisting system members to identify and practice behaviors designed to resolve the crises brought about by changes in substance use behaviors.
2. Assisting family members to identify and practice behaviors associated with long-term maintenance of healthy interactions.

Attitudes

1. Appreciation for a variety of approaches in working with families, couples, and significant others.

 

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Email: no@nattc.org | Revised March 1998