Addiction Counselling Course

Lesson 1 • Core Philosophy and Values

Examines dignity, autonomy, and social justice as foundational values. Connects philosophy to daily counselling decisions and client interactions.

Lesson 2 • Roles and Functions of the Counsellor

Defines the counsellor's scope of practice across direct service, advocacy, and coordination roles. Prepares students to navigate multi-role responsibilities.

Lesson 3 • History and Evolution of the Field

Traces rehabilitation counselling from early disability welfare movements to modern evidence-based practice. Provides context for understanding current professional standards.

Lesson 4 • Disability Models and Frameworks

Compares medical, social, and biopsychosocial models of disability. Equips counsellors to apply the most appropriate framework for each client situation.

Lesson 1 • Psychiatric and Behavioral Disabilities

Examines mood, psychotic, anxiety, and personality disorders within a rehabilitation context. Links symptom profiles to employment and daily living implications.

Lesson 2 • Physical and Mobility Disabilities

Covers aetiology, functional impact, and rehabilitation potential of major physical conditions. Grounds counsellors in medical literacy needed for vocational planning.

Lesson 3 • Sensory and Communication Disabilities

Reviews visual, hearing, and speech-language impairments and their vocational implications. Introduces assistive communication strategies used in counselling sessions.

Lesson 4 • Chronic Illness and Pain Conditions

Explores how chronic illness and persistent pain affect functioning, identity, and work capacity. Connects medical understanding to psychosocial counselling interventions.

Lesson 1 • Cross-Cultural Communication Skills

Teaches verbal and nonverbal communication adaptations for culturally diverse clients. Reduces misdiagnosis and misalignment caused by cultural communication differences.

Lesson 2 • Serving Underrepresented Populations

Addresses specific considerations for veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and rural clients. Equips counsellors with targeted strategies for historically underserved groups.

Lesson 3 • Disability and Culture Intersections

Examines how race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and socioeconomic status intersect with disability experience. Enables counsellors to honour multiple identity dimensions in planning.

Lesson 4 • Cultural Self-Awareness and Positionality

Guides counsellors through examining their own cultural identities, biases, and privilege. Establishes self-reflection as the prerequisite for culturally competent practice.

Lesson 1 • Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning

Equips counsellors to assess and respond to suicidal ideation, self-harm, and acute psychiatric crises. Integrates safety planning into ongoing rehabilitation case management.

Lesson 2 • Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques

Teaches identification and restructuring of maladaptive thoughts affecting rehabilitation outcomes. Provides practical tools for addressing avoidance, catastrophizing, and low self-efficacy.

Lesson 3 • Person-Centred and Humanistic Approaches

Applies Rogers' core conditions to building therapeutic alliance with rehabilitation clients. Establishes the relational foundation required for all subsequent techniques.

Lesson 4 • Acceptance and Mindfulness-Based Methods

Introduces acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness practices for chronic disability adjustment. Builds counsellor competency in third-wave behavioural interventions.

Lesson 1 • Writing the Individualised Rehabilitation Plan

Guides students through drafting measurable goals, services, timelines, and evaluation criteria. Produces a complete, client-approved rehabilitation plan document.

Lesson 2 • Vocational and Career Assessment

Introduces standardised interest, aptitude, and work values instruments used in vocational planning. Links assessment results directly to realistic occupational goal setting.

Lesson 3 • Functional and Situational Assessment

Teaches observation-based methods for evaluating real-world work behaviours and functional capacities. Bridges standardised testing with authentic performance data.

Lesson 4 • Intake and Eligibility Determination

Covers structured intake interviews, records review, and eligibility criteria for rehabilitation services. Establishes the gateway process that shapes all subsequent planning.

Lesson 1 • Job Retention and Long-Term Support

Focuses on monitoring employment stability, addressing performance issues, and planning for career advancement. Ensures counsellors support clients beyond initial job placement.

Lesson 2 • Supported Employment Models

Examines individual placement and support, customised employment, and enclave models. Equips counsellors to match clients with the appropriate level of ongoing support.

Lesson 3 • Job Development and Employer Engagement

Builds skills for marketing clients to employers and negotiating workplace accommodations. Connects counsellor outreach activities to successful placement outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Job Readiness and Pre-Employment Training

Addresses soft skills, workplace expectations, and job search competencies for clients with disabilities. Prepares counsellors to deliver or coordinate pre-employment curricula.

Lesson 1 • Community Resource Identification and Brokering

Teaches systematic mapping of community resources and referral processes across service sectors. Builds the resource network essential for comprehensive client support.

Lesson 2 • Caseload Management and Prioritisation

Introduces tools for managing large caseloads, setting service priorities, and preventing burnout. Connects efficient caseload practices to improved client outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Transition Planning Across Service Systems

Addresses transitions from school to work, hospital to community, and incarceration to reintegration. Prepares counsellors to bridge service gaps during high-risk transition periods.

Lesson 4 • Documentation and Record Keeping

Covers case note formats, progress reporting, and electronic record systems used in rehabilitation settings. Ensures legally defensible, accurate, and timely documentation practices.

Lesson 1 • Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice

Defines evidence-based practice and its three-component model in rehabilitation counselling. Establishes the rationale for integrating research, expertise, and client values.

Lesson 2 • Programme Evaluation Design

Teaches needs assessment, logic model development, and evaluation design for rehabilitation programmes. Prepares counsellors to lead or participate in formal programme reviews.

Lesson 3 • Quality Improvement and Practice Change

Applies continuous quality improvement cycles to translate evaluation findings into service enhancements. Closes the loop between data collection and sustainable practice change.

Lesson 4 • Research Literacy and Critical Appraisal

Builds skills for locating, reading, and critically evaluating rehabilitation research studies. Enables counsellors to distinguish high-quality evidence from weak or biased findings.