Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 1
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Unit Outline
COUN2041: Alcohol and Other Drugs
Counselling
Unit description
This unit introduces a framework for substance abuse counselling by providing an
overview of national policy and counselling approaches in this complex field. Students
will develop skills in assessment and refe
al, intervention planning for a range of client
presentations, and relapse prevention. An understanding of the impacts of alcohol and
other drug use on families, Indigenous communities and people from culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds will be developed. A comparison of the effectiveness
of the major counselling theories used in the field, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Psychodynamic Therapy, is
provided. Principles for working with involuntary clients and clients with concu
ent
conditions are also presented. Finally, important areas of professional practice for alcohol
and other drug counsellors, boundaries and self-care, are addressed. Throughout this
unit, students will be encouraged to reflect on their personal values and attitudes towards
substance abuse, which will influence your counselling practice in the field of alcohol and
other drugs counselling.
Course(s) Bachelor of Counselling (BCouns)
Bachelor of Counselling Coaching (BCounsCo)
Core / Elective Core – Bcouns
Elective - BCounsCo
Workload (hours per
week)
9
Credit points 6
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 2
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Unit learning outcomes
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
a) understand and apply the concepts of substance use and abuse to case studies
) explain the interactions between individual drug use and the social context
c) develop specific assessment and refe
al skills for working effectively with clients
who present with substance use, abuse and dependency issues
d) identify the major treatment options available in the field and their evidence base
e) match treatment options to individual client needs
f) analyse the impacts on families of substance use and abuse
g) identify special needs groups, communities and clients, including ATSI and CALD
communities and develop evidence based interventions to meet their needs
h) discuss cu
ent practice issues for alcohol and other drugs counsellors, including
oundaries and self-care
i) develop strategies for relapse prevention
Textbook
The textbook for this unit is:
Stevens, P., & Smith, R. L XXXXXXXXXXSubstance abuse counseling: Theory and practice (New
International 5th ed.). Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education.
Recommended readings
The twelve sections of unit cu
iculum direct students to readings in the online classroom
for this unit. These readings are selected from journals and books that provide additional
information or a different perspective on topics covered in each section. They are from a
ange of authorities and expand the content of this unit.
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 3
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Studying for this unit
The content of this unit has been designed to maximise the learning and the integration
of the subject matter. Much of the unit material is specific to the Australian context.
Students are encouraged to access additional information relevant to their local context,
which will assist in applying the learning and ensuring its relevance. This may include
specific legislation, government and professional association resources, and journals. It is
important that students’ reading is
oad.
In general students are expected to:
read each section of the unit carefully and make notes on new content, and points
that are unclear, or in conflict with previous learning or experience
complete readings of the text and other readings and resources, making notes on
important insights or facts, especially those relevant to assignments
There may be periodic suggestions or issues on which students are asked to deliberate
and reflect. Sometimes these are dilemmas or difficult issues associated with the study
topic which have no right or wrong answers, but are used to trigger critical thinking.
Face to Face hours by delivery mode:
On Campus – OC: Units studied on campus are designed with 12 three hour classes,
totaling 36 contact hours.
Weekend Classes:
Units offered as weekend classes must meet the required 36 contact hours. This is made
up of 5 classes (9am-5pm) scheduled as per the unit timetable for the enrolled Trimester.
Blended Delivery - BD: Units offered in this mode of delivery require the student to
attend:
o Four synchronous sessions: 1 ¾ hour synchronous sessions: 6.45 – 8.30pm
o One two day workshop: 8.30-6pm
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 4
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Attendance requirements
Attendance requirements ensure that students in PACFA-accredited courses meet their
training requirements, and that learning outcomes are met.
On Campus requirements (for students studying this unit on campus)
In this unit provided by the School of Counselling, on-campus students are required to
maintain at least 80% attendance. This means that students cannot miss more than three
classes in a term.
Blended Delivery requirements (for students studying this unit by Blended Delivery)
Students are required to participate in 80% of all person to person learning overall
(including workshops and synchronous webinars).
Learning activities
Learning activities are set in each section of the unit to give opportunities for further
learning. They are designed to help students think through and practice the specific skills
and general concepts presented in this unit. They do not need to be sent to the academic
teacher for marking. However, valuable learning opportunities will be missed by not
completing the activities.
In studying this unit, students should maintain a learning journal for completing the
activities. To structure the learning journal, set aside space for:
completing a glossary of new terminology and concepts introduced in this unit
notes on unit content and readings
answers to learning activities
draft assessments.
Students can also keep the learning journal electronically.
Self-assessment
There are self-assessment questions at the end of each section to test students’
understanding of the section’s content. Try to recall the answers to these questions
unaided. Write down answers from memory before going back to review the relevant
material in the section. Some of the questions require more than simple recall. Some
will require synthesising separate issues or different pieces of information. Real learning
is not just remembering the reading. It involves owning this knowledge by:
• reflecting
• questioning
• relating theory to personal experiences
• integrating a number of readings on a particular topic or concept
• paraphrasing.
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 5
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Assignments
The assignments for this unit are carefully set so they develop from and support the key
concepts and skills of the unit, and are aligned with the learning outcomes for this unit.
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 6
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Contents
Section 1: Overview of Theories and Concepts of Substance Abuse Counselling
Section 2: Policy Frameworks in Alcohol and Other Drugs
Section 3: Physiological, Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Drug Use,
Abuse and Dependency
Section 4: Assessment of Substance Abuse
Section 5: Treatment Options and Services in the Alcohol and Other Drugs
Field
Section 6: Comparison of Major Approaches to Substance Abuse Counselling
Section 7: Re-Examination of the Comparison of Major Approaches to
Substance Abuse Counselling and their Evidence Base from a
Practice Perspective
Section 8: Best Practice with Families
Section 9: Working with ATSI and CALD Clients and Communities to Reduce
Substance Abuse, Harm and Impact
Section 10: Counselling Clients with Co-occu
ing Conditions
Section 11: Strategies for Relapse Prevention and Their Evidence Base
Section 12: Boundaries, Ethical Principles and Self-care for Alcohol and Other
Drugs Counsellors
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 7
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Assignment summary
Please ensure you keep copies of all assignments submitted for this unit.
Assignment
Type
Weight Word
Count
Due
Date
Alignment with unit learning
outcomes
Assignment 1:
Screening and
Assessment: Short
answer questions
20% 1000
words
Week
5
a) understand and apply the
concepts of substance use, abuse
and dependency to case studies
c) develop specific assessment and
efe
al skills for working
effectively with clients who
present with substance use, abuse
and dependency issues
d) identify the major treatment
options available in the field and
their evidence base
e) match treatment options to
individual needs
f) analyse the impacts on families of
substance use, abuse and
dependency
g) identify special needs groups and
clients, including ATSI and
CALD communities and develop
evidence based interventions to
meet their needs
Assignment 2:
Research review
30% 1,500
words
Week
9
a) understand and apply the
concepts of substance use, abuse
and dependency to case studies
d) explain the interactions between
individual drug use and the social
context
f) analyse the impacts on families of
substance use, abuse and
dependency
g) identify special needs groups and
clients, including ATSI and
CALD communities and develop
evidence based interventions to
meet their needs
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 8
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Assignment 3:
Case study
50% 2,000
words
Week
12
a) understand and apply the
concepts of substance use, abuse
and dependency to case studies
) explain the interactions between
individual drug use and the social
context
c) develop specific assessment and
efe
al skills for working
effectively with clients who
present with substance use, abuse
and dependency issues
d) identify the major treatment
options available in the field and
their evidence base
e) match treatment options to
individual needs
f) analyse the impacts on families of
substance use, abuse and
dependency
g) identify special needs groups and
clients, including ATSI and
CALD communities and develop
evidence based interventions to
meet their needs
h) discuss cu
ent practice issues for
substance use, abuse and
dependency counsellors
i) develop strategies for relapse
prevention
Unit Outline: COUN2041 - Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselling 9
Last updated: Trimester 1 2018
Assignment 1: Screening and Assessment:
Short answer questions
Assignment Type Weighting