PrintAddiction Education Course Descriptions
611-001 Independent Study (2 units) Register for this class.
This course provides the student with the opportunity to explore an area of personal interest in the area of Addiction. In consultation with the Program Manager, the student selects a topic and prepares a three-page proposal outlining the topic, objectives, and methodology for the research paper. A partial Bibliography is also submitted at this time. The instructor provides feedback and direction to the student before intensive research is done and during the research process. The student has four months to complete a final paper (3000-4000 word) incorporating the objectives of the study, theoretical findings, analysis of the findings, and conclusions.
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611-122 Counselling Techniques in Addiction Practice (2 units) Register for this class.
This course provides a review and intensive integration of concepts and skills related to individual methods for helping. One quarter of the course will be devoted to an overview of theoretical approaches to helping. The remaining three-quarters will use an interactive approach consisting of demonstration and role-play to provide students the opportunity to practice and integrate constructive critiques of counselling techniques. Audio and visual recording of student role-plays will be involved.
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611-400 Practical Experience Elective (2 units) Register for this class.
This course integrates theory learned in the classroom with the practical experience of a clinical setting. Permission of Program Manager required.
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611-803/403 The Whole Person (2 units) Register for this class.
This course examines four theories that attempt to explain human development: life span (developmental) theory; role theory; self-actualization theory; self-in-relations theory. Students will lean to apply the above concepts to work with people affected by addiction and to integrate the four theories to provide a comprehensive examination of current client functioning.
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611-406 Program Development (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge needed to develop, implement and evaluate new programs for clients. Addictions students must select a target group and program directly related to substance abuse. Topic and content must be approved by program manager. Course objectives: to learn skills in data gathering and interpretation in order to identify a need for programming for a specific target population; to develop a formal program proposal, including goals, objectives, program components, and resources; to examine methods of attaining support for program implementation and; to establish methods of program evaluation.
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611-412/812 Understanding and Preventing Relapse (2 units) Register for this class.
This course provides an overview of philosophies and models of relapse, effective assessment, treatment, case planning, and counselling strategies. Relapse models developed by Annis and Davis, Gorski, Daley and Marlatt and Gordon will be studied and compared. Relapse indicators, relapse assessment tools, treatment planning and strategies will all be examined.
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611-413/813 Adult Children of Alcoholics (2 units) Register for this class.
This course examines the phenomenon of ACOA's from three theoretical perspectives: developmental theory, role theory and stress theory. Patterns of behaviour in childhood and adulthood are examined. Key issues in treatment are explored.
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611-421/121 Working with Problem Gambling (2 units) Register for this class.
This course provides an overview of the nature and extent of gambling in Canada and the role of government, and the private and not-for profit sectors in gambling activities. You will learn theoretical approaches to explain the development and perpetuation of problem gambling in individuals, to identify the characteristics of problem gamblers, and to identify the social and financial costs of gambling to the family, the workplace and society as well as government and community responses to these effects.
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611-427/827 Introduction to Addiction (3 units) Register for this class.
This core course is designed to provide an introduction to theories of addiction, an overview and examination of various drugs groups, interventions currently in use in Canada, and an exploration of the prevention and treatment continuum in Canada.
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611-428/828 Problem Management Skills for Helpers (3 units) Register for this class.
This course draws from Gerard Egan's problem management model to introduce problem management approaches, communication skills, basic and advanced empathy, probing and challenging skills, and client-centred treatment planning. Please note: Two Assignments require the submission of a taped interview for each.
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611-429/829 Concepts and Dimensions of Group Work Practice (3 units) Register for this class.
This course explores theories and models of group intervention, with special emphasis on developmental stages of groups and their application to work in addictions settings. Group dynamics, process and goals will be explored. The nature of therapeutic, educational and self-help groups will be considered.
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611-430/830 Solution Focused Approaches in Addiction Counselling (3 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to provide a practical hands-on approach to utilizing key contemporary brief approaches developed specifically for use with substance users. It provides an overview of three main theoretical models and approaches: Stages of Change, Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy. These client-centred approaches facilitate, motivate and stimulate change, and can be particularly helpful with individuals who are reluctant to change. The models lend themselves well to settings where the worker is time limited.
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611-811 Diversity and Special Issues in Addiction Counselling (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to increase knowledge and skills for working with special populations struggling with alcohol and drug dependence. These include working with ethnic and cultural diversity, sexual diversity, native peoples, probation and parole clients, HIV/AIDS, anger/depression and eating disorders.
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611-831 Professional Ethics and Helping (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the rules and regulations as well as the laws and ethics related to the professional practice of counselling. Students will learn what is acceptable protocol in the helping field. Topics of concern and interest to the beginning helper are explored as important issues in the helping field.
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611-832 Co-Dependency as an Addiction (2 units) Register for this class.
This course provides an overview of how individuals can become "addicted" to others and to relationships. It examines how individuals with complementary personality styles unite and form bonds. It also discusses research-based definitions and critiques of the concept of co-dependency, contemporary psychological theories, treatment issues and strategies to change or shift co-dependent patterns.
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620-462/862 Case Management and Report Writing (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the role and function of the case manager, with emphasis on functions, service co-ordination, liaison with other addiction and non-specific resources. Students will learn how to follow the client from intake to follow-up. Record keeping and report writing, with reference to communication and legal aspects will be explored.
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620-470 Wellness and Work: Introduction to EAP (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is premised on the belief that work is a fundamental human need but that it is also responsible for our premature illness and death. The origins of EAPs are alcohol and drug dependency programs and as these workplace-based programs have expanded their mandate they now offer assistance to millions of people, yet there remains limited formal education or training in this area. This course will introduce you to a holistic conceptualization of wellness, provide you with an overview of the history, growth and development of EAP and provide a framework to develop and implement a program including the use of a series of individualized problem solving activities.
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620-471 Counselling for the Workplace: Principles of EAP Intervention (2 units) Register for this class.
Each workplace is a unique environment and a community onto itself but with distinct responsibilities, limitations and restrictions. The majority of people bring their work lives home and their home lives to work and thus this course offers a framework for providing assistance within the workplace context. Practice areas applicable to both professional and peer helpers to be examined are: assessment in an EAP environment, crisis intervention, critical incident stress management, intervention in the workplace, brief interventions, depression, grief, mediation and the role, if any, for spirituality in the workplace.
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620-474/874 Pharmacology and Drug Abuse (2 units) Register for this class.
This course provides a base of technical drug information for persons who do not have a background in pharmacology and require a basic understanding of the pharmacology of psychoactive drugs. Topics to be covered are the basic principles of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, tolerance, dependence and dependence liability, and the therapeutic and toxic effects of specific psychoactive drugs.
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620-476/876 Concurrent Disorders in Addiction (2 units) Register for this class.
Concurrent Disorders in Addiction examines how mental health disorders and addictions interact, resulting in a more complex assessment and treatment process. Students will examine how the various types of mental health disorders have a strong co-morbidity rate with addiction. Students will learn how to screen and assess clients for both substance use disorders and mental health disorders, using various screening and assessment tools. An examination of the treatment process and specific therapeutic approaches will also be examined. Students will be introduced to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).
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620-488/888 Assessment of Addictive Behaviour (2 units) Register for this class.
This course provides an overview of: what influences what we assess; how to assess addictive behaviour and other life areas, what questions to ask and how to ask them in assessment; and how to engage even mandatory clients in treatment planning; and matching services to the client.
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620-492/892 Working with Women and Addiction (2 units) Register for this class.
This course will review past and current theories on the dynamics of women and addictions, with a strong focus on the use of alcohol/drugs in the context of women's lives. Social and economic issues as well as statistical information related to women's chemical use will be presented. Women-positive methods of intervention, treatment and self-help will be presented and explored.
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620-494/894 Youth and Addictions (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to introduce students to the theoretical and practical aspects of working with young people who are experiencing difficulties associated with substance use. The course will begin by reviewing the context of adolescent substance abuse. The primary focus will be on creating behaviour change strategies and techniques in assessment and treatment of substance abuse within a framework of cognitive-behavioural interventions.
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620-495/895 Treatment of Addictive Behaviour (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to help answer the question “what really works in the treatment of addictions?” It offers a review of what we know to date about best practices in the treatment of addictions from beginning (goal setting, contracting, and choosing a treatment modality) to the end (when and how to terminate treatment). A variety of interventions in the treatment of substance abuse, including both moderation and harm reduction, will be reviewed for evidence of their effectiveness. This course also addresses “what works” in the treatment of a few special populations including problem gamblers, clients with concurrent disorders, culturally diverse clients, and significant others of clients who have addictions. Finally, there is a focus on the client as the most important agent of change in the therapeutic process.
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620-865 Working with Older Canadians and Substance Abuse (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is designed to assist people who care for and work with senior Canadians to identify issues related to the use and misuse of alcohol and other drugs. This practice-oriented course will enable the participants to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to make effective assessments, interventions and future planning.
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620-879 Working with Families and Addiction (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is an introduction to working with families and addictions. It is meant to offer a systemic approach to the dynamics of families when substance abuse is present. The material will cover theory as well as some practical hands on considerations with respect to intervention, assessment and treatment of addictions and families. A working model of the addicted family will be developed, and used in discussion/overview of various family therapy models, theories and definitions of substance abuse.
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620-899 Crisis Intervention (2 units) Register for this class.
This course is meant to provide a practical, hands on approach to dealing with various crises that present themselves when working with substance abusers and their families. Basic theories in crisis work will be discussed, including an overview of the history of crisis intervention. Various types of crises encountered will be reviewed, specifically emergencies, overdose, relapse, related medical problems, seizures; violence, suicide, rape, and sexual abuse, spousal abuse; mental health issues, anxiety and phobias, and dissociative disorders. Crisis specific to addiction, crisis reaction and intervention will be focused on throughout the course. Crisis for the Helper, issues related to burnout and self-care will also be addressed.
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