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This workshop aims to help clinicians better identify potential substance misuse with their clients, and the implications of lockdown on substance use. During lockdown, clients may be managing increased emotional distress including stress, overwhelm, boredom, disconnection and malaise. Lockdown presents a tricky paradox; for many of us, there is both less to do and more to do, with both increased connection (via technology) and decreased connection (due to lack of physical proximity). For some populations, lack of access to or understanding of technology can increase their distress and disconnection further. Clients might also be dealing with the intensity of spending more time together with infrequent time alone while working or schooling from home. All of these stressors may lead people to increasing their substance use.
This workshop will give an overview of the aetiologies of substance abuse and vulnerable populations, as well as ideas about how to compassionately approach conversations with clients about increased substance use. It will also teach therapists how to approach safety concerns and engage with primary care clinicians where escalated care for a client is required.
An overview of learning points follow;
- Aetiologies of Substance Abuse (epigenetic, genetic and personality traits; trauma; family discordance or family violence; economic stress; underlying psychopathologies; symptom management, etc)
- Being aware of and identifying increased substance use during lockdown
- Compassion-based conceptualisation of substance use to help clients manage guilt, shame or toxic feelings
- Harm reduction strategies (which take into consideration a client’s significantly reduced options during lockdown)
- Creating a care plan with clients
- New or alternate boundary considerations while clinicians are not seeing clients in person
- Ideas for engaging in collaborative care with primary health clinicians, and when to encourage a client to seek escalated care (I.e., medical care)
Resources provided to attendees include;
- Letter template for engaging with primary health clinicians
- Care Plan and 8 Dimensions of Wellness worksheet
- Harm Reduction Strategies
- Recovery Wheel
- Further reading list
PESI Australia, in collaboration with PESI in the USA, offers quality online continuing professional development events from the leaders in the field at a standard recognized by professional associations including psychology, social work, occupational therapy, alcohol and drug professionals, counselling and psychotherapy. On completion of the training, a Professional Development Certificate is issued after the individual has answered and submitted a quiz and course evaluation. This program is worth 2 hours CPD for points calculation by your association.
| File type | File name | Number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDP Understanding Substance Use in Lockdown: Presenter slides (974.4 KB) | Available after Purchase |
Amber Rules is a psychotherapist, counsellor, group therapist, clinical supervisor and mental health facilitator. She has extensive experience with addictions and specialises in working with the family members of people who use substances and repetitive harmful behaviours or have complex mental health needs through harm minimisation and compassion-based lenses.
She is the Clinical Director of Sydney Addictions Recovery, a specialist counselling clinic in Sydney’s Inner West. She is also the Director and Founder of Rough Patch; an affordable counselling serve that uses a unique social enterprise model to make counselling more accessible and affordable. Previously in her career, Amber has worked in both public and private inpatient rehabilitation centres and hospitals, specialist outpatient counselling services, and private practice.
Before becoming a therapist, Amber worked in the entertainment industry. She has an understanding of the difficulties that come with creative, non-traditional and high-profile careers and is experienced in helping clients manage addiction and mental health difficulties that sometimes accompany these occupations.
Amber also has lived experience of substance involvement, family addiction and intergenerational trauma, and draws on this in her clinical practice.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Amber M. Rules is the founder and director of Rough Patch Affordable Counselling & Mental health Supports and has an employment with Sydney Addictions Recovery. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Amber M. Rules is a member of the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs, the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Australia, and the Australia and New Zealand Mental Health Association.
Learning Objectives:
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