TAP 21 Competencies: A Tall Order for an Addiction Counselor
Addiction is dependence on a particular substance which a person believes is necessary for his daily functioning ability. Addiction may take different forms. One of which is dependence on substance, categorically taken to mean illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages. The cause of such abuse is oftentimes rooted in psychological disorders that prevent the person from functioning without external crutches, in the form of substances. A potential treatment modality for such a case is individual counseling with the use of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. For a counselor to effectively use this treatment, professional competencies are needed. And among the 123 competencies that TAP 21 identified, the ten most needed by an addiction counselor shall be discussed in the following sections of this paper.
#1: Competency 3
Even before a counselor embarks into treating clients with addiction, it is important for him to have a clear understanding of the nature of addiction. TAP 21 identifies competency 3 as the ability to “describe the behavioral, psychological, physical health, and social effects of psychoactive substances on the person using and significant others” (Center for Abuse Treatment, 2006, p.10). The counselor has to be knowledgeable in the field of addiction, which involves how it develops in a person, its coexistence with medical conditions, and its various effects on the totality of the user. A counselor who seeks to be professional in what he does must be open to different possible causes of addiction and must have the professional curiosity to follow through any scientific development.
#2: Competency 4
Another competency that I deem to be part of the top ten competencies is still within understanding addiction. Competency 4 of TAP 21 involves recognizing substance use disorders as possibly similar to other medical and health conditions. A professional counselor has to be able to detect the difference for him to correctly identify the appropriate treatment to utilize.
#3: Competency 11
This competency that TAP 21 has identified entails the ability to “tailor helping strategies and treatment modalities to the client’s stage of dependence, change, or recovery” (Center for Abuse Treatment, 2006, p.22). I believe that this is one of the competencies that must be prioritized in acquiring because although the counselor may have his preferred mode of treatment, he has to suspend that preference until he has seen the complete scenario of the client’s condition, including his personal and socio-cultural background. Flexibility in considering other possibly more appropriate treatment plans is an element of Competency 11. Thus, part of the counselor’s professional development plan is to widen his knowledge of the variety of treatment plans available.
#4: Competency 27
Competency 27 entails the ability that would start an effective counselor-client partnership towards treatment. The counselor has to be able to assist the client to see for himself the effect of substance abuse in his own life. Thus, this competency demands from the counselor an adequate level of human relations skills and good communication skills.
#5: Competency 31
Similarly, this fifth top competency leads to greater client empowerment. It refers to the counselor’s ability to enjoin the client and his significant others to construct an action plan that they are amenable to. The counselor has to be equipped with good facilitation skills that involve presenting to the client’s party all the necessary information they need as basis for comparing options, which Pachur & Olson (2012) purport, assure sound decisions regarding the treatment.
#6: Competency 41
After getting the client into contracting an action plan, Competency 41 is the next needed skill towards success in treatment. The counselor has to able to detect the client’s readiness and motivational level and appreciate this as the gateway to a healthy cooperation of the client.
#7: Competency 44
The meat of the treatment plan now depends on this competency which demands that the counselor be able to “identify appropriate strategies for each treatment goal” (Center for Abuse Treatment, 2006, p.60). Knowledge of different strategies includes the skill to use them when they are best called for. Professional development of the counselor is highly needed to attain this competency to a proficient level.
#8: Competency 70
Documentation of the treatment process and progress is needed for an effective partnership with the client, especially if the treatment used is that with active client involvement through decision making. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one mode where client’s decisions hold a great place. As Thompson, Prowse Turner, & Pennycook (2011) claim, the feeling of rightness determines the degree of subsequent analysis. Thus, a client who is well-informed of his progress can be more motivated towards reaching his determined treatment goals.
#9: Competency 87
Part of letting the client have a hold in his own treatment is involving him in the maintenance plan. Competency 87 of the counselor will equip the client with skills he needs to prevent relapse and to cope with life’s challenges using what he has learned throughout the treatment. Getting the client involved even beyond the endpoint of the treatment itself is letting him assume responsibility for his own recovery. Such ownership and independence is a high determinant for treatment success and relapse prevention, which must be the ultimate goal of any treatment modality.
#10: Competency 118
Professionalism and ethical responsibilities of a counselor cannot be left out from the top competencies that he must prioritize in acquiring. Competency 118 refers to the counselor’s ability to “recognize the importance of individual differences that influence client behavior, and apply this understanding to clinical practice” (Center for Abuse Treatment, 2006, p.155). An addiction counselor’s task is highly sensitive because it deals with persons who are vulnerable and weak in many ways, oftentimes put in a situation they did not fully intend. Thus, a professional and ethical conduct of the counselor must be rooted on his knowledge of individual differences, his ability to adapt strategies that would respectfully address and consider the client’s needs, and his appreciation for diverse cultures and lifestyle preferences.
Conclusion
The ten competencies discussed in preceding section are narrowed down from a list of 123 competencies identified to be needed in the professional practice of an addiction counselor. It was rather difficult to cull only ten from the long list because everything seemed to be of equal importance. However, the choice for this shortlist of ten was guided with the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy modality in mind. A counselor who seeks professionalism must be intent in updating and upgrading himself in the field. Updating requires him to follow scientific breakthroughs in counseling and treatment modalities; while upgrading requires him to pursue academic studies in his specializations. These must comprise a counselor’s professional development plan.
References
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2006). Addiction counseling competencies: The knowledge, skills, and attitudes of professional practice. Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) Series 21, DHHS Publication No. (SMA) 06-4171. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Pachur, T. & Olsson, H. (2012). Type of learning task impacts performance and strategy selection in decision making. Cognitive Psychology, 65, 207-240. doi:10.1016/j.cogpsych.2012.03.003
Thompson, V.A., Prowse Turner, J.A. & Pennycook, G. (2011). Intuition, reason, metacognition. Cognitive Psychology, 63, 107-140. doi:10.1016/j.cogpsych.2011.06.001
