What to Look for in a Certified Addiction Counselor
Addictions hit people from all walks of life; rich, poor, sick, or healthy. And when it comes to getting a handle on addictions, the best person to turn to is a certified addiction counselor. When you think of a certified addiction counselor, the first thing that may come to mind is drugs or alcohol. But in reality, the many different kinds of addictions we as humans can obtain are huge.
Food addictions, although using the term covers the subject, come in many different varieties in itself. Someone may have a chocolate addiction, or a fast food addiction. No matter what type of food addiction someone might have, a certified addiction counselor can help a person to overcome their addiction weakness. You see, a certified addiction counselor is not meant for a specific addiction per se. Although a certified addiction counselor may specialize in one area of an addiction, the next counselor will more than likely specialize in a different area of addiction.
What you need to know is how the counselor can help you before scheduling counseling appointments or in house treatments. You have every right to screen a certified addiction counselor to make sure that what they can offer you the help you need to overcome your hurdles. You may find that you have to screen many different counselors before finding the right certified addiction counselor for you. It’s important you are in sync with the counselor. What I mean by this is that you not only like the counselor but you respect their viewpoints. I once went to a counselor and I knew within minutes that I wanted to get out of there and never come back. But yet, I once saw a counselor years ago and I found the hour long appointment was too short. You will know.
When you decide to make an appointment to assess the compatibility with one, make sure the consultation is free of charge. There should be no reason for a counselor to charge you for simply trying to find out whether they are the right person for you. Of course there are counselors that claim they specialize in all additions and can help almost anyone. Their fees may be very competitive if not lower than others who do specialize in a certain field. The downside to this option is forfeiting the benefits of working with a certified addiction counselor who is specialized in working with people who are trying to overcome addictions just like yours.
The Pros and Cons of Online Counseling
It is said that nearly one in twenty adults in the United States of America have some or the other degree of mental health issues. While for most of us it could range from common phobias and fears, others could have more serious problems. But not everybody will readily admit that they need professional counseling to help them deal with their issues. Some could be in denial while still others could be plain embarrassed. At times like these, when offline counseling is not a viable option, one could consider what has come to be known as online counseling. Online counseling, as the name suggests is counseling offered by professional practitioners online. It could take the form of e-mail correspondence, chat sessions, voice calls or even video conferencing over the Internet.
There are several pros and cons of online counseling. First, let us tackle the pros.
- Online counseling is an easy, convenient and affordable and since it is offered from the convenience of your own home, you do not have to deal with traffic or specific appointment times.
- Web based or online counseling offers a certain degree of anonymity.
- Online counseling also allows you to access the resources of professionals and experts who are not based in your home town. You could live in a remote town in the USA but access the services of a professional counselor based in Sweden.
Online counseling has its cons as well.
- Anonymity could also be a liability. Unless the online counseling you undertake is from a credible source, you could be taken for a ride. The so called professional providing you with online counseling could very well be a student out to make some money on the side. Even reputed online counseling professionals, who are otherwise good, might indulge in underhand practices.
- Internet security of information transmitted over the internet. Care must be taken to ensure that your personal information does not fall into untrustworthy hands.
Whatever you choose however, do remember that online counseling is one of the ways in which you could help yourself or a loved one deal with issues. Use it with care as you would any other medical or mental treatment. And there is no reason why you should not benefit from online counseling.
