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Hi Guys!!

I'm Allie and am a CMHC student and start internship in the summer! Substance abuse is a class I have been looking forward to taking since being accepted to this program and I'm super excited to gain more knowledge. I am also super into Neuroscience and how the brain functions and I hope to learn more about how the chemical dependence works, and how the brain operates in active addiction.

From the interview with Crystal, I felt most drawn to the part where she was explaining that like doctors or nurses, we need to accept the reality of clients potentially not returning to us. I really liked her point of view on this, where she compared it to medical staff loosing a patient. That mindset put it in perspective for me, of how I could handle client death and its bountiful reality in this work.

I think knowing many members of my family who have struggled with alcohol dependence almost harshens my view on it, because I know the issue didn't start with addiction, the issue started with unresolved emotion. And now they are addicted to alcohol yes, but the drinking is still about covering up something else. This just makes it difficult for me to come from an understanding place, because I feel like they didn't have to start drinking to deal with emotions, but they did. I am understanding of the struggle of a chemical dependence, I just struggle to learn why they felt drinking or drugs was an answer instead of stopping themselves and thinking maybe not. I hope going through this class enlightens me on anything I am missing so I can have more empathy and understanding for the situation.

Recently my work held a staff party for the new year, and one of my coworkers drank far too much and was almost unconscious. He came in the next week and apologized and announced that he is taking accountability for this now and is starting AA, and if anyone else was struggling, he would be happy to go with them. I told him and another girl from my work about this class and they are super excited to educate me and carpool to AA. I am hoping that through going to AA with them, this class, and hearing their personal experiences, that I can develop a fuller view for what addiction really is.

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Hi all, I'm Julia and I am a second year student in the CMHC program. I am really interested to learn about exactly how substance use is treated, and the various ways that recovery can present itself- so participating in the open meetings over the semester, while I feel it will be challenging, will really be useful information that will stick with me.

From the interview with Chrystal Long, I think what she said about how it is easy to be a bit judgmental and think that people with substance abuse "just make bad choices that they can control" really resonates with me. I admit with substance abuse it has been really hard for me to understand how people get addicted, especially when many of us learn in school the harmful effects of drugs and substance abuse. I know my high school wellness class, my teacher shared their whole story with substance abuse, and on top of learning about how easy it is to get addicted, that really drove me away- so it is often hard for me to understand how people don't get scared away from using drugs- especially "hard" drugs. This really reminded me how harmful this mindset is, but, that it is a normal thought process to happen.

Something she said that changed my viewpoints was considering challenges during counseling that can make recovery difficult- such as death, and how clients may resist to have you contact their emergency contacts or others when it is absolutely needed, and balancing compassion and holding clients accountable and being direct about when a client may relapse in their recovery. I knew clients dealing with substance abuse would be a population that would be difficult, but I thought it was really valuable that Chrystal brought more examples of themes she sees with this population, so I know what I might expect (and truthfully, letting me know that I can't expect everything). While this is a bit intimidating, it is reassuring how Chrystal mentioned that she does believe that working in the field is nonetheless very rewarding. This made me feel a bit more at ease when it comes to learning about the population and getting more involved with these clients, especially in regard to the meetings we have over the semester.

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Hey everyone! I'm Jack and I'm a second year in the CMHC program. I've taken substance courses before, but never regarding treatment in therapy so I'm most interested in learning about how you continue to motivate the client and keep them moving forward in difficult cases were they don't want to stop using their substance of choice.

From the interview I thought it was important how she mentioned that almost none of her clients were willing participants and it was difficult for her to get them to see the benefits of therapy. In these instances, it is likely up to us to reach out and meet the client where they are at is they won't want to quit. The part where she mentions we aren't taught in school about how to handle a clients passing was also very eye opening.

I still don't know much about motivational interviewing techniques, but I did really like how impactful a strategy she made it sound like for these types of clients and am looking forward to seeing and hearing more examples of it in class this semester.

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Hello, My name is Gabrielle and I am in my second year part of the CMH track.

I guess I am interested in learning more about substance abuse, and

the psychological part of it. This course has also been one that I was nervous about since I

have close family members who struggle with addiction.

I think that as Chrystal Long mentioned, the fact that this life is not guaranteed and that especially

with addiction, you never know what to expect and that one day your client is here and the next they aren't.

I think that this is something I would like to learn more about, in terms of techniques and how to adjust to the

facts of life.

Within my family, I have seen what addiction can do and how it affects everyone - not just the person

who is in addiction. I think that growing up, I have heard many different beliefs as to why addiction happens

and I have many conflicting beliefs as to the recovery, the willingness, and the way things should be done

when someone is struggling with this. This is because of what I was told growing up.

I hope that within this course, I am able to learn more about addiction and learn the techniques to help me help others,

hopefully, with the people, I also know personally.

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Hey everyone, I'm Joe Mongillo and this is my last semester on the CMHC track. One thing that I will be interested to learn this semester in relation to substance abuse and dependance is the neurological implications substance use and abuse can bring to our clients, as well as how to handle crisis situations with clients in active addiction.

One thing that really resonated with me in the Chrystal Long interview was how moved she was by seeing her clients change. This is a similar feeling that I have begun to experience in my own internship as I have been able to see some of my clients for a prolonged amount of time and share reflections on their progress, even up to the point of termination.

One thing that she stated that aligned with my viewpoints on substance abuse and recovery was her discussion about the implicit bias that we may bring in about "the choice" our clients are "making". I feel that bringing a sense of understanding that our clients are doing the best that they can, can actually be therapeutic in itself as these clients may have never had that kind of support from others in their life.

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Hi everyone! My name is Dree and I'm in my final semester for school counseling and will also be obtaining my LPC-A at the end of this program. I hope to learn how to treat substance abuse successfully and have an understanding of the underlying issues that lead clients to abuse substances. I feel the same way Chrystal does regarding the death of clients and not knowing if they will be at their next therapy session. This is an area I think I would struggle with since I would hope to have the ability to help every client even though I know it's not realistic. I would also love to learn how to prevent substance abuse.

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I’m Laura Lopez and I am a second year CMHC student. I am interested in working with college students or adults. This semester I want to learn techniques and approaches that will allow me to work with those dealing with substance use. This has been one of the classes I have been most excited for because substance use is one of the areas that I am most interested in possibly going into in the future.

What I appreciated most from the video was when Chrystal talked about dealing with the fact that the client you see one week may be gone the next week. I know that this is a difficult area because the people who are seeking counseling are struggling with a dangerous disease, but I don’t think enough people talk about the fact that you might find out you lost a client right before needing to be there for someone else. It made me think a lot about counseling in general and how we need to care for ourselves as well as our clients.

What aligned with my views on substance use was when Chrystal talked about how family is a factor in substance use and recovery. I think considering the family is incredibly important because of what we learned in family counseling and my own personal experience.

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Hi, I’m Moneke. This semester, I hope to learn about effective methods of increasing motivation for sobriety in clients who struggle with substance abuse. I think being in this class will give me an opportunity to see a different perspective and increase my hope for individuals who struggle. I also would like to learn more about the different long-term psychological effects of substance abuse. I appreciated when Chrystal spoke about holding individuals accountable to manage symptoms when feeling triggered, while being supportive. This is something that I think is important and resonated with me. I did align with Chrystal’s viewpoint that understanding how family impacts substance abuse is important. We need to let our clients show us their world and help us to understand what has brought them pain and why they are seeking out substances. I agree that grief and loss is a big part of substance abuse, and that the substances are an escape. Chrystal also discussed rapport and relationship being extremely important. She mentioned that without a relationship, the interventions aren’t helpful. This is useful information since I’ve thought about potentially working with substance abuse and have had concerns about clients who are mandated. I appreciated that Chrystal discussed that mandated work can be difficult; especially, when they’re using. I liked that she touched upon being able to roll with resistance and how motivational interviewing is helpful in trying to show them the benefits of being in treatment. 

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Hi all! I am Katie, I am in the clinical mental health program and both excited and nervous for this class. One thing I want to make sure to learn this semester is about the biology and the brain behind substance use.

What really resonated with me was recognizing that change can be small but any change can be so rewarding to see and watch the client grow. Removing the shame from relapse and having hard conversations that have positive responses. The aspect that clients could not come back either as a client or from passing. I think it's important to remember we can only help those who want help and I think with a topic such as substance use and recovery there will be clients who want help and maybe relapse and don’t want to continue. I liked how she drove home the aspect of clients not being there the next week and the likelihood of death and how to prepare yourself in the beginning because it's not something heavily focused on in the program. It really resonated when she touched on how working with substance use clients could change our view of the field and how we work through finding out a client has passed and then still having 3 more clients that day. I have been exposed to substance use and recovery for quite some time so a lot of what Chrystal mentioned aligned with what I already believed. I could appreciate her comments on how some consider substance use is a choice and how incorrect that is and how some don’t understand why a client goes back to friends, or behaviors, or settings and knowing as the counselor to remove judgements and shame from the work with a substance use client. I think what not exactly challenges my viewpoints but makes me think is when she discussed teens and kids and how the shifts in behavior can look different and how we show up for them. I appreciated her comments on rolling with resistance and emphasizing meeting clients where they’re at. We can still show up and remove the judgment but also hold clients accountable.

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Hello! I'm Marshall Sornborger, a second year CMHC student. I want to make sure that I learn about the thought patterns and beliefs about self that are born out of and lend themselves to addictive cycles. I was surprised that addiction counseling education is different from normal Mental Health education. I definitely resonated with the idea of accepting that counseling in overcoming addiction isn't just about getting clients to "Making better choices" but it's about looking into the decision-making process and emotional lives of individuals suffering from substance abuse. I definitely align with the idea that substances "numb out" a client from trauma or negative emotions.

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Hello, I am Noe, in my second year on the clinical mental health counseling track. Honestly, I don't have one thing I want to learn this semester in this class I am open and ready to learn about everything because I am just excited to become more informed in this area since I am not too familiar with dealing with substance use and dependence. I want to say this video was great. It was so informative and great to listen to. I say this because I can see that Chrystal is so passionate about working with clients in this area. What stuck out to me that Chrystal shared is the fact she talked about what she loves about working with these clients, which is the fact she gets to see them change, such as finding themselves and noticing patterns and triggers they may have. Also, when she touched upon the fact that one of the biggest challenges is dealing with death and having to come to terms that some of your clients may pass away during their treatment since they could go back to using again. I thought it was great she talked about how as a counselor it's good to keep an eye out when clients are actively using and this is by noticing them not coming in for their counseling sessions or arriving late and looking physically different such as not showering or weight loss. I loved when she shared the fact that she is a person-centered therapist because that is the theory I gravitate towards, so I could connect with her on this. What I aligns with my viewpoints on substance use and recovery is the importance of forming a good client-therapist relationship because I feel this is what will make treatment more beneficial for the client. After all, it will allow them to feel comfortable opening up to you and also sharing when maybe they slip up and not having them feel you're judging them if that occurs. I feel what will challenge me with my viewpoint on substance use and recovery is the potential for clients to relapse during treatment because it will be hard to see them getting better and then reverting to old behavior such as using again and then having to start the process to become clean again.

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Hi! I'm Kelly Garris and I'm a second year CMHC student. Excited to have this semester with y'all before practicum. I want to learn how to help a calm a client in crisis, if they are experiencing anxiety, PTSD, substance withdrawal, and more. I never thought about the reality that substance use clients may die before their next session. This was very sad to hear and it sounds like counseling clients with substance use involves a lot of unpredictability. I assumed that counselors are very open-minded with their clients. Chrystal made a great point that counselors may think "just stop taking drugs" or feel like they know the client's story. I appreciate that she emphasizes working on the therapeutic relationship and being open to the clients story. I love motivational interviewing and align with Chrystal's points that value the therapeutic relationship. Also, seeing the benefits of recovery is important! I was just reading in my treatment planning textbooks of the benefits of having a strength based approach with clients. Sounds like seeing the client for who they are before the substance use can encourage them to see themselves again.

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I am Sarah Kaizer, and I am very excited to be in my second year of clinical mental health counseling track. I had a specific focus on my target population of clients when entering graduate school; however, organically, I feel that focus is shifting, and I am excited about a new direction and opportunities in the mental health field. This semester, I want to make sure to understand how the family system plays a role in individual addictions. As a result, how can we help families navigate this topic in a different way to get to the root of why we utilize addictions as coping strategies?

I enjoyed hearing Chrystal’s perspective on working with individuals struggling with substance use. Her passion for this population was infectious, and it was nice to listen to her reflections on multiple areas that this population deals with. I loved hearing Chrystal share that she didn’t seek out substance use and that, instead, it found her. As a result, understanding that her path unfolded organically makes a lot of sense, and it is evident how impactful she is with this population and how deeply she cares for them. I enjoyed hearing about Chrystal‘s reflection on addiction as a family disease.

Additionally, I enjoyed some of the tips she shared about her awareness of accountability of clients and making sure that you do so compassionately. Chrystal shared that motivational interviewing is, in her opinion, the best way to connect with a client. And lastly, she indicated that trauma was a significant underlying factor for those who struggle with addiction. Most importantly, Chrystal’s notion is that connection is the foundation for all of this work, and if you and your client are not connected, then no work can be accomplished.  None of the things that Chrystal shared challenged my viewpoint on substance use or recovery. They validated many of them and expanded on them in many ways. Chrystal sounds like a phenomenal substance use counselor. The hardest part to hear in Chrystal's reflection is her most significant challenge in dealing with his population, and that is death. Factually speaking, Chrystal noted that many counselors are naïve to this disease, the finality of it, and the severity of it, and for me, that resonated the most and encapsulated the most considerable truth in working with this population.

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I’m Alee, second year CMHC student, currently interested in working with adolescents/teens (but I feel like it changes all the time!). I love browsing Target, trying new snacks/foods, and watching HGTV (House Hunters, anyone?).

I want to learn what the most helpful thing we can do is for clients dealing with substance use (aside from therapeutic relationship). What do we need to prioritize when working with these clients?

After watching the video, I loved how Chrystal reminded us that clients are our most valuable teachers and we should aim to stay humble in order to learn from them and help them. This was a nice contrast to our textbook going over nine different models (moral, developmental, biological, etc.) that attempt to explain addiction (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020). While getting a foundation through our schooling is a huge asset, it’s also exciting to know that we will learn so much more once we are out in the “real world.”

Additionally, I felt both challenged and justified by Chrystal saying addiction is a family disease. Our textbook states that within the family disease model, “addiction is not only passed on genetically but maintained environmentally by the entire family” (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020, p. 11). I feel challenged by this because I was already stretched by our counseling families course last semester, and this again goes to show how impactful a system can be on an individual. I think because I don’t naturally gravitate towards family counseling, I find it challenging. However, I also appreciate Chrystal sharing this because I agree that who you are surrounded by will significantly affect who you are. It reminds me of the idea of being intentional about who you spend time with because they will influence you directly and/or indirectly. This is something that might resonate with any client, not just those who are using.