addictions counselling training

3 Important Facts About Tobacco Addiction for Students in Addictions Counsellor Courses

In 1966 close to 50 percent of Canadians aged 15 and over were smokers (Tasker, 2018). Fortunately, this presented the peak of cigarette addiction (Tasker, 2018). By 2015 the number of addicted individuals had fallen to 15 percent of the population, an encouraging figure given the health...

The Alarming Rise in Binge Drinking among Young Women: How Addictions Counsellors can help

While ‘risky’ or ‘binge’ drinking is more common among men, studies show this behaviour is increasing rapidly among young Canadian women. In 2013, 56 per cent of young women (ages 15 and older) said they partook in binge drinking within the last year—up from 44 per cent in 2004 (Public...

What Students in Addictions Counsellor Courses Should Know About Social Media Addiction

In 2012, Harvard researchers attempted to determine why human beings devote 30 to 40 per cent of their speech to informing others about their “subjective experiences” (Tamir and Mitchell, 2012). They concluded that “self-disclosure”—communicating about oneself—was intrinsically...

Rhodes Wellness College Partner Spotlight: Together We Can (TWC)

As an addictions case manager and sober coach, Kamal Singh plays an important role at Together We Can (TWC)—a partner organization of Rhodes Wellness College. TWC is a Vancouver addictions centre that helps men enter recovery from substance misuse, empowering them toward more healthy and...

Counselling Parents With an Addicted Child: A Guide for Students in Addictions Counselling Training

According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) (2012), youth aged 15-24 have the highest rate of self-reported use of prohibited substances in comparison to other age groups. The Canadian Centre for Addictions (CCFA) (2018) further cites data compiled by Statistics Canada...

Why Professionals With Addictions Counselling Training Are Concerned About Mobile Games

With the advent of mobile phones and tablets, nearly everyone has access to a plethora of information and various types of entertainment in the form of apps at their fingertips. At present, the biggest category of apps and also the most popular is that of mobile games, comprising 20% of the...

Identifying Enabling Behaviours with the Help of Addictions Counselling Training

As a future addictions counsellor, you’ll likely not only work with clients who have an addiction, but you may also work with their family members and loved ones. An addiction can take a significant toll on family dynamics. Therefore, counselling the family members can be an important part of the...

The Process of Addiction Explained for Addictions Counselling Students

Addiction is a widespread problem that affects many Canadians and their families. In fact, approximately 20 per cent of the population—or one in every five Canadians—will struggle with addiction or mental health (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2017). The process of addiction can happen...