Co-Creating Solutions for Substance Abuse

Abstract

The national standard for addiction counselors is to view substance abuse as a disease (National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, 1996). Addiction is viewed as a lifelong affliction that is progressive and requires years of therapeutic intervention coupled with active participation in a 12-step oriented support group. It is a model in which the therapist is the expert. The purpose of this article is not to challenge the effectiveness of this model. Instead, it is to explore an alternative approach in which solutions are co-created by the client and the counselor. This article presents an innovative and empowering counseling approach for substance abuse treatment. An emphasis on the application of this model to the child welfare population is included to demonstrate its impact.