Role and Importance of Counselling in De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centres

Reputable De-addiction and Rehabilitation centres (DARC) are the most safest places for any substance addict. They are recommended and regulated by government. De-addiction centers mainly follow the Narcotics Anonymous program, which provide us twelve steps towards recovery from addiction. With these twelve steps, there is a set routine of centres for the whole day that covers many therapeutic works including Yoga/Exercise, cleanliness, art work, self-reflection reports etc. 

Now comes the role of counseling in rehabilitation centre: Professional Counseling is most underrated thing in centres presently. And this is due to unawareness of psychology as a subject and profession. Counseling plays an important role in DARC, because it provide an opportunity to see life through a different perspectives and hope, perspectives which other professionals and non professional lacks. Counsellor helps them identify their strengths and weakness and build on their strengths. They realize the importance of keeping their knowledge up-to-date by participating in continuing education programs. And this knowledge helps them to understand patient's problem /situation more holistically than other staff in the centres. Counseling is under appreciated in most of centres. 

Nature of Counseling: This is the platform where patient/ client present their problems seriously before psychologist. This seriousness positively impacts the results of counseling and helps client to understand himself better. Structure: Counseling is the well structured platform. It has proper session, follow-ups and goal oriented; solution focused counseling sessions. Practical guidelines: it includes time limits( such as 50 minutes session) , action limits(for the prevention of destructive behaviour) , role limits (what will be expected of each participation) and procedural limits ( in which the client is given the responsibility to work on specific goals or needs). Comfortable counseling environment, emapthy and trustworthiness of the counselor is important in counseling. 

Confidentiality: Confidentiality of this entire process makes it easy for the patient to open up to his own traumas and enables the process of healing. Keeping in mind all these benefits of counseling in de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, government and organisations should think about recruiting competent counsellor seriously not just fulfilling the formalities. 

By Psychologist Leena Mehta – Vaishalya Healing