[humanser] Question for professionals who worked/are working with addicts.

Sun Jul 3 00:56:29 UTC 2016

Hello;

I have worked with adults with Addictions for over 18 years.  I have found
they appreciate my nonjudgmental  and accepting attitude.  I can't see their
tattoos, their tracks or any of the visuals that often lead to their being
treated differently.  Be genuine, meet them where they are.  This is their
journey, you are their guide.  In the populations I have dealt with over 95%
have experienced some form of trauma in their past.  Be mindful, they might
be 35 years old chronologically, emotionally they are at the age they began
using.  So you have a 35 year old who is emotionally 14.  They use the
coping skills of a 14 year old, not a 35 year old.  An underlying issue for
many who are addicted is low self-esteem, which they mask with bravado and
other defense mechanisms.  As you can tell, I have found the work to be
rewarding.  I wish you well, be open, listen and know they often feel a
kinship with difference; for it is in our difference that there is the
greatest beauty.

Judyth Leavitt LICSW, MLADC

-----Original Message-----
From: Humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
lovestar_07--- via Humanser
Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2016 8:17 PM
To: Human Services Division Mailing List
Cc: lovestar_07 at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [humanser] Question for professionals who worked/are working
with addicts.

Hi,
Treat the clients as the adults they are, even when they display immature
behaviors. Be aware that you will encounter lies sooner than truth. Lying is
a common habit for the population. In my experience, taking the
non-authoritative approach while still demanding respect seem to knock down
that resistance of authority factor. The population is more open to share if
you share; but you want to avoid giving any information that can later be
used by the clients. I always use my blindness as my sharing info. It's a
topic I'm sincere about, but also comfortable telling anyone about. It's a
way to connect with the clients, as well as an opportunity to share a little
blind awareness knowledge. However, I do keep it vague about the level
/amount of sight. Also, be upfront and not shy about addressing defense
mechanisms: they will come up quite often. I hope this info will be of help
to you. And best wishes!!!

> On Jul 1, 2016, at 2:45 PM, Kaiti Shelton via Humanser
<humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I know it is the busiest time of year with convention in full swing, 
> but I wanted to ask this question now rather than wait till later as 
> it pertains to school in the fall.  Regretably I was not able to pay 
> my way to convention this year either, so email rather than the more 
> ideal route of in-person interaction on this will have to suffice.
> 
> I'm going into my second to last practicum (Yay) and as I still need 
> to fulfill the American Music Therapy Associations requirement for 
> mental health experience, I have been assigned to go to an acute 
> behavioral health facility.  I'll be working with a partner on a 
> residential unit for women with comorbid mental health disorders and 
> addictions.  Heroine is the most common drug of choice for both women 
> and the men at this facility, and I'm doing all the reading I can on 
> music therapy in mental health care, mental health in general, the 
> psychology of addiction, etc.  I have also looked up information on 
> trauma theory, chaos theory, sexual violence, domestic abuse, and 
> other factors that I know some of the women in past groups have 
> faced/could be factors in the addictions for these women I will be 
> working with.  However, I have not found anything describing a blind 
> individual working with this population and would like to prepare for 
> it as much as possible.
> 
> I know some safety considerations were taken into account, and my 
> professors felt that having me work with the women might be safer as 
> the men's group can be a bit rougher for women.  Sometimes in anger 
> things are thrown, for example.  I know in recent years I have 
> expressed concerns relating to my own countertransference issues when 
> starting with new groups, but after having two fantastic practicum 
> experiences last school year I am not so much concerned with that as I 
> am with the unknowns of this population and how they might need to be 
> approached differently.  This is the practicum that often challenges 
> students the most in terms of counseling skills and understanding when 
> defense mechanisms etc are being used, and I want to be sure I take 
> any information I can get into account as I go into this practicum 
> experience.  I already realize that after working with elderly adults 
> on a dementia care unit of a nursing home a while ago, an individual 
> with Down Syndrome in the fall, and with a class of children with 
> Autism this past spring that this is going to be a huge adjustment, 
> not just in the age group but also in that I've never worked with 
> clients who are more highly cognitively aware and therefore in some 
> ways more psychologically complex before.  I'd be interested to hear 
> from anyone who has worked with recovering addicts to know if there 
> were any techniques or approaches you used that are different from 
> your work with other populations.  I'd especially be interested in 
> hearing from those of you who might have experience in acute treatment 
> facilities, as I know there is a huge turn-over rate in group members 
> throughout the semester for this placement.  Right now I just feel 
> like I don't know what I don't know, so any input would be 
> appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> --
> Kaiti Shelton
> University of Dayton-Music Therapy
> President, Ohio Association of Blind Students 2013-Present Secretary, 
> The National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division 
> 2015-2016
> 
> "You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back!"
> 
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