Monday, January 18, 2016

Rockstars of Recovery

Rockstars of Recovery 



Some clients are just easy. As a counselor they are a joy to work with. They show up on time, contribute to groups, and stay positive and engaged during individual sessions. These rockstars of recovery are very rewarding to work with as you can see them transform day after day and they almost always give too much credit to me. Though I indulge in some pride at the role I get to play in this type of client's recovery the truth is I do very little. Though they might say that I personally saved them and that they couldn't have done it with me the truth is they would be successful with almost anyone as their counselor and quite possibly, given enough time, with no help at all. 

Be grateful for these clients, they will keep you motivated after a tough week, they will write staff appreciation cards that look good in your file, they will send you emails and holiday cards long after you stop seeing them professionally, they will remind you your work is meaningful after a client you worked yourself crazy over ends up in the hospital after an overdose. What the rockstars of recovery won't do is make you a better counselor. I don't have much advice for working with this type of client, what follows should be taken as things to think about and not necessarily hard fast rules.

1) Make sure they don't overdo it:

The rockstars are only bad at one thing, self-care. They may fill their lives with appointments, charity work, and recovery meetings. They will talk at length about working at their children's schools and driving them to ballet lessons and look puzzled that they are always tired. Trying to get them to schedule something fun for themselves may be the most challenging thing you do for them. On the flip side, clients who struggle with continuing use while seeming to do everything right may become rockstars if you can convince them to take a night off and go to the movies.

2) Remind them that no recovery is perfect and all recovery takes time:

The rockstars will make amazing recovery in a short amount of time then beat themselves up for being late for your appointments. Frequent inventory of their progress and a reminder that they don't have to be good at everything may help. They may also want to fix everything at once, help them prioritize. Health eating is important, but giving up their drug of choice and retuning to work after long term unemployment are big changes to adjust to. If they seem to be struggling maybe work on coping skills now and save the diet for next year. I repeat this phase often "what you're doing now, plus time, will get you where you want to be."

3) Watch the boundaries:

Hopefully you love all your clients but the rockstars are easy to love. You will find that you are very at ease during sessions, watch that you don't over share. Also watch that sessions stay focused on the client, many rockstars ate sensitive and intuitive, they will know when you're having a bad day and want to help. The session is about their recovery not yours. I hope it goes without saying that though sessions may be intimate, and never more so than with the rockstars, the therapeutic relationship is at its foundation a professional one. The therapeutic relationship is sacred and any attempt to turn it into a romantic relationship is a violation of the client and your ethical responsibility as a counselor.

In conclusion it's good to remember that while working with a the rockstars is fun, it isn't challenging. The rockstars don't make you a better counselor because everything you try with them works. You don't have to be creative, you just have to show up and take the credit. Remember to be grateful for the client who struggles. Remember the gift of hope and courage they give you as they continue to show up even when they do not see the benifits right away. A client who is still coming to see you after a month of continuing relapse is demonstrating incredible faith in you so try and remember that when you count your blessings.

The author thanks you for taking the time to read Grey's Recovery. Feel free to give feedback on the ideas presented. Feedback on spelling, and grammar is not requested. Those who can't resist commenting on the author's spelling and grammar may be rewarded with a picture of the author's middle finger.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are welcome