A substance abuse counselor is a professional who counsels individuals addicted to different substances and helps them in the recovery process. A substance abuse counselor promotes social change by collaborating with different individuals, teams, and agencies (WU, 2012). I chose this career as it involves mentoring individuals facing addiction and helping them through the recovery process through counseling. Mentoring a group of individuals builds on networking and promoting collaboration and partnership in a community. As a substance abuse counselor, I emphasize building partnerships, collaborations, and working relationships.
Importance of Social Change in the role of substance abuse counselor
The importance of social change in the role of substance abuse counselor is educating the community on the awareness and consequences of substance abuse. Education impacts knowledge to those unaware of substance abuse and warns the substance abusers to abstain (Smith, 2021). Additionally, education enables people to learn about the consequences of substance abuse and share information with others in their social environment. Education and awareness impact social change as people understand the root causes of substance abuse and work together to avoid the causes.
Moreover, as a counselor, I impact social change through individual and group therapy sessions. The sessions unite people and teach the importance of collaboration and partnership (Smith, 2021). Individuals learning about collaboration helps them work together with respect. They also learn to accommodate each other despite their differences. As a counselor, I also learn to listen and understand each individual during the therapy sessions, as people face diverse challenges. Learning about social change values empowers individuals to learn coping strategies for different challenges.
Web map of social activity that will result from substance abuse counselor
The web map of social activities that will result from my profession as a substance abuse counselor includes awareness campaigns for people to understand the consequences of substance abuse. The awareness campaigns can be conducted through seminars, the media, and community programs. Policy changes will also be a social activity that will help foster the inclusivity of individuals with substance disorders who can access healthcare, jobs, and education without discrimination (WU, 2021). Opening accessible health centers will be crucial as substance addicts will access therapy services from other counselors or healthcare professionals. Treatment facilities will foster collaboration with religious groups, government, and non-governmental groups to ensure help is offered to substance abusers.
Furthermore, mentoring other individuals through training programs for those who want to be future counselors is also a web map of social activity that will result from my profession. Research and innovation are key to understanding the causes of substance abuse and the relevant strategies to adopt in the recovery process. Developing resources such as support groups empowers individuals to learn to fight different struggles using diverse techniques (Smith, 2021). Empowering the community to create a supportive and conducive environment for substance abusers in their recovery process.
Summarily, as a substance abuser counselor, building relationships, networking, and social interactions results in positive social changes. Social change is essential in the role of a substance abuse counselor as it fosters awareness and education on the consequences of substance abuse. Web maps of social activities from my profession include policy changes, research and innovation, training programs, and collaboration with different organizations. A substance abuse counselor fosters positive social changes through therapy and counseling to encourage the recovery of substance abusers and foster collaborations and partnerships in the social environment.
References
Smith, M. A. (2021). Social learning and addiction. Behavioural Brain Research, 398, 112954. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7719575/
Welder University. (2012). Expanding our Undestanding of Social Change [Review of Expanding our Undestanding of Social Change ]. Welder University Publishing.
write