SA Counselors

Winchester Community Mental Health Center - Winchester, VA

Full-time

Winchester, VA

Ambulatory Health Care Services

About the position

The Substance Abuse Counselor plays a crucial role in providing individual and group counseling services tailored to meet the developmental, preventive, and remedial needs of clients struggling with substance abuse. This position involves a comprehensive approach to counseling, where the counselor not only engages with clients but also collaborates with their families and other treatment providers to ensure a holistic treatment plan is in place. The counselor is responsible for coordinating counseling services and assisting in the implementation of additional support services as needed. Adhering to the ethical standards of the counseling profession is paramount, as is compliance with the laws, policies, and procedures established by Winchester Community Mental Health Center, Inc. The counselor must maintain confidentiality regarding all client records and treatment details, ensuring that clients feel safe and secure in their therapeutic environment. In this role, the counselor will encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss their life situations, helping them gain insight into their behaviors and relationships. The counselor will guide clients in developing skills and strategies to address their challenges, prepare and maintain treatment records, and evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs. Additionally, the counselor will lead structured programs that include counseling, work, study, recreation, and social activities, modifying treatment approaches as necessary to adapt to clients' evolving needs.

Responsibilities

• Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
• Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, and help them to develop insight into themselves and their relationships.
• Guide clients in the development of skills and strategies for dealing with their problems.
• Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.
• Counsel clients to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes.
• Collect information about clients through interviews and observation.
• Act as client advocates in order to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
• Refer patients, clients, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs and clients' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.
• Plan, organize and lead structured programs of counseling, work, study, recreation and social activities for clients.
• Modify treatment activities and approaches as needed in order to comply with changes in clients' status.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field.
• One year of related field experience working with substance abuse counseling/addiction services.
• Ability to listen effectively.
• Knowledge of factors which may contribute to addiction, substance abuse, and recovery.
• Knowledge of behavioral management techniques.
• General knowledge of community resources and services.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention strategies.
• Good problem solving skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.