Pharmacology:  Effects of Drug Dependency on Brain, Body & Behavior    
                                                                                                                                                         SAC 102    30 CEU's
What are the effects of addictive substances on the human brain, body, and behavior?  Should
substance abuse be considered a disease? This course offers comprehensive knowledge about the
classes of drugs that have abusive potential, and in depth attention to the pharmacological and
psychological  issues associated with each.  Students learn to recognize signs for drug
tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal, and to understand treatment for these conditions.  Plus,
students gain understanding of the range, use, and effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment.  Six
things the student will learn:

     Reasons people use drugs and alcohol
     Vocabulary of drug use, abuse, and treatment
     Pharmacology of the brain and nervous system and how drugs act in the brain
     Toxic  effects of alcohol, hypnotics, narcotics, stimulants, hallucinogens, inhalants,
                marijuana, and nicotine
     Current disease concepts and theories
     Signs of drug tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal


Substance Abuse:  A Family Problem                                                               SAC 103    30 CEU's
Substance abuse treatment and recovery does not need to include family discord.  Students will
understand substance abuse as a a family problem and learn how family counseling can provide
the forum for productive change by focusing on the operation of entire family, its roles, rules,
boundaries, and subsystems.  Students  will appreciate how issues of adaptive behavior, marital
and parenting problems, and parent-child relationship patterns can be used to move a family
from addiction to recovery.  What students will learn:

     Family dynamics and how it relates to substance abuse
     Positive and negative factors of family relationships
     Analysis of the family of a substance abuser
     Effects of substance abuse on all family members
     Codependent and enabling relationships
     When family counseling is needed; client education


Counseling:  Approaches for Substance Abusers                         SAC 104   30 CEU's
This stimulating course examines various psychological theories and counseling approaches
which form the basis for intervention and treatment of substance abuse.  Students will learn how
to help clients deal with unresolved parental conflicts, intimacy, authority, developing drug free
friendships, and filling the empty space created by abstinence.  Students will recognize the need
for cultural competence in order to reach clients.  Develop an understanding of:

     Current theories of addiction causation
     Understand role and use of various schools of psychology in understanding cause and
          treatment, including psychoanalytic, existential, gestalt, transactional analysis,  and 
          cognitive-behavioral approaches.
     Importance of therapeutic relationship
     Personal and professional sides of counseling


Drug Abuse, Sexuality, AIDS, & Domestic Violence: The Links       SAC 105 20 CEU's
One of the areas of life most devastated by substance abuse is the ability to establish and
maintain close relationships and to enjoy a healthy sexuality.  In this course, the student will
learn why the reestablishment of friendships, intimacy, and healthy sexuality is critical to
recovery.   Students will understand the relationship between substance abuse, AIDS, and
domestic violence and examine these critical issues:

     Connection between substance abuse, domestic violence, intimacy, and sexuality
     Psychosexual developmental stages
     Effects of drugs on relationships and sexual functioning
     Clinical issues related to this scenario which need attention
     Effective client education strategies


Ethics:  Professional Road map                                                                            SAC 106    30 CEU's
This course is absolutely necessary for all addiction practitioners.  Students will understand how
ethics guidelines provide a recipe for professional effectiveness and success.  Understand the
scope and limitations of professional practice.  Identify and deal early-on with common ethical
dilemmas.  Identify warning signs of sexual or otherwise inappropriate involvement with
clients.  Understand when/how to report client behavior which is a danger to self or others. 
Know the counselors' rights and responsibilities, Florida Certification Board ethical guidelines
and grievance process.  Six things you will master:

     Types of professional certification
     Scope and limitations of professional activities
     Dual relationships
     How and when to utilize consultation
     Rules and guidelines of professional conduct
     How to clarify unclear situations
     Recognize professional misconduct and unlawful conduct


Diagnosis:  Crucial First Step                                                                    SAC 107     30 CEU's 
The diagnostic process sets the stage for treatment, and in this course the student will
understand how to screen, assess, and provisionally diagnose clients to determine how to treat
clients.  Since many substance abuse clients also have other types of problems, the student will
learn to differentiate abuse of chemicals from psychiatric and process disorders (e.g., eating  or
gambling disorders) from learning or attentional disorders.  The student will learn to:

     Develop a comprehensive biopsychosocial history
     Understand Axis, I, II, and III diagnoses
     Develop a diagnostic picture
     Understand co-occurring disorders
     Understand the relationship between diagnosis and treatment planning
     Understand uses and limitations of diagnostic guidelines
 

Treatment Planning:  Map for Recovery                                               SAC 108   30 CEU's
In this course the student will come to view the client as being the starting point of his/her
journey toward recovery.  Learn how to map out the treatment path which best suits the unique
problems and strengths of each client.  Discover how to understand the client's needs, plan
treatment, and assess progress during therein evolving stages of recovery.   Make use of the
treatment team and  coordinate services and make appropriate referrals to fulfill the treatment
plan.  Become acquainted with various systems of clinical records.  Through case presentations,
the student will be able to:

     Integrate client's unique needs, strengths, & cultural background into the treatment plan
     Understand and make use of professional roles within the treatment team
     Work as a valuable member of the treatment team
     Develop initial, master, and other treatment plans
     Identify treatment progress and challenges
      

Documentation:  Putting It All Together                                            SAC 109    30 CEU's
This course teaches the student how to put it all together.  How to document assessment,
diagnosis, treatment plan, and clinical notes to demonstrate the progress made.  Learn systems
of clinical documentation and how to document activities to meet requirements of third party
payers.  Educate the client and family to support the treatment and recovery process, and get
the most out of professional growth.  Skills the student will gain:

     Understanding documentation systems (DCF, CARF, JCAH, JCAHO)
     Using the language of clinical record keeping (SOAP, DAP, SNAP)
     Documenting for third parties and criminal justice
     Working with utilization review and peer review processes
     Getting the most out of supervision
     Helping the client and family support recovery


Landing the Job You Deserve: Winning Resumes, Networking and Interview Skills                                                                                                   SAC 110      No CEU's
This course is provided free of charge to prepare graduating students to develop and utilize
proven-effective  job seeking skills.  Understand what makes a strong, concise cover letter. 
Develop a winning resume which presents your skills and experience in a way which gets
employer attention.  Participate in mock interviews to polish interview skills which support 
your strong written materials.  Learn how to access published employment opportunities
and develop professional networks which provide valuable leads for both published and
unpublished employment opportunities. 


Basic Individual Counseling Skills                                                  SAC 201     30 CEU's 
To build the skills necessary to counsel others, the student must be able to understand emotional
and psychological process and how these processes emerge in the substance dependent client. 
Students will develop the ability to use listening skills,  constructive feedback and confrontation
techniques, identify defense mechanisms and choose appropriate clinical techniques to help
clients lower those defenses.  Recognize and deal with basic ethical issues in individual
counseling and be prepared to educate clients and families to support the recovery journeyed. 
Students will learn:

     Integration of psychological theory and practice
     Importance of cultural competency in counseling clients from diverse backgrounds
     Recognizing and therapeutically respond to clients' emotional reactions
     Use of feedback, confrontation, process, and problem solving
     Readiness and stages of change
 

Basic Group Counseling Skills                                                           SAC 202       30 CEU's
This course lets the student understand the difference between individual and group counseling,
experience the dynamics  of group counseling, and develop the abilities of a good group leader. 
Students will be able to describe  the different types of groups,  aspects of forming and ending a
group, as well as identify the phases of the lifetime of a group.  Use therapeutic techniques to
enhance group facilitation.  Recognize and deal with basic ethical issues and dilemmas in group
counseling and educate client and family to support recovery.  Understand the role of cultural
competence in dealing with a range of diverse client populations.  The student will master these
techniques:

     Relate your personal growth to group leadership skills
     Effectively lead a group
     Use of self-disclosure and feedback
     Identify and deal with ethical and reporting issues related to group counseling
     Identify personal defenses that interfere with group process
     Understand how to work with diverse client populations:  adolescents, families, elders,
           lesbian/gay, ethnic minorities, etc.


Intermediate Group Counseling Skills                                               SAC 203   30 CEU's 
Having learned basic group counseling, the student can now further develop and apply skills in
 group leadership, especially relating to specific treatment populations, such as marijuana
abuse, stimulant abuse, and court ordered clients.  prescription drug abuse.   Identify personal
characteristics that can hinder or enhance leadership capacities.  Enhance the use of effective 
therapeutic approaches effective for various treatment populations.  Recognize and deal with
more advanced ethical issues.  Acquire the skills to:

     Put learned leadership into practice
     Develop and refine counseling techniques and strategies
     Integrate client education into the counseling experience
     Use silence effectively
     Refine intervention techniques with humanistic, psychodynamic, transpersonnal, behavioral,
          and cognitive approaches  
     

FLORIDA ADDICTIONS INSTITUTE

ONLINE CLASS SCHEDULE 2010-2011

SAC 101:  January 5, 2010

SAC 102:  February 9, 2010

SAC 103:  March 16, 2010

SAC 201:  April 20, 2010

SAC 107:  May 25, 2010

SAC 105:  July 1, 2010

SAC 104:  August 3, 2010

SAC 202:  September 7, 2010

SAC 106:  October 12, 2010

SAC 203:  November 16, 2010

SAC 109:  January 4, 2011

SAC 108:  February 8, 2011

Class Cost: $350, except for SAC 105, which is $225

Classes meet two evenings each week, generally Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Classes are held in live, real time, with the instructor present. 

For more information on the Florida Addictions Institute, call (239) 573-0311