Beginning with a brief review of the literature related to the importance of religion/spirituality (R/S) in counseling clients with substance use disorders and addictions, this article provides classroom exercises that educators can use in the addiction curriculum to foster student insight and awareness, leading to increased R/S competency.

Counselor trainees in recovery from substance use often have a foundational recovery identity; they also develop a professional counselor identity through their training. This study utilized narrative inquiry to explore the integration of professional identity and recovery identity. Resonant threads and narrative tensions emerged from the storied…

Social media (SM), which is frequently preferred by young people, poses a risk of addiction when used excessively and unconsciously. Having self-awareness and becoming digitally literate, unlike other university students, is essential for psychological counselor candidates (PCC) in terms of preventive counseling they will do in the institutions…

Historically, paraprofessionals and those trained outside the counseling field have provided addiction counseling services to people struggling with addictions. In 2009, CACREP introduced standardized addictions training for counselors. Within the CACREP standards, no formalized structure exists to guide addiction content integration into…

Several challenges exist in the implementation of integrated care given that SUD/Addiction treatment has historically been segregated from the broader health care system (Office of the Surgeon General, 2016). One expression of the gap that persists is that for counselors who want to administer SUD/Addiction and mental health counseling, or…

Addiction has been conceptualized in various ways throughout history, leading to ongoing debates about its definition and the most effective approaches to treatment. While healthcare professionals and paraprofessionals have long been involved in addiction treatment, there remains a lack of consensus on the best practices for addressing addiction…

Social workers have an important role in the field of mental health, and social work programs have a responsibility to prepare students for practice in the field. This scoping review mapped and synthesized the literature on mental health, addictions, and suicide in social work education and training. We found 51 articles that examined social work…

"Epigenetics" is the study of modifications to gene expression without an alteration to the DNA sequence. Currently there is limited translation of epigenetics to the counseling profession. The purpose of this article is to inform counseling practitioners and counselor educators about the potential role epigenetics plays in mental…

Social work educators must prioritize effective preparation of MSW students for the pivotal roles they will play in supporting clients struggling with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Understanding what concerns MSW students have about working in the substance use field can highlight student training needs and inform learner-centered curricula.…

Given the prevalence of sex addiction (SA) among collegiate populations, the authors designed this study to examine college counselors' training in SA, use of formal assessments, and referrals to support groups. Results indicated that 84.4% of college counselors (N = 77) had at least one client present with SA-related issues in the past year.…

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common clinical concern. We surveyed a national sample of 94 licensed clinicians to better understand their work with clients who self-injure. Our data revealed that over the past year, 95.7% (n = 90) of the sample reported working with at least one client who self-injured. Thirty-six clinicians (38%) reported…

The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought about many changes to our society, which will have long-term effects for our youth and adolescents. Due to social isolation and adverse childhood experiences, there are concerns of suicidality, technology addiction, and school safety as schools attempt to transition to a state of normalcy in the months to…

Human sexuality is a pervasive and universal part of being human and despite this, receives inadequate attention in counselor education curricula. Consequently, counselors may be ill-prepared to assist clients who present with sexuality issues. The authors provide support and recommendations for infusing sexuality content throughout counselor…

Life challenges and traumas come in many forms and the capacity to bounce back, adapt, and move on to a new normal also comes in many forms. This study examined some common life challenges and trauma experiences and how persons in these have reacted and grown past the experiences. The study also used action research to provide graduate student…

Counselors-in-training may struggle in working with addictions populations for various reasons, including limited training, pre-existing stigma toward the population, and low self-efficacy treating substance use disorders. This is concerning because professional counselors have the highest proportion of clients with a primary substance abuse…