It is often said that substance use disorders counseling is one of the only fields in which many of the professionals have also been consumers of the fields’ services. Based on your experience, the readings, and your personal values, what are your feelings on the benefits or risks of self-disclosure of one’s own recovery status to clients? Discuss the ways that you came to this decision, and use examples. For example, you might feel that it’s appropriate in some situations but not others–explain this. Does your own recovery status play a role in that decision?
You are the clinical supervisor of an outpatient treatment program. Your bookkeeper (who is not on the clinical staff, and not directly involved in client care) has recently announced that she’s pregnant and will be leaving the program just before her due date. You discover through the rumor mill that the father of the baby is a current client in the program. Explain in detail how you’ll react both in terms of the employee and the client’s continued care. Do you have any legal or ethical responsibility to act in this scenario? Why or why not?
Use the 8-step Decision-Making Model to frame your response, answering each step in detail, and supporting your response with examplesat personal values do you bring to this dilemma?
