addiction counsellor degree?

willow tree

hi,
i am hoping that one of you knowledgeable people will be able to help. i have a dip in psychotherapy from tivoli institute. i was about to do the upgrade degree in addiction studies with pci but it is not going ahead this year. i was wondering if there is another way for me to train up to be an addiction counsellor where i wont have to go back to the beginning again? i was thinking of doing the upgrade degree with pci and some voluntary work with a community addiction centre? i cant do a full time course. thanks in advance for any thoughts or shared experience:)

hotspur

Can you do the same upgrade with addiction training institute? IIRC they allow people to enter their addiction counselling degree at a later stage depending on prior qualifications.

Odysseus

I have worked in the addiction field for over 15yrs, my degree and masters are in psychoanalysis. I would suggest going for a general degree in psychotherapy, addiction it is a hugh area, which is why the HSE dropped the word addiction from our job description. Even better if you have the time a degree in psychology then do your clinical training as a psychotherapist, it will open more doors to further training in the long term.

I deal with much more than addiction, that is just a symptom, any form of dual diagnosis, horrific abusive past, bereavement etc. I believe that a good psychotherapy degree sets you up for working in a clinical setting with addicts rather than one just focused on addiction. Just my opinion but something to think on.

willow tree

hi, thanks for replies.
hotspur ati were really helpful and said i could do the upgrade but i'd be doing most of the course but they'd let me off modules (like counselling skills etc that i'd have) so thats something to think about. sorry but i cant find anything on IIRC, where are they based?

Odysseus, you are where i want to be! That's really interesting. I did start a psychology degree with o.u. so i could finish that. I was really glad to hear what you said. my brother was in rehab a few years ago and i remember one counsellor who just trained in addiction and i certainly felt that they would have benefited from training in psychotherapy, just to broaden their own awareness. (It could just have been this person but i felt it was clear they lacked the deep work).
Thanks for replies, really looking forward to getting back into it.:)

hotspur

willow tree wrote: »

hi, thanks for replies.
hotspur ati were really helpful and said i could do the upgrade but i'd be doing most of the course but they'd let me off modules (like counselling skills etc that i'd have) so thats something to think about. sorry but i cant find anything on IIRC, where are they based?

Sorry if I had you looking for a place called IIRC, it is short for "if I recall correctly"

willow tree

hotspur wrote: »

Sorry if I had you looking for a place called IIRC, it is short for "if I recall correctly"

ok, i feel very silly now:o lol, i did wonder after... well now i know

Odysseus

willow tree wrote: »

hi, thanks for replies.
hotspur ati were really helpful and said i could do the upgrade but i'd be doing most of the course but they'd let me off modules (like counselling skills etc that i'd have) so thats something to think about. sorry but i cant find anything on IIRC, where are they based?

Odysseus, you are where i want to be! That's really interesting. I did start a psychology degree with o.u. so i could finish that. I was really glad to hear what you said. my brother was in rehab a few years ago and i remember one counsellor who just trained in addiction and i certainly felt that they would have benefited from training in psychotherapy, just to broaden their own awareness. (It could just have been this person but i felt it was clear they lacked the deep work).
Thanks for replies, really looking forward to getting back into it.:)

Well if I can be of any help feel free to ask me anthing, or PM if you want. Though there are a few people here who are very experienced in the area of addiction.