PSY FPX 5002 Assessment 3

Abstract

The last assignment in the first curriculum at graduate school was to assess and narrow down the vision, goals, and plans as a multicultural businessman-envoy in psychology as a career. In this instance, it is regarding infection in the substance abuse (SUD) field as a consultant. Presently, after three decades, an addictive consultant, half-respected, offering services, training, ongoing education, and presentations on the basis of existing surveys, seems to be sustainable for future revenues. The action plan includes putting into practice a Master of General Psychology by December 2022, while Tele-Counseling and Equipment-Assisted Counselling (EAC) provide services through employees and Zoom. Upon finishing education studies, the treatment centers for possible consultation followed and trailed with local law enforcement and possibly finished the application for a Tennessee alcohol and drug adviser license. Concurrently apply for a doctoral program in general psychology. Lastly, pen motivational literature for society and psychology with a doctorate.

Moving Forward in My Addiction Career

Psychology is a practice field that offers avenues for facilitating growth and development in humanity at large. To practice, research is required for all fields of psychology, but particularly in addictions. To put it in perspective, to treat substance use disorder (SUD) clients without psychological research would be a matter of unsubstantiated guesswork or decisions that might inflict unimaginable harm on these sick people. It is essential to be updated with emerging treatment modalities due to the risk of fatality in the chronic illness or disease. Smith and Borden (2020) claimed that SUDs were life-threatening, complex, and a chronic condition to be treated. Additionally, my vision is to strive as a consultant in multiple companies, particularly addiction-based, and to write inspiring but meaningful literature to society and psychology via books and research as a multicultural psychology practitioner-scholar and further as a scholar-practitioner.

Application and Research Vision

Psychology is a practice field that typically offers chances to enhance the growth and development of humanity. To practice, there needs to be research in all fields of psychology, but particularly addiction. To explain, an SUD with no psychological research that treats customers will be on the basis of skewed estimates or decisions that may result in unthinkable harm to these ill people. One should stay up-to-date since a new treatment due to chronic disease or possibly fatal disease. Smith and the table (2020) have stated that SUD is a composed, life-threatening, and chronic disease to be treated. Besides, my aim is addiction-related, particularly as it relates to multiculturalism in various companies, and the writer is a multidisciplinary psychology businessman sensitive to encouraging objective literature for society and psychology through books and research and more by a peer.

Goals

My goal is to dream as a consultant in various firms, especially in the addiction field, and become an inspiring author who will provide significant literature to society as a practitioner-scholar and proceed as a scholar-practitioner. That is, I intend to begin my consultation at various addiction centers in California and Tennessee while pursuing my master’s, and upon acquiring my doctorate in general psychology (Capella University, n. d.-b; Sternberg, 2016), I will publish one or two books. I already completed my undergrad; hence, since I am semi-retired, I have decided to diversify into other sectors that will keep generating additional income and enhance my prospects.

According to the available research, retirement does not signify the cessation of work but the beginning of change in an individual’s knowledge and experience (Wang & Wanberg, 2017). Transitioning and growing my career to that which is best for my timeline to continue to be of service to society is a new change that is workable and challenging as a multicultural practitioner-scholar working toward an ultimate doctorate in general psychology. However, as I advance in my business and private practice, the therapeutic relationship remains key. With that in mind, it is necessary to maintain a continuous healthy, productive, and confidential relationship with my clientele. As an addiction professional, I am bound by certain codes of conduct and ethics by the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California (ACCBC, 2018).

I have been certified by the ACCBC and a member of the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE) since 1997 and in the addiction industry since 1993. The certification board meets all of the requirements of the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Substance Use Disorder Compliance Division (SUDCD) for the state of California (DHCS, 2021). Furthermore, the state of California will eventually have an addiction counselor licensure that will require more than associate degrees in addiction studies. Therefore, I have little motivation to move out of my area of expertise; however, I can enhance my addiction counselor credentials to Tennessee licensure when I get my master’s in general psychology. Additionally, I remain up-to-date with current research, political opinion, and ethical compliance to deliver appropriate ongoing care to all of my clients and best practice relationships to my colleagues.

Supervision and Ethical Training

After conducting a review of the literature, I would apply the information in my consultation as in-services to many addiction businesses. To explain, Jones and Branco (2020) presumed that SUD counselors suffered from burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue. Clinical supervision was necessary for avoiding such deleterious effects of conducting business in the industry. Correspondingly, all SUD professionals, especially SUD counselors and supervisors, would be provided with continuous education through TIP 52, TAP 21, and TAP 21-A, found effective for SUD clinical counseling staff (SAMHSA, 2012, 2013, 2015). The addiction field has struggled more so than any other psychology field with ethical challenges because there has been no supervision and no in-services consistently. Unfortunately, the SUD field has been at a loss, but through monthly in-service training on growth and development and state and board requirements for ongoing education, ethical decision-making can be optimum in all of psychology.

Presentations on Current Research

I can research bringing to the table presentations of current SUD information to addiction professionals. A case in point would be a lack of disparity in heredity and environment research in the SUD etiology and ethology of specific minority groups. The disparity is problematic in that disadvantaged minorities were noted as understudied, yet also promising in that the historical genes and environment issue in SUD appeared more salient. For example, Chartier et al. (2017) established that genetically vulnerable, disadvantaged minority populations were targeted by alcohol marketing and state and federal regulation loopholes, primarily targeting males and youth. The environment played a crucial role in the prevalence of SUDs. For example, the interaction between trauma, opportunity deprivation, drugs, and alcohol established that a genetic link was known to increase stress levels with SUDs (Chartier et al., 2017). Also, the significance of the study shows that stressors (i.e., environment) increased the chances for those with a genetic predisposition to get addicted to the disease.

Professional Competencies

The competencies that I will be expected to exhibit will be ongoing throughout my professional and educational life. For instance, cultural competencies and evidence-based practices are evolving continually; thus, continuous education and research are necessary.

Also, the other key skills needed for achievement are critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, and conflict resolution that one learns along the way in school and through the career path. SAMHSA TAP 21 and 21-A demonstrate the key competencies needed of addiction counselors and their clinical supervisors (2012; 2015). Both are based on the eight practice dimensions of substance abuse counseling. Each of the dimensions has a practice area that expresses competence through knowledge, skills, and attitude. For instance, the eighth practice dimension is discharge planning; however, in order to accomplish this, a counselor must be knowledgeable in discharging a client (e.g., how, when, where, and why). They ought to have the capability to perform the discharge, such as filling out the appropriate forms with the client, to name a few, and discharge coordination with the client and location, professionals to whom the client is being discharged, and involved parties who are on the need-to-know list through releases.

Following knowledge and skills are attitudes, and a competent SUD counselor should demonstrate competence in discharge planning, like understanding the importance that the client needs a written discharge and relapse prevention plan that is initiated two to three weeks before discharge and initiated by case management before the client leaves the facility (SAMHSA, 2012; 2015). Some of the other skills, abilities, and attitudes necessary to counsel SUD clients include attending skills, effectiveness with open-ended questions, empathy, integrity, genuineness, interpretation, unconditional positive regard, active listening, concreteness, appropriate self-disclosure, therapeutic boundaries, and effective communication with verbal and nonverbal skills (SAMHSA, 2012; 2015).

Ethical Competencies

Ethically, an SUD counselor cannot discharge a client out onto the street; the client, however, can choose to leave treatment. According to the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California ([ACCBC], 2021) through California’s Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE), the SUD counselor will determine the greatest good for society, the client, and the profession as a whole by doing no harm (ACCBC, Code of Ethics, Principle 3, 2021; Code of Conduct, Principle 3, 2021). That is, SUD counselors ought to be ethical and dilemma competent by inserting ten hours of ethics and decision-making every two years as another requirement of their forty hours of continuing education. Ethical skills of SUD counseling or any professional who is interested in serving SUD clients are based on five fundamental moral skills: beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice, and fidelity (ACCBC, 2021). Both are important in their own right, but all are critical to the SUD counseling profession and client, peer, and society relationships.

Professional Responsibilities

Professional responsibilities fall into ethical and professional ones. Both include the clients, yet the professional counseling responsibilities are more work-oriented. For instance, the professional, work-related, ethical standards are set by boards, e.g., the ACCBC or the Association for Addiction Professionals ([NAADAC], 2021) in their code of ethics that state an addiction professional’s responsibilities are to ensure the client’s safety and well-being, act in the best interest of the client with respect, compassion, and sensitivity; and treat every client with dignity, positive regard, and respect. These appear to align with the ethical competencies outlined above.

Professional responsibilities, however, revolve around eight practice areas or other activities of various work roles. For example, as a clinical director, such a professional would educate, supervise, and train the clinical workers and research, plan, develop, and implement effective prevention and intervention strategies for staff and customers (SAMHSA, 2012). Ongoing employee training and education are essential for the overall well-being and health of the clinical staff, thereby providing proper care to clients. Additionally, special clinical training familiarizes new approaches to old challenges for experiencing potentially new results.

Cultural Competencies

Further, as an addiction counselor and a multicultural practitioner-scholar, certain cultural competencies will be required to be fulfilled. For instance, SUD treatment centers and therapists should treat a multicultural clientele with few difficulties unless the client or clients would be served optimally at a different clinic. Yet, each clinic and therapist should be able to treat all beliefs, morals, values, and behaviors, according to SAMHSA (2016) TIP 59, which is to increase SUD treatment procedure to be culturally sensitive. Those constructs vary from various populations.

Key Responsibilities as a Multicultural Practitioner-Scholar as a Consultant

Being a consultant before and after my graduation, I must persist in practicing certain competencies and responsibilities that I have learned from school. Most of the skills that I am going to achieve at Capella are essential for enhancing my upcoming jobs and profession. According to Capella University (n. d.-d), the practitioner-scholar utilizes the ethical concepts, theories, modalities, and research in psychology to practice professionally and academically; effective and professional communication; the ability to locate pertinent scholarly literature and studies; and the ability to honor respect, support, and respond in appropriate ways to varying populations and differences in individuals. Therefore, by a parallel position as consultant, I am equipped to articulate such outcomes and discharge other responsibilities as necessary.

Professional Requirements

Maintaining an ongoing healthy, productive, and confidential relationship with my clients is of utmost significance. I am bound by some codes of conduct and ethical principles by the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of California (ACCBC, 2021). I am certified through the ACCBC and have been a California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE) member since 1997 and active in the field of addiction since 1993. The board meets all of the requirements of the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Substance Use Disorder Compliance Division (SUDCD) of the state of California (DHCS, 2021).

In addition, the state of California will soon have licensure for an addiction counselor that will require more than an addiction studies associate. So I have not much incentive to move out of my field; however, I may include my addiction counselor certification in licensure in Tennessee upon completing my master’s in general psychology. Moreover, I proceed with continued research, political analysis, and ethical practice to deliver appropriate current treatment to all my clients and best practice relations with my colleagues.

Licensure in Tennessee

By completing my master of science in general psychology, I am able to apply with the state of Tennessee for licensure. The requirements are just a bachelor’s in addiction studies with 2000 hours of clinical supervision and an exam (Capella University, n. d.-e). Fortunately, the only parts that I will have to perform are completing the licensure application, paying the fee, and potentially testing because, unfortunately, any testing requirements do not transfer from California. I will have no other demands to meet based on my history of addiction as a California-licensed addiction counselor.

Action Plan

In addition, an action plan must be implemented in order to achieve goals through the evaluation of my future professional objectives. The SMART action plan will serve as a guideline to establish a mechanism for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-specific (SMART) data, created by Capella University (n. d.-c), in order to implement goals. First, I pursued my master’s of general psychology in January 2022 at Capella University through the use of the Flex

Path program. I will continue to operate part-time as a business owner and addiction counselor during this timeframe. Providing EAC in California with staff, as needed, and telehealth remote addiction counseling as a steady source of income. But I will also attempt to provide consultation to improve communication skills at various businesses, especially with the local addiction treatment center, Buffalo Valley. I have already provided some workshops for them. When I graduate with my master’s in December of 2022 or early 2023, I will reach out to the Lewisburg police and Marshall County sheriff departments to see if there would be a crisis counselor position available. Also, before I graduate, I will sign up for Capella University’s doctor of general psychology program. The doctorate consists of 19 courses with residency and two or more years to finish. My goals are specific to the program I am attending, the one I am seeking to attend, and how I will maintain stamina over it.

The plans are measurable in terms of time and the applications. As an illustration, the application for admission to Capella for my master’s was accepted immediately. As long as I can keep my grades at 3.8, I believe that my application for their doctorate program will also be accepted. My objectives are realistic since I am eligible for admission in a field that I am very well-versed in because of previous experience. My objectives are realistic since they involve the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that I have attained. Finances will be needed; thus, I will have financial help, my husband’s funds, and part-time work. Time has been set, and it coincides with semiretirement and family. Thus, completing the SMART action plan (Capella University, n. d.-c). The plan now allows for summarizing my future education and work objectives.

Conclusion

Thus, as an inspirational presenter of significant literature by authorship or SUD research as a consultant author, my goal is to consult with different addiction-related businesses in society and psychology as a multicultural psychology practitioner-scholar and further as a scholar-practitioner. I am aware that continued diverse therapeutic relationships with further education and career development will be beneficial for my motivation for ethical compliance, multicultural competence, and personal and professional aspirations. That is, being active and learning through theory, research, and practice with different people from different backgrounds and ethnicities will increase my ability as I grow into a multicultural practitioner-scholar and motivate me to fulfill my entire plan of progressing to the doctorate in psychology.

The ongoing master’s program will generate additional opportunities for consulting in addiction treatment and writing. Also, I am quite confident that I will complete the entire process because I have family support, good health, time available, and financial support. The learning models researched for this course alleviated concerns and surprised me at the same time. For instance, the learning model for Capella University was taken from McClintock’s model in part, but both were explored to determine the practitioner-scholar and scholar-practitioner from a multicultural framework (Capella University, n. d.-a; n. d.-b; Distefano et al., 2004). What followed was the capacity to peer over how I would operate and grow as a student and professional multicultural practitioner-scholar. Any question about stagnant learning was eliminated, and respect was guaranteed that I would receive an appropriately balanced education grounded in research, theory, and the experiential in psychology.

PSY FPX 5002 Assessment 3 Moving Forward in My Addiction Career 

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PSY FPX 5002 Assessment 3: Moving Forward in My Addiction Career

Sternberg, R. J. (2016). The foundations of success: A synthesis of research on personality and individual differences. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000157-000

Wang, M., & Wanberg, C. R. (2017). 100 years of employee turnover theory and research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 530–545 https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000104