According to Miller (2015), assessment is gathering data and information regarding a client in order to help counsellors acquire knowledge about the client. Addiction counsellors are highly encouraged to utilize different sources in order to obtain accurate information and make a quality assessment, as addicted individuals are normally in denial when asked about their usage. I believe that one important aspect in conducting assessment is building rapport with clients. The clients tend to be more open and communicate effectively once rapport is established (Gersten, 2013). In addition, it is important that addiction counsellors refrain from stereotyping the clients (Miller, 2015) and ensure to convey empathy and openness (Gersten, 2013).
