Human Services professional Informational interview
The human service professional that I chose to interview was Betsy Zimmerman. Betsy is a case manager in in Norfolk, Virginia at Counseling Center LLC. This is an agency that focuses on client-centered treatment to help individuals who are struggling with substance abuse. Betsy Zimmerman received her bachelors in sociology and criminology at Christopher Newport University and she received her master’s in counseling education from Georgia Southern University. Betsy is also recognized as a national certified counselor (NCC).At the Counseling Center LLC the agency has 15 direct staff members all together. All direct staff members are required to hold at least a master’s degree. Counseling Center …show more content…
Once the client comes in for substance abuse counseling for the first time, they will go through a 30-45 minute structured interview that features a bio-psycho-social assessment which further assesses what the client will need to accomplish and the best way to go about reaching those goals. The main focus of the counseling that Betsy and her agency focus on is substance abuse counseling with their modality of treatment being group sessions. Individual sessions are rare and are only conducted when the contract requires it or if the client needs it. For example, if a client participates in a group session and they notice that the client has a lot of personal trauma or something that isn’t group appropriate then they offer the client to come in individually and do the group sessions however, the Counseling Center llc does have other locations that specialize in family therapy and couples counseling. When a client is seeking counseling at the Counseling Center llc, one of the first mandatory steps that must be taken is the filling out of an intake packet that contains documents that are necessary for effective and ethical counseling and treatment. One of the first things the potential client will receive is a consent for treatment, this document informs the client of their rights in regards …show more content…
This entire project reassured me that I am definitely in the right field for me. Speaking to Betsy Zimmerman was such a great experience mostly because I really felt her genuine passion for what she does. Initially I expected human service professionals in the substance abuse field to be a little more serious and all about the physical health of their clients. However, Betsy showed me that the connection to her clients is deeper than just trying to cure them of their addiction. She wants to treat them emotionally and support them as well. I could tell how invested she becomes in her clients and really wants them to accomplish their goals. I am currently in a research lab with Doctor Abby Reitman here at Old Dominion University and our research focus in on alcohol abuse and I am also certified in alcohol intervention. This interview just encouraged me to continue to strive to help people who are at their worse. My ultimate career goal is to be a guidance counselor and I feel that is important to become informed of what substance abuse looks like so that in the case I come across a child who perhaps is struggling in school because they have a parent that abuses substances I would be able to talk to the child and hopefully recognize the problem right away. Understanding those who are struggling with substance abuse is also important because substance abuse can effect so many other psychological
The human service professional that I chose to interview was Betsy Zimmerman. Betsy is a case manager in in Norfolk, Virginia at Counseling Center LLC. This is an agency that focuses on client-centered treatment to help individuals who are struggling with substance abuse. Betsy Zimmerman received her bachelors in sociology and criminology at Christopher Newport University and she received her master’s in counseling education from Georgia Southern University. Betsy is also recognized as a national certified counselor (NCC).At the Counseling Center LLC the agency has 15 direct staff members all together. All direct staff members are required to hold at least a master’s degree. Counseling Center …show more content…
Once the client comes in for substance abuse counseling for the first time, they will go through a 30-45 minute structured interview that features a bio-psycho-social assessment which further assesses what the client will need to accomplish and the best way to go about reaching those goals. The main focus of the counseling that Betsy and her agency focus on is substance abuse counseling with their modality of treatment being group sessions. Individual sessions are rare and are only conducted when the contract requires it or if the client needs it. For example, if a client participates in a group session and they notice that the client has a lot of personal trauma or something that isn’t group appropriate then they offer the client to come in individually and do the group sessions however, the Counseling Center llc does have other locations that specialize in family therapy and couples counseling. When a client is seeking counseling at the Counseling Center llc, one of the first mandatory steps that must be taken is the filling out of an intake packet that contains documents that are necessary for effective and ethical counseling and treatment. One of the first things the potential client will receive is a consent for treatment, this document informs the client of their rights in regards …show more content…
This entire project reassured me that I am definitely in the right field for me. Speaking to Betsy Zimmerman was such a great experience mostly because I really felt her genuine passion for what she does. Initially I expected human service professionals in the substance abuse field to be a little more serious and all about the physical health of their clients. However, Betsy showed me that the connection to her clients is deeper than just trying to cure them of their addiction. She wants to treat them emotionally and support them as well. I could tell how invested she becomes in her clients and really wants them to accomplish their goals. I am currently in a research lab with Doctor Abby Reitman here at Old Dominion University and our research focus in on alcohol abuse and I am also certified in alcohol intervention. This interview just encouraged me to continue to strive to help people who are at their worse. My ultimate career goal is to be a guidance counselor and I feel that is important to become informed of what substance abuse looks like so that in the case I come across a child who perhaps is struggling in school because they have a parent that abuses substances I would be able to talk to the child and hopefully recognize the problem right away. Understanding those who are struggling with substance abuse is also important because substance abuse can effect so many other psychological