This document discusses the importance of professional distance in addiction counseling. It explains that without professional distance, counselors can become over-involved emotionally and lose objectivity. They may show favoritism or feel rejected if clients do not respond as hoped. Professional distance means that clients are responsible for their own decisions and experience the consequences, while counselors are not trying to "fix" clients or own their feelings. Some self-revelation by counselors can be helpful, but cautions are given to maintain roles and avoid exclusive or inappropriate relationships. Regular staff meetings are encouraged for support and discussion of clients.

1. Winning the Battle Over Addiction:
All in the Family - 2
Michael Liimatta, CAO
city Vision College
Kansas City MO

2. Keys to Success
 Self Awareness
 Restoring Relationships
 Overcoming Codependency
 Connecting with Two Essential Communities

3. Why Professional Distance?
 We are not able to help everyone who
becomes involved with their program.
 Rescue mission programs have a very high
turnover rate among residents.
 Without it, workers can become
discouraged, "burned out," or even skeptical
about the chances of any homeless addict
"making it."

4. Lack of Professional Distance
 Over involvement on an emotional level
causes counselors to lose their objectivity.
 Favoritism toward some residents
 Feel rejected by them when they don't
respond favorably to their attempts to help
them.

5. “Professional Distance” Means
 Clients are responsible for their own
decisions & actions
 Experience the consequences of their
choices & actions
 Not “fixing” or owning their feelings
 Free to heed or reject our input
 Their problems say at the mission when we
go home at night.

6. Self-revelation & Counseling
 How it relates to"professional distance“
 Some training discourages "inserting their
own personalities" into the counseling
process”
 Need: Striking a balance between over-
involvement and being so objective that
those we work with never see our "human"
side. .

7. Benefits of Self-revelation
 Important tool for the Christian
counselor. (2 Cor. 1:3)
 Wounded people need to see us as "fellow
travelers" who are walking the road to
recovery with them.

8. Self-revelation Cautions #1
 Remember who is "staff" and who is "client"
(keep roles separate)
 Definite emotional "wall" between staff
members and clients must be very
definite. (relationships outside work)
 Staff members leaning inappropriately on
the residents for emotional support and
companionship while at work.

9. Self-revelation Cautions #2
 Avoid formation of “exclusive” relationships
with staff members
 Avoid sharing too much about your current
on-going personal struggles with
clients. This could result in them losing
respect for you.
 Staff members who are in recovery
themselves should never participate in
support groups where clients are also in
attendance.

10. Inter-Staff Communication
 Weekly meetings to discuss residents’ &
gain support from one another.
 Workers need freedom to discuss their own
issues with one another, too.
 Team approach: Primary counselor for each
resident plus discussing what clients share
with team members.
 Benefit team members’ insights provided by
other.