Counselors tend to have some challenges in common When a client arrives for a first interview, they tend to discuss an issue in their lives which is causing immediate concern eg their impending employment loss. Focus can be directed to that area in the first and subsequent interviews. It is all to easy to find some weeks have gone by and the counselor does not have some basic facts about the client. Very often there is the imperative of a full evaluation for the client which has to be produced in a short space of time. Statistics may also have to be fed into a database .
People tend to under-report their substance misuse and getting accurate data can be tricky.
The person who really needs convincing there is a problem to address is the client themselves. Even when they present for help, it is sometimes something they have agreed to do for a short while to pacify a family member. Motivating these clients to realise that change is important to them is important. Software has been developed to overcome these problems. We have a presentation of how practice nurses can act as a facilitator for people with alcohol problems, liasing with other counseling agencies.