The Addictions certificate is designed for anyone who wants to build on their knowledge and skills in the field of addictions. Two required workshops provide a solid foundation of knowledge about substance use, abuse and addiction. A variety of electives allow you to create a program of study that fits with your career path and interests. Some of the topics covered in this program include:
- An understanding of what an addiction is and what causes addictions.
- Factors that can impact an addiction, such a families, trauma and concurrent disorders.
- The various types of addictive substances and how they affect the body and brain.
- Tools and skills that can be used in assessment, intervention and relapse prevention.
Upon completion, participants will be better able to assist clients facing addiction issues.
This certificate is designed for helping professionals. For those in recovery, the content and discussions may be triggering.
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
To complete the Addictions certificate, you must take a minimum of 84 course hours, including two required workshops and 60 hours of electives. You can complete this certificate in as little as one year or take up to seven years. The two required workshops are Fundamentals of Addiction and Pharmacology.
You do not have to be working toward the Addictions certificate to take any of these workshops.
CACCF CREDITS
All workshops in the Addictions certificate program are approved for a specified number of continuing education hours (CEUs) through the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF). See workshop descriptions for the number of CEUs each workshop is eligible for.
For information about the CACCF or how to become a certified Addictions Counsellor, visit www.caccf.ca.
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
The online Addictions workshops are completely asynchronous, allowing you to complete the certificate program on your own schedule and from your own location. Each online workshop takes six weeks to complete and will require approximately two hours of work per week. Instructors will use a variety of learning methods, such as discussion boards, videos, quizzes and PowerPoint presentations to provide a rich learning experience.
You don't have to log on to the workshop at any particular time, but the workshop is broken into six separate weeks so you are required to log on and complete the work each week. Each weekly lesson includes:
- Written lectures for you to read.
- Mandatory discussion boards.
- A quiz.
DELIVERY OPTIONS
The Addictions certificate workshops are available through online, remote and in-person (Kitchener) delivery options.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information about this certificate contact the Faculty of Social Work Professional Development office:
Email: fswprofessionaldevelopment@wlu.ca
In-Person or Remote: 519-884-0710 ext. 5234
Online: 519-884-0710 ext. 5235