Guided self change: a New Zealand approach

Abstract

The changing political, social and economic environment of the last few decades has challenged the alcohol and drug field to review its effectiveness. New treatment developments have emerged in an environment that increasingly supports personal responsibility and one in which people now expect to be satisfied with the health service they receive. Traditionally power in the counselling relationship has rested with the health professional. Alcohol and drug clients have been relatively powerless, a stigmatised group. The changing environment demands a new form of partnership between the client or consumer of service, and the helping professional. This requires a committed response from both. This thesis explores the introduction of a Canadian treatment model, Guided Self Change, into the New Zealand alcohol and drug field. The study is a qualitative one based on a feminist perspective, which is appropriate for a study focusing on issues of power. Guided Self Change promotes client responsibility and requires that the counsellor guides rather than controls the process of changing alcohol or drug using behaviours. In the study, eighteen counsellors from throughout the country were invited to participate and each one was interviewed twice by telephone. The responses of these counsellors and through them their clients were used to determine the potential for Guided Self Change. The study has an important contribution to make for the New Zealand treatment field and the research findings indicated that Guided Self Change has the potential to become a significant cornerstone for alcohol and drug counsellors' treatment practice. Significant effects for counsellors were the increase in theoretical knowledge gained and the associated increase in competence and confidence. Those people seeking help for their alcohol and drug problems were the main beneficiaries. The study makes recommendations for an indepth training package to be developed to assist the professional dissemination of the programme into the treatment field.