Counselor Training as a Treatment for Alcoholism: the Helper Therapy Principle in Action

Abstract

Extensive harmful drinking of alcohol is a major problem for many groups of Australian Aborigines and western treatment approaches have had limited effect. In order to stress cultural factors in treatment, a program to train indigenous Aborigines as alcoholism counselors for their communities was developed. In its more than 10 years of existence 145 counselors have been graduated. Of those initially entering the two year program 60% have graduated. Most of those have found employment as alcohol counselors for their people, and the numbers of Aborigines treated has increased. About 90% of those who entered the training had severe repeated substance abuse disorders in their recent history. The training and the alcohol counseling employment appears to be highly associated with continuing sobriety. For those who graduated the program only 4.8% returned to drinking. Those who completed only the first phase, 8.4% returned to drinking. Of those who were terminated from the program, 74% returned to drinking. Training alcoholics as alcohol counselors appears to be associated with vocational success and maintenance of sobriety as predicted by Riessman's "helper-therapy principle."

Community Health Workers: Examining the Helper Therapy Principle

“…This study of low income CHWs has several implications for nurses and other service providers working with CHWs, and for future research using the Helper Perception Measure. Consistent with findings from prior studies, the study strengthens support for the helper therapy principle—that is, the personal growth nonprofessional helpers experience through their training and service to others ( Kahn & Fua, 1992; Wallston, McMinn, Kafahn, & Pleas, 1983; Watkins, Harlan, Eng, Gansky, Gehan, & Larson, 1994). The results of the study suggest that nurses who work with CHWs in providing care for pregnant women may also be influencing the health of CHWs by improving their self‐esteem, helping them find and utilize health resources, assisting them with their plans for the future, and decreasing the social isolation that often occurs for low‐income women with young children.…”

“…Several investigators have examined the helper therapy principle with lay volunteers who share similar characteristics and similar health problems to those of the clients they serve. Benefits of helping that were identified in the literature include: energizing effects of visiting; a sense of belonging with others; status and importance associated with this role in the health system; increased self‐confidence; maintenance of general level of well‐being; greater social support; increased self‐knowledge; learning through teaching; and improved personal effectiveness ( Bond, 1979; Guianan, McCallum, Painter, Dykes, & Gold, 1991; Kahn & Fua, 1992; Wallston, McMinn, Kafahn, & Pleas, 1983).…”

What can primary care services do to help First Nations people with unhealthy alcohol use? A systematic review: Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada

“…Two-thirds (n = 18) of the studies focused on treatment accessibility or acceptability from the perspective of clients (n = 6), staff (n = 8) or both (n = 4) [30,31,55,57,65,76]; [54,56,58,60,68,70,71,77]; [63,64,66,74]. The remaining one-third focused on treatment effectiveness (n = 4) [24,69,73,75]; effectiveness-implementation (n = 3) [29,62,72] or implementation research (n = 3) [59,61,67]. One effectiveness-implementation study also evaluated client access and staff access and acceptability [29], and another study evaluated implementation and client and staff acceptability [59].…”

Expanding knowledge among Aboriginal service providers on treatment options for excessive alcohol use

“…The need for and benefits of residential and in-patient treatment for particular types of drinker have been documented [25,26]. These tong-term residential programmes have latent functions such as providing employment for Aboriginal people, and assisting ex-drinkers who work in them to remain sober [27,28]. Since 1991 there has been renewed interest in residential, Aboriginal-run treatment centres as a result of exchange visits between Aboriginal people in Australia and in Canada, where such centres are well established.…”