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Certificate in Working with Addiction

Gain essential knowledge and practical skills in supporting individuals experiencing addiction. This comprehensive Certificate in Working with Addiction online course offers a deep dive into the psycho-social-neurobiological factors to be considered. By the end of the course, you will be equipped to work with clients from a holistic, informed and compassionate perspective.

Addiction Counselling Training

Approaches to working with Individuals and groups who experience addiction are ever evolving. They generally depend on the beliefs and evidence identified within a given culture or larger society.  In the Western world, services that provide support differ, and are often outcome led to meet financially commissioned expectations. As a result, service user needs can often be missed.  Similarly, medical services and community projects tend to view treatment in a rigid manner. This leads to the uniqueness of the individual often being discounted to a ‘one size fits all’ model.

We are moving away from a model of genetic determinism to begin to better understand and explore the relationship between addiction and the experience of stress and trauma in early development. Issues around Intersectionality, socially constructed identities, and Systemic Violence are still yet to be fully understood in relation to the development of addictive behaviours.

Course content

This course provides an overview of addictions from these perspectives, with an emphasis on how these ideas are relevant to your clinical practice. Be that from a reflective, intellectual, or directive stance as a practitioner.

You will be offered some take-away ideas and skills that can be readily transferred to your clinical work. As well as an understanding of what may be needed to build and maintain a positive relationship with those who come to you for help.

Content from the course will be delivered using a range of didactic, experiential and discussion-based teaching styles. You will be supported with the integration of the material. Including opportunities to discuss case material that aim at bringing these ideas to life.

The theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the course will combine ideas from a broad base of contemporary and traditional thinking around the topic of addictions.

I would highly recommend this course to others who want to learn more about addiction from a non-pathologising stance. Shame-inducing treatment options and the ‘tough love’ approach seem to often be the only recommended ways to work with addiction in many services, but this course offers a kinder alternative that prioritises compassion for clients and therapists. Course Participant – February 2025

A well put together training. Good content, pace and excellent trainer. Frances, Course Participant – February 2025

This course was incredibly useful to my practice – both in terms of developing my knowledge and skills. Mike was a great tutor, knowledgeable, empathic, respectful of experience in the group, encouraged sharing of living and lived experiences and paced the material really well. Would definitely recommend and would like to undertake more CPD with Mike. Course Participant -March 2024

Mike was a great tutor, patient, helpful and knowledgeable. Course Participant – March 2024

Like to say thank you to Mike. Great learning experience a lot of food for thought and a excellent training style. Course Participant – March 2024

Participant Numbers: Spaces are limited to 20 participants.

Pre-Course requirements: Participants should be qualified counsellors or psychotherapists or in training and ideally seeing clients in placement.

There is no pre-course work required.

Course Delivery: Live, interactive online sessions delivered via Zoom. (Sessions will not be recorded)

Assessment: The certificate is gained through attendance. To earn your certificate, you will need to actively engage in breakout sessions and keep your camera on during the course.

Recognition: A Link Centre Certificate in Working with Addiction will be presented.

Refund Policy: Payment The deposit is non-refundable. You will receive a refund of 50% of the balance for cancellations with more than 7 days’ notice.

Course Tutor: Mike Meleady is a Transactional Analyst (PTSTA) who is in private practice as a Psychotherapist & Supervisor.  Mike has a background in education. He has worked within the LGBTQI+ community focusing on mental health and wellbeing.  As Deputy Manager of the Antidote drug & alcohol service, he gained expert experience working with those who engaged in Chemsex, ran a NHS Chemsex clinic and worked alongside the criminal justice system, supporting those who offended in a substance use context.  He also worked alongside organisations such as Turning Point & CGL to train and support staff with delivering group interventions for substance use.

Mike feels that the privilege he holds as a white man, allows him to provide a voice to issues around discrimination, and to have power ‘with’ people, and be a good ally for all. He is also reflective of the oppression he and other’s experience because of living a life of identifying as queer, or holding difference. He works within an intersectional framework whereby he keeps difference, power, and oppression at the forefront of his working practice.  Mike is a trainer, delivering content around drug & alcohol use, LGBTQ+ Awareness, Chemsex, LGBTQ+Mental Health, Allyship & Service Inclusion. He is also a Primary Tutor at TA East.

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