Another Loss: Addictions Counselors Who Experience Client Death

Presenters: Katharine Sperandio, LPC, ACS, NCC; Yoon Suh Moh, LPC, NCC, CRC, BC-TMH; Jeremy Goshorn, LCMHC (NC), LPC (PA), NCC

Description: Counselors working in the addictions field experience a high prevalence of client death due to the nature of their clientele and the potentially lethal nature of addiction. Unfortunately, the experiences of these counselors are largely underexplored in the literature. This presentation will explore the complexities involved when experiencing a client death and offer potential strategies that professional counselors, trainees, and supervisors can implement to process the loss effectively so it does not hinder their professional wellness and produce burnout. The topic of our webinar will connect to humanism in a way that honors authentic human lives and relationships in which the experience of client death and its effects on the client's surrounding supports including addiction counselors is non-judgmentally discussed.

Objectives: Attendees will explore how they might be potentially impacted if they have experienced client death. Attendees will learn creative strategies to help them cope with the unexpected death of a client. Attendees will learn how they can implement strategies to support clients who are grieving the unexpected death of a peer or loved one due to addiction.

Presenter Bios: Presenters are both counselor educators/faculty members at a counselor education program. In addition, they are both licensed professional counselors practicing in an urban area where the increasing rate of substance misuse and its consequences have been witnessed in recent years, and collectively hold relevant certification in the areas of counselor supervision, national certified counseling, vocational rehabilitation, and telemental health. Their research interests include addictions and social justice issues in counseling.