Evaluation of drug counselor training: a pilot study

A pilot evaluation study was conducted to explore the impact of a training course aimed at helping drug counselors establish effective therapeutic relationships with their clients. Counselor abilities to reflect accurate empathy, sensitivity to client values and attitudes, and use of specified problem-solving techniques were measured before and after training through counselor self-ratings and ratings of counselor behaviors provided by clients and supervisors. The preliminary findings reveal a trend toward improved drug counselor functioning along these dimensions following training. However, the findings also suggest that the greatest impact of training may be a shift in drug counselor self-perceptions toward more confidence in their own capability to establish effective therapeutic relationships.