Addiction Counselling and Treatment

We understand our counselling services as support for the personal development of our clients. Acceptance, respect and appreciation determine our attitude towards those seeking counselling in our facility.

The use of addictive substances is widespread in our society. It becomes problematic when the quality of life of the user or those around him/her is impaired. An addictive disease can develop when a person tries over a longer period of time to compensate for the tension between the desired and experienced reality of life with the help of addictive substances.

An addiction is not a detached individual disease, but must be understood in connection with the environment of the person affected. Therefore, in the counselling process we also include – if desired and possible – the social systems that may be involved, damaged or responsible for the addictive substance use.

In our work, we are guided by the goals of our clients, include their abilities and ideas in the counselling process and look for possibilities of change together with them. Our counselling is based on the principles of motivational interviewing.

Our team consists of counsellors from the fields of social work and psychology with many years of experience in addiction prevention and addiction support.

• Young drug users
  For adolescents, there is a plethora of developmental tasks to cope with. For many adolescents, the use of addictive substances is part of this phase of life in the sense of experimental or risky behaviour. Often, these are only occasional experiences that do not automatically lead to regular use or addiction. However, stressful events, persistent difficulties at school, training or work, a failed love relationship, changes in the family and personal environment, etc. can lead to occasional or intermittent use of substances turning into abusive and habitual use and the development of an addiction disease. Problematic consumption in adolescence often affects the entire family. It is usually parents who take the first step into counselling. We advise on: Risk assessments in connection with substance use; Ways to reduce or stop substance use; Other help and treatment options for parents and adolescents; Possibilities for parents to exert influence
• Adult drug users
  Our counselling and treatment services for self-affected citizens aged 18 and older range from brief information and practical everyday help to exit-oriented therapy mediation and outpatient aftercare. First of all, we take time for you to find out where your need for help lies and how we can support you best. It may be that you first need someone to listen to you. With us, you can be sure that nothing will be passed on to third parties - we are subject to the legal duty of confidentiality.
• Parents with addictions
  For mothers or fathers who want to or have to deal with their consumption, we offer clearing talks. If further help and support measures make sense, we support the establishment of contact and help with applications. In this context, we offer a supportive exchange with all persons involved after a release from confidentiality has been granted.
• Dual diagnosis patients
  The offer is aimed at people who suffer from at least one other mental illness in addition to drug abuse or addiction. These are in particular: acute psychoses, schizophrenias, depressions, severe traumatisation and severe personality disorders. If you do not yet have a diagnosis but still feel different from others, please feel free to contact us. In addition to information, diagnosis, development of a personal understanding of the illness and motivation to deal responsibly with the illnesses, further help is suggested and provided.
• Relatives who are also affected
  If substance use becomes a problem, this not only affects the users but also their social environment. That is why our counselling services are of course also aimed at relatives and caregivers from the social environment.

• Counselling interviews
  During our opening hours, a staff member is always available for a short counselling session in person or by phone. Those affected and their relatives can make use of individually arranged counselling sessions on topics relating to drug use in the broadest sense.
• Mediation
  Within addiction support, we mediate clients as needed in support and services from the areas of: Inpatient detoxification treatment; Outpatient or inpatient withdrawal and therapy; Residential projects; Self-help groups; Youth help; Homeless help; Work and employment
• Outpatient aftercare
  After a successfully completed inpatient rehabilitation for addicts, the funding agency (pension insurance or health insurance) grants outpatient aftercare for a period of at least six months. It is granted in order to integrate the results of the therapy into everyday life and to consolidate the acquired abstinence.We provide aftercare in individual therapeutic discussions with a fixed reference therapist and offer two weekly, semi-open aftercare groups.
• SHIFT Parent Training
  SHIFT is a group programme to promote family resilience and parenting skills. The service is aimed at addicted mothers or fathers, irrespective of the used substance. One of a total of ten (free) group sessions takes place weekly.
  
• Psychosocial support in the context of substitution treatment
  In addition to the medical prescription of a substitution drug (such as Subutex, Polamidon, etc.), psychosocial support by an addiction counselling centre is useful. In this context, we offer individual talks and support with a permanent staff member. The aim of our offer is to accompany and support clients during their substitution treatment.
  
• Naloxon-Training
  Overdoses of heroin and other opioids can lead to life-threatening situations and result in numerous deaths every year. Naloxone is an emergency medication that can reverse the respiratory paralysing effect of opioids and thus save lives. The use of naloxone nasal spray requires knowledge that can be acquired beforehand in the so-called naloxone training. We participate in the federal model project "NALtrain" and are thus qualified to conduct these trainings. Naloxone training takes place in groups (approx. 6 participants) and lasts about 90 minutes. If necessary, short trainings for individuals can also be offered. At the end of the naloxone training, the participants receive a training certificate that enables the issuing of a prescription.
  
• Info-Café
  Our Info-Café is open on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and is supervised by a staff member. The café is available to all our clients. In addition to offering hot and cold drinks, an accepting atmosphere for conversation and information on various topics, the café offers the following: laundry washing; showers; syringe exchange; food distribution from the Dresdner Tafel.