T
here are times as professionals when we have to look at ourselves
and ask some honest questions – and seek honest answers – in
much the same way as we would with our service users. Are we
creating services to meet the needs of our client group, or are we
getting lost in their perceived ‘complexity’ or our attempts to meet
the ever-changing demands of legislation, government strategies and public
and expert opinion?
At Janus Solutions, we’ve reflected on our years in practice and training and
concluded that we were unhappy with our lack of autonomy. We realised that
we were inadvertently drifting away from the very heart of our work – the
relationship between the service user and their drug of choice. Without a focus
on this we felt that the odds could be stacked against the service user, so it
came to be the central focus of our new day programme.
The Janus day programme is a treatment and aftercare programme based on
the ‘resonance factor’, a concept developed from the belief that the most effective
way to improve outcomes for problematic drug and alcohol use is to keep the
focus on the relationship between the user and his or her substance of choice.
During many years of service delivery, Janus has found that often the service
user’s relationship with drug or alcohol use had become a secondary priority to
areas such as housing, health, involvement with the criminal justice system or
education. Although these need to be addressed, they should not replace the
essential focus on the primary problem – drug or alcohol dependence.
We have also observed that the increased expectation on services to provide
a holistic package of care can allow the focus to drift from the central issue,
something that’s particularly relevant in the context of the current drug
strategy where the focus is clearly on the ‘recovery model’ and ‘reintegration’.
This, coupled with cuts in funding and more use of volunteers and trainees,
means an increased likelihood that the primary issue will not be fully addressed.
Janus has developed a model that keeps the focus on drug or alcohol use while
exploring the impact of other issues at the same time. The abstinence-based
programme incorporates other areas of the service user’s life but never loses
sight of the primary reason that the service user is here.
The programme, which runs seven days a week and includes evening activities,
is designed to interfere with the service user’s drug use – and cravings to use – by
Services are at risk of losing sight of their core
purpose, says Chris Robin, as he describes how
the ‘resonance factor’ can help clients understand
their relationship with their drug of choice
16 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| July 2012
Treatment|
Methods
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
breaking the pattern of potential drug-using behaviour. The ‘resonance factor’ stands
aside from other models such as 12-step, CBT, harm reduction, psychotherapy or
spiritual and culture-specific interventions. However, it is a concept that can be
adopted by all professionals, irrespective of their professional background or school
of thought. The model has been tried and tested with workers and clients, and has
proven successful in achieving personal empowerment. It is unique in that it focuses
entirely on the person’s relationship to their drug of choice – in particular how they
‘
We’ve reflected on our years
in practice and training and
concluded that we were
unhappy with our lack of
autonomy. We realised that we
were inadvertently drifting
away from the very heart of
our work – the relationship
between the service user and
their drug of choice.
’
A RESONATING