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Self-Care for Addiction Professionals: Optimizing Health and Wellbeing

COM HLT X 470.12

Substance use disorder counselors experience high rates of burnout. Develop self-care skills related to mindfulness, healthy sleep habits, optimal nutrition, and regular exercise to optimize your work with clients.

READ MORE ABOUT THIS COURSE
Winter
Live Online
Starting at $900.00
As few as 11 weeks
4.0

What you can learn.

  • Outline prevalence and patterns of burnout across the addictions profession
  • Discuss the benefits of optimizing health habits including: sufficient sleep, optimal nutrition, regular exercise, mindful awareness
  • Develop and practice a comprehensive self-care plan
  • Practice mindful awareness skills
  • Practice loving kindness meditation

About this course:

This course provides students with a basic level of understanding of the epidemiology and development of burnout, including learning current science to establish a foundational understanding of physical, psychological, and spiritual self-care to optimize adoption of a plan for well-being while conducting work in the field of substance use disorders. Substance use disorder professionals experience high rates of burnout similar to other providers of mental health care. High rates of burnout can result in increased job dissatisfaction, increased absences from work, leaving jobs early, impacted job performance and functioning in other areas of life, and relapse. Research indicates a substantial need to establish a mechanism of self-care and collaborative partnership among addiction professionals to reduce the impact of burnout. Specific topics include: the biological, developmental, psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to burnout; recognition of stressful dynamics and increasing self-awareness; neurobiological benefits to self-care; mindfulness practice and meditation; developing good sleep hygiene and the importance of sleep; adequate nutrition and exercise; and maintaining motivation to engage in self-care behaviors. Includes guest speakers and weekly mindfulness practice. 

Winter 2026 Schedule

Date & Time
Details
Format
 
-
Thursday 6:30PM - 9:30PM PT
Future Offering (Opens November 03, 2025 12:00:00 AM)
See Details
406386
Fee:
$900.00
Live Onlineformat icon
Location: Remote Classroom
Notes

Required course in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Certificate. Restricted course; web enrollments automatically generate a "Permission to Enroll" request.

Enrollment deadline: January 11, 2026. Internet access required. Materials required. 

Enrollment is typically reserved for adult students 18 years of age and older. Students under 18 years of age may receive consent to enroll based on special academic competence and approval by the instructor. If you are a student under 18 years of age, you must submit a request to enroll in the course 8 weeks before the course start date to mentalhealth@uclaextension.edu for your request to be considered.

Refund Deadline
Refunds only available from November 03, 2025 to January 18, 2026
Course Requirements
Book: Leaving It at the Office : A Guide to Psychotherapist Self-Care by Norcross, John C. and VandenBos, Gary R.
Help for the Helper : Preventing Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma in an Ever-Changing World: Updated + Expanded by Rothschild, Babette
Schedule
Type
Date
Time
Location
Lecture
Thu Jan 8, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Jan 15, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Jan 22, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Jan 29, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Feb 5, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Feb 12, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Feb 19, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Feb 26, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Mar 5, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Mar 12, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom
Lecture
Thu Mar 19, 2026
6:30PM PT - 9:30PM PT
Remote Classroom

This course applies towards the following certificates & specializations…

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