Recently UB's Joyce Marter, LCPC, gave a 3-hour lecture to about 30 students of the Master’s of Counseling Psychology Program of The Family Institute at Northwestern University. Joyce was asked to speak about her expertise in treating clients with a dual diagnosis - the presence of an addiction to drugs or alcohol in addition to a psychological disorder.  

Joyce's presentation was entitled, "The Chicken & Egg Dilemma of Dual Diagnosis. Which comes first, the depression or the addiction?" The lecture informed the therapists-in-training about:

• The etiology and nature of an addiction
• How to conduct a clinical assessment and make a diagnosis
• How to determine the appropriate level of care and facilitate treatment

Because psychological and addictive disorders tend to feed off each other, it can be very difficult to discern which came first or needs to be treated first. For example, sometimes people use substances to self-medicate depression or anxiety. Other times, people have a substance abuse problem that can lead to a mood disorder, etc. Joyce provided clinical instruction for the students to learn how to determine the course of treatment and effectively help individuals, couples and families impacted by dual diagnosis.  



This topic is an area of clinical interest and personal passion for Joyce Marter, as she sees that many people (regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion or sexual orientation) are impacted by addiction. The students were reminded that Urban Balance is a resource for therapists and clients who would like more information about services for people dealing with dual diagnosis.