Counsellors who work in drug and alcohol settings often encounter shame in therapeutic interactions. This shame relates to the stigma and sense of failure when acknowledging addiction, where the identity of the client becomes imbued with a sense of defect or monstrosity, as well as, shame inspired by long term intra-psychic processes that emerge from personal and social adversity in relation to significant relationships and cultural phenomena. And yet, the therapeutic process is wrought with contradictory issues relating to treatment models and relational dynamics.

Objectives
This project aims to observe the impact of chronic shame, primarily as a treatment barrier, and how chronic shame relates to multiple axes in treatment: addiction, the identity of the “addict”, the treatment model, and ultimately the treatment setting. Furthermore, greater awareness of this dynamic may create space to counteract contradictions in a way that enhances the relationship between client and counsellor and ultimately increases the opportunities for the client in their recovery, in whichever form this recovery takes.

Method
Through a series of qualitative interviews, this work seeks to give voice to frontline workers, where there is currently a dearth of research. The paper will present emerging themes from the interviews, in order to examine the relationship between shame and identity, to gain a clearer understanding of the social construction of addiction, in relation to treatment dynamics and the impact of context (or space in which treatment takes place).

Results
The emerging themes will then be analysed through the practice implications of person – centred counselling and Potter-Efron’s shame counselling model (Potter Efron 2002, 1989).

Conclusion
Ultimately this research hopes to address the issue of how to counsel clients around shame, in a shaming environment?