FERN DERBYSHIRE
Ripley,Derbyshire
Summary
Organised and dependable Substance Misuse Practitioner. Successful at managing multiple priorities with resilience and positivity. Experienced in substance misuse intervention and recovery support. Able to deliver sustainable results in substance misuse prevention and treatment, utilising comprehensive knowledge in psychosocial intervention and harm reduction. Specialised in building rapport with clients, developing individualised treatment plans and signposting clients to recovery projects within the community for maximum recovery outcomes. Compassionate and driven, bringing strong communication and problem-solving skills for a client-centred approach, essential for supporting individuals through substance misuse recovery. Ready to create meaningful change and contribute to success of clients in a Support Worker role.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
9
9
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Substance Misuse Practitioner
Phoenix Futures - Derbyshire Recovery Partnership
Ripley, Derbyshire
11.2024 - Current
- Provided empathetic support to clients, building rapport and encouraging open communication
- Liaised with other agencies involved in clients' lives; ensured cohesive approach towards clients' recovery process.
- Decreased patient relapses by formulating tailored substance misuse care plans and relapse prevention plans
- Conducted thorough assessments to determine clients' treatment needs and formulated relevant safety assessments for optimised care.
- Attended regular up to date training to ensure delivery of up to date, appropriate knowledge and advice
- Consulted with multidisciplinary team of professionals to optimise treatment plans for complex and high-risk cases.
- Managed high-risk cases effectively, reduced instances of crisis situations.
Customer Service Assistant
Central England Co-operative
Ripley, Derbyshire
11.2019 - 10.2024
- Applied conflict resolution strategies to resolve tense situations, converting potential negativity into positive results.
- Effectively addressed customer concerns, resolving issues with empathy and patience while maintaining positive relationships.
- Employed a cooperative approach in working with team members to accomplish objectives, further developing positive relationships with other staff members.
- Ensured high-quality customer service by attending to customers' requests respectfully and in a timely manner.
Education
BSc (Hons) - Psychology
Loughborough University
Loughborough, Leicestershire 10.2021 - 06.2024
A-Levels - Psychology, Sociology, Biology
The Ripley Academy
Ripley, Derbyshire 09.2019 - 01.2021
GCSEs -
The Ripley Academy
Ripley, Derbyshire 09.2014 - 06.2019
Skills
- Teamwork and Leadership- Within working with substance misuse , I have gained experience working collaboratively with my colleagues to complete expected duties whilst simultaneously resolving client concerns and inquires, liaising with multidisciplinary teams where appropriate Similarly, throughout my university education, I have been involved in multiple group coursework projects in which I took the initiative to assign myself group leader and delegate responsibilities to other group members in ways equal and fair, this collaborative process aided conflict resolution down the line, as all member felt respected and felt they were able to ask for help if necessary
- Clinical Knowledge - Throughout my time at university undertaking a degree in psychology, I have gained experience in various mental health disorders, neurodivergence, substance use and addictions and their comorbidities This has been accompanied with different variations of assessment, support and intervention such as: formulation, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy and group/family therapy I am able to critically discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the aforementioned
- Sensitive to stigmatised topics - During my degree, accompanied with my year in substance misuse, I have developed deep a understanding, compassion and empathy on the struggles of complex mental illness and addiction, I recognise the stigma that follows and therefore understand the important of treating service users with respect, dignity and compassion, this is important so they can feel like they are valued and deserving of treatment
- Communication - I believe part of treating service users with respect, comes from engaging in active listening, this is useful to develop deeper understanding of their situation in order to best cater to their needs as well as allow them to feel seen Throughout my years in customer service and substance misuse, I can recognise that certain arising concerns may be frustrating and individuals can appreciate being heard
- Client-Centred approach - Working in substance misuse has allowed me to recognise that each individual has their own set of needs which need to be heard in order to tailor the most appropriate level of support Within my role as a Practitioner this involves: relapse prevention planning; developing recovery plans; harm reduction techniques, all tailored appropriately to meet the individuals' needs
- Resilience under pressure, time efficiency and case management - Substance Misuse involves faced-paced, ever-changing expectations throughout each day whereby managing my own individual caseload ensuring high quality, clear psychosocial intervention and note-taking throughout, alongside being a team player, assisting with the needs of my colleagues' clients where appropriate
- Use of clinical software - In being a professional in a service users' care, I have developed a competency in , utilising clinical software such as; typing relevant notes, uploading reports, liaising with external agencies such as: GP's, social workers and probation Reviewing and processing incoming clinical letters and tasks in line with protocol
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Substance Misuse Practitioner
Phoenix Futures - Derbyshire Recovery Partnership
11.2024 - Current
BSc (Hons) - Psychology
Loughborough University
10.2021 - 06.2024
Customer Service Assistant
Central England Co-operative
11.2019 - 10.2024
A-Levels - Psychology, Sociology, Biology
The Ripley Academy
09.2019 - 01.2021
GCSEs -
The Ripley Academy
09.2014 - 06.2019