CAC ADDICTION COUNSELOR EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (VERIFIED
AND UPDATED)
Adlerian Therapy - ANS Focuses on the patient's ability to control his destiny by setting goals
and exhibiting purposeful behaviors
Adlerian Therapy - ANS Uses fictional finalism as an imagined central goal that gives us
purpose and guides our behavior
Phenomenology - ANS A counselor attempts to view the world from the same frame of
reference as the patient
Behavioral Therapy - ANS Focuses on modifying patient's learned behaviors that are
negatively affecting his life
Classical conditioning - ANS A model of behavioral therapy developed by Pavlov, where a
response to a stimuli can be elicited over time by association with a related stimulus
Operant conditioning - ANS Developed by BF Skinner; behavior is reinforced and learned
based on consequences of behavior
Modeling - ANS Developed by Albert Bandura, where a behavior is learned by observing the
consequences of someone else's experiences
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - ANS Developed by Aaron Beck originally as a short-term
treatment for depression; self-defeating thoughts, emotions and behaviors cause dysfunction
and are taught to be recognized and replaced.
Gestalt Therapy - ANS Developed by Fritz Perls, a method where the patient gains awareness
of what he is currently experiencing and learns personal responsibility for his thoughts,
emotions and behaviors
Focuses primarily on understanding how one behaves, rather than why. Process-oriented,
unfinished business.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy - ANS A therapeutic approach that addresses
ambivalence and helps clients consider the advantages and disadvantages of continuing
substance use
Based on the Stages of Change model
Person-Centered Therapy - ANS A humanistic therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, in which the
therapist creates an accepting, empathic environment to facilitate the client's growth
Congruence - ANS The ability to match external behavior and expression with internal
feelings and thoughts
Unconditional Positive Regard - ANS A caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, conducive
to developing self-awareness and self-acceptance
Pharmacotherapy - ANS The use of medically prescribed psychoactive chemicals to treat
psychiatric and behavioral conditions
Sensitizers - ANS Pharmacotherapies that cause unpleasant effects if certain psychoactive
chemicals are taken in conjunction with it
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Antagonists - ANS Pharmacotherapies that block the effects of certain drugs to either prevent
overdose or as a treatment approach for maintaining sobriety
Psychoanalytical Therapy - ANS A long-term process that tries to reach a patient's
unconscious and bring repressed thoughts (such as pain and grief) to the surface with the help
of free association.
Deterministic - ANS A philosophy based on the idea that human behavior is largely influenced
by internal, unconscious drives
Defense mechanism - ANS A technique used by the ego when a conflict between the id and
the superego causes anxiety
Sublimation - ANS A defense mechanism that involves redirecting maladaptive behavior into
socially acceptable behavior
Rationalization - ANS A defense mechanism that involves hiding the true reasoning behind a
behavior or feeling, but in a self-serving way with incorrect explanations
Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy - ANS A method of counseling that focuses on changing
the problem beliefs of a client; developed by Albert Ellis.
Events do not disturb people, but rather the view they take of the events.
Uses the ABC model - activating event, belief and consequence - to identify irrational thoughts
and replace them with rational ones.
Reality/Control Therapy - ANS A method of counseling which focuses on how a patient
perceives the external world, and the behaviors he uses to fit those perceptions and needs.
Goal of therapy is to develop a success identity, where a person feels he has self-worth, is
powerful and is able to love and be loved.
Stresses that four components guide our functioning: doing, thinking, feeling and physiology.
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (VERIFIED
AND UPDATED)
Adlerian Therapy - ANS Focuses on the patient's ability to control his destiny by setting goals
and exhibiting purposeful behaviors
Adlerian Therapy - ANS Uses fictional finalism as an imagined central goal that gives us
purpose and guides our behavior
Phenomenology - ANS A counselor attempts to view the world from the same frame of
reference as the patient
Behavioral Therapy - ANS Focuses on modifying patient's learned behaviors that are
negatively affecting his life
Classical conditioning - ANS A model of behavioral therapy developed by Pavlov, where a
response to a stimuli can be elicited over time by association with a related stimulus
Operant conditioning - ANS Developed by BF Skinner; behavior is reinforced and learned
based on consequences of behavior
Modeling - ANS Developed by Albert Bandura, where a behavior is learned by observing the
consequences of someone else's experiences
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - ANS Developed by Aaron Beck originally as a short-term
treatment for depression; self-defeating thoughts, emotions and behaviors cause dysfunction
and are taught to be recognized and replaced.
Gestalt Therapy - ANS Developed by Fritz Perls, a method where the patient gains awareness
of what he is currently experiencing and learns personal responsibility for his thoughts,
emotions and behaviors
Focuses primarily on understanding how one behaves, rather than why. Process-oriented,
unfinished business.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy - ANS A therapeutic approach that addresses
ambivalence and helps clients consider the advantages and disadvantages of continuing
substance use
Based on the Stages of Change model
Person-Centered Therapy - ANS A humanistic therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, in which the
therapist creates an accepting, empathic environment to facilitate the client's growth
Congruence - ANS The ability to match external behavior and expression with internal
feelings and thoughts
Unconditional Positive Regard - ANS A caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, conducive
to developing self-awareness and self-acceptance
Pharmacotherapy - ANS The use of medically prescribed psychoactive chemicals to treat
psychiatric and behavioral conditions
Sensitizers - ANS Pharmacotherapies that cause unpleasant effects if certain psychoactive
chemicals are taken in conjunction with it
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Antagonists - ANS Pharmacotherapies that block the effects of certain drugs to either prevent
overdose or as a treatment approach for maintaining sobriety
Psychoanalytical Therapy - ANS A long-term process that tries to reach a patient's
unconscious and bring repressed thoughts (such as pain and grief) to the surface with the help
of free association.
Deterministic - ANS A philosophy based on the idea that human behavior is largely influenced
by internal, unconscious drives
Defense mechanism - ANS A technique used by the ego when a conflict between the id and
the superego causes anxiety
Sublimation - ANS A defense mechanism that involves redirecting maladaptive behavior into
socially acceptable behavior
Rationalization - ANS A defense mechanism that involves hiding the true reasoning behind a
behavior or feeling, but in a self-serving way with incorrect explanations
Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy - ANS A method of counseling that focuses on changing
the problem beliefs of a client; developed by Albert Ellis.
Events do not disturb people, but rather the view they take of the events.
Uses the ABC model - activating event, belief and consequence - to identify irrational thoughts
and replace them with rational ones.
Reality/Control Therapy - ANS A method of counseling which focuses on how a patient
perceives the external world, and the behaviors he uses to fit those perceptions and needs.
Goal of therapy is to develop a success identity, where a person feels he has self-worth, is
powerful and is able to love and be loved.
Stresses that four components guide our functioning: doing, thinking, feeling and physiology.
@2026/2027 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
