Alcohol Dependency
Counselor
In Seeley Lake
Every Monday

November 25, 1999
Seeley Swan Pathfinder
Seeley Lake, Montana

by Patricia Swan Smith
For the Pathfinder

St. Patrick Hospital Addiction Treatment Program will have a chemical dependency counselor in Seeley on Mondays at the Seeley Swan Health Care Center.

Tye Coleman has been working in chemical dependency for the past nine years, and she said she is looking forward to working in the Seeley Swan.

"One of my goals for the Seeley Swan area is to provide the information and education necessary for people to understand the disease of addiction," she said. "The alcoholic was looked upon as weak-willed. He or she was thought to not care about other people, or even about themselves.

"A common attitude was that all the person had to do was to quit using. Chemical dependency is widespread throughout my extended family and is on both the paternal and maternal sides.

"My father was a wonderful man and an attorney, who died from the disease of alcoholism when he was only 48-years-old.

"Treatment in those days was much more limited and did not provide the resourceful and thoughtful approach available today. Now we know that chemical dependency is a disease that responds well to particular treatment and, therefore, is nothing of which to be ashamed."

Coleman said that her goals for the people she works with include: the client gaining knowledge about the disease; helping them learn new and effective coping skills to deal with life's problems; and helping to develope a plan that leads to emotional, physical, mental and spiritual health.

She plans to have two therapy groups: one for the chemically dependent clients and one for family members.

Coleman received her Bachelor's of Art in Social Work at the University of Montana and a Masters in Applied Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Family System Counseling at Bastyr University/Leadership Institute in Seattle.

To speak to her about an appointment, you may contact her at 677-3580 or at 1-800-527-1679.