Why authoritarian substance use counseling fails and how to stop using an authoritarian counseling style.

You’re in session. Your client nods along, but their eyes are somewhere else. You suggest detoxification, push a job search, and outline next steps. You’re offering structure, but what they hear is pressure. They shut down. This moment should raise a flag if you’re a CASAC, CADC, or CAC. This is precisely why authoritarian counseling fails. It turns therapy into a power struggle. It’s not grounded in connection. It’s not evidence-based counseling. And it’s not client-centered counseling. Instead of building trust, you’re unintentionally repeating the same dynamics your clients have spent years trying to escape—being told what to do, how to feel, and when to change.

Too many of us fall back on control in a field that demands empathy. That’s not a moral failing—it’s a training one. However, it’s a problem we must address if we want to keep people in care and help them make changes.

What Authoritarian Counseling Looks Like And Why It’s Not Therapy

Let’s call it what it is.

Authoritarian counseling sounds like this:

• “You need to go to more meetings.”

• “You’re not taking this seriously.”

• “If you wanted recovery, you’d do what I’m telling you.”

It’s lecture-based. It’s rigid. It puts the counselor at the top and the client beneath.

Now contrast that with motivational interviewing (MI). That approach sounds more like:

• “What’s been working for you lately?”

• “What does a successful week in recovery look like for you?”

• “What would help you feel more in control right now?”

See the difference?

MI invites collaboration. It honors autonomy. It gets buy-in without pressure. And research backs it up—MI has been proven to significantly improve treatment retention and outcomes in people with substance use issues.

Why So Many Counselors Still Do It Wrong

It’s Not Always Their Fault—but It Is Our Problem

Let’s be real—this style didn’t just appear out of nowhere.

Many CASACs, CADCs, and CACs fall into authoritarian counseling, not out of malice, but because of what they were taught or what they’ve seen. It’s not always their fault. However, it’s our responsibility to recognize where this approach originates—and why it’s harming the people we’re here to help.

Part of the problem:

1. Undertrained Paraprofessionals

Some agencies rely heavily on technicians, peers, or uncertified staff performing clinical-level work. They care deeply. But without training in MI or client-centered counseling, they revert to what they’ve seen: tough love, command-and-control tactics, and program rules used like weapons.

2. Weak MI Training

Even some fully licensed counselors never got solid MI instruction. Maybe they had one workshop. Perhaps they forgot it under pressure. Without feedback and authentic coaching, MI doesn’t stick—it just becomes another acronym on a dusty certificate.

3. Burnout and Systemic Pressures

High caseloads. Billing quotas. Mandated clients. No time for reflection. All this creates conditions where the fastest solution is “just tell them what to do.” It feels efficient. However, it ultimately proves more costly in the long run, leading to dropouts, disengagement, and repeat admissions.

Why This Approach Fails (Hard)

And Why Clients Push Back or Walk Out

Authoritarian counseling often fails due to its resemblance to punitive experiences in clients’ pasts, such as interactions with probation officers or abusive parents. Programs like CASAC, CADC, and CAC must recognize that when clients feel judged, they are less likely to engage and seek the help they need.

Here’s what happens when you come at people with commands instead of compassion:

• Clients resist. Or pretend to agree to get you off their back.

• They stop sharing the truth. They withhold. They lie.

• You label them “non-compliant.” They label you “just another person who doesn’t get it.”

Authoritarianism mirrors the worst parts of their past—probation officers, abusive parents, systems that punished them instead of helping. When counseling feels like another courtroom, clients won’t lean in. They’ll protect themselves even if it means walking away from help.

What Actually Works: Human Connection

Motivational Techniques: CASAC, CADC, and CAC professionals often employ motivational interviewing strategies, fostering intrinsic motivation for change rather than imposing external mandates. In summary, the failure of authoritarian counseling is tied to its inability to foster genuine connection and collaboration with clients. In contrast, the approaches supported by professionals with CASAC, CADC, or CAC certifications are more effective in promoting lasting change.

MI focuses on:

• Open-ended questions that invite clients to explore change.

• Affirmations that build confidence without sugarcoating.

• Reflective listening that demonstrates genuine engagement.

• Summarizing to clarify, not corner.

This approach treats the client like the expert of their own life, which, by the way, they are.

It’s not about persuading people to do what you want. It’s about guiding them to understand what they want and why it matters in their lives. That’s how individuals truly change—from within, not from commands shouted across a desk. By fostering an environment of support and understanding, you can inspire others to discover their own motivations and unlock their potential.

Real-World Changes You Can Make Right Now

You don’t need to be a guru—just be present. If you’re looking to transition away from authoritarian counseling methods, embracing a more compassionate and attentive approach is vital. Being present means actively listening to your clients, understanding their needs, and creating a safe space for them to express themselves.

Instead of imposing your authority or expertise, focus on building a collaborative relationship. This allows your clients to feel valued and empowered, fostering a deeper connection that can enhance their growth and self-awareness. Remember, it’s about guiding them on their journey, not dictating their path. By being fully present, you can facilitate meaningful conversations that lead to genuine insights and transformative experiences.

Start here:

• Ask yourself when you last really listened without jumping in to fix.

• Learn or revisit the basics of MI: OARS, change talk, and ambivalence.

• Get real supervision—not just case reviews, but style feedback.

• Push your agency for MI-based training and reflective practice.

• Lower caseloads when possible. Fight for time to think.

You’re not just a provider. You’re a guide. Show up that way.

Check out this Scenario

One Client, Two Approaches, Two Very Different Outcomes

Let’s say you have a client—let’s call him Jay. Court-mandated. Standoffish. In the first three sessions, you push hard. Give him handouts. Told him he needed structure. Told him to stop hanging out with old friends.

He stopped showing up.

A month later, you run into him in the waiting room. You ask if he’d give you one more session, with no agenda, no worksheets—just space to talk.

You sit and talk. You ask what was on his mind. No checklist. No pressure.

That’s when he tells you his brother had overdosed two months earlier. No one had asked. Because you listened and let him speak his heart and mind, everything changed after that.

He kept coming. He started setting his own goals. You stopped “treating” and started connecting.

That’s MI. That’s counseling.

Conclusion: Let’s Leave Control at the Door and Lead with Connection

If you’re a CASAC, CADC, or CAC, you’re in a position to shape lives, but how you show up matters. Authoritarian counseling might feel familiar, even efficient, but it’s not therapy. It’s not evidence-based counseling. And it’s not client-centered counseling. It’s time we stop mistaking compliance for connection because the real work happens when people feel seen, not when they’re told what to do.

When we trade power plays for partnership, we stop losing clients to silence, resistance, or relapse. We gain trust. We make room for truth. We align with what works—approaches like Motivational Interviewing that are backed by research and rooted in respect.

So let’s do better. Let’s unlearn what harms and embrace what heals. Because if the goal is lasting change, then control isn’t the answer—collaboration is. And that shift starts with you.

Want help shifting? Start with:

• Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers

• NAADAC MI resources

• Peer groups or consult teams focused on MI fidelity

• Actual client feedback—ask them how they feel when they leave your sessions

Let’s stop trying to control clients into recovery. Let’s help them walk into it with dignity.

Now, your turn—drop your thoughts in the comments. Where has MI changed the game for you? Where have you struggled? Let’s learn from each other, not just from training manuals.