The court doesn’t differentiate between a slip and a relapse. You have to. This tool exists because new counselors often default to one of two extremes ā over-reporting every instance of use because they’re afraid of getting in trouble, or under-reporting because they don’t want to damage the relationship. Both responses come from fear, not clinical reasoning. This quick reference gives you a structured way to assess what you’re actually dealing with, check your own bias before you act, and make a reporting decision you can defend in supervision. Print it double-sided and keep it in your desk for the moments when you need to think clearly and don’t have time to second-guess yourself.
