Sitting in a sun-splashed patio at Stonington Beach Hotel, Linda James fits the image of a drug abuse counsellor.

She speaks expertly and fluently, the words gushing out like a pre-recorded text.

Occasionally she will trip you up with phrases like "client empowerment model'' -- the typical shorthand of someone familiar with her subject.

Beneath the smooth veneer, however, lies a harrowing personal drama.

Ms James, now middle-aged, was subjected to repeated abuse as a child; a trauma which propelled her into a nightmarish world of drugs and alcohol.

It's a subject this professional from Canada would rather not dwell on.

"I would prefer not to disclose what type of abuse it was. Let's just say it was serious,'' she says quickly.

"I was helped through my problems by a combination of self-help groups and psychotherapy.'' Ms James slowly turned her life around, enrolling at Ottawa's Algonquin College, where she took a two-year addictions counselling programme.

It comes as a shock to discover just how close to her subject matter Ms James has been.

But there is one positive result: When she talks about drugs, you listen.

On Saturday, Bermudians did quite a lot of listening when Ms James presented a "Dialogue on Addictions'' workshop at Bermuda College.

It was co-sponsored by the National Drug Commission (NDC), Bermuda College and the Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse (CADA).

The idea was to tell drug abuse treatment professionals and volunteers how to acquire a globally-recognised qualification -- or international certification.

Such certification would enable Bermudians to ply their skills abroad.

The NDC's treatment coordinator Lynda Price said: "I feel very strongly that the certification of professionals and agencies working in the field of substance abuse is crucial in ensuring the following: public protection, professional responsibility and professional competency.'' She added: "Everyone will have a more complete understanding of the structure and requirements involved in the certification process after attending the workshop.'' Dr. Price stressed definitions of the roles and standards involved would help Bermuda as it considered adopting international certification requirements.

Drugs counsellor brings her message to Bermuda It was Ms James' first visit to Bermuda.

And she came with some strong messages about the best way of getting through to drug addicts.

"Twenty years ago there was a confrontational approach to counselling, but that is now considered inappropriate.

"People felt violated and abused by those methods. Now we have a client empowerment model.'' Ms James, who chairs the Credentialling Committee and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Addiction Intervention Association, stresses that counselling has to be targeted to a client's needs.

"Don't impose your own values and beliefs. There is no one approach -- you have to have an individualised approach based on need.'' Nowadays, there is a greater emphasis on prevention, health promotion and helping people with life skills.

Ms James says the certification process requires a minimum of 6,000 hours in the field.

Aspiring counsellors have to take a written exam, covering such areas as responsibility and ethics, case management and after-care.

"At the end they receive a certificate,'' Ms James adds.

Chairperson of the CADA Forum Committee Kim Wilkerson was delighted by Ms James' visit.

She highlighted her group's dedication to supporting presentations on drug and alcohol abuse to professionals.

"The cooperation between the various agencies working in the field of substance abuse and the NDC in support of the NDC's Strategic Plan will have a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of each agency and on alcohol and drug abuse in Bermuda.'' Bermuda College's associate dean of Continuing Studies, Helen Pearman Ziral, said: "Bermuda College is a natural venue for any educational opportunities in this field.

"In conjunction with supporting seminars and workshops, we are also constantly improving our reference library to keep up to date on changing trends and issues.'' She emphasises the importance of an "evolving dialogue'' on counselling and bringing Bermudians into the field.

"We want to involve them in a process and hear their voices.'' Ms James has no doubt her own experience with abuse has stood her in good stead.

"I do believe that therapists have to be aware.'' She also learned a lot while a social worker in the prison system. "I was appalled when I realised how many people were incarcerated as a result of alcohol and drug related issues.'' Ms James, who has specialised in women's issues and adolescents, says her research carried her to a key question: Was drug addiction genetic or behavioural? "It became very clear to me that it did not matter whether someone was experiencing difficulties with alcohol or drugs. With help they could change behaviour.'' Can any addict -- however chronic his addiction -- be totally cured? Ms James shies away from the word "cure'', but has an optimistic message: "There is hope for the chronically addicted.'' She adds: "Recovery is a process not an event.'' Linda James