Masterton youth drug and alcohol counsellor Joanna Morris was last week honoured with a distinguished academic prize at Christchurch Medical School.
The Wairarapa Addiction Services (WASI) counsellor was recognised with the John Dobson Memorial Foundation Postgraduate Prize for graduating as top student in the Addiction and Co-existing Disorders diploma qualification.
"I was
pleased, really, really chuffed. It was a big honour for me and it's nice for the service as well."
The course, run by the University of Otago's National Addiction Centre at the Christchurch Medical School campus, includes an assessment of people with addiction and co-existing disorders, theories of addiction, a management paper and the pharmacology of addiction.
Ms Morris said Dr John Dobson's stature within the field was a proud endorsement and underscored the achievement.
He was a prominent and pioneering figure in drug and alcohol and mental health services in New Zealand, noted for his stringently scientific championing of controversial issues and social causes.
"It's a tremendous achievement from my point of view and it's a great reflection on the service as a whole. Quite a lot of our staff do postgraduate studies in Christchurch and this is the first time one of my staff has been singled out for special honours," WASI manager Mary Freeman said.
Ms Morris, alongside Lyn Greenwood, is one of two WASI youth counsellors and said she achieved the result with hard work and the support of her colleagues. "It was made easier because it's all the stuff that you're doing at work anyway. I really enjoyed doing it," Ms Morris said.
She started working at WASI in 2004 and began studying extramurally for the diploma in 2005. In 2006 she took maternity leave before completing her studies this year.
The addiction and co-existing disorders field is constantly evolving and she is always learning, she said. Right now she is pondering whether or not to return for further study.
"I've got a young son and he's my study at the moment but maybe I'll do my masters in the future."
