Foundation Connections

At 64, Cyril Scovens, MS, MAC, LCADC, is still driven by curiosity and purpose. A Baltimore native and father of two adult children, his path into addiction counseling started in a way few would expect. “I am a person who dropped out of school in the eighth grade and eventually joined the Army at the age of 17,” he says. Decades later, he returned to the classroom at age 50 and earned three degrees, including a master’s degree in addiction counseling.

Counseling was not always part of his plan. “I had just closed my transportation company, which was my third job in recovery. And after 15 years of recovery, I decided that counseling would be my next endeavor in my career path.” Sixteen years later, he has worked in a variety of addiction treatment modalities: inpatient withdrawal management; short- and long-term residential treatment facilities; partial hospitalization program; intensive outpatient; outpatient program; and halfway houses.

A firm believer in the European Model of Treatment and Recovery, Cyril bases his work on authenticity and genuine connection. He draws on humanistic and person-centered theory to help clients see their strengths. “I teach and utilize the benefits of ‘recovery capital’ that all clients possess but often do not understand how to tap into it as a source of strength.”

Cyril also pushes back against stereotypes. Too often, he says, clients are dismissed as drug-seeking when they question a program. “That does not mean that all their experiences are drug-related, but [they] are also based on human lived experiences.” His counseling philosophy has been shaped by that truth.

His perspective has shifted with time. In his early years, he relied on an abstinence-only model. “As I stayed in the field, my growth became a more client-centered approach that met the client at their level of need.” Constant study has fueled that growth. Cyril urges other counselors to keep up with new research, from the neuroscience of addiction to the rise of synthetic drugs that may not respond to traditional protocols.

Some of his most rewarding moments have come through education. When he was invited to present his research on toxic brain injury (caused by prolonged substance misuse or overdose) to undergraduates at his alma mater, he challenged them to think long term: “I challenged them to continue learning even after they earn their degree.” His own mentor planted that same seed years ago, telling him to seek knowledge and stay current as the science of addiction evolves.

His passion for education is also what led him to establish the CMS Institute of Addictionology, Inc. “My goal in creating this organization was to provide more current levels of training for the addiction professionals working in treatment,” he explains. The institute focuses on new models of addiction, brain science, and the impact of toxic brain injury, equipping counselors with tools to better understand their clients’ lives.

For Cyril, it is also about the profession’s identity. “If we are specialists in the field of addiction psychology, which is a branch of science, we should evolve to become ‘addictionologists’ and not counselors.” Redefining the role, he believes, will prepare counselors for the future to strengthen the addiction counseling field.

When asked what advice he gives to those considering this work, he does not hesitate. “Respect the work that you are about to undertake. We do not save people from the evils of their addiction; we provide guidance and insight that they may not have when entering treatment.” It serves as a reminder that knowledge, compassion, and respect remain central to both addiction counseling and his life’s work.

Cyril Scovens, MS, MAC, LCADC, is a 2019 NBCCF Addictions Counseling Fellow and a member of the NBCCF Addictions Counseling Advisory Council. He is also the founder and President of CMS Institute of Addictionology, Inc.

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