How to become A Substance Abuse Counselor

At the root of all addictions is an overwhelming desire to escape pain. Substance Abuse Counselors help create a new life that supports sobriety as they work with people who fall prey to addiction. They are with their patients every step of the thousand-mile heroic journey to recovery.

• Chemical Dependency Counselor
• Addictions Counselor
• Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor
• Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counselor

What do Substance Abuse Counselors do?

A Substance Abuse Counselor would typically need to:

• Help patients with a variety of problems stemming from addiction to drugs and alcohol
• Meet with patients to evaluate their health and their relationship with substance abuse; hold counseling sessions one-on-one or in a group format
• Listen to clients describe their problems and identify issues that cause them to engage in addictive behavior; design and manage a personalized recovery plan for each patient
• Help patients identify sources of negative behavior and understand their effects on loved ones; meet with family members to provide guidance and support while patients acclimate to lifestyle and behavioral changes
• Help individuals overcome their addictions and become self-sufficient by teaching them preventative measures and coping mechanisms to safeguard against potential relapses
• Possess knowledge of drug and alcohol testing to ensure a patient follows treatment plans and medical instructions
• Prepare and maintain detailed progress records on each patient to facilitate the evaluation of patient progress, amendment of treatment plans and aftercare plans
• Refer clients to support groups, community resources, and programs; work closely with doctors, nurses, therapists, and social workers to provide patients with comprehensive therapy and treatment
• Ensure the administrative and clinical practices comply with confidentiality requirements as well as state and central regulations

Substance Abuse Counselors are usually office-based, but their work may involve traveling to other locations or working from home. Phone and internet counseling services are becoming increasingly common, resulting in more flexible work environments for Counselors. Their dress code would be business casual unless otherwise specified.

Regular working hours may be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but some posts may also require evening or weekend work to meet with clients. A maximum of 20 hours of client contact time per week is recommended.

If you work with children or teenagers, you will be more likely to find work in schools or after-school programs. There is a great scope for self-employment and freelance work. Many Substance Abuse Counselors have a portfolio career combining part-time, voluntary and private work.

Competition for full-time paid positions is high. Many paid posts for Substance Abuse Counselors are part-time or combined with other duties, such as teaching, nursing, or advisory work.

Substance Abuse Counselors are generally employed by:

• Private Practices
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Schools
• Hospitals
• State & Local Governments
• Individual & Family Services
• Outpatient & Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers
• Self-Employed

Professional associations and organizations are crucial for Substance Abuse Counselors interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals. Membership in one or more associations and organizations looks excellent on your resume, and may bolster your credentials and qualifications as a Substance Abuse Counselor.

• Stress due to the painful and sometimes contentious nature of the personal problems experienced by clients
• Witnessing clients relapse
• A feeling of being unable to help those who do not want help

Work experience lets you build skills and is essential to securing a job in a competitive job market. Two years of supervised clinical experience is required after completing a master’s degree to practice as a bonafide Substance Abuse Counselor.

A master’s degree in counseling or social work is a common requirement to work as a Substance Abuse Counselor; it allows you to offer more help and services to clients. An associate degree program will teach you the fundamentals of working with clients and their families. The program will also include a liberal arts education.

Community colleges and other schools offer Substance Abuse Counseling certificates as part of their career training programs. A certificate program can be used as a preparatory program before enrolling in an associate degree program or as a way to solidify your expertise in this path after earning a relevant master’s degree.

Licensure to practice from accredited organizations will prove invaluable regardless of whether your career plans include public or private practice. You will undergo relevant disclosure and barring service checks if your client group comprises children under 18 or vulnerable adults.

Many Substance Abuse Counselors work part-time and at a similar level because there tends to be little room for promotion. In health or educational settings, Management opportunities exist, but these usually mean less time spent with individual clients and more on strategy and policy implementation.

Substance Abuse Counselors can take on increased responsibility through training or supervision roles or specialize in the profession. Gaining experience in more than one setting can be advantageous for career development as it broadens your experience and skillset.

Working overseas is another option if you are seeking new and varied opportunities as a Substance Abuse Counselor. Work abroad may be possible through an international charity or volunteer organization.

You could also establish yourself as a self-employed Substance Abuse Counselor once you have gained enough experience. It could increase your flexibility and income, although it may take time to build your client base. Additionally, your income could be erratic as you transition to self-employment.

Individuals with a high level of social responsibility and willingness to help will have the best job prospects combined with relevant education and experience.

Membership in an accredited professional organization can give you access to the full range of membership benefits it offers. It shows you adhere to high standards of ethical practice. It is something that many employers and clients look for as a badge of assurance.

Once registered as a Substance Abuse Counselor, you will be required to engage in continuing professional development (CPD), which may include short courses on new therapeutic approaches and possible progression to higher qualifications at postgraduate level. You will need to plan, record, and reflect on your CPD activities, and the professional body supports this.

Many private, voluntary, and charitable counseling organizations run in-house training schemes that focus on the particular needs of the client group with which they are concerned. They are generally aimed at Counselors already working in these fields or those who wish to add a specialization to their Substance Abuse Counseling training.

While Counseling often occurs on a one-to-one basis, it can involve working with couples, families, or groups. Group counseling is becoming more common as the demand for Substance Abuse Counseling increases. Jobs are available in most areas, but the concentration is more substantial in cities, leaving some rural areas with no support.

Importance of Continued Professional Training

Ever since addiction treatment has become “big business,” there is a growing awareness that reducing staff turnover, preventing employee burnout, and maintaining credentialing to meet insurance reimbursement requirements needs continued professional training. However, declining budgets within many agencies prohibit participation in costly seminars designed to promote advanced clinical skills in their Substance Abuse Counselors.

Professional In-House Supervision

A professional and systematic in-house clinical supervision, which is developmental, offers the best solution to this ongoing dilemma. It is essential to help Substance Abuse Counselors work through any difficulties they experience. Professional supervision is a requirement for all practicing members of a professional organization. Addiction supervisors need to be well versed in both advanced supervision techniques as well as addiction counseling.

34 out of every 35 Alcoholics have not received proper treatment for their disease. It is the job of Substance Abuse Counselors to work to help as many people as they can.

They encourage their broken patients to put themselves back together; they show their lost patients that light dancing on the horizon to lead them home; they are the unsung heroes of addiction and recovery; they are Substance Abuse Counselors!!!

Your job is not to figure out if someone deserves something. Your job is to lift the fallen, restore the broken, and heal the hurting.