Each staff member on the ICS team is compassionate and committed to maintaining the highest level of professional ethics and confidentiality. Specific job duties often vary depending on where professionals work and the type of support they offer. They often counsel individuals or groups to help people understand the factors contributing to addiction.
National Certifications for Substance Abuse Counselors
They also use CBT to teach new coping skills that help people find new ways to deal with cravings, relapses, and stress. Your path to becoming an addiction counselor will vary depending on the requirements of the state where you intend to practice. As a first step, it’s a good idea to look up the licensure or certification requirements of your state and use this information to help plan your education. In January 2020, there were more than 14,000 specialized substance abuse treatment facilities https://ecosoberhouse.com/ in the United States providing counseling, behavioral therapy, medication, case management and other types of care. Now is a great time to earn your master’s and enter the field of addiction counseling.
Why Do Training and Specialization Matter?
- Work closely with full-time faculty, all of whom hold doctoral degrees and bring first-hand knowledge from years of clinical experience, research and teaching.
- These factors are determined, in part, by interviews with the afflicted individual as well as his or her loved ones.
- Substance abuse counseling is one of the fastest growing fields in mental health work.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of substance abuse counselors is projected to grow 23 percent from 2020 to 2030. As a licensed counselor with a master’s degree, you can look forward to a strong job market and reliable employment. Seeing someone struggle with an addiction, as well as seeing the impact that has on their family and friends is extremely difficult.
Step 3: Complete Exams and Supervised Field Experiences
A family might contact a drug addiction counselor for assistance in behavioral intervention, such as when a person’s loved ones confront them about the consequences of their substance abuse. This kind of therapy could also be a requirement of someone’s jail sentence, probation, or parole. These professionals work with individuals who experience a range of substance use issues. This may involve working with people with alcohol use disorders, but they may also work with clients with substance use disorders involving drugs such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and prescription medications. The Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School offers invaluable coursework and training that explores the study and treatment of substance use disorders, as well as mental health and co-occurring disorders. Work closely with full-time faculty, all of whom hold doctoral degrees and bring first-hand knowledge from years of clinical experience, research and teaching.
Brief Strategic Family Therapy
Helping people develop new coping skills and ways of thinking is another important part of what substance abuse counselors do. Substance abuse counselors help people experiencing substance use and drug addiction problems. They provide treatment and support for people trying to overcome substance use disorders or addictions. Additionally, with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, many substance abuse counseling services are now covered by insurance. This has, in turn, led many people to seek treatment that could not otherwise afford to do so just a few years ago.
Take the First Step Toward Your Career: Earn Your Master’s Degree in Addiction Counseling at Hazelden Betty Ford
The right treatment plan will be tailored to your addiction and individual needs. Kicking the habit of prescription drugs, street drugs or alcohol — or any other substance use disorder — is a major achievement. You have a lot to be proud of, yet you still have some work ahead of you. Detox is only the start of a long Alcoholics Anonymous process through which you’ll learn to manage cravings and avoid relapse. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a treatment approach that focuses on changing thoughts and behavior patterns. Substance abuse counselors often use CBT techniques to help clients recognize the inaccurate thoughts and feelings that help maintain addiction.
What Careers Can I Pursue With a Substance Abuse/Addictions Counselor Degree?
The employment sector also plays an important role in determining salary. The median yearly earning for those employed in residential substance abuse facilities was $42,900, while the median for those in government settings was $60,450. Here’s a quick look at some of the professional pathways you might want to explore and the required degrees. Many people live addiction counseling definition with anxiety, fear, or addiction without realizing how much it’s affecting their daily lives.
