addiction treatment

1. 5 Steps To Become A Substance Abuse Counselor In 2019 addictionaide.com/blog/5-steps-to-become-a-substance-abuse-counselor-in-2019/ Home » Blog » 5 Steps To Become A Substance Abuse Counselor In 2019 Substance Abuse Reading Time: 6 minutes Table Content Why counselors are more important? when we speak about the sobriety and recovery process. Whenever a person is depressed he always needs some guidance to move forward on the exact path, many of the times people addicted won’t be in a situation to listen to their parents or neighbors but they need somebody to share and find a way to move away from their guilt. In all those cases a counselor plays a major role in helping out the people to find a recovery path. They have other phases too, apart from being a good mentor to addicts, they really do have challenges, stress and pressure levels. But proper training and coaching to an individual person who is aspired to be a counselor is a must. In this blog, we are going to describe how to become an efficient counselor and their approaches towards addicts. There is always a growing gap between the need for a trained counselor and the people who were in the need for treatment. Many have a wish to be a good counselor and they exactly do not know the correct path to becoming a successful counselor, we addiction takes privilege to share the thoughts and to deliver the people what exactly a counselor is and how important their work it and what are their key responsibilities and effective steps to become a successful counselor in our addictionaide blog. is a single word but 1/5

2. you have a different designation and different roles and responsibilities for each and every role. There were different streams too, you can even choose the one which is more comfortable for you. An Approach Towards Addicts: If a person in a family is addicted, then there needs to be for each and every person in that house. To efficiently manage the people who were suffering their environment too will be the main reason for their sufferings, without having a modification in that environment any kind of potential treatment will go in vain. So counselors take the major responsibility in grouping all together and making their differences as one. Hence the counselors may also work closely with the family to treat both mental and emotional disorders, as well as to promote the overall mental health of the patient as substance abuse naturally affects the loved ones of the chemically addicted person (It is a condition in which a person experiences physical withdrawal symptoms when certain drugs are removed from use). The contribution of counselors was required on the various stages of the recovery process for those who were admitted in the treatment centers due to alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, mental health problems, or other mental or behavioral issues. Counselors follow the individual’s development while he/she is in the prescribed program. Therapies offered may include education, one-on-one counseling, group counseling, and referrals for further intervention. Key Responsibilities Take appropriate measures for individuals who suffer through substance abuse problems. It helps individuals, families, and groups from substance abuse problems through counseling. Develop and implement treatment programs for each addicted individuals According to the laws and regulations, Substance abuse counselors have to maintain records and documents, whenever it is necessary that they need to submit it they have to. How to Become A Substance Abuse Counselor? Most organizations need a master’s degree and certification to work as a substance abuse counselor. Request information from schools that are offering master’s degrees in psychology, and inquire about any specialized programs or certificates in a particular area. Each state has its individual counseling licensure conditions, and some have specific designations for Substance abuse counselors, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. There is a great resource to reference namely NBCC and/or the NAADAC. The NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors) helps find the applicable 2/5

3. contact information for individual states, available licenses, and required examinations. And the NAADAC (National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors) is a national certification exceeding most state requirements. Step 1: Addiction Counselor Career Outlook The BLS (Basic Life Support) express an outcome in advance that the employment of Substance abuse, behavioral disorders, and mental health counselors will develop 22% from 2014 to 2024, which is much quicker than the national median of 7% for all jobs. In May 2014, the average annual payroll for substance abuse counselors was $41,870 with highest 10% making more than $61,420 yearly. Substance abuse specialists who have earned a master’s degree, have trained and field experience and have earned specialized accreditation or certification have the best job possibilities in this domain. Job Titles For This Career Addictions Counselor Substance Abuse Counselor (SA Counselor) Chemical Dependency Counselor (CD Counselor) Chemical Dependency Professional Correctional Substance Abuse Counselor Clinical Counselor Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist (DATS) Prevention Specialist Case Manager Step 2: Earn An Accredited Bachelor’s Degree A bachelor’s degree program in substance abuse counseling practices you the basics of working with addicts, however, prepares prospective alcohol and drug programs counselors with basic skills and knowledge associated with this field and qualifies these people for higher and better-paying positions. Otherwise, if you decide to stop at the Bachelor’s Degree it is highly suggested to earn a B.S. in Psychology or a closely related field to enhance an Addiction Specialist. Step 3: Earn An Accredited Master’s Degree In Counseling In spite of state qualifications, a master’s degree is the high-grade educational plan for those who are looking to enhance a substance abuse adviser because of increased career opportunities. These programs investigate deeper into psychoanalytical theories and the impact on alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, mental health problems, or other mental or behavioral issues has on society. You will also study pharmacology ( the study of drugs – how they interact with other molecules in the body and how they affect the body), change intervention and the role of belief in counseling. 3/5

4. Step 4: Earn Licensure State licensure qualifications for substance abuse counselors may differ, so you need to research the particular guidelines for the place in which you plan on working. Most states need counselors to take state board licensing exams like the National Counseling Exam (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) to become a licensed professional counselor. Many states ask for evidence of your education, apprenticeship, training courses, and a state exam. You need to verify with your state’s professional licensing bureau to identify accurately what is required for you. Step 5: Substance Abuse Counselor Salary The average annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorders, and mental health counselors is $32,050 to $59,2301. Most of the Government agencies usually pay the highest wages, followed by hospitals and social service agencies. Residential care facilities generally pay the least wages. Counselors start their career as interns in residential care and move up as they complete their interns and earn their licensing credentials. The following chart examines mean annual wages and employment data for substance abuse counselors in the top 10 states: Apart from the salary range, many of the counselors work for their self-satisfaction and helps a lot of people, to get away from addiction. For most people counseling is a job to help out people who were suffering from their past life experience or helping out them to come out of the situation that they can actually hold off. Everyone loves their job, who else doesn’t like a job which offers more self-satisfaction. Challenges According to the figures compiled by the National Drug Abuse Survey, by the year 2010, it is about 23.1 million Americans who age more than 12 or about 9.1 percent of the nation’s population requires specialized treatment. The major challenge in this field is the need for more specialized counselors to the number of clients requiring them and to bridge the gap to make avail the facility to everyone. A survey by SAMHSA states that there were 2.6million or 11.2 % of people were in the treatment. Challenges are very common in all jobs but handling it efficiently matters always. Try to master yourself and work on your weaknesses, help yourself to be more positive, handle criticism, have a big goal. Everyone is different, try to understand their difference and everyone is not easy to convince work on different strategies. Bottomline 4/5

5. People who are interested to become a substance abuse counselor should be naturally compassionate, empathize with people who come from various backgrounds and who have undergone excessive anxiety or traumatic life experiences. so, the substance abuse treatment which is given by the counselors should be the beginning of a lifetime of recovery. They need a lot more patience to listen to the people and guide them to handle a situation and helps them to get out of the abusive environment. Being a counselor is a beautiful task since it saves many lives and gives people a happy and healthy life back. A good profession and a long experience journey! We addictionaide wish everyone to be a counselor, already working as a counselor or inspired to be counselor, All the best and keep up your good work! Resources: https://www.learnhowtobecome.org/substance-abuse-counselor/ https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-justice-careers/substance- abuse-counselor/ https://www.innerbody.com/careers-in-criminal-justice/how-to-be-a-substance-abuse- counselor.html 5/5