Substance Abuse Counselor

Substance Abuse Counselors are people who deal with the different areas of alcohol and drug addiction treatment. These can be anyone from the counselors to the people who help you choose which treatment would be best suited for your needs.

People interested in becoming Substance Abuse Counselors should have a strong desire to help others and should be able to inspire respect, trust and confidence. There are also educational requirements to qualify, which may vary by state and specialty.

Education requirements vary with the occupational specialty and state licensure and certification requirements. Addiction specialists who work as counselors need to take counselor education programs. These programs in colleges and universities are often found in departments of education, psychology or human services. For addiction specialists, fields of study may include family therapy, substance abuse or addictions counseling, rehabilitation counseling, community counseling, clinical mental health counseling, career counseling and related fields. In a master’s degree program, 48 to 60 semester hours of graduate study including a period of supervised clinical experience in counseling is typically required.

Addiction specialists as substance abuse counselors are generally governed by a state agency or board that is different from other types of counselors. The criteria in obtaining a license can vary greatly so anyone interested in becoming addiction specialists needs to research the requirements to determine what qualifications are necessary.

Other addiction specialists such as the ones that provide medication and those that help you through the treatment process must have a medical background in education and must understand the different symptoms of each type of drug addiction in order to be able to treat patients properly. Of course, a license to operate is a qualification in order to perform treatment.

Addiction specialists must have high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems that they address as dealing with these problems can cause stress. Doctors must be able to determine what medical treatment would be best suited for addicts going through detoxification and severe withdrawal syndromes. Treatment providers must be able to determine which type of treatment process would best suit a certain kind of addict. Counselors must be able to understand the underlying issues that an addict has that pushed them to substance abuse. On top of all the job requirements of addiction specialists, they must also be licensed and certified. This is to ensure that the addiction specialists that you are seeking help from can provide you the best treatment possible.

Someone who sets out on a career of substance abuse counselor is going to have qualities not found in everyone. It takes a certain, and special kind of person to delve into drug counseling. A person doing substance abuse counseling is going to be a very caring and committed person. Perhaps they have a history of abuses themselves, but not always. They are going to be people who find satisfaction in helping other people.

A substance abuse counselor often has very rough days. Dealing with and helping people who are going through withdrawal is not always an easy thing to do. Yet a committed substance abuse therapist goes back day after day because they keep their eyes on the prize, which is someone who lives drug-free happily with their friends and family without the chain of chemical addiction.

An individual who truly cares about people and can be committed to helping them succeed under any circumstances would be a perfect candidate for substance abuse counselor. Anyone who is indifferent to suffering or even those who are too sensitive may not find happiness being a substance abuse counselor. Those who already have made that decision have earned great personal satisfaction in their career. They can go home each evening knowing they made a real difference in someone’s life.

Not all people are suited for all jobs and the same is true for the one doing drug and alcohol addiction counseling. Everyone has their own talents and character which they must match to a career. While good substance abuse counselors are very caring and empathetic, they are also a bit thick skinned. They sometimes have to take some unearned abuses and even violence from those experiencing withdrawal and must be able to shake it off. Substance abuse counselors are indeed unique breed of person. There must be a mix of toughness along with the genuine concern that is necessary for the job.

A person who is generally a caring person and has an understanding or is willing to learn about drug abuse and alcoholism and how to beat it may be perfect as a substance abuse counselor. It certainly would be worth the time and effort to explore the possibility. There is always a demand for good substance abuse counselors willing to work with those who are trying to rid their lives of drugs and improve their lives.

For a substance abuse counselor, the worst thought they can have is “I am going to fix it”, in other words, assume a personal responsibility to sort out the addict’s problem(s), and re-organize their life for them.

A substance abuse counselor may take on such a “white knight” position quite unconsciously, and out of genuine desire to help, but they overstep the mark and their proper counseling role when they decide to “fix it”.

The substance abuse counselor who is thinking “I am going to fix it” is inappropriately assuming power and control over the addict, which any addict is sure to feel. Most addicts are suffering from the consequences of relationship with powerful “others” in their lives who have traumatized their emotional needs. Emotionally dependant individuals may cling to the substance abuse counselor as if to a surrogate mother, playing games and re-offending to gain the attention they need, Addicts who are emotionally avoidant types will sense the intended control and evade and avoid all encroachment.

Responsibility and the possibility of cure from chemical addiction rest entirely with the addict. The role of the substance abuse counselor is to be part of a team, to facilitate an environment for the addict in which recovery is possible, not by the counselor thinking “I am going to fix it”.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) forms of counseling are inherently “I am going to fix it” solutions. Appealing to cognitive process, backed up with carrots and sticks, does not get down to the underlying emotional turmoil that is addressed and repressed by use of addictive narcotics and stimulants. More natural means of counseling, informed by genuine psychodynamic theory, enable the addict to “own” his emotions, painful as they may be. When conflicted emotions are identified they can be observed, reprocessed, understood and eventually controlled by the substance abuser, rather than for the addict to continue to be controlled by his emotions.

Putting a band aid on the boil might be easier for the substance abuse counselor, whereas only a gentle but thorough lancing provides the possibility of healing.

A therapist who thinks “I am going to fix it”, even with the best of intentions, is really telling the addict that it’s my way, or the highway for you. An experienced substance abuse counselor shows strength not by forcing his own viewpoints and opinions, but by maintaining professional boundaries, structure and personal integrity. This helps the addict to develop self-respect and emotional maturity, the only real pathway to long-term recovery.

Any professional who is counseling drug or alcohol addicted individuals needs to be aware of and avoid this tendency of many in the helping professions to easily “see” the problem and want to jump in and “fix it”. Rest assured the addict knows best just what are his problems. The substance abuse counselor has the skills that are needed to help the addict sort out his problems for himself. All the average addict needs is some help with navigation, it is not the job of the substance abuse counselor to grab the wheel and drive the car.

A substance abuse counselor is someone who helps an individual suffering from the problem of drug or alcohol addiction by way of counseling. The substance abuse counselor basically helps out by teaching addicts the skills to cope with their addiction. The job that these people have carries a great responsibility as getting rid of an addiction is a very difficult thing. However, the help that a substance abuse counselor can only go as far if you don’t trust them.

Trust is something that’s very hard to give someone but recovery can only happen when individuals addicted to alcohol or drugs, as well as their families, are willing to trust a substance abuse counselor and closely follow the advice given for a treatment plan.

The first step in trusting your substance abuse counselor is to recognize that they have a clear plan for how he or she is planning to attempt to change an addict’s life. If you come out of the initial consultation with a definite sense of a plan, that’s basically a telling sign that you’re in good hands.

If certain approaches in a substance abuse counselor’s plans cause an individual to be uncomfortable, it’s a good thing. The very reason that an addict seeks the help of a substance abuse counselor is because the individual’s efforts and the family’s efforts aren’t helping. When you find yourself thinking “Why hadn’t I thought of that?”, your substance abuse counselor is doing the job right.

Perhaps the best way to see if your substance abuse counselor is trustworthy is their confidence in their plans and approaches in addiction treatment. Most people need to know exactly what they’re in for before they commit to something so it’s important that a substance abuse counselor should be confident in their approach and willing to explain in it detail so an addict can understand the whole process and its purpose.

Another measure of an effective substance abuse counselor is empathy. A good substance abuse counselor should be able to engage an addict in a meaningful way early on. While some feedback may be hard to accept and some questions feel invasive, an addict and their support network should feel like the substance abuse counselor genuinely understands what’s been going on and cares about everyone’s welfare. You have to admit that it’s hard to dislike someone when they care about you.

An effective substance abuse counselor also knows how to balance genuine empathy with strict accountability. That means that a substance abuse counselor not only needs a strong plan but that they also need to enforce expectations regarding an addict’s progress. Confrontation isn’t something to be avoided especially when addressing matters of addiction. Don’t lose trust just because a substance abuse counselor is being too hard on you. You have to accept that the reason a substance abuse counselor gets that way is to keep everyone on track.

It’s also important to put trust in a substance abuse counselor as their work doesn’t stop with the counseling of an addict. A substance abuse counselor is also responsible in having sessions with the family of the addict as the family also faces a lot of problems due to an individual’s addiction. A substance abuse counselor can also help in rebuilding a recovering addict’s career as employers aren’t very keen on hiring individuals who have suffered through substance abuse. A substance abuse counselor’s constant aid in keeping a recovering addict on track and helping find employment is highly beneficial.

With all these in mind, take the time you need to find the right substance abuse counselor to help.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to talk to more than just one possible counselor. At the end of all this, there will be great freedom in finding the right person to trust and help you and your family recover.