A Successful Drug Addiction Counselor
When a person makes that decision to become a Drug Addiction Counselor, they must know how to be supportive, have the required education and experience, and definitely, most importantly, be non-judgmental. Some even find that being a recovering addict themselves, makes for a better counselor. As a drug addiction counselor, the work environment may be in a private office setting, a doctor office, a rehabilitation facility or even in jail. The whole concept behind drug addiction counseling is to offer tools to help those addicted recover and maintain a sober and healthy lifestyle. Support from a drug addiction counselor can come in various forms. Counselors may provide support by having group counseling
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One must obtain at least a Bachelor’s degree, preferably a Master’s degree in social work, psychology or some other form of human services field. To become certified as a drug addiction counselor, they must have a minimum of three years’ experience as an addiction counselor. Another requirement is that the counselor be fully knowledgeable of at least one, if not more twelve step programs. The qualifications are slightly different for a person who is a recovering addict themselves. Prior to being able to become a drug addiction counselor, the recovering addict must have at least five years of recovery and also find themselves in an emotionally steady and healthy place in their life. A person seeking treatment may find it comforting in knowing that their counselor can relate to the demons of addiction and not just have read about addiction in a book in college. (Delinda E. Mercer, …show more content…
It will not be all good, there will be some addicts that the counselor does not click with, and the techniques the counselor is using are not conducive to the addicts’ personality traits. It may be the addict does not trust the counselor or is not at a point where they are not truly looking for recovery. Either way, the choice to become a drug counselor has to be made from the heart and they must have the desire to help those who have stumbled into the valley of addiction. It may not be the most glorious job, but the satisfaction of helping people makes it all worth