How to Become an Addiction Counselor

Have you recently recovered from alcoholism or addiction and feel inspired by someone who was instrumental in your recovery to become an addiction counselor yourself?  Or perhaps you are a friend or relative of someone who has fought addiction and you want to do something to help other families get their lives back (Read Alcoholism’s Effects on the Family). This article will describe the steps toward becoming an addiction counselor.

Why become an addiction counselor?

Millions of Americans are struggling with addictions to behaviors (e.g., gambling, sex, eating disorders), alcohol, prescription medicines (e.g., Oxycontin, Klonopin, Xanax), and illegal drugs (e.g., cocaine, heroin, marijuana).  Addiction treatment is a growing field of medicine as mental health problems – including addiction – become less stigmatized and more people are seeking treatment (Read Who’s Who in Addiction Medicine and How Americans Perceive Addicts and Addiction). Moreover, addiction and other psychiatric conditions are gaining attention in the political arena with advocates like Senators Leland Yee, Linda Berglin, and the late Ted Kennedy and will likely receive increased federal funding in the near future (The Mental Health Parity Act: How the Bailout Might Help You).  Still, if budget cuts are necessary, community mental health services remain a popular target so the short-term prospects are not completely clear.  According to the Princeton Review, there are currently about 35,000 individuals working in this field with an equal balance of men and women.  An established counselor (i.e., 10+ year tenure) can expect to earn about $50,000 annually. But in addition to personal benefits, you will also have the opportunity to help many addicts and their families as a substance abuse counselor, which is a demanding yet rewarding community-outreach profession. 

What do substance abuse counselors do?

In conjunction with other addiction professionals, an addiction counselor plays a number of important roles in helping a recovering addict.  They may participate in crisis intervention, direct addicts to available community resources for addiction treatment and recovery (such as soup kitchens, attorneys, welfare agencies, psychiatrists, job-skills training, and family services), and help them find a job and housing once they have become sober (Legal Problems? 10 Questions for a Criminal Attorney and Halfway House: Getting a Fresh Start).  Although the reward is great when someone successfully recovers, addiction counselors do have many emotionally challenging and frustrating aspects of their job including seeing their patients struggle with mental illness, homelessness, AIDS, and even suicide (Read Meth: Causing an HIV Epidemic?, The Dangers of IV Drug Use, Dual Diagnosis: When Addiction and Mental Health Collide, and Suicide and Substance Abuse: Know the Risks).

What do I need to do to become an addiction counselor?

If you belonged to Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, you could begin my going the informal route and see if you would like to make a career out of helping people recover from addiction by first begin a sponsor for one person (Read Addicts Helping Addicts: Reasons to Become a Sponsor and The History of the 12-Step Program). To be formally employed by a rehab facility or social services agency, you will need a Bachelor’s degree as well as two or more years of experience as a counselor in a related area (volunteering, counseling, or even having been through recovery yourself) – or life experience that the facility deems appropriate.  Graduate-level degrees may make you more competitive when seeking employment. Many states offer certification, but it may or may not be necessary for employment depending on the situation.