Addictions Counselors help people who suffer from addiction problems such as alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, gambling, or other behavioral problems. Their responsibilities include providing treatment and guiding the patients to recover from addiction and promote good health. They develop recovery strategies to avoid relapses through counseling the patients on diet, hygiene, and other preventive healthcare measures. In serious cases, they may refer a patient to a psychiatrist or other medical professionals.
More importantly, Addictions Counselors offer moral support to the patient as the road to recovery tends to be a long and tough one with many obstacles and challenges. In addition to counseling the addicts, these professionals organize information sessions with the family members, friends and people of a community regarding the problems and the way to recover or prevent from addiction disorders.
Addictions Counselors are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, detention centers, educational institutions, centre for human service facilities so on and so forth. They may also open their own private practices as well.
Education requirements
To qualify for the position of Addictions Counselor, educational requirements range from a high school diploma to a master’s degree, depending on the place of employment and level of duties. However, these professionals with a high school diploma take training during their job assignment
At degree level, the course work includes addiction studies, psychology, behavioral science or related majors. The National Board for Certified Counselors offers the National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) credentials through conducting an examination.
Skill Set:
Apart from holding academic degree, Addictions Counselor need to have the knowledge of decision making, communication and interpersonal skills, along with the ability to maintain privacy and confidentiality, study the emotions of patients, work with compassion, face the irate patients or even with their violent behavior.
Licensure:
Since many states of USA require Addictions Counselors to be licensed, the aspiring candidates should obtain a License after completing required academic courses.
Job Outlook and Salary:
The job outlook for an Addictions Counselors remains bright across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 31 per cent during 2012-2022. The average annual salary of an Addictions Counselors was $38,520 in May 2012.