Alcohol counselors play a key role to assist the people who have alcoholic problems. They help the alcoholics to return into areas of their lives where their behavior has left a destructive trail, including work and personal relationship. They plan recovery strategies to avoid relapses through appropriate counseling the patients. In serious cases, they may refer a patient to a psychiatrist or other medical professionals.
The responsibilities of Alcohol Counselor include holding personal or group counseling sessions regarding the dangers of alcohol and encourage a healthy lifestyle, guiding pregnant women and her family members about the effects of alcohol on the fetus, assisting individuals to identify their need for treatment programs, planning to resolve addictions to alcohol.
Apart from their knowledge regarding the causes and effects of alcohol, Alcohol Counselor posses various skills such as risk assessment and an understanding of crisis management, ability to deal with life threatening situations including the prevention of suicide, temperament that mixes empathy with patience, ability to deal with aggressive and/or intoxicated clients, effective communications and interpersonal skills, computer skills etc.
Alcohol Counselor work at either government and private settings or non-government organizations. They are employed at hospitals, rehabilitation center, correction facilities, educational institutes etc.
Education Requirements:
To become an Alcohol Counselor, the aspiring candidates must hold at least a 2-year associate’s or a 4-year bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience in a field such as substance abuse counseling, social/behavioral science etc.
Alcohol Counselors who wish to work in private practices, however, need to complete a master’s degree along with several thousand hours of clinical experience and pass an exam to obtain the necessary licensure.
The common syllabus during associate’s or a bachelor’s degree course includes theories of substance abuse, principles of substance abuse counseling and basics of mental health counseling.
Licensure:
Since many states of USA require Alcohol 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 Alcohol Counselor remains excellent across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may grow by 31 per cent during 2012-2022. The average annual salary of an Alcohol Counselors was $ 41,090 in 2013.