Counselor (Substance Abuse)

Print

Work Tasks

SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELORS conduct individual and group-counseling sessions to help clients overcome alcohol and drug dependency. They help identify behaviors and problems related to addiction. They counsel family members to help families in dealing with and providing support for clients. Counselors put together a program for treatment and rehabilitation of clients, using knowledge of drug and alcohol abuse problems and counseling treatment techniques. Counselors refer clients to other support services as needed, such as medical evaluation and treatment, social services, and employment services.

Salary, Size & Growth

• $45,500 average per year ($22.00 per hour)
• A medium occupation (77,900 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (2.1% per year)

Entry Requirements

Generally, SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELORS have a master's degree in substance abuse counseling. Graduate level counselor education programs in colleges and universities are in departments of education or psychology. Most states have some form of counselor credentialing legislation, licensure, certification, or registry for practice. Many counselors elect to be nationally certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). To be certified, a counselor must hold a master's degree in counseling from a regionally credited institution, have at least 2 years of supervised professional counseling experience, and pass a written examination.