{"id":13485,"date":"2020-10-21T09:48:07","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T15:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=13485"},"modified":"2021-11-26T06:21:29","modified_gmt":"2021-11-26T13:21:29","slug":"the-challenges-and-rewards-of-being-an-alcohol-and-drug-counselor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/the-challenges-and-rewards-of-being-an-alcohol-and-drug-counselor\/","title":{"rendered":"The Challenges and Rewards of Being an Alcohol and Drug Counselor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dramatic boost in anxiety, depression, stress levels, feelings of isolation, and mental health issues. Studies show that increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to a rise in alcohol and substance use.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result, alcohol and substance abuse counselors are in greater demand as people continue to seek addiction and mental health counseling. According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, there were 319,400 substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in the U.S. in 2019. Job growth in the field is expected to increase 25 percent for 2019-2029, adding 79,000 additional jobs by 2029.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you know if you\u2019re a good fit to become an alcohol and drug abuse counselor? We spoke with Mark Sanders, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), and CACIII (Certified Addiction Counselor), at <\/span>St. Raphael Counseling<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to get a better understanding of what it\u2019s like to work as an alcohol and drug counselor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sanders said a typical day includes seeing clients individually or in groups, writing letters on behalf of those on probation or seeking jobs, and working with families who have been touched by addiction, which is fairly common. There are different responsibilities and expectations for working with adolescents, such as teens who got in trouble at school, versus adults.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting started<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sanders provides advice for those getting started in the field when you don\u2019t have any experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDepending on what you would like to do for your career, you can start volunteering in a halfway house or detox center, if there are opportunities open in these areas. You can also take an entry-level job in these centers to gain some experience.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He also recommends taking <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/search\/college?q=addictions+counseling\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">addiction certification classes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which can provide background information about addictions, drug effects, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere are many opportunities from direct service with clients, to helping individuals re-adjust to life after incarceration, to providing material support such as rides to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cThere is tremendous room for growth, as the need has truly never been greater.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counseling career considerations<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sanders advises aspiring alcohol and drug counselors to be intentional about what you want to do and why you want to do it, and recommends talking to someone in the field before making this commitment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere is a process to getting certified as an addictions counselor, and there is a time and cost commitment as well. Working with this population can be very difficult<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">relapse to substances is common, as are problems in motivation and honesty.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Sanders, the characteristics and skills of a good alcohol and drug counselor include being able to recognize some of the challenging client behaviors to see the pain underneath. \u201cYou must be patient, but also firm, and be willing to challenge individuals regarding some of their thoughts and behaviors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other important aspects of being an alcohol and drug counselor include having the knowledge to understand addictions, both from a scientific point-of-view (i.e. the physiology of addictions and the impact of long-term addiction on the brain) and interpersonal characteristics of motivation. Additionally, understanding the impact that mental health issues have on substance use, as this is more the rule than the exception. For instance, people may start using alcohol to deal with anxiety, but then the alcohol becomes its own issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Challenges of being a counselor<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sanders said the biggest challenge of being an alcohol and drug counselor is seeing the impact of addiction on people\u2019s lives. People who are doing well can overdose and potentially die. For example, a client of Sanders recently died of an opioid overdose.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cPeople will make poor choices and end up losing things<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">relationships, jobs, or housing<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that they professed to want very much,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cSometimes dishonesty, brought about in part by the addiction as well as learned behaviors of the individuals, can be very difficult.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the challenges, Sanders reflects on the benefits of being an alcohol and drug counseling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere are times when you can really see someone\u2019s life change before your eyes,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cIt is an amazing experience to be able to see someone who \u2018finally gets it\u2019 and makes and maintains changes in his or her life. Helping families learn about and maintain boundaries is also a challenging, but potentially rewarding, though heartbreaking, experience.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rewarding experiences<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sanders said a rewarding part of his job is when he plays a role in helping people make and maintain positive changes in their lives. He enjoys listening to his clients\u2019 stories and working with their families to provide them with some relief.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After 20 years of serving as an alcohol and drug counselor, Sanders still finds instances of hope and human behaviors that surprise him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe are all looking for some kind of relief from the stress and anxiety of the world, and our methods of seeking this out can vary tremendously with some being much worse than others,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cHowever, despite the negative impact of substances, there are miracles that occur\u2013people who have no business getting clean and sober do so on a daily basis. I couldn\u2019t work with this population without these signs of grace.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RELATED: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/how-to-prepare-for-the-alcohol-and-drug-counselor-exam\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How To Prepare For the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Exam<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are studying for the Alcohol and Drug Counselor exam, check out <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/testprep\/product\/alcohol-and-drug-counselor-exam-prep-icrc-adc-exam-practice-tests\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peterson\u2019s practice tests<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to help you prepare for the exam. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dramatic boost in anxiety, depression, stress levels, feelings of isolation, and mental health issues. Studies show that increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to a rise in alcohol and substance use.\u00a0 As a result, alcohol and substance abuse counselors are in greater demand as people continue<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":13488,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3942],"tags":[5104,5105,5103,1981,5106,5107],"class_list":{"0":"post-13485","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-career-prep","8":"tag-adc","9":"tag-adc-exam","10":"tag-alcohol-and-drug-counselor","11":"tag-career-prep","12":"tag-counseling","13":"tag-substance-abuse"},"better_featured_image":{"id":13488,"alt_text":"counseling","caption":"A withdrawn rebel young boy with behavioral and social disorders during his individual meeting with a 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Peterson&#039;s covers the challenges and rewards that come from addiction counseling.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/the-challenges-and-rewards-of-being-an-alcohol-and-drug-counselor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Challenges and Rewards of Being an Alcohol &amp; Drug Counselor\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do you think you have what it takes to be an alcohol and drug counselor? Peterson&#039;s covers the challenges and rewards that come from addiction counseling.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/the-challenges-and-rewards-of-being-an-alcohol-and-drug-counselor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Peterson&#039;s\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/petersons\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-10-21T15:48:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-11-26T13:21:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/14163339\/iStock-1020453382.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2121\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1414\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kathy Staples\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Petersons\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Petersons\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kathy Staples\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Challenges and Rewards of Being an Alcohol & Drug Counselor","description":"Do you think you have what it takes to be an alcohol and drug counselor? 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