Are you an ineffective substance abuse counselor, sick of seeing patients reappear? Or are you in a career you hate and considering a change? No matter what your situation, we’ve got you covered.
For advice about what you can do to become a great substance abuse counselor, read on!
The Work of a Substance Abuse Counselor
Substance abuse counselors fulfill a critical role in society. With the growth of drug dependence in the US, the importance of the support they provide is hard to overestimate. They are mental health workers who help addicts work their way to sobriety.
Addiction is often the issue visible on the surface. Many people start taking drugs to mask some emotional damage. It might be family violence, loss, or a lack of love and support as children.
Each addict is an individual, so part of the work of a substance abuse counselor is being able to see them as such. There are various areas you can work in, from supervising to creating personal development courses. These can take place in crisis centers, rehabilitation centers or even universities.
What Skills Do I Need?
Substance abuse counselors need patience, understanding, and empathy. You’ll also need to be solutions focused, and good at helping addicts set their own goals and guide them. Telling them what to do, or controlling them is not effective.
Instead, you’ll need to learn how to be a sort of coach, that walks with them in this difficult process. You’ll listen to them non-judgementally, and try to guide them with a gentle nudge. If you try to control this process for them it won’t last. recovery is about empowerment and self-control.
This distinction is important. Occasionally people enter social work professions wanting to save people. The only way you can do that is by being firm and encouraging them to save themselves.
What Training Do I Need?
To become a substance abuse counselor there are several training steps to see to. You’ll need a Bachelor’s Degree in some clinics, preferably in a field like psychology. From there, you’ll need to seek out clinical experience.
You should study for two years under supervision before getting a license. Some states will ask you to pass the substance abuse exam. You can do this with the National Association for Addiction Professionals.
You will need 2,000 hours of supervised work experience before you’re considered for a role. This figure can change from state to state so do some local research before you start.
What Am I Doing Wrong as a Counselor?
Sometimes those that have already started working as a substance abuse counselor feel like they’re doing something wrong since addicts continue to relapse. It’s important you take a step back and remember it isn’t about you. The majority of those who do stay sober don’t get there the first time.
That’s why it’s so important substance abuse counselors have skills like empathy and patience. This will take some time, and it’s a very tough process for the addict. While they may feel safe and able at the rehabilitation center, they exit into a world they’re not used to being sober in.
A world where familiar places and people make the memory of taking drugs very real, and hard to resist. Seek out support from your colleagues or mental health workers when you’re feeling frustrated about the job. Unfortunately, you give so much of yourself to the patients that you can burn out if you’re not careful.
You need to save some of that compassion and nurturing for yourself. That’s not selfish, it’s the only way you’ll be able to keep making a difference for addicts long-term. You’re no good to them if you’re burned out and feeling hopeless about their chances.
What to Do When the Work Is Difficult
The most important thing to do when you find the work difficult is to speak up and reach out to other caring professionals. If you’re not comfortable speaking with your line-manager, find your own counselor. The longer you keep frustrations inside you, the bigger they’ll grow and you’ll burn out, or worse, explode with vulnerable patients.
If you’re finding the work difficult because of a lack of skill sets, ask what extra training your employer can provide. Often they’ll offer training in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), mental health training, and other courses to assist your work.
What Treatments Will I Give to Patients?
As a substance abuse counselor, you’ll have a range of roles with patients. The principal job is being a non-judgemental shoulder to lean on. Someone they can talk to.
You might lead special activities, like meditation walks, yoga or even special events to celebrate sobriety anniversaries. In a more practical sense, you might be in charge of activities like a patient intake or medication supervision. Many clinics will have you supervise drug testing, giving something like this product to the patients.
If the clinic is a small one, you may even lend a hand occasionally in the kitchen, with basic maintenance, or in light cleaning.
How Can I Improve at the Job
Aside from regularly updating your professional skills through training, there are other ways to improve on the job. If you have a talented or more experienced colleague, you could observe them closely and learn from their style. You may even approach them and ask if you’d be open to being your mentor in a more formal sense.
If they agree to be your mentor, the two of you might meet weekly or monthly to talk about different techniques. You could take stories of your more difficult situations to the meetings, and workshop them together. That way, you’re getting the benefit of their experience, and growing professionally.
All while getting some much-needed emotional support from a colleague!
Be a Great Substance Abuse Counselor!
Right now, the world needs more, and more talented substance abuse counselors. You’ve now got all the information you need to be one. So what are you waiting for?!
If you liked this article, check out our other articles with at our website today!
