Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

A substance abuse counselor helps people recover from a range of addictions, including alcohol, drugs and gambling, through medical and behavioral therapies and the development of healthy coping strategies. They work in a variety of settings, but most substance abuse counselor jobs are located in these facility types:

• Outpatient care centers
• Residential facilities
• Individual or family service providers
• Government services
• Hospitals

A substance abuse counselor who works teens and young adults in a nonprofit mental health agency may be called upon to fill a number of different roles. Substance abuse counselors may work with students, families and teachers in the following ways:

• Through on-site school counseling
• Providing therapy to teens recovering in a residential treatment center
• Leading 12-step group meetings
• Holding one-on-one counseling sessions with youth recovering from drug or alcohol abuse

In contrast, certified substance abuse counselors working in the area of youth corrections may work at detention centers or other facilities overseeing the cases of youthful offenders. This usually includes individual or group counseling sessions to address not only their addiction, but any underlying problems, such as emotional disturbance or physical abuse that may hinder recovery.

Whether residential treatment takes place over the long term—as in a therapeutic community—or the short term, a substance abuse counselor plays a critical role in guiding the patient's treatment program.

In the structured environment of the treatment facility, counselors administer individual and group therapy, supervise group activities, and provide education on drug, alcohol or gambling dependence. The goal is to help patients change their destructive patterns of thought and behavior in order to lead more productive and harmonious lives after they complete  the program.

A substance abuse counselor who provides outpatient care may be employed anywhere such services are needed: community clinics, hospitals, private mental health offices. They offer services that range from drug abuse education to 12-step group therapy to intensive all-day treatment, depending on the nature of the facility and the expertise of the counseling staff. Many outpatient practitioners provide one-on-one drug counseling, which helps individuals develop coping strategies for avoiding future drug abuse and improving their family relationships and job situation.

_{Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010; Phelpshospital.org; Nida.nih.gov; Scccc.org}