Addiction counseling helps individuals overcome dependencies on substances such as alcohol and drugs through various treatment methods, including intake, rehab, and detoxification. Addiction counselors, who are mental health professionals, utilize therapies like individual, cognitive behavioral, group, and family therapy to assist their clients. To become an addiction counselor, individuals may need a degree in addiction studies and must pass relevant examinations for certification.

1. What is AddictionCounseling?
Substance abuse,oraddiction,counselingisatype of counselingthatcanbe usedtohelppeople
overcome andconquerdependenciesonsubstancessuchasalcohol anddrugs.
What Does an AddictionCounselorDo?
Addictioncounselorsare mental healthprofessionalstaskedwithhelpingthose whosufferfrom
addictiontoalcohol or drugs.
The rehab processdiffersfrompersontopersondependingonwhataddictiontheymaybe suffering
from,but mostconsistof these three steps:
 Intake
 Rehab
 Detoxification
Additionally,there are afewdifferenttypesof therapiesthataddictioncounselorsmaypractice
including:
 Individual Therapy
 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
 Group Therapy
 FamilyTherapy
Thoughthese methods,addictioncounselorsworkwiththeirpatientstoovercome theirdependencies
and create a betterlife forthemandthose aroundthem.
What Education Does AddictionCounselingRequire?
Researchingyourownstate’slegal requirementsisalwaysagreatfirststep.Some stateshave an
addictiontreatmentboardthatisseparate fromcounseling.
If you don’thave a degree yet,considerattainingadegree inaddictionstudies.
But, if youdo have a degree,considerimprovingyourcandidacyfora Master’slevel programin
addictionscounseling.Youcanaccomplishthisbygainingexperience inthe field.
Additionally,manystatesrequire thatall of theirprofessionalcounselorsinvariousdisciplinestake the
National CounselorExamination,administeredbythe National BoardforCertifiedCounselors.
Anotherexamthatmightbe requiredisthe ExaminationforMasterAddictionCounselors,alsooffered
by the NBCC. You will needtohave certificationasa professional counselorthroughthe NBCC.
Passingthe examwill provideyouthe prestigioustitle of MasterAddictionsCounselor(MAC).If you
have thiscredential,youcanseekSubstance Abuse Professional statuswiththe federal government,
effectivelyopeningupevenmore opportunitiestoadvance yourcareer.
What Now?
For more informationaboutaddictioncounselingplease visitAddictionCounselor-Edu.org!