How To Become an Addiction Counselor
How To Become an Addiction Counselor
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A career in addiction counseling is often appealing to those who want to make helping others their life’s work. As an addiction counselor, you will have the opportunity to be a strong, positive influence on the lives of your clients. You may help others turn their lives around, and in doing this you may make a positive contribution to the surrounding community.
While there are many steps for how to become an addiction counselor, you may find a career in counseling to be a meaningful reward for all your hard work.
The estimated annual ‘economic burden’ of alcohol and illicit drug misuse in the U.S.1
An addiction counselor works with people from varied backgrounds who struggle with substance use disorders, including addictions to different kinds of drugs and alcohol. Addiction counselors are responsible for helping individuals get treatment. They must be well-versed in teaching coping mechanisms and creating personalized treatment plans based on each individual’s specific addiction, needs and goals.
Depending on company or state requirements, addiction counselors may also be called substance use counselors, alcohol and drug counselors or chemical dependency professionals.2 Despite the different titles, they will most likely have a similar job description.
What does an addiction counselor do on a typical day? These counseling professionals may be found doing any combination of the following tasks:
Conducting evaluations
They review the mental health, medical history and behavioral issues of new clients.
Creating treatment plans
They develop treatment goals and plans and discuss them with clients.
Offering solutions
These counselors help clients identify obstacles to their recovery and brainstorm solutions for overcoming them.
Referring
These professionals provide referrals to other community resources as clients work to get their lives back on track.
Working with family members
They meet with family members to help them understand the nature of addiction and its treatment options.
Learning how to become an addiction counselor is beneficial if you are interested in a career helping individuals get the treatment and support they need to address their substance use disorders. Following this educational path may help prepare you with the necessary skills and experiences to pursue a career in the counseling field.
If you are in high school and considering a career in the counseling field, talk to your guidance counselor about taking related subjects, such as psychology. You may also consider taking courses in life sciences as well as communication or language classes.
When choosing a bachelor’s program, make sure your degree provides a solid foundation in counseling so your skills may later be applied toward an advanced degree and licensure. While some states and employers require only a bachelor’s degree for addiction counselors, other states and positions require a master’s degree in order to practice.3
In graduate school, your master’s degree curriculum will typically involve a practicum and internship experiences to help you gain the supervised clinical hours you need for licensure. Licensure requirements vary by state, so be sure your intended master’s program meets your state’s requirements.
Occupations that have similar job responsibilities to an addiction counselor, but may not require a graduate degree or licensure, include:4
Obtain your professional license and certification. Check with the licensing board for the state in which you plan to practice and evaluate its requirements. In general, the licensing board may require academic and clinical experience hours, a background check and a fingerprint clearance.
Aspiring addiction counselors may also research national certifications with organizations including the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC). This organization, as well as state certification boards, offer a variety of certifications at different levels.5
Choosing an undergraduate and graduate degree with a focus in substance use or addiction counseling can offer the foundational skills and practical experience to prepare you for a career as a licensed addiction counselor.
Master’s programs in addiction counseling offer you the opportunity to examine topic areas such as:
Stages, processes and effects of substance use
Assessing and treating co-occurring disorders
Strategies for working with diverse populations
Existential psychotherapy
Reality/choice therapy
Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)
If you are interested in becoming an addiction counselor, you are invited to explore these relevant degree programs at GCU. If you have specific questions regarding eligibility or requirements, please complete the form on this page to connect with a university counselor.
Some addiction counselors choose to work in private practices, working on their own or with other counselors.
They may also work in a variety of settings, including:6
Inpatient and outpatient treatment centers
Some mental health centers hire addiction counselors to provide care through individual and group therapy sessions.
Residential treatment centers
Addiction counselors may offer therapy sessions for those in longer-term stay facilities who are dealing with substance use, addiction and other mental health disorders.
Hospitals
Hospital patients who need both mental and physical intervention, may be treated by an addiction counselor who works in conjunction with medical doctors.
Correctional facilities
Addiction counselors may be hired by correctional facilities to provide a positive and helping relationship to clients or inmates.
Median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors7
Projected new jobs for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors8
Licensed and experienced addiction and substance use counselors may choose to pursue possible career advancement into supervisory, managerial or administration positions. Another option for advancement is to open a private practice. Some further certifications or credentials may be needed based on state requirements.
Stay informed with the latest insights and updates on Addiction Counseling.
Students who feel called to serve families and individuals struggling with drug dependency may benefit from completing an Addiction, Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse Emphasis program.
Becoming an addiction counselor is a great career option if you want to instill positive change in your community.
Grand Canyon University’s Master of Science in Addiction Counseling program focuses on a range of addiction-related issues and treatments.
Contact a university counselor to learn more about the counseling programs offered at GCU.
1 National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. (n.d.). Understand Addiction. Retrieved Feb. 28, 2024.
2 Addiction-Counselors.com. (n.d.). Why Addiction Counselors Go by So Many Names. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2024.
3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How To Become a Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder or Mental Health Counselor. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2024.
4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors Similar Occupations. Retrieved Feb. 27, 2024.
5 The Association for Addiction Professionals. (n.d.). Certification. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2024.
6 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors Work Environment. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2024.
7 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors as of May 2023, retrieved May 24, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Top Executives nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
8 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors, retrieved Feb. 9, 2024.
