A career in addiction counseling focuses on assisting and aiding individuals with chemical and/or substance use or abuse issues. This profession offers opportunities to meet new people, hear stories from all walks of life, and help others become a better version of themselves.
Ask yourself these five questions and see if addiction counseling is the right fit for you.
Why do you want to become an addictions counselor?
For some, seeking a career in addiction counseling stems from past experiences (whether personal or knowing someone). Others have a passion for helping people, and they enjoy providing comfort and support to peers.
Another reason people consider addiction counseling as a career choice is because they enjoy talking to people and guiding them in their lives. Those interested in this profession also have an interest in addiction studies, and they seek to understand the connections between addiction and society.
Do you have a passion for healthcare or healthcare-related fields?
If you have a passion for the healthcare industry or related fields, an addition counseling profession may be a great fit for you. The addiction counseling path allows individuals to focus on the mental and behavioral health of an individual.
As an addiction counselor you will be able to explore the relationship between healthcare and society. Counselors will also be able to assess and analyze recovery methods for patients seeking to improve their lives.
Are you a flexible and an open-minded person?
No day is the same in the field of addictions counseling! You will work with various individuals with unique challenges to overcome their addictions. This said, flexibility and open-mindedness are two important characteristics to have as part of your personality.
While addiction counselors need to be mindful of time during counseling sessions, they may encounter slight delays and/or running over time due to a patient running late or attending a serious situation/conversation. On some occasions, addictions counselors may need to be available out of their regular hours to attend serious problems and assist a patient.
As an addiction counselor, you will also need to be an open-minded person ready to listen and be compassionate to an individual’s healing. In addition, addiction counselors have an awareness of intersectionality and cultural dynamics, thus allowing them to better support a patient recovering from substance abuse.
Are you a life-long learner?
Addiction counselors are life-long learners. They continuously learn and stay updated on the latest treatment options and therapy techniques to help patients with their road to recovery. Addiction counselors also research scientific literature that focuses on understanding and enhancing overall wellness and human dynamics.
In this career path, addiction counselors learn every day about how the human mind works and gain new experiences to develop practical education on how to assist people in different situations, how they respond to therapy, and how they relapse and/or become successful. Each patient is different, so addiction counselors will continue to evolve in their practicum to suit each patient’s background and goals.
Do you want to be an advocate for change?
Pursuing an addiction counseling profession can be very rewarding and fulfilling. The world needs people to serve and create change. As an addiction counselor, you will have a pivotal role in shaping and progressing the lives of others. You will be able to actively serve as a guide and mentor those struggling to find meaning in their lives and looking for habitual change.
There is a significant need for addiction counselors to assist individuals with substance abuse and use. Although this career path can be challenging at times, it is a very rewarding career to be able to serve others. If you are ready for change and have the drive to progress the well-being of people, seek an addiction counseling degree and be ready to serve as an advocate for change.
Addiction Counseling Degree at University of Providence
University of Providence (UP) offers an Associate of Arts in Addiction Counseling. The associate degree focuses on the area of addictions studies. Although the field of addiction is broad, UP’s A.A. Degree in Addiction Counseling emphasizes treatment and intervention for the chemically dependent.
The addiction counseling program is offered as an online program, allowing students to complete their degree at their own pace and from any location. In addition, the addiction counseling program is also offered as a certificate program both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The undergraduate certificate can be completed in two years, while the graduate certificate can be completed in three years.
Ready to seek your addictions counseling career? Review University of Providence’s Addiction Counseling Programs.
