How to become a drug/alcohol counselor?

Question by imuneekru: How to become a drug/alcohol counselor?
What are the qualifications necessary to do counseling work with drug- & alcohol-addicted people? Also, can someone work in this field if they have a criminal record? (not me, I get this question a lot from my clients and am not sure how to answer them.)

Best answer:

Answer by ashj_1218
To become a licensed drug and alcohol counselor (Chemical Addictions Counselor) you have to take an Associates Degree program (offered at some community colleges and some universities) and also take a test to be certified. Then, if you want to really have a good background for getting a job, you should continue on for your Bachelor’s in Social Work, Chemical Dependency, and/or Social Science. As a counselor, you have to have Continuing Education Credits every year too.
Yes, someone can work in this field with a criminal record, so long as there is nothing outstanding or would get in the way with the counseling process. There are special ways that the person would learn to deal with those aspects in being a counselor.
Something to mention to your client’s though, is that they need to be clean for a very long time before they try to do this. Often, previous drug and alcohol users see this as a way they can help others, without realizing the potential of harm on themselves or even the people they are wanting to help. It has to come from a place that is not at all emotionally tied to their recovery…something that takes years to be sure of. Using counseling as a way to self-counsel is a common attempt of those who have had problems in the past. Many previous users make good counselors, but they have to take care of their stuff first and maintain that care throughout their entire life (and life as a counselor).

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