Addiction counseling may be your desired next step after such counseling has helped you turn your life around. It’s wonderful to want to give back and help others to have strong lives of recovery. Find out what it takes to become a counselor as well as alternative ways you can help other clients in recovery if you find that counseling may not be the career path for you.
Addiction Counseling: The Necessary Traits for the Job
Addiction counselors need to embody specific character and personality traits in order to be most effective at the job. This is just one of the reasons why not every client in recovery makes for a suitable counselor. Do these traits sound like you?
- Patient
- Listens carefully
- Remains calm and professional even in the most stressful situations
- Confidence
- Desires to help others
- Organized and pays attention to details
- Motives and inspires others
Getting Hired
Along with the aforementioned traits, the field of addiction counseling requires potential hires to have the relevant education, licensing and training necessary to get the job done. This may entail years of schooling depending on what you have studied already and depending on the area in which you desire to go to work in addiction counseling. Be sure this is the field you are ready to commit to.
It’s not always recommended for clients of recovery to become addiction counselors, as the career path is certainly one that involves a high level of stress, which can be a major trigger for substance abuse. Addiction counseling is not the right career for everyone, so don’t feel bad if it’s not for you.
Alternative Ways to Help
If it seems as if you may not embody the necessary traits for the job or you won’t be able to go ahead and receive the necessary education or training required for addiction counseling, there are other ways you can help.
Consider becoming a mentor or sponsor for another client of recovery. This is an important and special way to help another client on their recovery journey and can be incredibly fulfilling as you help someone change their life for the better as others have helped you. You may also consider volunteering at your local anonymous substance addiction support center. Volunteers are regularly needed and you may interact with other clients of recovery and extend whatever support you have in a truly beneficial manner.
It’s truly wonderful that you have been changed and inspired by your recovery process and you seek to help others along on their journey!
If you or someone you love is having problems with alcohol abuse, chemical dependency or addiction, recovery from a drug abuse program, like the one at Destination Hope, may be the answer. Remember that recovery from addiction and alcohol abuse treatment means learning how to cope with intensely emotional situations, and identifying when you need help and support. Treatment for addiction relapse, counseling, and aftercare can help you do this, so please call us today. Destination Hope is a full-service addiction and health treatment facility in Florida for men and women who suffer from substance abuse and behavioral health issues.
