What It Takes

Being a chemical dependency counselor is no easy task. First of all, becoming one is quite a challenge. In order to become a counselor, one needs to obtain a recognized certification. That means you have to take one of those multiple choice tests organized by a member of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.

Remember, this is just general information: the actual requirements differ from state to state so it actually depends on what state you live in. While in Florida certification is voluntary an there are no licensing requirements, in most other states you will need a graduate degree and an approved counselor credential. Then and only then can you apply for license. Other states also require a minimum of experience. Sometimes this experience must be of 2 or even of 4 years, so you might want to start working in this field early as a volunteer if you want things to progress faster. All in all, it is always easier if you have a Master's degree in psychiatry or in counseling.

What you also need to know is that you will have responsibilities that will require you to be available 24 hours a day. You will work with crisis centers and not only will you be expected to treat your patients' dependencies but also to find out why they exist and to eliminate those causes if possible. What you need for this job is not only patience, knowledge and tact, but also the ability to make people trust you.

Many times you will find it easier to include family members of your patients in your therapy groups so that the patients feel more confident and trusting. You will need to learn how to read between the lines and how to make those family members understand the impact they could have on the patient's ability to recover. Encouraging them to be supportive and pro active is not as easy a task as it may seem at first.