It might be hard to believe but this country is lacking a large amount of addiction counselors. Up until now, we have been
seeing psychologists start working at addiction clinics only to end up specializing in this kind of treatment after years and years working with these kinds of patients. Some of them have gotten specializations on addiction, but most have fallen into those jobs out of chance and have learned on the go.
We are only just beginning to see the first generations of professionals who have been specialized in addiction counseling from the very beginning, with classes aimed at preparing them precisely for this kind of job, without going into other aspects of psychology or medicine. A certified addiction counselor can be a person who has specialized over the years or someone who has actually studied to become specifically that. The advantage of the latter one is that they won’t spend unnecessary time on other subjects while in school. There are some schools, like the New Creation College that are finally offering this specialization as a separate option from psychology.
If you are interested in becoming a certified addiction counselor, you will probably want to check out the curriculum this school is offering. You will find that they have interesting classes all throughout the program, and you will be able to start interacting with patients early on so that you are fully set up to get a job once you are done with your education. If you are worried about what the job outlook is for a certified addiction counselor, you shouldn’t. There really are many more job openings out there than there are certified professionals in the field, and although you might not be able to get a high-level job from the beginning, an entry-level one won’t be hard to get.
The New Creation College offers a certified addiction counselor training unlike any other, where you will be able to combine the classes and theoretical part of the program with practical and clinical activities where you will look at cases, learn about methodologies and treatment options and even get to interact with patients in order to learn ‘on the job.’
Once you are done and ready to get to work, don’t hesitate to take that entry-level job you were offered. Even if it doesn’t pay much, consider it is just the beginning. You are likely more specialized in the field than many of the people who are working with you, so you only need to gain some experience in order to start growing. And with all the knowledge and preparation you have, you will very likely have opportunities to choose from and you will be able to go as high as you set your mind to.
Job opportunities in alcohol and drug addictions centers are up for the grabs. You will soon find that not everyone is made for that job. Even though it can entail some great satisfactions, it is also a very hard job that can take an important toll on people, so you might see how people who were once on your side might change career paths. If you are determined to be an addiction counselor and get the proper education to learn how to deal with it on a personal level, you might soon become a strong asset for any company you decide to work for.
So stop worrying about whether there will be opportunities out there for you if you choose this as a career path. The health sector will always offer job opportunities and after taking on a job like this, you will also be prepared for any other counseling job that might cross your path and interest you.
