Irving Treatment Center Launches Substance Abuse Program
An Irving treatment center is launching adult and adolescent programs aimed at tackling alcohol and drug addiction which are now available through Drug Addiction Treatment Centers. According to information released from the U.S. Department of Health …
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Facility offers addiction treatment close to home
ETTA, Miss. (AP) — There's a bridge out near the southern end of Lafayette County Road 244. The road reaches only a few houses, some farmland and timberland, and a driveway marked "The Oxford Centre." The Oxford Centre is a residential addiction …
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Corpus Christi Treatment Center Launches Marijuana Substance Abuse Program
A Corpus Christi treatment center is launching a new program that addresses marijuana and pain reliever substance abuse problems among adolescents through Drug Addiction Treatment Centers. Statistics released by the U.S. Department of Health and …
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Question by Lucifer: What do I do to become a chemical health or mental health counselor?
I want to become a chemical health counselor or a mental health counselor or do therapy with people that are recovering from drug addiction or mental health. I want to do this because I have had a history with drugs and depression, and want to help others and give back I guess. I’m in high school, and am going to be graduating in a couple years. I think about other careers doing things I like, like playing music or fixing electronics, but I couldn’t imagine doing either as a career. The more I think of counseling and therapy, it’s something I am passionate about and I know a lot about chemical health and mental health. I talked with the chemical health counselor at my school, we talk every couple weeks, but I told him that this is what I want to do, which I haven’t told anyone else until then, and he was saying that the way he did it was at a University and went for psychology. But he said for psychology, to be able to do anything you have to get a lot of education for it and a higher degree. He had a friend that didn’t get as high a degree as he did and now he can’t really do anything for it, but he’s had other friends do it through just getting the license for counseling, and when you get that, it gives you way more options, and you can do generals at a community college and then go get a license and save a lot of money. So what’s the way he’s talking about by just getting a license? How do I do that? And if that info was misleading, what’s the best way to go for doing this? And how much will school probably cost?

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
You’re commended for wanting to help others who were in similar situations as yourself. A lot of substance abuse counselors are “in recovery” (from addiction) themselves. For those interested in becoming a licensed addiction counselor, please look into getting the credentials of CAC which stands for Certified Addiction Counselor.

Most CACs (or similar credentials) have a master’s degree such as in counseling or social work (or perhaps psychology, but the two former may get more practical experience, including a clinical internship).

Someone with a master’s degree in social work (MSW) can also become a licensed-clinical social worker (LCSW) and administer psychotherapy (“talk therapy”) and/or cognitive-behavioral therapy (cbt). A LCSW may also open up a private practice, however, usually after getting a lot of experience in the field since private practice is so autonomous. A licensed social worker may get reimbursement from health insurance companies, too.

A person with a master’s degree in counseling needs to do various clinical internships, too, and may apply for reimbursement for patient claims (for therapy). The person would take a licensure examination after getting a passing score for the clinical internships and then get the credentials of LPC or licensed professional counselor (or in some states, “licensed mental health counselor”). I believe that the general consensus is that a LCSW degree may be more versatile than a counseling degree. You may want to speak with both a LCSW and LPC for more information, too.

Most licensed psychologists have a doctorate (PhD or PsyD).

This website has more info re: the various credentials for becoming a licensed addiction professional: http://www.naadac.org/certification

For more info re: counselor certification and state licensure: http://www.nbcc.org/OurCertifications

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/ooh and can search “substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors”, “social workers”, “counselors” or such.

With regard to schooling (for any field), please do *avoid* those private For-profit schools such as devry, ITT tech, strayer, university of phoenix, capella, argosy, grand canyon, aiu, Kaplan, ashworth, pima medical, Everest, stratford career, walden, art institute, concorde career, ecpi, regis, penn foster, ashford, full sail, icdc, Sanford brown, keiser and others. Their course credits usually do ** NOT ** transfer to other schools, even if the for-profit school is regionally accredited as opposed to only nationally accredited.

This consumer site has a lot of negative posts by former students of those for-profit schools, and please heed the students’ warnings: http://www.complaintsboard.com and can search.

Please instead consider the more affordable *community college* (as you’d mentioned) and/or the *state-public university* as long as the program is accredited within the industry. Just an fyi that “American public university” is a for-profit school.

Some community colleges offer an associate (two-year) degree in “human services” (or similar major), and it may allow the student to get his/her “feet wet” in the field as the student usually needs to get a passing score for the clinical fieldwork placements. Another fyi, however, that someone with an associate’s in human services may “only” qualify for a clerical position or some type of “aide” or “assistant”.

If the local community college(s) offers an associate’s in “addiction counseling”, that will require many clinical internship hours, and just to reiterate that a lot of jobs for addiction counselor require a master’s degree.

For U.S. colleges (though please still forgo those for-profit schools): http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

This site is supposed to have accredited programs in social work education: http://www.cswe.org/Default.aspx?id=17491

For accredited programs in counseling: http://www.cacrep.org/directory/directory.cfm

You’re probably familiar with the 12-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The only requirement is having the desire to get sober. There may be “open” AA meetings if there is no drinking problem: http://www.aa.org/

For some common mottos pertaining to those 12-step programs which includes “One day at a time”, “First things first” and “People, places and things”: http://www.royy.com/toolsofrecovery.html

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Hunter would benefit from counselling, said defence lawyer Robert McFadden. A year's probation was imposed when Hunter must stay away from alcohol and drugs while taking counselling. Nathan Roy Adams, 22, of Sarnia, pleaded guilty to theft and …
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Tyler Johnson, Mall In Columbia Shooting Victim, Was Getting Life Together
We're making arrangements for counselling to be made available to Zumiez employees in the area. As you can imagine, we are receiving … Tyler Johnson was a young man recovering from a battle with drug addiction. Working at Zumiez was part of his road …
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Investigation: Drugs in Oxford
The discovery of cocaine traces in a number of locations across Oxford suggests that for some students at least, university is a time for experimentating with recreational drugs. How prevalent is drug use in Oxford University? …. “Lifeline Project is …
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Help for addicted teens
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released information on available resources to help addicted teens as well as identify those teens at risk for substance abuse. Teens present with unique circumstances and needs when it comes to treatment …
Read more on The Spokesman Review (blog)

Boy Writes Parent Coach for Help With Video Game Addiction
Hi, I am a boy that is really troubled. First of all, I am addicted to video games, I feel like without them I feel sad. My parents argue a lot and they both complain to me about each other and I just feel annoyed and I just want to play video games …
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Saint Matthews House Drug/Alcohol Rehab Plan To Fail?
The report notes that there are 60 townhouses and condos across the street from the Port LaBelle Inn and the proposed change in use for a drug and alcohol rehab facility is not an established use for property in this area and the closing of public …
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5 things you need to know happening in Florida on Friday, January 24
The center's 28-day residential treatment program will treat addictions and all forms of substance abuse including prescription medications. A number of athletes are joining Strawberry for the opening of the center including NFL Hall of Fame inductee …
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Detox center grand opening in St. Augustine
AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Starting this month, St. Johns County will shed its dubious distinction as Florida's largest county without a drug and alcohol detox facility. On Wednesday, January 22 EPIC Recovery Centerwill host a grand opening of a 16-bed …
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Retired MLB Player Darryl Strawberry to Open Substance Abuse Treatment …
DSRC was founded in partnership with retired MLB player Darryl Strawberry and Oglethorpe Healthcare Inc. to provide athletes and individuals suffering from substance abuse with a center for excellence in addiction treatment and recovery. The facility …
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The Delray Recovery Center Hosts a Workshop on Treating the Addicted Family
Located in Delray Beach, FL, The Delray Recovery Center offers individualized treatment programs for alcohol and drug addiction, as well as co-occurring mental health disorders. The Delray Recovery Center believes in a long-term treatment model, where …
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Question by jlarsen4: I quit using drugs 10 years ago. Do I need relapse over and over again in order to be considered an addict?
I quit using drugs the first time I really tried which was over 10 years ago. I have several addict friends who question whether or not I am an addict. I don’t need that label and frankly can live without it, however, I work in substance abuse treatment and feel strongly that addicts can overcome active addiction without having to go through relapse after relapse. Your thoughts?

Best answer:

Answer by pacemaker
a addict continue taking drugs on a daily basis ..your higher power is the drug what is a drug counselor to you.. what is more important how much your drug use or… because I was a drug counselor I have lived with people who wanted to stay clean or stay out of jail you puzzle me because you have drug addict friends.. but you work in a treatment center

Answer by Ron
I’m a recovering alcoholic (3years dry next monday), it is my and others in AA that you can label yourself what you like.

When you were an addict, did you or are you a member of NA or CA?, the reason I ask is this sort of question crops up quite often at my AA meetings and the general consensus is that as I said you can call yourself what you like.

I went into rehab in 2006 and was told that I was an alcoholic for life in that I could never safely drink again, the same goes for drugs, which is why it surprised me when I went to some AA meetings and some people introduced themselves as ‘recovered’ alcoholics, they explained that they had recovered from the ‘mental obsession’ of alcohol, it’s printed inside the cover of ‘Alcoholics Anonymous “The story of how many thousands of men have recovered from alcoholism”‘, the same book that’s used in NA and CA.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with relapsing, just keep strong and don’t forget those organisations that are there to help you.

I have friends who are alcoholics as well, I never preach to them but offer advice if asked.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Addiction Doctors Are Fighting an Outdated Battle
The history of medical treatment of alcoholism is checkered, at best. The earliest “drugs” prescribed to treat alcoholism were pure quackery. Dr. Leslie Keeley gained fame in the late 19th century with his “double chloride of gold cure,” which he …
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Alcohol & Drug Rehab Trois-Rivières Announces New Program to Halt …
Alcohol & Drug Rehab Trois-Rivières Announces New Program to Halt Methamphetamine Addiction in Adults and Adolescents. Individuals seeking relief from drug and alcohol addiction can now receive no-cost consultations. Call 819-809-1650 for an …
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