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What is an alcoholic counselor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Meredith Bertrand

What general advice would you give to an alcoholic counselor?

Dr. Meredith BertrandDr. Meredith Bertrand LinkedIn profile

Chair of Education; Associate Professor of Education, Elms College

History is ever-changing, and teachers must clarify how current events are just as much a part of the study of history as any other socio-political period or event. If you are not comparing the civil rights movement of today to the ongoing civil rights movements of the past, and if you are not supporting the campaign against oppression and institutional racism upon which our nation was built, then you are doing continuous harm to those who need you to act and disrupt the cycle. History teachers better be ready to be activists, not just teachers, or else you are perpetuating the status quo.
ScoreAlcoholic CounselorUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $43,635

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
5.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 4.56%

Black or African American 11.43%

Hispanic or Latino 15.39%

Unknown 4.56%

White 63.21%

Gender

female 48.70%

male 51.30%

Age - 37
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37
Stress level
9.9

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Alcoholic counselor career paths

Key steps to become an alcoholic counselor

  1. Explore alcoholic counselor education requirements

    Most common alcoholic counselor degrees

    Bachelor's

    49.2 %

    Master's

    28.5 %

    Associate

    16.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific alcoholic counselor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Social Work43.81%
    Discharge Planning14.20%
    AOD12.98%
    Treatment Services9.35%
    Mental Health6.95%
  3. Complete relevant alcoholic counselor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New alcoholic counselors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an alcoholic counselor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real alcoholic counselor resumes.
  4. Research alcoholic counselor duties and responsibilities

    • Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
    • Facilitate substance abuse group counseling sessions to assist patients in recognizing causal factors of substance abuse and in developing coping behaviors.
    • Collaborate with peers in leadership capacity at recreational summer camp leading, coordinating and organizing daily activities and weekly field trips.
  5. Prepare your alcoholic counselor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your alcoholic counselor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an alcoholic counselor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable alcoholic counselor resume templates

    Build a professional alcoholic counselor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your alcoholic counselor resume.
    Alcoholic Counselor Resume
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    Alcoholic Counselor Resume
  6. Apply for alcoholic counselor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an alcoholic counselor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first alcoholic counselor job

Zippi

Are you an alcoholic counselor?

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Average alcoholic counselor salary

The average alcoholic counselor salary in the United States is $43,635 per year or $21 per hour. Alcoholic counselor salaries range between $32,000 and $58,000 per year.

Average alcoholic counselor salary
$43,635 Yearly
$20.98 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do alcoholic counselors rate their job?

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Alcoholic counselor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Cons

The over documentation required by DHS that robs the quality time needed in intervention and treatment. This lopsided demand makes the term “best practices” mere bureaucratic lip service without the means to actually deliver quality hands on services.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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