Chemical dependency therapist vs primary therapist

The differences between chemical dependency therapists and primary therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a chemical dependency therapist, becoming a primary therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a primary therapist has an average salary of $59,826, which is higher than the $56,575 average annual salary of a chemical dependency therapist.

The top three skills for a chemical dependency therapist include patients, chemical dependency and treatment services. The most important skills for a primary therapist are patients, social work, and group therapy sessions.

Chemical dependency therapist vs primary therapist overview

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Primary Therapist
Yearly salary	$56,575	$59,826
Hourly rate	$27.20	$28.76
Growth rate	14%	9%
Number of jobs	34,075	85,127
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Master's Degree, 49%
Average age	39	45
Years of experience	6	4

Chemical dependency therapist vs primary therapist salary

Chemical dependency therapists and primary therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Primary Therapist
Average salary	$56,575	$59,826
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $83,000	Between $43,000 And $83,000
Highest paying City	-	Thousand Oaks, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Appalachian Regional Healthcare
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between chemical dependency therapist and primary therapist education

There are a few differences between a chemical dependency therapist and a primary therapist in terms of educational background:

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Primary Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Master's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Chemical dependency therapist vs primary therapist demographics

Here are the differences between chemical dependency therapists' and primary therapists' demographics:

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Primary Therapist
Average age	39	45
Gender ratio	Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2%	Male, 27.1% Female, 72.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	12%	15%

Differences between chemical dependency therapist and primary therapist duties and responsibilities

Chemical dependency therapist example responsibilities.

Utilize ASAM's criteria to determine the appropriate therapeutic level of care for patients/clients.
Direct weekly psycho-educational group for parents of patients.
Coordinate intake process for new patients including preliminary individual treatment plans.
Develop and increase knowledge of federal, state and agency regulations regarding confidentiality methadone treatment and substance abuse counseling certification.
Conduct psychological test batteries and write integrative reports for IEP meetings.
Administer state require DWI protocols including breathalyzer tests and obtaining specimens.

Primary therapist example responsibilities.

Case managing, intakes, group and individual session, treatment plans, OASAS standards
Provide clinical therapy for severely emotionally disturb adolescents and their families to aid in the rehabilitation process.
Perform crisis intervention, including management of difficult or resistant patients, utilizing clinically appropriate accept techniques and methods.
Assist in development of extend hour IOP and PHP program.
experience, IOP, individual sessions, assessments, case management.
Assist in developing and assessing progress on individual rehabilitation plans.

Chemical dependency therapist vs primary therapist skills

Common chemical dependency therapist skills

Patients, 31%
Chemical Dependency, 19%
Treatment Services, 11%
OASAS, 7%
ASAM, 6%
Substance Abuse, 3%

Common primary therapist skills

Patients, 17%
Social Work, 14%
Group Therapy Sessions, 8%
Eating Disorders, 7%
Patient Care, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 5%

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Chemical Dependency Therapist
Chemical Dependency Therapist vs Primary Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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