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What is a substance abuse counselor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Experts
Debra Minsky-Kelly,
Dr. Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson
introduction image

A substance abuse counselor helps individuals struggling with drug or alcohol addiction. They work in settings, such as hospitals and rehabilitation centers, to provide support to those in need. The counselor assesses the client's situation, creates an individualized treatment plan, and provides guidance on coping strategies and relapse prevention. They may also facilitate group therapy sessions and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care and achieve long-term recovery.

What general advice would you give to a Substance Abuse Counselor?

Debra Minsky-KellyDebra Minsky-Kelly LinkedIn Profile

Director of Field Education / Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work, Carthage College

I think there are two critical skills for social workers, whether they are first entering the workforce or seasoned professionals. These skills are humility and an appreciation for ambiguity in our work. A humble approach to our work empowers clients to become experts on their circumstances. Social workers are then positioned in a collaborative role to help clients use existing skills and resources to improve their situations. An appreciation for ambiguity is closely related to the idea of humility. It helps us to remember that practice situations we face in this field are often far more complicated than they appear on the surface. Thus, all social workers need to make a strong commitment to lifelong learning and ongoing consultation with colleagues to ensure that multiple perspectives are included as we work to solve complex problems.
ScoreSubstance Abuse CounselorUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $43,069

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 65.70%

male 34.30%

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

What are the pros and cons of being a Substance Abuse Counselor?

Pros

  • High demand for substance abuse counselors, leading to job security

  • Opportunity to work with diverse populations and learn about different cultures

  • Ability to build strong relationships with clients and make a difference in their lives

  • Competitive salaries and benefits packages

  • Fulfilling and rewarding career

Cons

  • Limited resources and funding for treatment programs

  • Potential for dangerous or violent situations with clients who are under the influence

  • Difficulty in maintaining professional boundaries with clients

  • Challenging work environment due to the complexity of addiction treatment

  • Paperwork and documentation can be time-consuming and tedious

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Substance Abuse Counselor career paths

Key steps to become a substance abuse counselor

  1. Explore substance abuse counselor education requirements

    Most common substance abuse counselor degrees

    Bachelor's

    56.7 %

    Master's

    24.6 %

    Associate

    13.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific substance abuse counselor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients15.90%
    Substance Abuse Treatment11.29%
    Social Work8.17%
    Crisis Intervention8.03%
    Intake Assessments5.14%
  3. Complete relevant substance abuse counselor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New substance abuse 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 a substance abuse counselor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real substance abuse counselor resumes.
  4. Research substance abuse counselor duties and responsibilities

    • Ensure and manage the compliance with Didi Hirsch policies and procedures, contracts and other regulatory agencies, HIPAA and DMH.
    • Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
    • Perform assessment of patients using ASAM criteria and recommendation for appropriate level of programming.
    • Process detox patient admissions on computer system which include - conducting alcohol and drug assessment, taking psycho/social history.
  5. Prepare your substance abuse counselor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your substance abuse 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 a substance abuse counselor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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  6. Apply for substance abuse counselor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a substance abuse 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 Substance Abuse Counselor Job

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Average substance abuse counselor salary

The average Substance Abuse Counselor salary in the United States is $43,069 per year or $21 per hour. Substance abuse counselor salaries range between $27,000 and $67,000 per year.

Average Substance Abuse Counselor Salary
$43,069 Yearly
$20.71 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do substance abuse counselors rate their job?

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Substance Abuse Counselor reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024
Pros

purpose, options 4 exponential learning

Cons

can be easy to get burnt out, pay is ok


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024
Cons

Stressful, dangerous neighborhoods, sometimes parents are dangerous as well. Work life balance isn't good. Documentation is very time consuming and you will bring that home to finish. If your agency requires that you do your app recorded time sheets then that will prove ardously time consuming constaint that cuts right into your work/home life balance...it's terrible. Wear and tear on your car, no shows from parents upsetting children and paid mileage is horrible. Get ready to barely have a life.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

Working collaboratively with clients to help them understand themselves and experience their authentic selves. Learning from my clients.


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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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