Substance abuse counselor vs family therapist

The differences between substance abuse counselors and family 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 substance abuse counselor, becoming a family therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a family therapist has an average salary of $50,774, which is higher than the $43,069 average annual salary of a substance abuse counselor.

The top three skills for a substance abuse counselor include patients, substance abuse treatment and social work. The most important skills for a family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.

Substance abuse counselor vs family therapist overview

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Family Therapist
Yearly salary	$43,069	$50,774
Hourly rate	$20.71	$24.41
Growth rate	-	14%
Number of jobs	78,643	106,982
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

What does a substance abuse counselor do?

Substance abuse counselors act as a support system for people with drug and alcohol problems and other behavioral issues. They help the patients control their behavior until they achieve a full recovery. The mental health counselors aid patients to overcome their chemical dependencies and become self-sufficient individuals. Part of their duty includes meeting clients to evaluate their health and substance issues while creating goals and treatment plans. They teach clients coping mechanisms, refer them to support groups, and engage them in group therapy sessions. Once the patient is stable, they help them re-establish their careers and give updates and reports of progress to the courts. Requirements for the job include a master's degree in counseling and social work.

What does a family therapist do?

A Family Therapist works with couples and families to help ameliorate marital and family issues. They can work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations, and private practices.

Substance abuse counselor vs family therapist salary

Substance abuse counselors and family therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Family Therapist
Average salary	$43,069	$50,774
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $67,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Trenton, NJ	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	Oregon
Best paying company	Erlanger Health System	Dignity Health
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Health Care

Differences between substance abuse counselor and family therapist education

There are a few differences between a substance abuse counselor and a family therapist in terms of educational background:

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Family Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Substance abuse counselor vs family therapist demographics

Here are the differences between substance abuse counselors' and family therapists' demographics:

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Family Therapist
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%	Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%
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, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	6%

Differences between substance abuse counselor and family therapist duties and responsibilities

Substance abuse counselor example 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.
Provide clinical services, patient care, education and opiate addiction counseling services to patients receiving methadone maintenance and detoxification treatment.
Certify for first aid and CPR.

Family therapist example responsibilities.

Complete documentation to medicaid standards.
Create maximum billable Medicaid hours and submitting necessary paperwork for Medicaid billing.
Apply behavioral analysis instruction for a student with autism concentrating on communication, socialization, self-help skills and community skills.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.

Substance abuse counselor vs family therapist skills

Common substance abuse counselor skills

Patients, 16%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 11%
Social Work, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Intake Assessments, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

Common family therapist skills

Social Work, 27%
Patients, 6%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Community Resources, 4%
Mental Health Issues, 4%
Group Therapy, 3%

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Substance Abuse Counselor
Substance Abuse Counselor vs Family Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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