Profile of a Substance Abuse Counselor Essay -- career choices, opportu

Introduction A career path which I am considering for my future is that of a substance abuse counselor. Substance abuse counselors provide assistance and therapy to clients wishing to stop their use and abuse of alcohol and drugs. I am considering this field because of my personal experience with substance abuse and a desire to help others towards recovery, as well. In order to further understand this occupation, an acquaintance who works in the field and who possesses a similar background agreed to meet with me to discuss her career. Interview Summary I met with Christine, an acquaintance I know through members of a twelve step program. We met for about 20 minutes over coffee. As we spoke, I asked the questions that I prepared, omitting some and adding others based on the responses given. The list of questions in reproduced in the last section of this work. Christine works at an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in New Jersey, the specifics of which have been intentionally omitted. Her interest in the field is identical to mine; she has a personal history of substance abuse. After obtaining sobriety, she wished to help others with her experience. This similarity is the primary reason I wanted to discuss this topic with her. Christine’s current position requires a bachelor’s degree in a health related field, although she noted other counselors at her place of employment have master’s degrees. She is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) in the State of New Jersey. Certification involved verifying education and experience, completing an exam, and paying a fee. Christine is also a member of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC). Membership in this organizat... ... What do you do in group therapy? # 13.) What do you do in family therapy? # 14.) What does your job entail besides counseling? 15.) What is the best part about your job? 16.) What is the worst part about your job? 17.) What kind of money do you earn? * 18.) What are the benefits of your job? * 19.) Do you think the best substance abuse counselors are recovering addicts themselves? Why or why not? 20.) What have you learned from working in the field? â€Æ' References Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-and-behavioral-disorder-counselors.htm Kuther, T. L., & Morgan, R. D. (2013). Careers in psychology: opportunities in a changing world. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning/Wadsworth.