Renz Center offering free substance abuse assessments in September
“Many times people do not understand the depth of their addiction until they meet with a certified substance abuse counselor,” Renz executive director Jerry Skogmo said in the release. “Counselors are trained to look for stress factors, patterns of …
Read more on Elgin Courier News

Drug Counselors: College students using Adderall as "smart drug"
THIS WEEK THE FD AN A APPROFDA APPROVED ABRAIN SCAN THAT COULD DETERMINE IF A CHILD HAS ADHD. THE STIMULANT WILL BE ADDERALL. IT TERMS OUT MORE AND MORE STUDENTS ARE USING ADDERALL WITHOUT A …
Read more on WKMG Orlando

Question by Dan W: Can i become a councilor with a GED?
Well i am wondering if you can become a councilor for drug abuse if you only have a GED, because i was addicted to methamphetamine, marijuana, inhalants, and alcohol for about five years of my life and luckily i got myself help and have been clean for about 2 years now and i would really like to help people overcome the demons i also faced trying to become clean, any help would be wonderful. Thanks for any feed back.

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
Congratulations on having almost two years of sobriety! With regard to becoming a substance abuse counselor, I believe that most with a Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) have a master’s degree which takes about six years of college, if attending on a full-time basis. There are different levels of training for addictions counseling, but most jobs prefer those with a master’s degree.

Please also be aware that in order to get one’s certification as a CAC (or similar credentials), the person needs A LOT of clinical experience which includes having an actual patient caseload of those with addiction.

With regard to schooling, please AVOID those private overly priced For-profit schools such as kaplan, ashworth, capella, university of phoenix, devry, ITT tech, strayer, everest, brown mackie, american public university, keiser, argosy, penn foster, ashford, grand canyon, westwood, stratford career, pima medical institute, colorado tech and others as they are merely out to “make a profit” (** and their course credits usually do NOT transfer to other schools).

These consumer sites have a lot of negative posts by former students about those for-profit schools, and please heed the students’ warnings:

– http://www.ripoffreport.com

– http://www.pissedconsumer.com

– http://www.complaintsboard.com and can search.

Please instead consider the more affordable community college and/or public/state university as long as the program is accredited within the industry.

For U.S. colleges: http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

This site is supposed to have more info re: (regarding) getting certified in addictions counseling: http://www.naadac.org/certification and can scroll down a bit.

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search “counselors”, “social workers” or such.

Regarding inhalants or “huffing” (fumes or chemical vapors), my friend actually has a Brain Injury from inhalant use at the age of 12, now in her 30s.

Other risks of huffing include sight loss/blindness, heart/liver/kidney damage, seizures, limb spasms, hearing loss and even death, all of which can happen after the very FIRST time of use.

For anyone, this site has more info about the dangers of huffing – National Inhalant Prevention Coalition: http://www.inhalants.org

Wishing you continued recovery and wellness and that you continue making good, HEALTHY choices in life 🙂

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by Dan W: Can i become a councilor with a GED?
Well i am wondering if you can become a councilor for drug abuse if you only have a GED, because i was addicted to methamphetamine, marijuana, inhalants, and alcohol for about five years of my life and luckily i got myself help and have been clean for about 2 years now and i would really like to help people overcome the demons i also faced trying to become clean, any help would be wonderful. Thanks for any feed back.

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
Congratulations on having almost two years of sobriety! With regard to becoming a substance abuse counselor, I believe that most with a Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) have a master’s degree which takes about six years of college, if attending on a full-time basis. There are different levels of training for addictions counseling, but most jobs prefer those with a master’s degree.

Please also be aware that in order to get one’s certification as a CAC (or similar credentials), the person needs A LOT of clinical experience which includes having an actual patient caseload of those with addiction.

With regard to schooling, please AVOID those private overly priced For-profit schools such as kaplan, ashworth, capella, university of phoenix, devry, ITT tech, strayer, everest, brown mackie, american public university, keiser, argosy, penn foster, ashford, grand canyon, westwood, stratford career, pima medical institute, colorado tech and others as they are merely out to “make a profit” (** and their course credits usually do NOT transfer to other schools).

These consumer sites have a lot of negative posts by former students about those for-profit schools, and please heed the students’ warnings:

– http://www.ripoffreport.com

– http://www.pissedconsumer.com

– http://www.complaintsboard.com and can search.

Please instead consider the more affordable community college and/or public/state university as long as the program is accredited within the industry.

For U.S. colleges: http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

This site is supposed to have more info re: (regarding) getting certified in addictions counseling: http://www.naadac.org/certification and can scroll down a bit.

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search “counselors”, “social workers” or such.

Regarding inhalants or “huffing” (fumes or chemical vapors), my friend actually has a Brain Injury from inhalant use at the age of 12, now in her 30s.

Other risks of huffing include sight loss/blindness, heart/liver/kidney damage, seizures, limb spasms, hearing loss and even death, all of which can happen after the very FIRST time of use.

For anyone, this site has more info about the dangers of huffing – National Inhalant Prevention Coalition: http://www.inhalants.org

Wishing you continued recovery and wellness and that you continue making good, HEALTHY choices in life 🙂

Give your answer to this question below!

Drug Counselors: College students using Adderall as "smart drug"
KELLY CREAMER IS A LOCAL DRUG ADDICTION COUNSELOR. SHE STILL REMEMBERS WALKING IN ON CLASSMATES RIGHT BEFORE HER COLLEGE MIDTERM. AND THERE WERE GIRLS IN THERE IN CLEAR AS DAY IN THE BATHROOM …
Read more on WKMG Orlando

Complete Online Curriculum for New Jersey Drug Addiction Certification Now …
According to a recent report, the number of job openings for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in the state of New Jersey will increase 27% through 2020. Addiction treatment and prevention agencies employ thousands of people that are …
Read more on Newsday

Local addiction counselors recognized for their work
Cindy Howard was awarded Clinical Supervisor with certification to manage and supervise counselors who practice in the substance abuse field. She heads up the Bulloch County DUI Court treatment portion, is active in Georgia Addiction Counselors …
Read more on Statesboro Herald

Substance abuse counselor has helped transform lives
When Harvey Blackmon, 68, first started working in substance abuse services, society looked at addicts as criminals who don't have the will to stop using substances. People thought that addiction was just a problem of will. But Blackmon has seen …
Read more on Charlotte Observer

Motivational Enhancement Therapy: Treatment For Substance Abuse & More
Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “is a counseling approach that helps individuals resolve their ambivalence about engaging in treatment and stopping their drug use.” It is a method offering more …
Read more on PsychCentral.com (blog)

SMACK OF REALITY: Heroin replacing pills as cheaper drug of choice
Cook is employed by Westcare, a company based in Los Angeles that contracts with the Boyle County Detention Center to provide inmates with a substance abuse counselor in a therapeutic community. The inmates are required to coordinate activities and …
Read more on Central Kentucky News

Addiction Treatment and Counseling Center Opens in DuBois
DUBOIS – Laurel Wellness Centers has opened an outpatient clinic for addiction treatment and general counseling in DuBois. Services include a variety of programs for people with drug and alcohol addiction; counseling for individuals, families and …
Read more on Gant Daily

A little TLC: Substance abuse counselors opening new center for those trying …
Erin Houchin, left, and Amanda Juhl pose for a portrait at The Last Connection in East Naples. The two are proud to say that they are clean and sober thanks to counselors, like those who are opening a new substance abuse center called New Paradigns …
Read more on Naples Daily News

New addiction counseling facility opening in Portsmouth
Community Counseling and Treatment Services is opening a new location in Portsmouth this month beginning with a special open house on Friday to see the building and speak with addiction counselors. Owner and CEO Paul Vernier, of West Portsmouth, is an …
Read more on Portsmouth Daily Times