A chemical dependency counselor plays a very important role in the recovery of an alcoholic or drug addict. A person with an addiction to either alcohol or drugs experiences physiological symptoms when he is unable to get a "fix" another drink or access to the needed drug. The symptoms may become quite severe and is often referred to as "having withdrawals." Some people experience withdrawal in much milder forms. For example, a person who drinks sodas on a regular basis may experience a migraine headache if she tries to skip the beverage. Sodas contain caffeine and the lack of caffeine can create a physiological reaction. Many smokers have a very difficult time kicking tobacco habits, even though they may be very highly motivated to do so, because their bodies need the nicotine fix that comes with lighting up a cigarette. Both these examples, the soda drinker and the smoker, experience mild physiological withdrawal symptoms compared to the alcoholic or drug addict. These individuals can suffer terribly during recovery. A knowledgeable chemical dependency counselor can assist with the long recovery process.
Some counselors choose this vocation because either they or their families have been adversely affected by alcoholic or drug abuse. Others just have a heart for the hurting and want to make a difference in the lives of others. Obtaining the appropriate associates' or bachelors' degrees is the first step toward a counseling career. The first semesters of the degree program are often made up of general education courses, such as English, history, and math. But the student may also take a few classes in the selected major. A student who plans a vocation as a chemical dependency counselor, during later semesters, will take classes in psychology, counseling, and perhaps even biology or anatomy. The program may include a relevant internship, perhaps at a clinic or inpatient facility. Fieldwork courses in treatment agencies provide students with firsthand, hands-on experience in working with patients who are in the recovery process. Graduates may find positions with government agencies, such as a state's department of health or vocational rehabilitation program. Or the graduates may enter private practice, perhaps at an inpatient facility or a medical clinic.
Educational training doesn't end with college graduation. Some people may choose to go on to graduate school, while others are ready to get to work. But every licensed chemical dependency counselor will be required to take continuing education units, commonly known as CEUs, to keep the license. CEU workshops and seminars are often held in conjunction with community college or university programs. The instruction centers on a variety of important issues, such as anger management, related eating disorders, and relapse prevention. Distance learning and independent study options are usually available, too, and can be especially convenient for someone who has a more than full-time work schedule and heavy patient load. A vast amount of information on degree programs and continuing education courses can be found online by doing a simple search. Potential students can research various options, but will want to be sure that the CEUs they earn are from an accredited educational institution. State governments require licensing as a way to regulate the profession and ensure that people who say they are counselors actually have the needed knowledge to help others with treatment plans. Licensing provides governmental legitimacy to the professional chemical dependency counselor. Even so, prospective patients are advised to do appropriate research to find a good match. One's personal physician is a good place to begin for a referral. Online research can also help an individual find appropriate treatment options.
A recovering alcoholic or drug addict often needs more than one person to help with the treatment process. King Solomon wrote: "Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established" (Proverbs 15:21-22). A professional counselor may be part of a team that works with the individual. In addition to the chemical dependency counselor, the individual may have access to a psychologist or psychiatrist, a continuing care manager, and a spiritual advisor. Physicians and nursing personnel may also be part of the team. These professionals work together to make an assessment and develop a treatment plan. Throughout the process, the team reviews the patient's progress and updates the treatment plan as needed. In addition to appropriate medications, patients often participate in individual and group therapy sessions.
As part of her ongoing education, a chemical dependency counselor may work toward certification in a specialty. For example, the counselor may complete a certification course on anger resolution or that focuses on teenage drug abuse. A recovering alcoholic or drug addict who has other conditions, such as deafness or mental illness, will benefit from the counseling expertise of someone who has had special training with these types of issues. Some recovering addicts are pregnant and these women also need medical support to ensure the safe delivery of a healthy infant. The counseling profession is not for everyone. The pay sometimes seems way too low for the amount of energy and expertise that is expended on the behalf of others. The work can be emotionally draining, especially when the patient is uncooperative or returns to the addiction. But when patients succeed in the recovery program, the professional chemical dependency counselor can take great satisfaction in knowing she played an important role in that process. It's the successes that keep the tough counselor going even when the going gets tough.
Some counselors choose this vocation because either they or their families have been adversely affected by alcoholic or drug abuse. Others just have a heart for the hurting and want to make a difference in the lives of others. Obtaining the appropriate associates' or bachelors' degrees is the first step toward a counseling career. The first semesters of the degree program are often made up of general education courses, such as English, history, and math. But the student may also take a few classes in the selected major. A student who plans a vocation as a chemical dependency counselor, during later semesters, will take classes in psychology, counseling, and perhaps even biology or anatomy. The program may include a relevant internship, perhaps at a clinic or inpatient facility. Fieldwork courses in treatment agencies provide students with firsthand, hands-on experience in working with patients who are in the recovery process. Graduates may find positions with government agencies, such as a state's department of health or vocational rehabilitation program. Or the graduates may enter private practice, perhaps at an inpatient facility or a medical clinic.
Educational training doesn't end with college graduation. Some people may choose to go on to graduate school, while others are ready to get to work. But every licensed chemical dependency counselor will be required to take continuing education units, commonly known as CEUs, to keep the license. CEU workshops and seminars are often held in conjunction with community college or university programs. The instruction centers on a variety of important issues, such as anger management, related eating disorders, and relapse prevention. Distance learning and independent study options are usually available, too, and can be especially convenient for someone who has a more than full-time work schedule and heavy patient load. A vast amount of information on degree programs and continuing education courses can be found online by doing a simple search. Potential students can research various options, but will want to be sure that the CEUs they earn are from an accredited educational institution. State governments require licensing as a way to regulate the profession and ensure that people who say they are counselors actually have the needed knowledge to help others with treatment plans. Licensing provides governmental legitimacy to the professional chemical dependency counselor. Even so, prospective patients are advised to do appropriate research to find a good match. One's personal physician is a good place to begin for a referral. Online research can also help an individual find appropriate treatment options.
A recovering alcoholic or drug addict often needs more than one person to help with the treatment process. King Solomon wrote: "Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established" (Proverbs 15:21-22). A professional counselor may be part of a team that works with the individual. In addition to the chemical dependency counselor, the individual may have access to a psychologist or psychiatrist, a continuing care manager, and a spiritual advisor. Physicians and nursing personnel may also be part of the team. These professionals work together to make an assessment and develop a treatment plan. Throughout the process, the team reviews the patient's progress and updates the treatment plan as needed. In addition to appropriate medications, patients often participate in individual and group therapy sessions.
As part of her ongoing education, a chemical dependency counselor may work toward certification in a specialty. For example, the counselor may complete a certification course on anger resolution or that focuses on teenage drug abuse. A recovering alcoholic or drug addict who has other conditions, such as deafness or mental illness, will benefit from the counseling expertise of someone who has had special training with these types of issues. Some recovering addicts are pregnant and these women also need medical support to ensure the safe delivery of a healthy infant. The counseling profession is not for everyone. The pay sometimes seems way too low for the amount of energy and expertise that is expended on the behalf of others. The work can be emotionally draining, especially when the patient is uncooperative or returns to the addiction. But when patients succeed in the recovery program, the professional chemical dependency counselor can take great satisfaction in knowing she played an important role in that process. It's the successes that keep the tough counselor going even when the going gets tough.
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