Interview with an addiction counselor

Q1. What motivated you to pursue a career in the field of addiction counseling? 

I grew up in an environment where drug and substance abuse were common. At a young age, I did not understand how something that was used willingly could affect people’s lives to a point where it affected their health, relationships, careers, and sometimes even resulted in death. I always believed that people who abused drugs and other substances could easily decide to quit if they wanted to. My misplaced opinions regarding drug use as I started viewing those that abused negatively especially because I could not understand why they could not regulate their drug use and avoid the negative consequences that arise from drug abuse. 

           It was not until later on in life that I got to learn about addiction and how some substances result in some form of dependency that makes it difficult, if not impossible for the user to quit. The realization opened up my eyes to the harmful effects of drugs and substance abuse as well as the difficulty that users face whenever they try to quit and abstain from consuming the harmful substances. I also learned that drug addiction, despite being a serious problem in society, is something that can be regulated. I, therefore, decided to pursue a career in addiction counseling to help people cope with their situation and discover ways to not only stop abusing drugs but also ensure that the patient does not go back to the same habits later in life. My career path has equipped me with the skills and general knowhow needed to help people deal with drug and substance abuse as well as help addicts break from the cycle of their addiction.

Q2. What is your educational background?

After completing my course in addiction counseling, I volunteered at the local drug and substance abuse centre where I got to work alongside an experienced addiction counselor and gain valuable experience and insight on how to be a good addiction counselor. The voluntary work as per the requirement where addiction counselors must complete specific experience requirements as part of their coursework. I also have a master's in psychology and a bachelor's degree in addiction studies. Also, I have a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst certificate.

Q3. What are some of the experiences you have had while in the field of addiction counseling? 

           When pursuing my bachelor’s degree, I realized that a significant number of students in my school and those I interacted with outside school relied on drugs and alcohol to help them cope with the challenges of a demanding curriculum. Most of the students I interacted with found it difficult to balance their academic and social life. Drugs were considered helpful in relieving the stress resulting from school and students relied on different drugs and substances to help cope with school life. Drug and substance abuse in school however created more problems especially for those that got addicted. 

The prevalence of drug abuse to cope with school-related stress led to my decision to start a group to help come up with ways to prevent drug and substance abuse in our school. The group consisted of five individuals and we would present public speeches and class presentations to educate other students on the negative effects of abusing drugs and other substances. we also collaborated with the guidance and counseling department where I got to learn more about addiction and how to help people addicted to drugs and alcohol fight their addictions and abstain from drug and substance abuse. 

           After school, I became a licensed professional counselor and also a certified advanced drugs and alcohol abuse counselor. I have worked in different co-ed outpatient facilities and methadone clinics where I have helped men, women, and young adults learn more about drug abuse and how to go about preventing addiction to drugs and other substances. my experiences in the field for more than seven years has equipped me with the skills and knowledge needed to help clients with their addictions and how to break their dependency on drugs and other substances. 

Q4. The current position in the field of addiction counseling

At present, I work as an addiction counselor 1 and my duties include functioning as the primary counselor for assigned groups and individual clients. I also provide individual and group therapy as well as facilitate social and vocational activities that are designed to help my clients fight their addictions. I am also responsible for monitoring clients to assess their compliance with the treatment methods used and their commitment to abstaining from drug and substance abuse. 

Q5. What advice would you give to people who are entering into the field of addiction counseling

           Addiction counseling, like any other field in counseling requires the counselor to set aside personal opinions and observe professionalism when helping patients. Those entering the addiction counseling field should therefore ensure that they have enough knowledge and experience on how to help clients manage their addictions. Knowledge in the field is crucial as it helps the counselor to determine what approach to take and how to handle different clients. Possession of such knowledge will make it easier to keep personal opinions and attitudes from interfering with the advice given to clients on how to abstain from drugs and other substances. 

           I would also encourage them to develop a passion for learning and improving their skills and knowledge and addiction counselors. With the prevalence of drug and substance abuse, addiction counselors have to seek out more effective ways to discourage people from drug use as well as help those addicted to breaking from their addiction. Counselors must therefore develop a habit of learning and constantly seek out information relating to drug and substance abuse, how to fight addictions, and also how to avoid reliance on drugs and other harmful substances.

           Lastly, addiction counselors should learn to strike a balance between their career and personal life. Although the counselor should come up with different ways to keep in contact with the clients, it is advisable to set aside time for activities that constitute the counselor’s personal life. It is therefore advisable to restrict counseling sessions strictly to office hours unless it's an emergency. Addiction counseling tends to be rather demanding especially when dealing with clients that require constant supervision or counseling. As addiction counselors, restricting sessions to office hours ensures that the counselor has time to take care of other responsibilities while still allowing the client to put previous sessions into practice. The goal should always be to help the client cope with their situation on their own without constantly seeking assistance from addiction counselors in the future.