IC&RC and NAADAC: Which One to Choose for your Career?
IC&RC Introduction Choosing the proper certification is a pivotal step in shaping your career in addiction counseling. Whether you're just starting or looking to advance your qualifications, understanding the differences between IC&RC and NAADAC certifications can help you make an informed decision that aligns with your professional goals. When I first considered a career in addiction counseling, I was overwhelmed by the numerous certification options available. I remember researching late into the night to determine which path best suits my aspirations. Reflecting on this journey, I realized how important it is to share these insights to help others make the
Thoughts on Addiction and Counseling in the United States
Addiction to drugs or alcohol can be an on-going nightmare for those affected. It is a horrible disease that leads to compulsive behavior and disrupt a person’s life and their families life’s as well. Addiction not only affects the addict but it also affects the entire family. Addicts tend to make terrible choices while they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol and thus affecting themselves and their families. According to Dr. Kima Joy Taylor, director of the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) Initiative
The Best Way to Find a Virtual Counselor
Are you interested in finding a virtual counselor? This ultimate guide will help you with what is guiding you through finding a virtual counselor. The best way to start this process would be to discuss what a virtual counselor is. Simply put, a virtual counselor is a licensed mental health professional who provides counseling services through secure online platforms. Virtual counseling has gained popularity over the years, particularly after COVID-19. This innovative approach to therapy allows individuals to receive support and guidance from the comfort of their homes, making mental health care more accessible and convenient. The benefits of virtual
Find A Black Therapist In Seattle, WA
Finding a Black therapist in Seattle, Washington, may appear quite challenging, but there are available Black therapists in Washington if you know where to look for them. If your search intent is to find a Black mental health therapist near me, we can help you connect to the right therapist. Black therapists can be reasonably needed for a therapeutic session for many reasons. One of which may be due to cultural issues. Black and minority folks may find themselves more comfortable and open to working with people from a given racial demographic and, as such, may naturally want to connect
Achieving Excellence in Counseling
There is no such thing as a perfect counselor. Even if you were a perfect addictions counselor, you would still have clients who relapse. You are going to make some mistakes along the way. The good news is that in most situations these mistakes are not catastrophic and they can help us grow and become better counselors. As counselors we tell our clients that relapse is part of the recovery process and we help them learn from these experiences, so that they will be better able to avoid relapse in the future. Mistakes are part of our learning process. While
Making Yourself More Marketable as an Addictions Professional
With any profession it is critical to make yourself more appealing to potential employers. Even if you are satisfied with your current job, having other employers pursue you, gives you leverage, helps boost your self-esteem and can give you more credibility in your field. So, in the field of substance abuse counseling, what will make you stand out? How can you get to the point where employers are pursuing you instead of you chasing them? Here are a few tips that can help you become the addictions professional that everyone wants to hire. 1. Get Experience. It is an
Counselor Credibility
I have had many conversations with clients over the years discussing trust. We have talked about how easy it is to lose someone’s trust and how earning trust takes time and consistency. The same could be said for earning credibility as a counselor. I am sure that building a good reputation can be a challenge in any profession, but I think that it is particularly challenging in this field, due to the population that we are working with. You need to have a good reputation with your clients in order to be an effective counselor. Having a good reputation amongst
The Skill Of Listening
It seems obvious that counselors would be good listeners; however, developing our listening skills is often overlooked because we think it is easy to be a good listener. Being an active listener is a skill that requires effort and practice. You can’t apply all of your other counseling skills until you become a good listener. Below are some tips to improve your listening skills. Be in the moment. This is good advice for all of life, but when you are with a client you owe it to them to be 100% focused on them. That means that you have to take
Counselors in Recovery
Being a substance abuse counselor is one of the few professions where having a “checkered” past can actually be an advantage. While it isn’t like it was 30 years ago, when most substance abuse counselors were in recovery, there are still a significant number of addictions professionals, who identify themselves as recovering addicts or former drug users. I continue to have clients who express an interest in using their life experiences to help and encourage others in their recovery. This may be in the form of a sponsor or mentor, but some wish to make a career out of helping
Why You Should Become a Substance Abuse Counselor
The success rate is very low You only work with criminals They don’t want to stop using drugs The clients lie and manipulate Substance abuse counselors aren’t as well respected as other counselors It probably isn’t going to make you rich. There seems to be a lot of burnout with substance abuse counselors These are just a few of the reasons you may hear those in, or considering the counseling profession say that they don’t want to work with drug addicts. Let’s look at why you should consider becoming an addictions professional.