Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling

A student who wishes to become a substance abuse counselor can typically skip a traditional 4-year degree and seek to obtain a 2-year degree and certification instead. In addition to the certification, the requirements to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) include 1,000 hours of supervised clinical experience in the field. The LCDC exam takes about 3 hours and contains 150 questions.

As a substance abuse counselor, the individual will meet with clients to evaluate and understand their unique chemical abuse problems. After, goals and milestones can be created. Group therapy could also be involved.

Some colleges offer a 4-year degree in Addiction Counseling and Prevention. One can also obtain a Master's degree or Doctorate and advance their career even more. Substance abuse counseling is a very important and rewarding career that can truly turn someone’s life around.

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