Addiction counselor jobs range from individual counselors and case managers to group counselors and program directors. Often, the individual addiction counselor jobs require licensed and certified personnel to provide the treatment services for the clients. Anger management, sexual abuse specialists and family counseling positions are typically required in any treatment regimen. It is common for a successful addictions treatment program to employ a therapist who is able to address the mental implications of an addiction, as well as to offer relapse solutions pertaining to family, friend and co-worker addiction issues. For many programs, a medical doctor or nurse is also an integral component to the treatment and is an in-demand type of counselor job.
As a patient enters an addictions recovery program, several areas of her life and lifestyle must be evaluated and addressed. It is typical for the patient to see several different counselors prior to completing the program. One of the primary addiction counselor jobs is the intake counselor. This counselor is responsible for properly diagnosing the client and creating an initial treatment plan as the client enters the program. This counselor is also responsible for passing information pertaining to the client and her substance abuse issues along to other counselors during an initial staff meeting.
Another of the more familiar addiction counselor jobs is the individual counselor. This counselor maintains a record of treatment on the client and meets with other counselors to evaluate the client's progress. The client will also meet with a group counselor, one of the addiction counselor jobs involving a group setting. This is the part of treatment that allows the client to receive advice and feedback from peers. Other addiction counselor jobs that provide service to the client are anger management, family and specialized abuse counselors.
It is very common for many addictions to focus on prior abuse issues, so several addiction counselor jobs concentrate on sexual and physical abuse problems. Providing coping skills and alternatives to substance use for the client is the primary role of those in these types of addiction counselor jobs. The medical staff is also very important for the most severely addicted patients. Physical withdrawal and sickness is common to most addictions, so medical treatment often accompanies the detoxification period and, occasionally, continues throughout the recovery program. This treatment can be in the form of methadone or other types of synthetic drugs used to mask the dependency sickness.