Students who want to practice as counselors
need a master's degree to become licensed. Online certificate programs
are available to trained counselors who want to specialize in addiction
counseling.
Overview of an Online Addiction Counseling Certificate Program
Addictions and
substance abuse
counselors work with individuals who have issues with drugs, alcohol or
gambling, among other addictions. An online graduate certificate in
addiction counseling prepares students with the skills needed to provide
healthcare services to people with addictions. Students learn about
general theories in counseling, along with the counseling techniques
used to treat patients.
Many certificate programs require a master's degree and prior
professional experience as a prerequisite. Other programs are available
to students with only an undergraduate degree or to those who are
working towards their graduate degree.
Students will also need access to a computer with Internet access,
and may need to meet minimum hardware and software requirements, such as
Windows XP or Mac OS X, in addition to having a CD-ROM drive.
Popular Certificate-Level Courses
Coursework in a certificate program can be completed entirely online.
Students learn about counseling theories and treatment protocol.
Students access lectures and assignments through the school's choice of
courseware, such as WebCT or Distance2Learn.
Addiction Recovery Course
This course focuses on theories of addiction and recovery and teaches
students about the issues found in addictions counseling and different
behavioral syndromes. Topics cover assessment, treatment, documentation,
group counseling and working with specific addictions.
Psychopathology Course
Psychopathology is the study of various mental and emotional
disorders, along with their causes and treatments. Students also learn
about preventative measures and making assessments using the DSM IV
profiling tool.
Treating Addictions Course
This course in addiction treatment covers the major theories and
standard practices used to treat addictions and compulsions. Students
also learn to develop their own their own approaches to established
treatment protocols.
Psychopharmacology Course
The psychopharmacology course focuses on the classification of
commonly used pharmaceutical drugs. Students learn about the effects,
proper uses and side effects of various medications.
A course in family counseling explores the ways the family system can
affect addiction and recovery. Students learn how to combine a family
systems approach with their knowledge of addiction.
Requirements for substance abuse counseling certification vary by
state. These requirements are usually satisfied by completing a minimum
number of credit hours, along with clinical hours, in addition to taking
an exam.
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