Drug and Alcohol Counsellor

What does a drug and alcohol counsellor do?

A Drug and Alcohol Counsellor (also known as an Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor (AOD)) helps people overcome addiction. Often addiction is much more than a physical dependency - as a Drug and Alcohol Counsellor you would help clients to work through the underlying issues that are contributing to their situation and develop strategies to aid in recovery. You might provide support to clients one-on-one or lead group sessions, either in-person or via telehealth. This is an important role in our society, benefiting not just the individual but for the community surrounding them. Through teaching a client how to overcome their dependency, you can make a meaningful impact in improving their quality of life.

Is a career as a drug and alcohol counsellor right for me?

If you are emotionally intelligent and can work well in stressful situations you might excel in this career. As an Addiction Counsellor some other helpful skills and attributes include:

• compassion and empathy
• good listening skills 
• excellent problem-solving skills
• effective judgement and decision-making abilities
• good time management and organisational skills.

How to become a drug and alcohol counsellor

Every journey to study is individual and there are several paths to reaching your career goal as an AOD counsellor. At UniSQ, we offer the following degrees in the area of counselling: