The MAC is accredited by the Commission on Alcohol and Addiction, or the CAA. In order to become an Addiction Counselor, you will need to complete a 3-year course of study. The coursework will be broken up into specialized courses of study such as: the Alcoholic Detoxification Program, the Addiction Therapy Approach, and the newly approved Recovery Supports for Minimizing Harm. There are also general education courses as well as internship opportunities. These courses are all required to be completed before one can practice legally as an addiction counselor.
Once a Student has completed their studies, they must pass a certified test given by the MAC. The Addiction Counseling Certificate test is given three times per year. If one is working towards becoming a MAC addiction counselor, they must pass this test in order to obtain the certification. This certificate is a great proof that the student has the skills necessary to help addicts. Those who successfully complete the certification exam and pass the certification exam are then qualified to work as alcohol counselors in private practice.
Some of the basic courses taught at MAC include: Alcohol and Drug counselling, Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation, and Counseling and Support for Alcohol and Drug Dependency. They also teach courses that specialize in specific areas of addiction: Case Management, Group Treatment Effectiveness, and the Developmental Process. The Addiction Counseling program will teach the basics of addiction counseling such as client selection, assessment, planning, and implementation. It will also teach those attending the addiction counseling course how to build effective partnerships with their clients and how to make treatment plans.
Students who have successfully completed the Addiction Counseling course are then eligible for employment as alcohol and drug counselors at local treatment centers. The MAC offers jobs to many individuals, and is the only agency in Canada that specifically caters to alcohol and drug addictions. In addition, there are a number of other addiction counseling positions available, including community coordinators, program development supervisors, and intake formsulators. Other community organizations and churches offer these same positions, but the MAC’s focus on prevention and community education is still at the heart of their work.
One of the requirements for admission into the MAC’s Addiction Counseling program is an addiction history. Addiction counseling professionals must have a thorough understanding of the nature of addiction and its causes. Addiction counselors need to be skilled at putting their clients at the center of their recovery, and assisting them to face and overcome the various obstacles that face them on their path to sobriety. Addiction counselors must have a strong ability to draw people from their addiction and help them become spiritually aware as they embrace sobriety.
In addition to having an addiction background, addiction counselors should also have a strong desire to teach others about the causes of addiction and how to combat it. Addiction counseling professionals can be instrumental in designing and developing programs to help addicts recover. Programs designed by addiction counselors are able to reach many people in a short period of time, and provide them with the opportunity to build upon their successes and learn from their failures.
To become certified as an addiction counselor, a student needs to take part in the MAC’s Addictions Counseling program. Once certified, addiction counselors are able to find jobs in both private practice and government settings. Addiction counselors can serve communities on an individual basis or as a part of a public agency. Addiction counseling professionals may serve in a variety of different capacities depending on the program of their choosing, but all programs utilize a similar curriculum. When you take the time to complete your education and earn your addiction counselor certification, you will be well prepared to serve addicts in various environments.
