bigrib...
Having worked in the field of mental health for over 20 years,
I can tell you there is no hard and fast guideline for this,
but there are some commonly accepted ones.
If an addict follows a traditional path to sobriety, they
often do so with the help of one of the 12-step programs,
such as AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), NA (Narcotics Anonymous)
CA (Cocaine Anonymous) and so on. In the process, they will
obtain a sponsor. A sponsor is a recovering addict who, for
the sake of their own sobriety, and that of others, is
following the principles of the 12th step:
"Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of this step,
we tried to carry this message to those that still suffer
and to practice these principles in all our affairs."
From the 12 step website:
http://www.the12steps.com/step_twelve.htm
Most 12-step organizations, and the recovery programs which
align with them, recommend that a sponsor be a recovering
addict with 2 years of continuous sobriety before they take
on the reponsibility of assisting another through the 12-step
process. Since being a sponsor is an informal but significant
counseling role, this is likely to be the minimum you would
hear as an answer to your question from those in the field
of mental health or in the 12-step programs. It is based,
very simply, on the vast experience of the members of these
programs from both personal and historical perspectives.
See, e.g., the notes for 'sponsorship' near the bottom of this
pdf file on the program guidelines for Sunset House in Florida:
http://www.sunsethousefla.com/documents/RulesandRegulations.pdf
While 2 years would be the generally-accepted minimum for
entering into the role of counseling, it must be understood
that even a recovering addict with 1 month's sobriety is
often sought out over a formal counselor by a newly-recovering
addict, since the addict with 1 month of sobriety can speak
from the depths of the experience of addiction, where the
counselor may offer little more than 'book-learning'. It is
for this reason that the 12-step meetings are such a powerful
assistance, since anyone, with any degree of sobriety, can
step to the microphone and speak from their hearts and their
experience in a way that is capable of encouraging and
inspiring the newly-recovering.
Given a minimum of 2 years of continuous sobriety, the next
step would be to become a sponsor for a newly-recovering
addict. This assumes that the person is involved in one
or more of the 12-step programs, and attends meetings,
making himself available to be chosen by a newly-recovering
addict. This part of the process tends to lend some
built-in qualifications, since a sponsor must be chosen,
and does not offer to be a sponsor for another. They
must, therefore, present a demeanor and character which
others find trustworthy and sober - in the larger sense of
the word. Being chosen in this way is, in a sense, a
'natural' way of progressing into becoming a counselor.
There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. There are
individuals who progress rapidly through the 12 steps,
and demonstrate a wisdom which becomes clear to all the
members of their 'home' group. Such a person may be
approached by the newly-recovering and asked to be a
sponsor while having only 18 months sobriety, for
example. Properly, they would go to their own sponsor
and seek feedback from their peers and formal counselor(s)
prior to taking on the reponsibilities of sponsorship.
Yet some programs and sponsors will take a firm stance
on the 2 year guideline, and say no. It all depends.
Having experienced the role of counseling in this way,
one might choose to enter the field of mental health,
where it is possible to participate in substance abuse
groups of an educational and therapeutic nature, normally
under the supervision of a more experienced counselor.
In the process of co-facilitating such groups, one
can subsequently be sought out by the participants,
whether they be the clients of an inpatient, outpatient
or residential program, and one-to-one sessions will
commonly ensue, which involve counseling on a casual
basis. With training and supervision, one can progress
to facilitating these groups alone, and participating
in treatment-planning and formal one-to-one counseling
of the clients.
The next step would be to formalize one's status by
seeking Substance Abuse Counseling Certification. The
requirements for this vary from state to state, but
none that I am aware of mention guidelines regarding
the length of sobriety of the candidate. Rather, the
requirements themselves tend to preclude the success
of an active or relapsing addict.
The three stages in the requirements for the state of
North Carolina, e.g., are cited on the following page:
A) Registration:
"1. A signed supervision contract will be submitted documenting
supervision by a supervisor approved by this board. An approved
supervisor will be defined as a counselor certified by this
board or a substance abuse professional approved by this board
who is performing as a clinical supervisor by job description
and as documented by the supervision contract. (Contract forms
are included in the registration/application package.)
2. A letter of acknowledgment and report of status will be
forwarded to the Registrant."
B) Substance Abuse Counselor Internship:
"A Substance Abuse Counselor Intern must successfully complete
a written examination and 300 hours of board approved Supervised
Practical Training."
C) Certified Substance Abuse Counselor:
"A Substance Abuse Counselor Intern becomes a Certified Substance
Abuse Counselor after obtaining three (3) years full-time
experience, or 18 months if a graduate of an NCSAPCB approved
master's program, a minimum of 270 hours of board approved
education and successfully completing the oral examination/
case presentation."
http://www.ncattc.org/require2.htm
There are many additional links to the requirements of other
states to be found in the Google searches outlined below.
Please do realize that there a a significant number of very
effective counselors who never go through the process of
certifying their abilities. This is usually done by those
who are seeking a higher rate of pay and a greater level of
responsibility within an inpatient, outpatient or residential
setting, or, most commonly, by those who wish to go into
private practice.
It is also quite possible that a recovering addict has not
involved themselves in any of the 12-step programs during
the process of their recovery. Nonetheless, I would still
recommend a minimum of 2 years of continuous sobriety prior
to moving into the field of mental health with the goal
of providing addiction counseling. It would also be of
great benefit to familiarize oneself with the 12-step
programs, since the vast majority of clients will be
utilizing their services at some point or another.
I hope that provides you with the information you are
seeking. There is a great deal more you can read about
in the search results listed below.
Please do not rate this answer until you are satisfied that
the answer cannot be improved upon by means of a dialog
established through the "Request for Clarification" process.
sublime1-ga
Searches done, via Google:
12 steps AA
://www.google.com/search?q=12+steps+AA
house requirements sponsorship program standards recovery
://www.google.com/search?q=house+requirements+sponsorship+program+standards+recovery
"substance abuse counselor" requirements
://www.google.com/search?q=%22substance+abuse+counselor%22+requirements |
