After learning how to become a rehabilitation counselor, you will be better prepared to decide whether this career is right for you. A rehabilitation counselor is a type of drug and alcohol counselor who may work at an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation and treatment center. There are more than 20 million people in the United States classified as drug and/or alcohol dependent each year, and many of them are seeking counseling and treatment. There are many career options for rehabilitation counselors, but this job isn’t for everyone, as it is one of the most challenging mental health counseling professions.

If you are interested in learning how to become a rehabilitation counselor, you should first learn what the job entails. Since people who are dependent on alcohol and drugs are more likely to have other behavioral or mental health problems and relapsing is common, this can be a very tough population to work with, and recovery won’t always come easy. You may find yourself working in drug and alcohol treatment centers, individual or group in- or out-patient therapy centers, halfway houses, homeless shelters, hospitals, jails or state and community departments. You may also go into private practice or get a job at an upscale private treatment center but probably not when you’re first starting out your career.

The degrees needed for rehabilitation counselors and other substance abuse counselors start with bachelor’s degrees in related subjects such as psychology or social services, and then move on to a Master of Arts, Master of Science or Master of Social Work. You can choose to specialize in substance abuse counseling either during your master’s program or by completing a certification program after graduation. The Master of Arts in counseling psychology is one of the most common degrees in this field. Licensing requirements vary by state.

Once you become licensed, you can expect to earn between $30,293 and $41,202 per year, but this will increase with experience and training. The demand for this job is high and should remain so. If you want to gain more information about how to become a rehabilitation counselor, you can also talk to someone who is already working in this career so that you can better decide whether this is the right career path for you.