The purpose of this assignment is to get you thinking about possible career options. This course supports you as you improve the quality of your college experience and learning outcomes. It is importa

Jane Doe

EDUC 1300

April 17, 2020

For the last few years I've had my sights set on becoming a substance abuse counselor. As a substance abuse counselor, I would work with people to help them manage their alcohol, drug, sex, gambling or other addictions that are severely and negatively affecting their lives.

To be a substance abuse counselor in Texas, you need at least an associate degree in a human services field, and you need to be licensed as a chemical dependency counselor. In order to be licensed, you first need 270 classroom hours of chemical dependency curricula and 300 hours of supervised field work practicum to qualify as a counselor intern. As an intern, you then need to complete 4000 supervised hours at a proper facility and pass the required exams (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2018).

The need for substance abuse counselors is growing as more people are starting to understand addiction and that there is help available to addicts. Because of this it's one of the faster growing occupations today, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that from 2008 – 2018 there will be over 18,000 new jobs for substance abuse counselors for a growth of 21%.

The median annual wages of substance abuse counselors is around $37,000 a year. The lowest 10% earn $25,000 or lower and the highest 10% earn up to $60,000. The highest paid in the field tend to work in hospitals or government facilities, while the lowest work in residential facilities. A bachelor's degree is a minimum requirement at many of the higher-paying facilities (“Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors” (n.d.).

My family on both sides has a long history of substance abuse, including my father who has now been clean and sober for about 25 years. I also have a couple of friends who are currently struggling with opioid addictions. Because of this and my father's former role as a board of directors member of the LSRCNA, or the LoneStar Regional Convention of Narcotics Anonymous, I've been around recovering addicts and recovery meetings and gatherings all my life. I've seen a lot of people who have changed despite a common misconception of that not being possible. I've also seen those who were unable to change, like my father's brother who died a couple of years ago of liver disease brought on by alcohol abuse. I believe I am a good fit for this career as I have a strong desire to help others avoid the fate of my uncle, which I know is possible from seeing my father and other recovering addicts around him change their lives.

Though I am currently doing classes at Brookhaven, I am on the Substance Abuse Counseling plan for Eastfield Community College and should be attending Eastfield in the upcoming semesters. After this I would like to continue my education rather than stopping at an associate degree and get a bachelor's or higher.

Another career I've considered is general mental health counseling. As a mental health counselor, I would help treat mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and side-effects of mental illnesses.

Education needs for a mental health counselor are higher than a substance abuse counselor. Most jobs for mental health counselors require a master's degree and a very small amount only require a bachelor's or lower (O-NET OnLine, 2012). Mental health counseling jobs are also due to be in more demand than the average career, with a 24% projected growth in the decade from 2008 – 2018. The annual wages of a mental health counselor are very similar to a substance abuse counselor. The lowest 10% earn about $24,000, the median about $36,000, and the top 10% earn about $63,000 (“Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors” (n.d.).

A couple of years ago I saw a mental health counselor for depression and anxiety. The first meeting I had with her I mentioned I was upset with not having a GED and that I had little hope of ever getting an education. The second meeting she handed me a list of places that do free GED preparation, and a few months later I had my GED and was already getting ready to enroll into college. Her ability to help me so quickly with that and other problems I had inspired me to choose a career for myself in which I could “pay it forward” and help others like she helped me.

The education track for this career would likely take me to UNT or a similar school for a

master's degree in counseling. Again, licensing would be required to practice in Texas, which would require a 300-hour practicum, followed by a 3,000 hour internship, as well as passing the required exam(s) (“Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors” (n.d.).

Obviously, both of the careers I've chosen are similar types of counseling. I tried to pick a different second career for the purpose of this assignment, but it wouldn't have been very truthful as these are the only two careers I've seen myself able to do for a while. Going all the way to when I was a child, I never really had any idea of what I wanted to do and nothing seemed right for me. Now I want to make a career out of helping people and I believe counseling is the best way for me to do that. Substance abuse counseling is the obvious choice for me between the two because of how much of an impact addiction has had on my life and the lives of people around me. I would also have an easier time getting a job without a master's degree for about the same salary.

My Myers-Briggs type of INTJ seems to suggest I would be better in careers where I could work on my own or in a leadership role. Of the career lists I've read, the jobs of most interest to me are probably teaching and various computer science careers. I've got a lot of experience with computers and love children, but I don't think I could have enough passion in either career to work through the difficulties that come with them. My sister is an elementary school teacher and I've heard enough about budget cuts and layoffs from her and on the news, and I have several friends who have gone the computer sciences route and are unable to find a job because of market saturation.

Of course, I acknowledge the difficulties that would also come with substance abuse counseling. It's a very high-stress job and requires a lot of patience with people, since addicts often have setbacks in recovery. But I am very passionate about the idea of helping people realize they can have a future and that change is possible. I want to help more people gain their lives back before it's too late, like it was for my uncle.

References

Alcohol and drug abuse counselors. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://fcg.infobase.com/recordurl/1300466?aid=15149.

O-NET OnLine. (2012). Summary Report for 21-1014.00 - Mental Health Counselors. Retrieved from http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1014.00

Texas Department of State Health Services (2018). Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors Apply for a New License – Requirements. Retrieved from http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/counselor/lpc_apply.shtm