Not everyone can be a counselor in a drug rehab centre. This is a delicate position that requires a lot of different skills. A drug counselor has to be responsible for the healing of the addict, and this means helping them heal physically, mentally and overseeing their recovery from the time they enter rehab until they are ready to leave.
One of the most important things a counselor can do is help the person overcome their denial. Even people who admit themselves into rehab will very seldom admit that they have a serious problem. They may think they need a gentle push to solve their problem, but they do not realize the extent of their addiction. Thus, a counselor needs to work very closely with a person to ensure they accept their problem and to help them see that there is a way to get out of their addiction.
They also support the person during individual and group therapy helping them when they are at the breaking point. They will usually facilitate this therapy and may even help others take care of each other, that is, conduct a session in which addicts support and help one another on a one-to-one basis.
But a drug counselor is more than just someone who is there for the addict. They also have to help the family of those who are addicted and thus, they counsel the families and friends of addicts. They will have a deep understanding of what the addiction is and what the person is going through and thus can impart their knowledge onto the family and friends.
A rehab counselor is also a life skills teacher and equips addicts with the tools to cope with real life once they have left rehab. They may need to teach addicts everything from a healthy lifestyle to how to manage their anger, but the most important thing they can do is show them that is a better way to deal with life’s problems than to turn to drugs. This allows the person to get past the point where drugs become the central focus of their life, and they can really, finally, live.