When I became a substance abuse counselor twenty years ago, the career choice was as much a surprise to me as it was to anyone. The only addiction I ever had was a chronic addiction to life. The majority of substance abuse counselors in Oregon, the state I earned my certification, were in recovery.
To say that I was an outcast in my career field would be an understatement. The first time a group client called me on my inability to be able to help him because I had “never experienced addiction” myself, I was taken aback. My response “Everyone sitting here is because you are in recovery from alcohol and/or drugs. Every day that I facilitate this group I learn more and more about addiction and recovery from each of you. I admit, my only addiction has been to life itself. And, I have done it all and I have done it well. My hope is that you learn as much from me about living a healthy adventurous life as I learn from you about addiction.”
No one ever again called me on my lack of qualifications of a traditional substance abuse counselor. After working for agencies for approximately six years I opened a private practice to focus on individual confidential people that want to live a healthier lifestyle. After almost twenty years of working with folks struggling to save their own lives, I will be minimizing the number of substance abuse clients I will be seeing. Substance abuse treatment is going in a direction contrary to the holistic approach I have been using. (Fodder for another blog) I will be using my age and wisdom to focus on being more of a “Life Guide” to people having difficulties in whatever their current stage of life; I will also be continuing my seminars and workshops on Grief & Loss, Building a Home Business, and Retirement. Learn more about me and my private practice at LifestyleChangesCounseling.com.