r/DrugCounselors

Hello! I got my first CADC job and will be providing IOP services to mothers and pregnant individuals.
I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for things to keep in my office besides the expected harm reduction needs.
I want the space to be as welcoming and comfortable as possible. The doula on site recommended some pregnancy-safe essential oils, but i'm wondering if there's anything else experienced counselors would recommend keeping in the room.
Thanks in advance!

This was the first place I contacted for help, I’m going to try to make this short but having said that they denied me because of the anxiety meds I was prescribed by my GP, meanwhile I received a package from them with urine drug testing supplies and a mouth swab, well I kept them because I recently stopped smoking “weed” very small habit about a gram a month or so…anyway I kept them to monitor when the THC is cleared out of my system because I’m trying to further my career, so I took one yesterday and it came back POSITIVE for fentanyl 🤯 I’ve only seen it on TV and have never touched it in my entire life. Basically I ended up taking every single test they sent and they ALL came back the same way, I went with another organization for my care and am so glad I did I immediately took Two of their urine screens and the both came back negative for fentanyl, therefore that entire batch of supplies was contaminated.
I hope and pray anyone involved with this group has not had this happen to them. It shot my anxiety through the roof, so if I had ended up being able to move forward with them and submitted this false positive screening to the doctor/ counselor whoever handles that part it would have caused even more problems BIG TIME in regards to my treatment, granted I do don’t know how they handle this other than there are other tests you can take to prove it’s a false positive result but that just BLEW MY MIND. So if it’s happened to you just know their testing supplies are obviously not reliable and just don’t freak out like I did because I’m proof that this is a reality. If there is anything I can to do to help anyone that may have received a bad “lot” of supplies and is going through or gets a shipment that is contaminated just know I’m proof that this occurred and read online that their supplies are sometimes not reliable. It’s already stressful enough without having something like this happen in addition to everything else you are dealing with in life. God is good all the time again I was denied care from them for a ridiculous reason because they are the first group I’ve heard of that disqualifies you based on your anxiety medication, there are great grouos out here that coordinate your care with your GP or whatever doctor you are seeing that is prescribing you anxiety medication. But it really ticked me off because of the panic and anxiety I had to go through all because of this incident. Do better NAS.

The methadone clinic i have been going to for 10 years has replaced almost all the staff that were there 3 years ago and now the staff and my counselor take their job WAY too seriously. Every time i see my counselor he asks me “so whats going on man?”, and i answer that nothing has changed, im still working and skateboarding and playing tennis and day trading and taking care of my mom. After i tell him that, he waits about 30 seconds and then he says to me “so whats going on man?” as if he didnt believe what i told him the first time, as if i was going to incriminate myself by giving him a different answer than i gave him 30 seconds ago. I dont understand how my counselor would take his job so seriously that his pleasure in his job is to give his patients an interrogation every time they see him. Im actually doing just fine. I havent tested positive for anything in like 10 years and im not selling or abusing any of the drugs of which i have a prescription. I just cant believe my counselor would have the gall to ask me the same question 30 seconds after i answered his question the first time, as if im trying to hide something from him.

Moral of the story, some jobs require more seriousness than other jobs. Giving a methadone patient homework assignments about triggers and warnings and recovery goals and aspirations blah blah blah, is just way way WAY more serious than the situation calls for.

If a methadone patient is doing fine there is no reason to play interrogation games.

Its actually so bad that (whether you believe me or not) i think my counselor might have some sort of major intellectual insecurity where he assumes he is mentally superior to his clients because we are the degenerate guilty scum who need methadone and he is the enlightened innocent angel on high because he is sober and only abuses caffeine.

Pls let this thread stay posted here, bc i think my plight with my “y so serious?” counselor/methadone clinic mirrors the plight of pain mgmt patients against the DEA children who act like they know better than responsible board certified pain mgmt doctors who understand that some patients truly do need massive amounts of painkillers to live healthy lives.

Keep it real frens, keep it real.

I know my roommate is using drugs, and I don’t know how to help him.
I know that he is using drugs.

His family doesn’t live here, and there really isn’t anyone close to him that I can reach out to. I feel like I’m the only person around who knows what’s going on, and I honestly don’t know what I’m supposed to do.

I don’t want to call the police or get him into legal trouble. My goal is to get him help, not punish him. At the same time, we live in the same house and I’m becoming concerned about both his safety and my own.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? What can you actually do when you know someone is using drugs and get help? Is there a service or organization I can contact for guidance without automatically involving law enforcement?

PLEASE READ THIS GIVE A SHORT RESPONSE AT LEAST. I’m currently trying to beat a cocaine addiction. I’m very young and still getting education. I started cocaine a little back and thought it was good the first time but didn’t think it would be a problem for me. The second time got me hooked. I’ve been doing it for a while now but my parents have recently caught on to me(I know that sounds goofy but just help me out here)

I’m 3 weeks sober from it, and every time I drink alcohol I get a nearly irresistible craving for more coke. I’m barely surviving not feeding that craving but I’m not sure how long I’ll last. When I do it, it makes my night twice as good. I’ve never experienced any bad effects from it besides some late nights and weird hangovers. I try to give myself excuses as to why I could maybe do it and pass a drug test(hair detox or special shampoo). But deep down I know I just have to straight up quit.

I need help on dealing with withdraws. IM NOT SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP. I don’t financially support myself yet and I can’t tell my parents about anything I’m going through or else they’ll ruin my life. I’m still young and nowhere near ruined in life. But I just need to pass drug tests for at least 2 more years but I’m having serious mental issues especially when alcohol enters my system. NEED ADVICE. Thanks guys

I have been dealing with mental health issues my entire life. And I’m at a point where I know I need more intense care than just therapy and meds. As this will be my first time in an adult center can anyone tell me what to expect. New things make me anxious and so I like to be somewhat mentally prepared
I know this isn’t drug related but I was recommended to post this here as well

I am preparing for the additional LADC examination in Nevada, which uses the IC&RC exam. Can someone please provide some guidance on what the test is like and which areas I should focus on the most? I have not been able to get a clear understanding of what I should specifically be studying for. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I volunteer with the Don’t Mess With Drugs Foundation, and I’m trying to understand how to communicate with people in their twenties more effectively.

I know that lectures, scare tactics, and simply saying “drugs are bad” can make people switch off. Young adults deserve honest information and the freedom to make their own decisions. At the same time, I want them to understand the real risks and know where they can find support without being judged.

If you’re in your twenties, what would make you genuinely listen to someone offering advice about drugs? Would personal experiences, factual information, harm-reduction advice, or simply being asked questions work best?

What approaches immediately make you stop listening?

I’m especially interested in honest answers—even critical ones. These are my personal questions as a volunteer, not an official statement from the Program

Hello! I’ve been researching possible alternatives to The Matrix Model. I’m wondering if any of you have suggestions? The few SUD treatment facilities I’ve worked at love TMM (including the one for adolescents), and I certainly see the value, but it feels dated. This isn’t necessarily a problem, as the information and content are still relevant and valid, but I’m putting feelers out!

Thank you!

I’m in a substance and alcohol abuse program. Its a two year program. Its important to note here, I am in recovery myself. Five years sober from drugs and three years sober from alcohol. I don’t do any drugs including marijuana. A lot of people in my program are heavy marijuana users, they smoke constantly. I am personally against this because I don’t think you should be doing any mind altering substances if you’re going to be counseling people to not do mind altering substances. Anyway, besides that, a lot of the people in the program are also in recovery. The amount of people that have relapsed is crazy and they flunk out of the program because of it. At what point are you “ready” to be in a program like this?

The reason I’m asking this question is because we have peer network group at the school for the program. Basically he have speakers from clinics and harm reduction places and former users come and speak to the people of the program. Its also a place for people to come to get advice for classes and what they can expect moving forward. I am the treasurer of the program and current vice president on top of that (our former vp relapsed). It is my responsibility to help keep students on the right track to ensure they graduate from the program. Any advice would be appreciated.

I received the following from a bilingual treatment center:

“moving forward, we kindly request that, whenever possible, clients' immigration or citizenship documentation be included with each referral.

This request is due to the recent federal law (H.R. 1 / OBBBA), which requires Medicaid applicants and, when applicable, current Medicaid beneficiaries to verify their immigration status.

For this purpose, please provide the following documentation:

For Lawful Permanent Residents: A copy of the Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).

For U.S. Citizens: A valid U.S. Passport, Certificate of Citizenship, U.S. Passport Card or Real ID.

If the client does not have immediate access to this information, please confirm whether they may be able to obtain it through a family member or an emergency contact.”

Has anyone else seen this? I imagine this will be problematic for a lot of clients accessing community health care. About half the people I see at one job are homeless and come in with all of their belongings in a plastic bag.

Now they need to provide proof of citizenship to receive medical care through Medicare/medicaid?

I foresee this being a huge hardship for SUD/MH clients. Like, I currently have my life together, and I know where I store my passport in my home. But, if I were to lose my housing, I doubt I could remember its new special place.

It also cost about $140 to renew it last time, which is a lot when you are in early career. I would be amazed if my clients in early recovery can find theirs.

Is anyone else requiring this? Is this really required under OBBBA? Are my fears overblown?

I run almost ALL off the didactic groups (instructor led educational groups) for the detox/short term treatment program I work at. My group topics include things like financial literacy, how to build a resume and nail a job interview, adulting boot camp (how to read contracts, make meal prep lists, etc.), building healthy relationships.

I TRY to stay away from the stereotypical topics we have all heard too many times (triggers, etc.) and teach real life skills that people may not have learned while on the streets of Kensington (YouTube it) or Camden.

I find that I am running out of topics to add to my arsenal. Any ideas? What do you wish you had learned when you were first getting sober? What was helpful that you learned when you first got sober. Help me help others here, please :)

I run a women’s SUD group in a jail setting. What are some of your favorite/successful topics you have found that women enjoy? I am even open to hearing any topics that men have enjoyed, as well! Also, what are some of your fav resources or videos you will have your group watch or engage in?

Hello to everyone, and I hope you’re all doing well!
I wanted to create this post sort of as a way to vent & also ask for advice about my situation. I’ll try to make this as brief as possible, I promise!

So, back in 2023 I attended a condensed/accelerated online program for substance abuse counseling and finished in 2025. I was able to secure an internship and finished strongly. I was on the right track to moving forward into employment and then the exam. Well, what I’ve left out is that around the time I first began attending these online classes, my own panic disorder started to flair up, and (as I came to recognize later) as I continued to isolate myself further, my brain began to mold itself back to my own teenage years, when a traumatic experience happened that left me with severe panic attacks & agoraphobia. So I started struggling with panic attacks throughout the day all the way through school and the internship. Once the internship finished in February of 2025, before I started work, I needed to get my shit together. So since that time, I’ve gone to Intensive Outpatient Group Therapy, EMDR therapy, talk therapy, multiple psychiatrists, etc. It’s taken a very long time of sorting through my own trauma to get myself to a much more stable place than I was, and throughout this time I’ve maintained my own sobriety of 8 years which comes first above everything else.

Where does that leave me now? Well, I’m at the point where I’m ready to start applying for jobs, but I just don’t feel ready in the sense that I feel unprepared. I’ve been trying study material every single day and prep my brain for working with clients, but I have this really bad imposter syndrome creeping up on me, and I also feel like I’ve let so much time go past that there’s no way I’ll finish my hours and take my test in the next 3-4 years, right? I’m going to keep studying everyday and fixing my résumé, before starting to apply to positions in my city. I thought about trying to get a part time job first just to get myself to socialize again first, but no, everyday that I spend working outside of the field, I’ll feel is wasted potential that could’ve gone towards helping others. My life has almost ended on multiple occasions and I want to give someone that spark that I got when I was down & out, scared & alone, after just getting sober. I want to guide others through the stages of change at their own pace, and try to guide them through the beginning of their journeys.

What would you do in my situation? Would you feel like you’re too unprepared to start working in the field right away? I’m extremely grateful and privileged to have enough savings to keep me afloat during this period, which will allow me to have some option, but I also know that I need to return to the workforce. It’s been years. I’m nervous and I’m not confident in myself, which is why I’m curious what you would do in my position?

Thank you so much and I send my positive energy to you are yours.

Hello!

I am currently in an ethics in addictions counseling course and an upcoming assignment is to interview a CADC about an ethical misstep they've made and how they corrected it.

If anyone here would be willing to be interviewed over zoom/teams (which ever is more accessible, please let me know!

Thank you in advance!

Seriously