成瘾咨询师可以帮助患者克服对毒品，酒精和赌博等破坏性行为的依赖。当患者在成瘾斗争中经常处于最低点时，辅导员会进行干预。一名经过认证的毒品和酒精咨询师也可以与吸毒者家属一起协助康复过程。这些专业人员可能在门诊设施，住院康复中心，中途宿舍或医院工作。通常，经过认证的戒毒咨询顾问对工作充满热情，有些人克服了滥用毒品的习惯，或者目睹了亲人的挣扎。人们也可能会被这一专业吸引，因为他们每天都能在工作中产生真正的改变。UNC夏洛特大学（UNC Charlotte）的成瘾咨询艺术硕士为学生提供了有效的准备，使他们能够有效
Addiction counselors help patients overcome dependence on drugs, alcohol, and destructive behaviors like gambling. Counselors intervene when patients are often at their lowest points in their struggles with addiction. A certified drug and alcohol counselor may also work with the families of addicts to assist the healing process. These professionals may work in outpatient facilities, inpatient rehabilitation centers, halfway houses, or hospitals. Often, a certified addiction counselor has a personal passion for the work, some have overcome substance abuse themselves, or have witnessed a loved one's struggle. People may also be drawn to this specialty because they can make a real difference at work every day.<br>Over the past 10 years, 100% of our graduates have passed the licensure exam for addictions on the first attempt. Our graduates have been employed at the McLeod Treatment Center, Anuvia, the Charlotte Rescue Mission, SABER, Phoenix Counseling Center, to name a few.<br> The Journal of Addictions and Offender Counseling is housed in the UNC Charlotte Department of Counseling and the current editor is on our faculty. This national publication brings our students in contact with cutting-edge research and scholarship<br> UNC Charlotte's program is one of only five in the state that has been approved by the North Carolina Substance Abuse Practice Board (NCSAPPB), which is the credentialing body for addiction counselors in the state of North Carolina. This gives students in our addictions program a fast track to licensure as a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS).