Addiction Counseling Professionals Are in High Demand Nationally
Provide support to individuals and families experiencing the fallout of alcohol and substance abuse with a Certificate in Evidence-Based Addition Counseling.
Offered through the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, the Certificate in Evidence-Based Addiction Counseling provides you with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to pursue a career as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) in Texas. This program meets the 270 educational hours required of the Texas Department of State Health Services and prepares you to become a Counselor Intern if you meet the other requirements (including criminal background check) for the profession. Please review the licensure requirements and standards in the Texas Administrative Code
What makes this certificate program unique?
This is the only program of its kind offered in a four-year university in Texas, and it provides training in gold-standard evidence-based treatments for addiction including cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. You’ll learn the transdisciplinary foundations that guide evidence-based addiction treatment, including (1) Understanding Addiction, (2) Treatment Knowledge, (3) Application to Practice and (4) Professional Readiness.
Based upon scientific research and evidence-based practice, the Certificate in Evidence-Based Addiction Counseling program empowers you to give individuals the tools they need to remain in recovery and repair and strengthen relationships with family, friends and coworkers. Completing this certificate will increase your chances of getting competitively paid positions as LCDC-I upon graduation.
Who is a candidate for this certificate?
The Certificate in Evidence-Based Addiction Counseling program is open to students majoring in Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Social Work or Sociology. Students with other majors who are interested in this program should consult with Program Director Kelly E. Green, PhD, at kellygr@stedwards.edu.
If you’re drawn to a career that helps people but aren’t sure you want to attend graduate school, then this certificate provides a pathway to serve as an addiction counselor with your bachelor’s degree.
If you are pursuing a degree in Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Sociology or Social Work, consider adding a Certificate in Evidence-Based Addiction Counseling. The 19-credit-hour certificate overlaps with many courses already required for Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience.
For students who may want to attend graduate school, completing this certificate improves their applications to graduate programs, and becoming an LCDC-I gives them a way to work part-time while attending graduate school and gaining valuable experience in the field.
What is the career outlook for addiction counselors?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 23% job growth for substance abuse counselors from 2020–2030, which is much higher than the average 11% projected growth rate for other professions. The growth in this field is partially due to the Affordable Care Act which requires insurers to include substance abuse treatment coverage in all medical plans. There is also an increased focus on addiction as a public health issue. Decreasing stigma about addiction and recovery is eliminating barriers that have prevented people from seeking help when needed. Given these trends, it’s likely that job growth will continue for addiction counselors.
For 2024–2025, this certificate is open to St. Edward’s University students with declared majors in Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Social Work and Sociology. Students should contact Kelly E. Green, PhD, at kellygr@stedwards.edu for the application process and enroll in PSYC/SOCW 2326 as soon as their schedule permits.
For more details and course descriptions, view and download the Undergraduate Course Bulletin (PDF).
Program Director and Primary Teaching Faculty:
Kelly E. Green, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist, Licensed Psychologist in Texas (License #36672), and a tenured associate professor of Psychology at St. Edward’s University. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Rutgers University, where she was trained by some of the national leaders in cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement interventions for addiction and mental health disorders. She then completed her internship at the Boston Consortium, a joint program with the VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School and Boston University School of Medicine.
Green completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Center for Returning Veterans in the VA Boston Healthcare System and was the Clinical Director of a dual-diagnosis intensive-outpatient treatment program for Veterans in the VA Boston Healthcare System and an Instructor at Harvard Medical School before joining the St. Edward’s University faculty in 2012.
Green maintains a small private practice specializing in evidence-based treatment for addiction and concurrent mental health disorders, and has particular expertise in therapies to help families cope with a loved one’s addiction. She is the author of Relationships in Recovery: Repairing Damage and Building Healthy Connections While Overcoming Addiction and the Addiction and Relationships blog on Psychology Today.
Other Faculty Teaching Core Courses:
Some of the courses required for this certificate are taught by other faculty in the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience. Core courses related to counseling and substance use disorders are taught by doctoral-level faculty with extensive clinical experience.