Could you become an Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor?
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What this job is
An Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor provides individual and group counselling to people with substance use disorders in health services, community organisations, or correctional settings. They assess clients' needs, develop treatment plans aligned with evidence-based practice, and deliver therapeutic interventions to support recovery and harm reduction. They work within Australia's regulated health framework, collaborating with medical teams and referral pathways across the NDIS, primary health networks, and justice systems.
Pay
A$2,154 a week
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
What this role asks for
- Active Listeningcore
- Case Note Documentationcore
- Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
- Cultural Awareness and Sensitivitycore
- Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
- Goal Setting and Planningcore
- Inclusive Practicecore
- Participant or Client Advocacycore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Professional Boundaries Maintenancecore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Service Navigation and Referralcore
- Trauma-Informed Communicationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Accept own accountability
- Conflict De-escalation
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Group Facilitation
- Health Terminology Literacy
- Incident Reporting
- Referral Coordination
- Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
- Report Writing
- Workload Self-Management
- Written Communication