Can People in Recovery Work in Addiction Treatment? My First-Hand Answer

Yes, people in recovery can work in addiction treatment, and many of the most effective people in the field have lived experience. Roles range from peer support specialist to counselor to clinical director to owner. I’m Nicholas, co-founder of Hollywood Hills Recovery, and I have been sober since July 20, 2018.

Why Did I Co-Found a Rehab?

I co-founded Hollywood Hills Recovery because I really wanted to help our community, and that was my biggest passion. My 9 to 5 has been moving freight in trucking. This one is not a career, it’s a passion. I just want to see that in everybody else that’s in this process. The center was built on a simple idea: our stories with substance abuse no longer define us, they empower us to help save lives.

What Does Lived Experience Add to Treatment?

Lived experience adds 3 things that training alone cannot:

• Credibility with clients who distrust people who have never used.
• Instinct for the excuses and rationalizations that precede relapse.
• Living proof that recovery is possible.

What Does Lived Experience Not Replace?

Lived experience does not replace clinical expertise. A strong program pairs people in recovery with licensed physicians, therapists, and nurses. Lived experience opens doors, and the clinical team walks clients through them safely. You can read more about Nicholas Aboolian and the rest of our team.

What Jobs Can People in Recovery Do in Addiction Treatment?

People in recovery work across 5 common roles:

• Peer support specialist, sharing lived experience to guide others.
• Recovery coach, supporting clients through early sobriety and aftercare.
• Behavioral health technician, supporting daily operations in residential care.
• Substance use counselor, after completing the required education and certification.
• Program leader or owner, building treatment around lived experience.

How Do You Become a Peer Support Specialist?

You become a peer support specialist by meeting your state’s certification requirements. Most states require 3 things: a period of sustained recovery, completion of an approved training program, and passing an exam. Requirements vary by state, so check your state’s certification board before enrolling in any course. Day to day, peer support specialists run groups, meet one-on-one with clients, help with discharge planning, and connect people to community resources.

What Qualities Matter Most in Recovery Work?

The qualities that matter most are the same ones recovery builds. 4 stand out:

• Honesty, including about your own limits.
• Patience with people who are not ready yet.
• Consistency, because clients watch whether you show up.
• Humility, because every client’s path is different from yours.

Is It Safe to Work in Treatment During Early Recovery?

Working in treatment during very early recovery carries real risk. The work is emotionally heavy, and it can blur the line between helping others and doing your own recovery work. Most programs expect a stable period of sobriety before hiring someone in recovery for a client-facing role, and that expectation protects the employee as much as the clients.

What Protects Your Own Recovery on the Job?

4 habits protect it:

• Keeping your own support system separate from your workplace.
• Continuing therapy or peer support for yourself.
• Setting boundaries around hours and emotional labor.
• Asking for help when a client’s story hits too close to home.

How to maintain work while in recovery covers the broader balance between work and sobriety.

What If You Are Not Ready to Work in the Field Yet?

If you are not ready yet, start by giving back informally. Sharing your story in a meeting, supporting a newcomer, or volunteering all build the same muscle. Fellowship and support in a community committed to you is where most people first learn how to help. How do people go back to work after rehab helps with the first step back into any career. My own turning point, told in do you have to hit rock bottom to get sober, is a reminder that anyone can become the person who helps someone else.

How Does Hollywood Hills Recovery Use Lived Experience?

Hollywood Hills Recovery combines lived experience with clinical care at every stage, from residential inpatient treatment to our aftercare program. Clients with co-occurring conditions receive dual diagnosis treatment. Call 323-709-7856.