Addiction counsellors assist individuals and groups of clients to identify, understand and overcome personal problems and achieve personal objectives.

• Interview clients, prepare case histories and assess problems
  
• Conduct vocational testing and psychometric assessment
  
• Develop and implement counselling and intervention programs to assist clients in determining goals and means of attaining them
  
• Counsel clients, provide therapy and mediation services, and facilitate group sessions
  
• Liaise with community agencies or partners, and identify additional or alternative services and provide referrals
  
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counselling programs and interventions, and clients' progress in resolving identified problems and movement toward defined objectives
  
• Follow up on results of counselling programs and clients' adjustments
  
• Prepare assessment, progress, follow-up and court reports
  
• May supervise other counsellors, social service staff and assistants
  
• May provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counselling services, issues and methods
  
• May provide witness testimony in court proceedings
  
• May conduct research, publish research papers, educational texts and articles and deliver presentations at conferences.
  
• May participate in fundraising activities.
  
• Family, marriage and other related counsellors often specialize in dealing with a specific client group such as injured workers, or with specific problems, such as drug and alcohol addiction, marital difficulties or behavioural disorders.