Alcoholism Recovery & Treatment

Question by Kareem H: Pursuing a career in teaching in MN with a criminal record?
I am a thirty year old recovering drug addict and alcoholic. In 2006 and 2005 i was arrested for shoplifting on three different occasions and was convicted for gross misdeamenor theft on all three charges. I stole to support an out of control heroin addiction. I graduated from the University of Mn twin cities campus with a degree in applied economics in 2001. After school my drinking and drugging spun out of control and by 2004 i was a full fledged heroin addict homeless living on the streets of minneapolis. After i was arrested the third time i was jailed and while awaiting trial i was furlowed to a drug and alcohol treatment center. After completing the treatment i went to live in a christian based sober house where I found god and jesus came into my heart. This experience has forever changed my life. I have been sober for over one year now. Before moving to the sober house i was an agnostic and i did not know god. I am curios if i could be a teacher in mn with my record?

Best answer:

Answer by anotherguy
I hope not. I wouldn’t want you around my kids. If the only options you see in life are fundamentalism and heroin addiction I wouldn’t want you around anyone’s kids.

Why do you want to be a teacher?

The serious answer is to talk to a lawyer. You won’t get a serious answer here.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

My passion is doing an honest day’s work, if I don’t get dirty or am on my feet all day, I don’t feel purposeful. I enjoy mechanics, teaching, working with teenagers, working with my hands, staying active, creativity, and counseling.
My dad was a mechanic and I worked for him for 2 years, I’m no expert by no means but I learned. I also worked in a aviation repair station, I like mechanics.
I’m currently substitute teaching and really like working with the teenagers, also a youth leader at church.
I like sketching, working with my hands (assisting with projects, etc).
I enjoy counseling/helping, I currently volunteer at a drug alcohol rehabilitation center for adults for spiritual support.
I’m confused, I know I can do some as a hobby, and some as an outside venture, but I want something that can help others as well as intrinsically help me. Advice, steer in a direction, pointers, would be helpful as I’m 23, wanting to go back to school to either learn a trade or get my bachelors. I have a 3.6 GPA when I graduated with my A.A, I’m not great at math, other than that I’m good, taken criminal justice, business, marketing, and did well in all those too!
I’ve considered juvenile probation and parole,
Automotive technician and then go teach at a vocational school.
Teach high school and then become a high school counselor.
Money is not a big deal to me, I do enjoy freedom and being able to pursue the other things I couldn’t do otherwise.
Thank you for your time in reading this.

my girlfriend was convicted for possession of meth 7 years ago. she did some time in prison and finished a 2 year treatment program for substance abuse. she has been clean and sober now over 6 years and currently works as a residential technician at a treatment facility. she very much wants to go back to school and become a certified counselor specializing in addiction issues. she has turned her life completely around and wants to invest all of her time and knowledge into helping other addicts find recovery. what are the steps she should take to become a drug and alcohol counselor? is there a specific course outline to become one?
thanks in advance.
there is no need for negative comments concerning her past. i just want to be able to help her get into school to pursue what she calls her ‘mission in life’ to help other addicts.

I’m looking at going back to school soon to get my masters in counseling or psychology. I’ve decided that I really want to help people, because I’ve always been passionate about inspiring others. College, marriage, and drug/alcohol counseling/psychology are my main interests. At least until I go back to school, I’m trying to find a job that can help me pay off my college loans for my bachelor’s degree I received in English. I figure if I can get experience under my belt now, it’ll be excellent resume material for grad school and my future career path. In addition to helping others, I also love to write. People tell me I have a profound insight into the world around me.
How could I get experience in helping others without a professional counseling/psychology degree, if at all? If not, could I at least immerse myself in the field as a counseling assistant, some type of specialist, or even a secretary with my English degree? I really don’t want to work in retail or any kind of business to pay off my college loans anymore, because it’s quite boring, not my forte’, and I feel like I’m not really taking advantage of my degree.