The Addiction Treatment Workforce Crisis: A View from Both Sides of the Desk I never thought I'd end up here. Sitting behind a desk, armed with a collection of credentials that look like alphabet soup after my name, helping people navigate the same darkness I once called home. Life has a funny way of coming full circle, doesn't it? For those who don't know me, I'm both a person in recovery and a substance abuse counselor. Yes, I'm that person who went from "I'll never get better" to "Let me help you get better." The irony isn't lost on me. But here's the thing: Our field is in crisis. Not the kind of crisis where you wake up in strange places wondering where your shoes are (been there, done that, got the mugshot), but a different kind of emergency altogether. We're facing a severe shortage of addiction treatment professionals, and it's hitting harder than a Monday morning hangover. The Numbers Don't Lie (Unlike I Used To) ...