Called to counsel: alumnus finds purpose serving those in addiction recovery

Some call it a career path. For Drew Hanson CAPS’24, becoming a counselor was a calling he uncovered one step at a time.

Hanson didn’t set out to pursue counseling. In fact, he started college studying biblical studies at another school, but stepped away and took time away to travel—seeking clarity, direction, and space to rethink his future.

“I realized during my time traveling that I didn’t want to be a pastor and didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” he says. “I knew I had certain skills that I still wanted to use—certain passions—especially just sitting with people, helping them out.”

That clarity grew stronger after he began attending therapy. “Attending therapy really opened the door for me to consider whether I would want to pursue that myself,” he says. “After that realization, I enrolled in Bethel’s CAPS psychology program in 2021, and then I tacked on my alcohol and drug counseling certificate toward the end of my time there.”

As a CAPS student, Hanson was still working through his faith journey. “My faith was pretty rocky throughout most of my time at Bethel,” he says. “I had some negative experiences with church and with some broken communities, so I was navigating and searching within my own faith journey at that time.”

But even in the questions, Bethel’s approach to integrating teachings of faith into academics left a lasting mark, especially as he navigates the emotionally heavy terrain of his daily work. “Learning how to weave faith into my professional life is a big part of what inspired me to return to Bethel, as I’m starting the graduate program for marriage and family therapy this fall.”

One mentor at Bethel helped shape Hanson’s path: Dr. Joel Frederickson, professor of psychology. “Joel was a mentor to me, and now I consider him a friend,” Hanson says. “He helped me navigate tough decisions, especially when I knew I didn’t want to jump straight into grad school. What stood out was how he recognized that I needed real-world experience first. He encouraged me to pursue Bethel’s alcohol and drug counseling certificate as a practical next step. That advice gave me the hands-on foundation I needed before entering a graduate program.”

Frederickson’s advice led to his current role as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor at Specialized Treatment Services, a methadone clinic in northeast Minneapolis.

There, Hanson counsels people battling opioid addictions—many struggling with fentanyl dependency. “Methadone is an opioid replacement medication. It helps keep withdrawal symptoms at bay,” he explains. “I provide counseling to support these individuals’ recovery, ideally so they can reunite with family, find work, take care of their health—and stop using.”

The work is intense and fast-paced. “The process of counseling can be very emotional and challenging,” he says. “I usually see five to seven patients a day, and I have a caseload of 60.” Some sessions are quick check-ins; others are longer appointments. He’s also on-call for crises. “Sometimes we’re locking down my office until an ambulance arrives. We’re always working closely with our nursing team to make sure patients are physically and mentally safe.”

Those difficult moments he sees in his work require resilience—and faith. He reflects on the core idea of solidarity for the evicted and imprisoned, which he remembers from a class on Catholic social teaching. “I feel a certain type of calling—that it’s my duty as a Christian to go to these types of folks who are broken down by life, who others may judge harshly—and to help them. And having these tough experiences on the job reminds me that I have immense privilege in life—to go home and not deal with the same set of circumstances. That allows me to really take into account my community, my family, my wife, the resources I have—to thank God for the privilege. It still makes me tired. It’s hard to see my patients on street corners. But being grateful for what I have makes it easier to be able to hold on to both work and rest.”

His profession has also changed how he sees addiction—and how society often misrepresents it. “It’s easy for people to categorize addiction as a matter of choice. But addiction is more complex than that.”

Hanson explains how he works with people from all over the socioeconomic spectrum. For example, he’s helped people who once ran companies, got in an accident in the early 2000s, had painkillers prescribed by well-meaning doctors… and when the painkillers weren’t available anymore, they turned to heroin. Others never had a stable home or support system to begin with, and Hanson recognizes the security of his own background. “The Christian act of mercy is understanding that there are those who didn’t start off in life with the same advantages I had—and my duty is never to moralize or judge. My duty is to act in mercy and come alongside them with compassion.”

Early in his career, Hanson faced a difficult moment that kindled his faith.

“I had just gotten my license, so I was able to work independently. A patient came to me who was withdrawing off of opioids and alcohol,” he recalls. “Opioid withdrawal is awful, but not usually fatal. Alcohol withdrawal, on the other hand, is something to be really afraid of. You can have a seizure. Things can go wrong. And this individual had both.”

He couldn’t get in a car with the patient, as that goes against his role’s professional ethics. So he turned to a nearby church group handing out food. “I walked up to the pastor and explained the emergency. ‘I really need to get this guy to the hospital. Would you be willing to take him?’ And he graciously said yes.”

The pastor not only drove the patient—he visited him daily during treatment. “To see this pastor meet the needs of my patient, and then follow up with him, help him find resources… it was one of those experiences that slowly led me back to my faith,” Hanson says. 

For students considering a similar path, Hanson is honest. “This work requires more than interest—it requires calling. You need to care deeply to carry this kind of weight,” he says. “But for those who feel truly called to serve, meeting people’s needs is important. Patients really need people who care and extend their arms further.”

He encourages future counselors to learn from those they serve. “Learn what it’s like to share life with people who don’t have the same circumstances as you. Let them be your teachers. My patients are the people that teach me the most.”

This fall, Hanson prepares for Bethel’s Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy program, and plans to continue his work at the clinic for the next two to three years. He desires to eventually make the shift to marriage and family therapy but deeply appreciates his journey to addiction therapy. “Addiction work will always be something I’ve learnt from—that has really impacted how I see the world.”

And he’s still making space for ministry: “I’ll always keep the door open to ministry. It’s been a constant in my college years—and now again, as I move into this next chapter.” 

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