What Can You Expect from a Recovery Coach?

Addiction recovery treatment is familiar to us. To some of us, it is too familiar. But there’s a growing number of self-styled “Recovery Coaches.” Just like treatment providers, some recovery coaches are great. Others are….not so much.

What are recovery coaches and how do they differ from traditional treatment?

While treatment is guided by credentialed professionals like therapists or physicians, recovery coaches often practice peer support. They have generally been in recovery for quite some time. They’ve been there and done that. They won’t offer therapeutic interventions, instead focusing on more practical day-to-day habits that help you maintain long-term sobriety. They offer tools and resources that provide the foundation for lasting recovery.

Treatment and coaching are not mutually exclusive. Often both are needed and, when used in combination, offer alcoholics, addicts and their families a broad spectrum of services to help heal from the trauma of addiction.

We can’t speak for all recovery coaches, but these are many of the services Delta Pathways offers that might be introduced in treatment settings, but the nature of their work doesn’t allow them to assist you in integrating them into your daily life, as we endeavor to do:

• Life skills and recovery tools

• Ongoing one-on-one and family sessions

• Field work in your home or workplace

• Travelling companionship to help deal with challenging situations that may threaten sobriety

• Meal planning

• Fitness coaching

• Financial literacy

• Support groups, including both 12-step and non 12-step, based on your needs

• Identifying and managing triggers on a daily basis

• Recovery network building

• Individualized recovery planning

• Goal setting and accountability

• Healthy relationships and boundary setting

• Spirituality and mindfulness

• Distress tolerance

Recovery coaches are not sponsors, therapists, financial advisors, marriage counselors, lawyers or doctors. A good one won’t lead you to believe that they are.

Recovery coaches guide the individual and family on the road to recovery that is often begun in treatment and help them bridge the gap from treatment to a return to your daily life. A good one will provide support by building on your strengths, rather than shaming you for your perceived shortcomings. They will help you set and achieve realistic goals, not only for recovery, but to improve your quality of life. They are an advocate and an accountability partner who will provide healthy feedback and help you adjust your recovery plan as necessary.

But, most of all, they should create a plan that is based on you. There are many, many different ways to improve your life through sobriety. The path is as unique as you are. In our early meetings, we work through a personality assessment with you and tailor everything we do to what makes you uniquely you. If anyone gives you a one-size-fits-all plan, be very leery.

We’d love to help you develop your own plan. If you’re ready to take the next steps in your recovery, book a complimentary 30 minute consultation with us.