
RECOVERY COACHING
Recovery coaching is for those individuals who are ready to improve the quality of their recovery. Individual sessions are conducted to assist you in dealing with problems, setting personal, financial and career goals, getting balance in your life, or improving the quality of your spirituality. Your coach will assist you in moving forward and improving the quality of your life. Coaching is typically three to four 50 minute sessions per month; at an average cost of $350 per month. Most individuals hire their coach for from three to six months, some for as much as a year.
A RECOVERY COACH IS:
skilled in assisting you to identify your wants, goals, and aspirations. The recovery coach focuses on identifying your specific recovery needs, no matter if you are just starting or you are a seasoned pro. Once he/she helps you identify these needs, they assist you in developing strategies to attain this life balance and help you move forward to experience the riches of full recovery.
RECOVERY COACHING IS NOT:
TREATMENT - Treatment is provided by professionals trained to teach you and your family about the nature of addiction and help you create a recovery based life. The recovery coach leaves treatment issues to the trained professionals. The recovery coach assists the treatment professional in developing a comprehensive aftercare program for you and then provides an extra level of support between the treatment counselor and the services of the recovery community so that you can reduce your potential for relapse and increase your potential for long term sobriety.
COUNSELING - Therapists assist you in dealing with the past. The focus of therapy is on the alleviation of psychological suffering and teaching you more successful strategies for focusing on reality. Emphasis is on assisting you in addressing self defeating behaviors and old habits and relieving internal suffering. A recovery coach will refer you to a therapist when appropriate.
The recovery coach does not help you "fix" your problems. The recovery coach sees you as possessing the knowledge and resources to solve them yourself if you are given the proper support and opportunity. The coach helps you:
get clear on your targets
cheers you on as you move towards these objectives
brainstorms with you when you request assistance in determining which path to pursue
holds you to the commitments you make to your self
and celebrates every victory with you along the way, no matter how small
You pay the coach to support you in achieving your life purposes in your career, in your families, and in all your interactions with others.
SPONSORSHIP - A sponsor is someone who is in recovery that assists you by providing their experience, strength and hope and assists you in working the 12 Steps. The sponsor voluntarily provides this service and greatly benefits from the experience.
Many times the recovery coach will have personal experience in recovery. The purpose of recovery coaching is not to replace the benefits you derive from your sponsor; but to work with them to increase the level of resources available that will assist you in your recovery experience. The recovery coach does not help you with 12 Step work; that is left up to the sponsor. The recovery coach is a skilled professional who has access to a broader network of recovery resources that will support your recovery. You pay the coach to provide you with this extra level of support and increase your potential for full and satisfying recovery.
HOW DOES RECOVERY COACHING WORK?
Coaching sessions are conducted either in person or by telephone. Most are conducted over the telephone because utilizing the telephone is a more efficient means of time management, plus it allows you access to the coach from anywhere you happen to be located. The sessions typically last 45-55 minutes, once a week, three or four times per month. There is no limit for the length of time for the coaching relationship. It depends upon your needs. Typically, most continue for a minimum of three months and extend up to a year or longer. The coach relies upon you to set the agenda for the session, but will ask pertinent questions to stimulate you if appropriate. The recovery coach's goal is to keep you on track to achieve your goals and start experiencing the riches of full recovery.
RELAPSE PREVENTION
Relapse is a constant threat, especially in the early stages of recovery. The programs of The Recovery Coach place special emphasis on relapse prevention by providing the following services:
immediate post treatment support - that provides an additional layer of support for the transition from treatment into the recovery community that assists the alcoholic/addict to deal with the dramatic change from the protective environment of treatment and the reality of dealing with the problems that were created as a result of their addictive behavior
relapse prevention education - designed to educate the alcoholic/addict in the disease of addiction, the recovery process and how to develop a recovery program, the relapse process and relapse prevention planning
relapse prevention counseling - individual counseling to determine high risk situations and triggers that stimulate crisis and increase the chances of drinking/using and to develop a specific relapse prevention plan to insure abstinence and a return to recovery
relapse prevention support groups - designed to create an environment of support where it is safe to talk about specific relapse problems and address specific issues with other alcoholics/addicts that are also relapse prone