What is a Recovery Coach?
/As I shift into this new identity of mine as a Recovery Coach, it’s no surprise that I am often met with confused stares or various questions via discovery call, email, and direct message. People normally ask me what’s a Recovery Coach? Or how is a Recovery Coach different from a sponsor? What do Recovery Coaches do? What are you discovering in a discovery call? Does a Recovery Coach get you sober? Why do you charge money?
I will answer all these questions for you and more, because I want you to know what it is I do, how it differs from other recovery pathways, and if it’s a right fit for you.
Jesi Cason Photography
What is a Recovery Coach?
Coaching as a practice is a fairly new industry and it includes a wide variety from people from different disciplines. The coaching relationship is a collaborative solution-focused approach where the coach helps equip the client with tools, knowledge, awareness, and skills that guide them on their journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Coaching is future-focused and provides a safe trustworthy connection that supports the client in clarifying their goals, identifying next steps, and providing accountability. Coaches help you muster your internal motivation for a big life change.
More specifically, a Recovery Coach, does these things for an individual who desires a changed relationship with alcohol, drugs, or other destructive behaviors. As a certified professional Recovery Coach, I have a coaching specialty in addiction recovery, meaning I have special skills and understanding to work with individuals and families impacted by addiction.
What a Recovery Coach does:
Support client needs in early, middle and long-term recovery.
Support people who desire to change their using behaviors.
Focuses on increasing client’s motivation to reach identified goals and new possibilities.
Helps remove barriers to recovery.
Normalizes feelings.
Provides a strength-based approach for a happier, more fulfilling future.
What a Recovery Coach doesn’t do:
Provide counseling or clinical treatment.
Provide clinical evaluation or assessment to define a problem or pathology.
Focus on pain or issues from the past that are causing current problems.
Adhere to the criteria of the 12 steps, AA, or any specific fellowship.
Why did I become a Recovery Coach?
Ever since my article went viral in 2014 about reaching one year of sobriety, it’s been clear to me people everywhere need to see, hear and learn about recovery. When I started my blog I began receiving messages from all of you - readers from everywhere - asking for my advice, tips, help, and guidance. I’ll admit, I was reluctant to respond. I was just another sober gal, trying to find her way in this crazy drinking world. But once I started writing, reading, and researching more about addiction and recovery, I knew I wanted to be of greater service to those around me. I wanted to be able to provide the help that everyone had always asked me for. When the moment in my career arose and I had time, I decided to invest in my future and the future of those I serve. I signed up for professional recovery coaching certification. Now I have the skills, understanding, and methodologies, and certifications to coach and help you navigate difficult times in your life.
How does Recovery Coaching work?
Each Recovery Coach has their own processes and systems around how they coach. Most offer certain types of coaching packages that are either one-on-one, or in a group setting. They can be centered around a certain topic like socializing sober, changing patterns around drinking, or sobriety is self-love (this one might be coming soon from me!) In the case of one-on-one coaching, sessions are normally built around the goals of the client and adhere to a time-based schedule such as 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or one year.
With coaching there is almost alway a discovery call, or session, where you get to talk to the coach in a confidential setting and get to know each other. Just like other relationships in your life, i.e. friends, a therapist, a counselor, an employer, you’ll want to make sure you’re a right fit for each other. I offer a 30 minute Discovery Call with every client which I host on Zoom. This is where we get to know one another, chat about how you found recovery coaching and what you expect to get out of a coaching relationship, as well as your goals and what you want your future to look like. Then if we decide we’re a fit, we can chat about coaching package options, you purchase a package, and we schedule your first session together.
Recovery coaching is just one of the many pathways to recovery. I love doing it because I get to help clients discovery what works best for them. I’ve discovered that many people seeking sobriety need to try a variety of pathways and resources and then put together a patchwork together to achieve success.
If you’re interested in changing your relationship with substances or other destructive behaviors, finding a coach to guide you help you could be the key to changing your life.