The concept of Recovery Coaching has been utilized for years but it is just recently being brought back into mainstream recovery.  There are so many different ways people use the term Recovery Coach and ways organizations employ people with this title.  At RealYou Revolution we believe a Recovery Coach is someone who has gone through their own journey with addiction and can use that experience to assist others in moving through the recovery process.  We believe therapists, sponsors, and professional recovery coaches are the foundational trifecta critical in helping people turn their life around.  Below are just a few ways a coach makes the difference:

1)   Navigating the Recovery World – Recovery Coaches can get to know you and figure out which methods of treatment might be the best for you to start off with.  They also typically have connections within the Substance Use Disorder field and can assist with admissions and insurance challenges.  A good recovery coach will continue to stay in touch with treatment centers throughout the process and adjust course accordingly along the way.  They will also be the one solid link in the continuum of care, for example, guiding the client from detox to inpatient to outpatient to sober living, etc.

2)   Around the Clock Availability – Because Recovery Coaches are not therapists’ restricted by state licensure, and they are not sponsors who kindly donate their time, they should be available 24-7 when a client is in need.  This means if you are concerned about using at 1:00am and call your Recovery Coach, you should be able to expect them to answer for support.  This is a invaluable resource in the early stages of sobriety.

3)   Family Support – Addiction is a family disease.  Whether the issues are from past family troubles or the family has just gotten sick with the addicted person, there is ALWAYS work to be done here.  What good is it to send your child to treatment and not expect assistance for the rest of the family? A strong Recovery Coach will identify where the work needs to be done and connect the family with the proper resources.  Coaches can also assign specific activities for various family members to work on in accordance with areas needing attention.

4)   Power of Example – A Recovery Coach should be all of the things that one aspires to be.  While no one is perfect, a strong coach will be healthy, fit, confident, happy, and well balanced.  There are obvious benefits to spending time with a coach who has their life together, who is thriving day to day, and is a living breathing example of what is possible in recovery. Putting down the drink or drug may be enough for some, but it is not TRULY living in recovery where one is growing and learning at all times and reaching their highest potential.

5)    Judgment Free Zone – Many people who struggle with addictive behaviors also have issues with beating themselves up and self worth.  What they aren’t used to is unconditional listening and support.  A Recovery Coach is a safe person the client can trust and go to for anything.  If a client relapses, their recovery coach should be one of their first calls knowing it will provide the assistance needed and not a scolding.  There is a time and a place for everything and coaches understand this well.

RealYou Revolution, LLC. is New England's premier resource for cutting edge substance use disorder services.

Advanced Intervention - Sober Companions - Recovery Coaches - Family Support Services Case Management -DUI/OUI Support - Anger Management Assistance - Self Esteem Development - Anxiety Management

Tommy Rosen is one of my favorite people in the world of recovery and understanding how to overcome addiction.  Tommy has really advanced the idea of a phased approach to recovering from addiction, which he terms “Recovery 2.0”.  In this model, the first phase of recovery is putting down the drink, drug, or other harmful habit that has taken over your world.  The second phase is working to move out of a state of “Dis-ease” with areas of your life.   I strongly believe the majority of Americans are in this state even without substance abuse issues and this is why recovery is beneficial to everyone.  The Huffington Post published this awesome and easy to understand article by Rosen, “How Is Yoga Beneficial to People on a Path of Recovery From Addiction?” It’s a must read if you care about bringing your life to the next level!

To work with Boston's premier recovery coaches call us today at 774-329-4393

When I was in treatment we had to write a letter to the people we loved most dearly as if we had relapsed. Since I don’t have children yet my nieces and nephews were a no brainer.  This letter is what sealed the deal on the life I was committed to living and the changes I had to make no matter what.  Please share. I hope it helps you in whatever you are struggling with today.

Dear Lily, Macie, Hunter and Alexa:

I am sorry that I will not be there for you when you need me.  I won’t be there for you on the days you just need someone to talk to.  When you are hurting so bad and feel like you have no one, you won’t have me either.  The sad truth is that Auntie Dani loves you guys so much but she just needed to always feel good instantly so she chose alcohol and a life of listening to her ego over loving you and herself and everything and everyone that ever meant anything to her.  I am sorry that you may think you are less important to me because I chose these things over you.  I want you to know that I love you all so much.  You mean the world to me.  I would do anything for you, almost anything, but I am sorry I can’t stop drinking. I wanted to be such a good example to all of you of the way to really live life…to find true happiness, love yourself and others, to be honest and caring, and maybe most importantly, peaceful inside.  This is all I want for you but I couldn’t get it.  I wanted you to see that enjoying the simplest things in life is what living really is.  When I think of the four of you my heart and my eyes light up.  I am so sorry that I failed you.  My hope is that one day you will be able to learn these things on your own and live a life of true peace and happiness.  I am sorry that I chose denial, instant gratification and superficiality over being a living example to all of you.

Always,

Auntie Dani

I frequently hear, "Why do people need a recovery coach, and why isn't their AA sponsor enough?" Addiction treatment can be extremely overwhelming to someone who wants to get clean, but being released from treatment is far more overwhelming. Leaving detox or treatment with the support of a professional who is is properly trained in guiding someone through the different stages of sobriety can make a remarkable difference. I believe every single person should have a therapist and a recovery coach: a therapist to work on issues from your past, and a coach who has been where you have been, and who can help bring you to a new level in the present and future. The article below not only talks about how recovery coaching can maximize your investments in treatment, but also about how it is now a critical tool in the recovery arsenal. 

Recovery Coach Helps An Addict Resist Heroin's Lure

This warning about the Recovery Coaching industry is not far from the truth. Sadly, unqualified people are capitalizing on addiction every day. When hiring a Recovery Coach it is absolutely critical to ensure that he or she is fully certified through the National Association for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC). Anyone can call themselves a "Life Coach" or a "Recovery Coach." Actually being one is a different story. What you need is to understand their credentials and experiences. Does the coach you are considering have the type of life that they are proclaiming they can help you to achieve? Do they truly understand different types of addiction, how to overcome addiction, and how to live an amazing life while recovering from addiction? 

What do Recovery Coaches and Sober Companions Do? (And Why Should You be Wary of Them)