Recovering from addiction involves more than just attending treatment and going home. In fact, it’s often said that the real work of recovery begins after your program is complete. For this reason, it’s completely normal to feel anxious about returning to day-to-day life after residential addiction treatment. Transitioning from the highly structured environment of rehab to your daily life presents many unique challenges that can seem overwhelming in the moment. For those seeking additional support and guidance throughout early recovery, sober coaching can be extremely beneficial.
What is Sober Coaching?
Sober coaches, also called sober companions, are individuals in recovery who assist those who are trying to avoid relapse. They serve as mentors or guides – not to be confused with personal assistants, therapists, or sponsors. The primary role of a sober coach is to encourage healthy choices and lead by example. These engagements can last anywhere from one day to over a year.
Ideally, these coaches will work within an abstinence-based recovery model. They often provide sober transport, meaning that they will drive a long distance to a treatment facility with the client if the client cannot get on a plane. Sometimes sober transport services include medical personnel, who may administer required medication.
Sober coaches will also stay with an individual after they have completed a residential or inpatient program. This eases the transition from addiction treatment to home life. By living with the client or accompanying them in shifts, sober coaches help individuals to learn how to live a sober life within their community.
Coaches will remove all drug and alcohol paraphernalia from the home, as well as structure clients’ days. Schedules include daily tasks, such as grocery shopping or other errands, and recovery-centered activities like psychotherapy, outpatient programs, or 12-step meetings.
Finally, sober companions will travel with clients to potentially triggering or stressful events, such as business meetings or conferences. These occasions may cause those in early recovery to relapse; a sober coach can keep clients emotionally stable and focused on their sobriety.
Areas of Focus
Segue Recovery Support provides a comprehensive, 12-month sober coaching program. Our certified peer recovery support specialists create individualized coaching services for each client. Areas of emphasis include:
- 12-step recovery
- Medical needs
- Clinical work
- Personal hygiene
- Time management
- Budgeting
- Educational goals
- Career assistance
- Job search
Finding a Qualified Sober Coach
While there are many sober coaching services available, particularly throughout the western United States, clients should exercise caution when choosing their coach. It’s vital to select legitimate providers with trained professionals, not unregulated individuals or random options who appeared in a search.
Look for programs that are accredited by the Joint Commission for Behavioral Health Care, members of NAATP (the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers), or part of The Association for Addiction Professionals. These accreditations and memberships indicate that facilities have undergone stringent inspections, submitted evidence-based curricula, and hired certified staff.
Do I Need a Sober Coach?
Choosing to work with a sober coach is an investment in one’s sustained sobriety. Those in early recovery are particularly vulnerable to relapse because they have spent far longer in active addiction than in sobriety. Adjusting to life outside of rehab can be a complex, difficult transition for many. Small daily challenges may feel overwhelming and returning to one’s home can trigger the urge to use again. A sober coach provides reinforcement and support during this time, helping clients to navigate stressful situations that may have otherwise caused a full relapse.
You could benefit from sober coaching if you are new to recovery or have recently sought treatment after relapsing again. If there are other issues beyond substance abuse that complicate your situation, seeking sober coaching can make all the difference. This is especially true if others in your home are still using – or misusing – drugs and alcohol. If you have mental health concerns or are worried about the transition from treatment to home life, this service is right for you.
Navigate Early Sobriety with Confidence
The first year of sobriety can be a uniquely challenging time. Segue Recovery Support combines monitoring, case management, recovery coaching, accountability, and family engagement to create a holistic approach to aftercare. Our highly-trained, certified peer recovery support specialists are trained to recognize precursors of relapse long before substance use takes place. For more information about these services, contact 888.559.2036.
