Leaving drugs and getting back to your life is a challenging tasks. Recovering addicts might feel like they’ve missed out on the outside world while they were receiving treatment in the sober house. In such circumstances, it is very probable that the patients might loose focus, feel lost and give up.
To help overcome this depressing episode, sober houses have the facility of Sober Coaching and Sober Companionship. But what is sober Coaching and Sober Companion and what differentiates both.
Let’s get to know about it!
What Is Sober Coaching?
A sober coach is someone who assists you through the process of getting and staying sober. He/She helps you anticipate the highs and lows you’ll most probably be facing in your post-recovery life and helps you in developing tactics to deal with those ups and downs. For an addict, sobriety is a minute by minute choice and a constant mental struggle. In such a mental state, a person is more likely to loose focus and get distracted. Sober coaches can provide a therapeutic approach to help people stay sober through consultation, therapy, career advice, health advice and overall life advice.
Sober coaches are employed either after a person leaves treatment for long term support or when getting into rehab isn’t an option.
Generally speaking, A sober living house provides regular coaching one-on-one and group coaching sessions that help people stay on the sober path and steer clear of any confused thoughts they may have. But if someone doesn’t opt for a sober house and they are trying to give up on substance use on their own can also hire someone to help them through the process!
Who Can be A Sober Coach
People who have either suffered from addiction themselves, have gone through the treatment programs and stayed sober for at least for 5+ years, or have been trained in addiction therapy can be professional sober coaches. To be hired as a professional sober coach, you will need required education and experience of working with recovering addicts. Becoming a coach, dealing with so many struggling people and guiding them can take a toll on your mental health too, so a sober coach is required to be mentally, physically, experience and education wise strong.
One-on-one Coaching
Dealing with certain individuals can be more challenging than dealing with the rest of the patients. Some people might not do well with generalized coaching program and might need a little extra care. Or the reason could be that they are generally just more comfortable in a one-on-one coaching session. Whatever the case, a sober coach does cater to these factors. If a person needs one-on-one coaching, then that is exactly the type of coaching that the sober houses arrange for them to have.
Sober coaches design personalised programs for such people. These programs are suitable for that specific individual. A meeting can be arranged in-home, in the sober house or wherever a person feels comfortable. This has been known to be successful for people who haven’t been sober for a long time, and have a greater risk of relapse! This technique is also known to be useful for people who need to travel a lot.
Group Coaching
Group coaching is mostly a part of the 12 step program offered by sober houses. It works the same away as support groups, where its not just the sober coach playing a role, but the group as a whole provides a friendly community to each other. This approach is really effective, because people of all kinds can look for support in each other and help the healing process.
There are so many experiences to learn from. Everyone has a different approach towards staying sober and it works differently for every individual, and knowing how others deal with their recovery process and maintain their sobriety can be really helpful in dealing with different situations. Group support is like having multiple sober companions all looking after each other! They are a network of positive people who support the recovery process and provide a great emotional amount support that is much needed to go through the hurdles of addiction treatment!
Group Coaching Techniques
Support groups adopt different methods towards the recovery process. Talking about each other’s experiences is one of them and the most effective one! It’s also a great way for people to start communicating and building relationships especially if they have been in recovery treatment for a long time. Hearing out others can help people learn to deal with different situations in more than one way.
Another technique used is involving the participants in different sort of individual or group activities. This can help them connect with each other and deal with anxiety that comes with having to interact with other people. A sober support group is like family helping each other not just with staying sober but also all the challenges that come with the recovery process!
Sober Companion
Sober companions can be anyone, a friend, a coach, a family member or your fellow member in a sober house. A sober companion stays with the person all the time, or on weekly or monthly basis. They help them plan and maintain a consistent lifestyle. Sober companions are really helpful for those going through early recovery, or don’t have the support of a family due to different circumstances. A sober companion encourages and builds self-confidence and ease the transition into a normal life.
Usually sober companions are people who have been through substance use and addiction treatment and either volunteer to help others or are hired by health care providers. The difference between sober coaches and a sober companion is the professional approach. While sober coaches are more like mentors, sober companions are like a friend. They lead the clients with example. Since they have been through the process, they know how to connect better with the clients.
What should you choose?
Different approaches work for everyone differently. While some people might be team players, other might feel more comfortable around only one person and have a difficult time opening up to people. Some may need a mentor but others need a friend. It depends on how long someone has been in recovery and the difficulty they are feeling while staying sober. If you’re someone who needs someone to talk to every once in a while, need help transition back into work or career, prepare your home for a sober life, or need to find a recovery center for you, a sober companion is the way to go for you!
Individual coaching approach is the best for people who need a more well-planned approach tailored to their needs and resources, need help plan a fixed diet and education on nutrition, and need constant supervision. Sober group support is the best to help people who are learning to connect with others and over coming the anxiety of being around people after a long time in recovery. Everyone’s mind works differently and they face different obstacles on their road to recovery and remaining sober, and they have to choose works best for them accordingly.
Bottom Line
Journey towards addiction recovery is challenging and taxing. Rehabs and halfway houses exist to help people withdraw from addiction and substance use, but there will be times when one might feel its getting difficult to hold on and on the brink of relapse. To ensure long term sobriety and extended support, recovery coaching is essential, whether its in the form of a sober coach, sober group support or sober companions.
