Early recovery is EXTREMELY fragile. I have seen the struggles newcomers go through over and over again over the years. The struggle is real…
Many times they choose a less than desirable sponsor, other times (or most times) the treatment center taught them nothing about how to actually stay sober once they get out. Lack of resources and/or support and the list goes on and on.
It is my goal to guide the residents as best as I can. In a way I am attempting to fill in the gaps that most people either don’t know or haven’t had the chance to advise on.
WHAT IS A SOBER COACH?
A sober coach provides related counsel, companioning, guidance and coaching to recovering addicts & alcoholics.
The idea behind a sober coach is relatively simple: to serve as a bridge between formal treatment programs and the more informal support groups [or lack of] during recovery.
Isn’t That What A Sponsor Does?
Not normally. There are many misconceptions about what a sponsor is. The fellowship you are involved in and how strong that community is will determine what kind/quality of sponsor you will have access to.
Isn’t That What a Counselor Does?
No. 99.9% of the time the counselor/patient relationship ends upon exiting the doors of the treatment center. Not much support there…
Isn’t That What a Therapist Does?
Maybe, but… it would be RARE. If you can find a good one that has the time, a background in chemical dependency and understands the addict mind this would be similar.
As Joe Schrank [co-founder of The Fix] once put it: “My primary duty is to provide the scaffolding around someone who is in the early days of their sobriety. I try to build trust, and help my clients normalize the basics of living an intoxicant-free life. In some ways it’s similar to hiring a personal trainer. They can’t lift the weights for you but they can give you the support to lift the weights yourself.”
