Is a sober coach a good investment?

A Sober Coach can be a very useful tool for a recovering alcoholic or addict. As a matter of fact, coaching can be useful in almost any situation where there is a lack of success, be it business, social situations, education, etc. Coaching can turn the tables on failure quite quickly in many cases. In order to decide a coach’s potential value for you, it is first necessary to understand a few things about coaches. I firmly believe that the best decisions come from a place of knowledge.

What a Sober Coach is NOT!

Here is what I get a lot from those who hear the term “sober coach” but do not learn about it: “Oh, you’re a paid sponsor?” Or… “Is the counseling field too full?”

To answer a few of those types of questions, here is a short list of what a sober coach is not:

• A 12-step sponsor
• A substance abuse counselor
• A therapist
• A friend
• A parent

Now, a sober coach may possess some of those above-mentioned “nots”, but when wearing the coaching hat does not act in any of those roles. Sober Coaching is different, and from my perspective, it is an amazing role. One thing that makes coaching so unique is the fact that coaches aren’t tied to any particular discipline for recovery. This means that a client will not be pushed into a 12-step meeting if he or she really wants to sing gospel music. A good coach is truly flexible in working with a client… we have the freedom to be creative towards our client’s vision.

Yes, I know, the client’s best “vision” got him whacked in the first place.

Coaching takes that into consideration. Never confuse “creative” with “gullible”! Coaches have the ability to understand the thought processes of an alcoholic or an addict. What coaches look for in their client, is an idea of where the client wants to go within the recovery process, and then work towards that as a goal. This becomes an extremely interesting process.

So, what IS a sober coach?

A sober coach is a professional service provider who helps someone who has been dependent on alcohol or drugs to maintain an abstinent lifestyle.

For me to consider adding to the above statement based on my own sobriety beliefs would be wrong. Where the above statement takes the coach and client is the journey.

Whether you are reading this for yourself or for a relative, friend or business associate, I encourage you to consider the sober coach or sober companion… or as I like to call it… recovery coach.

Coaching can be applied to any phase of sobriety… even before it begins.

Note: Upcoming articles will discuss some of the above points about Sober Coaches and Sober Companions. Please use the “Contact Me” form to request early notification of these articles.

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