The journey of recovering from an addiction is a process that requires conscious decision-making. Life after rehab is encountered with many challenges and triggers that may make one fall off the bandwagon and fall back into addiction. For such individuals, getting back on the horse of sobriety may seem difficult, but with the proper support, they will be off to re-starting the recovery journey. The latter is why most rehab centers are considering pairing recovering addicts with sober coaches.
Who is A Sober Coach?
A sober coach is an individual tasked with ensuring that a recovering addict stays on course in the journey against addiction. More often than not, sober coaches are recovering addicts with years of remaining sober and drug-free. Since sober coaches are recovering addicts themselves, they are often passionate about helping others recover from addiction. Alternatively, a sobriety coach can be a counselor or a social worker in your locale.
The Difference Between A Sober Coach, A Sober Companion, and A Therapist
A sober coach is an individual whose primary work is to help others overcome addiction. They are available 24 hours a day, and they are often recovering addicts themselves. A sober coach has to live a couple of years being drug-free to be able to mentor fresh recovering addicts.
Since a sober coach was previously an addict, they can identify with the struggles and challenges that one has when rejoining society after rehab. Therefore, they will help you identify potential triggers, give you the coping mechanisms, and generally mentor you through your recovery journey.
A sober coach is part of the collaborative care plan after rehab. Most times, you will find them having in-house meetings with their mentees, and sometimes they go to the extent of attending the group therapy sessions together. They are specialists when it comes to matters concerning addiction.
A sober coach also helps in:
- Providing periodic updates to other healthcare specialist
- Plan for an intervention in case of a relapse
- Help addicts deal with other issues apart from addiction that might be a danger to their sobriety journey
- Refer addicts to recovery centers
- Help addicts in finding a sponsor
- Provide personal input in the treatment regimen provided
- Smoothen the process after rehab by organizing for a place to stay and food with the community health workers
- Aid parents whose teenagers are struggling with addiction
On the other hand, a sober companion or a recovering companion is often another addict with a few years of sobriety. They are often coupled with new recovering addicts at the rehab centers to offer a solid ground for their next phase of recovery. Like the name, a sober companion is more of a friend who offers support. They are well-equipped to help you deal with :
- Triggers that can cause a relapse
- Relapse prevention techniques
- Crisis prevention
- Coping mechanisms
- Maneuvering family and relationship dynamics
- Setting up healthy boundaries
- Establishing a healthy lifestyle
A therapist is a healthcare specialist trained to deal with a variety of psychological issues, sobriety being one of them. Recovering addicts must have weekly to monthly appointments with their therapist to establish the progress of their recovery journey or identify the early signs of a relapse.
It is important to note that the time invested by a sober coach is far much more compared to a sober companion or therapist. In extreme cases, a sober coach may stay with a struggling recovering addict for hours on end to help them deal with a challenge or a trigger. The dedication and discipline of sober coaches in helping to recover addiction have lowered the cases and percentile of individuals relapsing.
How to Become A Sobriety Coach
To become a sober coach, all you need is to be compassionate and empathetic in assessing the needs of a recovering addict and make the journey easier. You do not need to have a degree or diploma; however, there is a mandatory brief training after which you will be certified to become a sobriety coach. The average hourly wage for a sobriety coach is between $15 – $25.
If you or your loved one is struggling with addiction, numerous treatment programs would be ideal. All you have to do is reach out to a rehabilitation center near you. For more information, feel free to contact us at 732-392-7311.
