Blog · Coaching
What a sober coach actually does
Not a therapist, not a sponsor, not a counsellor. Here is what the role involves and, just as usefully, what it does not.
Sober coaching is a relatively recent term and it gets used loosely, so it is worth being clear about what happens in the room.
What it is
Coaching is forward-facing work on the life you are building. We look at where you are, where you want to be, and what is standing between the two, then we build a route with accountability attached to it. My focus is on self-growth, personal development and accountable goal-setting.
What it is not
- It is not therapy. We are not primarily excavating the past, though your history is relevant and welcome in the conversation.
- It is not a detox or a medical service. If you need clinical support, that comes first, and your local drug and alcohol service is the place to start.
- It is not a twelve-step sponsorship. There is no programme you have to accept and no doctrine to sign up to.
- It is not instruction. I do not tell you what your recovery should look like.
With no judgement or instruction, only confidential support and encouragement.
Lived experience, on your side of the table
What I bring that a manual cannot is having been through it. I know the internal argument, the bargaining, the particular quality of the fear that comes with putting the drink down for good. That means less time spent explaining yourself, and more spent on what you actually want to change.
Who it suits
People transitioning from a residential programme or an outpatient detox, and people who have chosen their own route to sobriety and want someone alongside them for it. If that sounds like you, the initial appointment carries no obligation.
Get in touch or call 07765 286 410.