What is the difference between a sober coach and a sober companion? The terms are often used interchangeably but are actually very different support services.
Sober Coaching uses a strength-based model and places a high emphasis on improving present life and reaching goals for the future. The sober coach is an addition to a therapist, sober house manager and sponsor. It is the mortar between the bricks.
Sober coaching provides a level of support and accountability that the recovery community, families, and private practice therapist simply cannot provide. There is an array of barriers that prevent individuals from defining, joining, and remaining in healthy recovery environments. These barriers may be internal, such as low motivation, emotional struggles, medical conditions, mental health diagnosis or even spiritual confusion. There may also be external barriers that prevent them from safely meeting their needs related to housing, employment, nutrition, socialization, and transportation. The goal is to assist clients to overcome these barriers so that they can find and sustain recovery from addiction and mental health.
A sober coaching program works around and between already scheduled events, such as treatment, therapy, AA meetings and personal obligations. Generally, this can include a schedule of around 3-6 hours of individual coaching sessions per week.
Weekly set meetings can take place in your home, a clinical office, or somewhere in the community. Usually, you will also have 24/7 crisis support available if you need assistance in between scheduled meetings. At Drew Horowitz and Associates, we pride ourselves in creating custom tailored care plans offering intensive one on one support in the real world and in real time. Anyone can stay sober while in treatment. It’s much simpler to stay sober when you are away from home, isolated from family, work, and friends.
A sober companion on the other hand, is an experienced clinician who will provide a very high level of personal and discrete services 24 hours a day. Often, there are obstacles to seeking inpatient or residential treatment and being away from home for 30 days is not possible. Maybe, you are not able to leave your job or have obligations at home. Maybe, there are safety issues that prevent you from being around groups of people or being in public spaces. Or perhaps an extended absence for treatment may jeopardize a career, privacy, or reputation. That is when a sober companion is ideal.
Sober companion services are also designed for those who are in situations where any additional recovery support may be needed. An example would be a businessperson who needs to travel to Las Vegas to attend a trade conference or meet with potential clients. A sober companion will stay with an individual 24/7 to assist in their recovery without taking them out of their day-to-day life. Additional examples include:
- Individuals waiting for treatment center beds to become available
- Those in the process of making travel arrangements for treatment
- Businesspersons traveling for work purposes
- Professional-level corporate and financial executives
- Entertainment professionals with a high level of public visibility
- Government officials and politicians
- Individuals leaving a treatment center transitioning back home
- Any circumstance requiring a high level of personal recovery support
If you are interested in learning more about these services, please call (800) 731-0854 to schedule an intake appointment. During the intake appointment we will discuss goals, expectations, and transparently lay out our recommendations on which staff member(s) are best suited to meet your needs. Our services are always provided with the highest level of discretion and privacy, and will always be rendered with compassion, respect, and professionalism.
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