28 Apr Recovery Coaching and Sober Companions in North Vancouver, British Columbia
At Andy Bhatti Interventions and Addiction Services in North Vancouver, British Columbia we understand getting sober is tough but staying sober can be even harder. This is why we are pleased to offer you or your loved ones professional recovery coaching and sober companion services to help you continue your life outside of residential treatment but still have ongoing support.
Having an addictions coach that can help you with all aspects of your sober or semi-sober life is key. Our highly-trained recovery coaches and sober companions have first-hand knowledge of drug and alcohol addiction and professional training. Our personality matches the sober coach to you and you can choose whom you want to work with. Imagine speaking to an executive in North Vancouver or Vancouver that has gone through what you are experiencing right now and having a professional on your team that truly gets it and that you can relate to.
What is a Sober Companion, Sobriety Coach or Recovery Coach?
The primary job of a sober companion is to assist clients in early recovery to start a new life, free from drugs/alcohol or whatever negative behaviour they need help with. It is important to note that a sober companion is not a clinician. They do, however, provide individualized non-traditional treatment for alcohol/drug addiction.
The majority of the treatment is provided in the environment of the client, outside of the traditional setting of a detox or rehabilitation center. The majority of sober companions are in recovery themselves and can share their personal experience with addiction and can offer hope and guidance to clients in early recovery.
The first few months after initial treatment in detox or private rehab is often the most fragile time for newly recovering people on the North Shore. The risk of relapse is always present but can be effectively reduced by hiring a professional sober companion (aka Sober Coach).
What Can a Sober Coach Help Within North Vancouver, BC?
Although the majority of our clients have drug or alcohol dependencies we also work with clients who suffer who have co-occurring disorders or other addictions. Among the areas we can help with are as follows.
- Drug Addiction
- Alcoholism
- Sex Addictions
- PTSD
- Childhood Trauma
- Dual Diagnosis
- Gambling
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Co-Occurring Disorders
- Anxiety
- Panic Disorders
We have a network of highly experienced clinicians and other professionals in North Vancouver who work with us to help clients with a wide variety of addictions or negative behaviours. We can also help place clients in the appropriate level of care that would best help them if that is required.
What Services are Offered in North Vancouver, British Columbia?
- Ensure a drug/alcohol-free environment, this includes private homes, personal vehicles, work offices, hotel rooms, etc.
- Mobile drug and alcohol testing services
- The sober coach can perform periodic drug testing/ breathalyzer testing to keep the client accountable.
- Safe transport to and from various appointments and locations throughout the day in North Vancouver or elsewhere. (We can provide a vehicle if needed).
- A companion can also provide safe reliable transport to private detox and private treatment centres in North Vancouver or elsewhere (for air or land travel.
- Help the client identify areas that may present triggers that could lead to relapse and discussing roadblocks that could hinder continued abstinence.
- A companion can accompany clients to social, family, work gatherings, vacations, conferences or anywhere that could pose a threat to their sobriety/abstinence.
- Assisting in locating and attending recovery meetings in North Vancouver or in the area where the client will live and work.
- Work in conjunction with the clients’ professional recovery support team. The team may include counsellors, therapists, psychiatrists and physicians.
- Help with the placement of clients with appropriate clinicians, treatment and detox centres in North Vancouver or elsewhere if needed. We have a vast network of experienced professionals who refer clients.
- Respecting clients’ confidentiality and performing our job as discreetly as possible is of the utmost importance to everyone at Andy Bhatti Addiction Services and Interventions in North Vancouver, BC.
- We try our best to place clients with age-appropriate/gender-appropriate sober coaches and sober companions at all times. Input and suggestions by concerned family members are always taken into consideration.
Do I Need a Sober Companion in North Vancouver?
Most people that are just coming out of residential treatment can benefit from a 24/7 sober companion service that lives with them in their home (or not) for some time. You can also hire a sober companion to drive you or accompany you to a high-risk event like weddings, concerts, vacations, family events, meetings, or work functions. If you have drug or alcohol tendencies and want extra support or even suffer from anxiety, an eating disorder or you are struggling to reintegrate into life, you can benefit from a sober companion in North Vancouver.
What is the Difference Between a Sober Companion and an AA or NA Sponsor in North Vancouver?
A 12 step sponsor is a peer that offers free, peer-driven support. A sober companion is a trained professional individual that will assist from a professional standpoint and offer guidance, life skills, trigger management and assist with other duties. They may or may not be members of a twelve-step program. AA and NA Sponsors have no real formal training other than having experienced an addiction, whereas certified sober companions have the lived experience as well both also have formal and professional training. Unlike a sponsor, a recovery coach is an advocate and a guide whose responsibility is not only to help their client stay sober and navigate challenges but create a meaningful life full of purpose.
Harm Reduction Sober and Recovery Coaching in North Vancouver, BC
Private recovery coaching (sometimes referred to also as sober coaching) or private coaching for addiction or alcoholism can sometimes be different from your typical drug addiction rehab or therapy sessions. Some recovery coaches and sober coaches in North Vancouver are about assisting a client in the harm reduction model, using Medically Assisted Therapies (MAT) such as Suboxone, Subutex, Vivitrol, Methadone, or Marijuana Maintenance programs and controlled drinking. Recovery coaches and sober coaches will assist with complete abstinence of the drugs and alcohol as well, but we can meet the client right where they are in the process and help them achieve their goals and action steps necessary to continue their life more positively and healthily without pressures of becoming lean and sober immediately.
Ways You Can Benefit from Sober Coaching in North Vancouver
No matter how you look at it, recovery from drugs and alcohol is challenging. Evidence shows, the longer someone is engaged in a form of treatment, counselling, or coaching, the higher the chances they have at achieving long-term sobriety. Oftentimes, transitioning back to the real world from detox or residential treatment program can be difficult to navigate. Relapse can follow closely behind if one is not watchful. In most cases, recovery coaches or sober companions can help bridge the gap during a smooth transition back into the real world, and help in times of important life decisions that may have led to relapse before.
Recovery Coaches can teach important life skills without the use of substances and help hold space by listening and giving important feedback to help achieve goals. No matter if you have thirty days or thirty years sober, other important benefits of recovery coaching can include the following…
You Work To Face Challenges Head-On
Recovery Coaches help individuals cope with and face challenges head-on that can oftentimes be triggering. Acting as a guide to smooth the transition from a life of addiction to a change in a lifestyle of sobriety, a Recovery Coach helps focus on values and guides you to make principle-based decisions. In comparison to therapists and counsellors who often find the root cause and work on past factors of addiction, a recovery coach focuses more on goals, and how to achieve those goals. In some cases, a recovery coach can often be a more accessible day in and out.
You’re Held Accountable
Recovery and even goal-setting require accountability. Recovery Coaching works one-on-one with clients or in a structured group every week to help set and celebrate attainably, recover from setbacks, all while holding themselves accountable to getting to those goals each week.
You Work To Uncover New Coping Skills and Strategies
Most Recovery Coaches use a technique known as Motivational Interviewing which includes effective listening, supporting self-efficacy, optimism, and more. Recovery is enhanced by uncovering tools to help cope with challenging issues. With Recovery Coaching, the client and the coach work together to develop personalized strategies and coping skills to help get through situations while they’re happening in real-time.
You Can Do It Anywhere
Many Recovery Coaches conduct business in person. However, in today’s changing world, other recovery coaches offer online or virtual recovery coaching to fit the needs of busy lives and schedules. These can often take place in virtual group settings or on a one-on-one basis. Recovery coaches can often provide the type of relationship and guidance needed for success.
Where Can I Find a Recovery Coach or Sober Companion in North Vancouver, BC?
If you’re looking for a recovery coach, we can help. We offer online and in-person recovery coaching, guided meditations, and an online platform to connect with others looking to maintain their sobriety. We also offer a vast array of other addiction services such as interventions, family therapy, referrals for private detox and residential treatment centres in North Vancouver, BC. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call today and start your recovery journey.