By Patrick Bailey
Those who suffer from addiction look for someone who can support them and guide them. They want  someone who knows how to pull out and use their strengths to help them overcome addiction. That is exactly what a trained addiction coach does. With addiction coaching, the addict is able to learn how to more easily manage things and make better choices for their life. The addiction coach helps the addict to move out of the self-destructive mode and into proactively choosing, sothey achieve healthy goals in their life. An example follows.
Client Scenario: I have been addicted to drugs for 8 years. There have been times when I have tried to quit and went back to using within days. I am not sure what I can do. My loved ones are telling me they only want to see me get better. How can I stop using drugs and get clean once and for all?
Using what is learned in coach training, questions an addiction coach may ask their clients are:
- How have you tried to get clean before?
- What is the longest time you have stayed clean?
- What kind of people do you spend your time with?
- What types of thoughts do you generally focus on?
- What specific goal(s) will you meet once you get clean?
- What internal motivations do you have to help you get clean?
- What is your support system?
- How do you feel about treatment for your addiction?
- How do you feel about addiction recovery meetings?
- What do you see as your main strengths?
- What advice do you have for someone in your position?
- What will work for you?
When an addiction coach has experience with addiction and has completed coaching certification, they are prepared to effectively serve their clients to create meaningful change for the long term.
