Recovery Coaches support those dealing with substance abuse, alcohol, or other struggles such as sex addiction. Thus, coaches serve multiple roles when it comes to helping people with addiction.

What do coaches offer?

You may wonder what a recovery coach does. What exactly do they offer to you when you’re struggling? Coaches provide support for you in your healing process and do so in a structured way. Here are some specific examples of what a recovery coach offers, followed by more information about recovery coaches who focus specifically on sexual addiction.

Experience dealing with similar issues to what you’re facing

Perhaps most importantly, recovery coaches provide lived experience and insight. This means that when they’re helping others, it’s not from a place of theory. They’ve been through it just like you. Many coaches have crawled out from addiction, mental health struggles, traumas, and more. They provide support and experience as another person who’s been through it.

Empathy instead of judgment

Coaches aren’t there to judge or make you feel guilty for behaviours. You’ve probably done that enough to yourself. Instead, they will provide you with non-judgmental understanding and validation. Whatever you’ve done or been through, they may have well survived that themselves. If not, they’ve at least been through something similar.

Give you a sense of direction

When unwanted behaviours have taken over your life, it may seem like there’s no way out. However, even when you’re ready to tackle issues, you may not be able to see the direction or next steps needed. A recovery coach will come from a neutral, calmer place to help you see the way forward. They may help you identify what you do and don’t want in your life and where to start.

For example, you may need to change current patterns, take a break, change environments, or build different coping skills. This will depend on your unique situation, but a coach can help you sort this out. Possible areas of direction a coach may help you work through include:

• What your life will look like without addiction
• What obstacles can be removed
• Your relationship goals
• Where you want to be in a year, or five years
• How do you see your career moving forward
• Overall health and fitness goals

Encouragement to overcome your addiction

Recovery is difficult. Overcoming an addiction, in particular, is challenging. But during moments when you feel you’ve failed, can’t continue in recovery, or it’s just too hard, a coach can be there. They can listen, support you, and offer encouragement to keep going. Or, if you’ve felt you’ve relapsed, which is part of the process, they can help you get right back on track.

Ongoing training to help you consistently

In addition to being a peer with real experience, coaches also go through a training process. They learn about practical goal setting, obstacles, and changing habits. They can train you in this process as well. By modifying your patterns and perspectives, you can begin to move forward. It’s not just about overcoming your problems but about building the life you want.

Help keep you accountable

Accountability isn’t about shaming you or making you feel bad if you don’t meet your goals or make the changes you want. However, it’s difficult for many, if not most, people to stick to hard things without outside help. If you know you’ll be checking in with your coach to update them about your progress; you’re much more likely to stick to your goals.

Patients in recovery programs often credit recovery coaches as an essential part of treatment, providing them with the social support needed during the process. In one study at a substance abuse treatment program, patients noted that recovery coaches provided these elements:

• Accessibility
• Shared experience
• Motivation to change
• Connection to resources

Recovery Coaching for Sex Addiction

Some mentors serve a very specific role as recovery coaches for sexual addiction. These coaches offer all of the same support elements as other recovery specialists and have lived experience overcoming compulsive sexual behaviours. They can help with struggles such as:

• Porn addiction
• Excessive masturbation
• Infidelity
• Impulsive or anonymous sex
• Love addiction
• Fetish obsessions
• Obsessive use of hookup apps
• Any other unwanted sexual compulsions

These specialists can help you change the patterns of your sexual behaviours while replacing these with healthy coping skills. As a result, you can learn to overcome these problems and focus on the important things, like building a healthy, meaningful life.

If you’re interested in recovery coaching for sexual addiction, I can help. I’ve been where you are, and I became a coach to provide the same support that I needed to recover. To take the first step, set up a free 15-minute call to discuss your situation and how I can help. Schedule here to get started.