If your loved one is seeking treatment for a substance abuse problem, odds are you already know that it takes a lot of hands and minds to help them. From medical doctors and counselors to case managers, several specialists are needed.
But what about you? Whether you’re a parent, sibling, spouse, or even the adult child of a person in recovery, your life has likely been impacted by the addiction, too.
Fortunately, help is available. Recovery coaching can help you, your loved one suffering from addiction, and anyone else in the family who may have been affected.
This post explores family recovery coaching in more detail. Read on to find out what this type of coaching is, what it isn’t, and what you can do if you can’t access it.
Family Recovery Coaching Explained
Who is the coach? How does the coaching work? What good can it do for your family? Let’s answer these questions and break down family recovery coaching.
What Are the Coach’s Qualifications?
Your facilitator may be a certified addiction specialist. They might be qualified by the Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS).
The CARS program is dedicated to teaching recovery coaches to provide trauma-informed addiction recovery support.
Some programs, however, are peer-run. In fact, there’s a network for peer recovery coaches in New York.
In these cases, the family recovery specialist is someone who has lived experience with addiction and its treatment. They don’t have to be a therapist or a clinician, but they do need training in coaching models.
Professionals in the state can become Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPAs) by completing an NYCB-approved training, passing the CRPA exam, and completing 500 hours of supervised peer advocate work.
Note that the Recovery Coach University also runs a 6-hour interactive Family Supported Recovery workshop that focuses on family support specifically. So, there are valid ways for your coach to learn and train for the job.
Who Is Included?
There’s no standard attendee checklist to follow, and it all varies greatly from one case to another based on family dynamics.
That said, most cases involve immediate family members. These are often the people affected the most by the patient’s drug addiction, especially if they live together with combined finances.
Coaches might include other people if the individual in recovery considers them family.
How Does the Coaching Process Work?
Again, things aren’t set in stone. The exact scheduling and coaching approach is often tailored to suit each family.
For instance, the coaching content may be broken down into 12 sessions. The coach can hold one or two sessions weekly, each lasting about an hour.
Besides the sessions, family members may be handed out educational material in the form of a small book or pamphlet. If the coach wants the participants to put their newly acquired skills to use, they might give them “homework” to finish between sessions.
What Are the Benefits of the Coaching Service?
Experts believe that family support plays a major role in recovery from mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs). And for families to provide support, they need to be educated and feel supported themselves. That’s what a recovery coach can do for you.
During the coaching program, family members don’t just learn more about addiction as a chronic disease of the brain. They also develop the tools, skills, and attitudes they need to improve their family functioning.
For instance, the following topics may be covered during the sessions:
- Positive communication within the family system, even during difficult conversations.
- Identifying and stopping enabling behaviors.
- Exploring the road map to recovery and everyone’s role in it.
- Setting healthy boundaries and practicing self-care without neglecting others.
- Establishing a sense of accountability.
- Setting daily routines without potential triggers.
- Helping a loved one find the motivation to change and maintain a sober lifestyle.
It’s also worth noting that family coaching can be an integral part of the intervention follow-up care plan.
We’ll cover the overlap between the coaching and the intervention services later in the article. But the gist of it is that coaching is a chance to orient family members on what to expect as their loved one pushes through the early recovery stages.
Who Pays for the Sessions?
The insurance provider might offer reimbursement for the recovery coaching services. However, the specifics vary depending on the plan. You might also have to cover the entire cost out-of-pocket.
Don’t lose hope if your loved one isn’t covered by insurance, though. You can always ask about payment plans to see if the recovery coaching center is willing to work with you.
Plus, there are non-profit organizations that offer recovery coaching services at a minimal fee or even completely free of charge.
You could look into state-funded options as well. In New York, you can look for OASAS-certified programs with a family support navigator. They help family members navigate the addiction services system in the state.
There’s also the Friends of Recovery New York (FOR-NY), an OASAS partner, that helps concerned individuals find peer advocates, recovery coaches, and family support navigators.
How to Get Started With Family Recovery Coaching?
Family recovery coaching services are typically available through addiction treatment centers.
So, if your loved one is already receiving treatment, you can ask the care team (or the case manager directly) at the rehab center for recommendations. Even if they don’t offer family recovery coaching themselves, they might know reputable coaches in the area.
Alternatively, you can use online directories, like Helping Families Help and Recovery.com, to search for nearby service providers.
Recovery.com’s search tool actually allows you to search by insurance provider. This way, you can filter the results to include only centers that accept plans from a specific insurance company.
Of course, this isn’t a guarantee that their family recovery coaching services will be fully covered. You still need to get in touch and provide your insurance details so that a representative can run a benefits check on your behalf.
What Family Recovery Coaching Is and Isn’t
Family recovery coaching is a way to improve communication with the overarching goal of helping someone stay sober. It can teach participants skills and support them as they adjust.
It’s not, however, a clinical service. It’s not the same as having a mediator handling family conflict, either.
Your coach, no matter how skilled, won’t replace the need for a treatment specialist or even a sponsor.
And most importantly, coaching isn’t equivalent to family therapy. While both can be helpful for families impacted by addiction, there are differences between the two. Here’s a quick comparison:
| Family Therapy | Family Coaching | |
| Facilitator Credentials | A licensed therapist | A coach or a trained peer |
| Setting | Hospitals, clinics, rehab centers, or private practices | Workshops, private sessions, rehab centers, or online coaching platforms |
| Core Principle | Psychotherapy (talk therapy) | Coaching |
| Common Approaches | Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and functional family therapy (FFT) | Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) |
| Prescription Availability | No, the facilitator can’t prescribe medications unless they’re a psychiatrist | No, the facilitator can’t prescribe medications |
The Role of the Family Recovery Coach
Although they’re not a medical doctor, your family recovery coach can still offer plenty of support. Their role includes:
- Creating the right environment for sharing.
- Helping participants gain new skills and knowledge regarding addiction.
- Teaching family members how to discuss and solve their problems.
With that in mind, you can consider your coach to be a non-judgmental ally, advocate, motivator, and resource provider.
Overlap Between Family Coaching and Professional Interventions
Besides recovery support, family coaching has a place in interventions. We mentioned earlier that it can (and often is) part of the intervention follow-up care plan. But that’s not all.
In fact, its role starts long before the intervention day itself.
A professional interventionist can sit with the participants beforehand to identify their goals. Then, the interventionist can offer goal-oriented coaching.
For example, they can prepare for their loved one’s refusal. The intervention plan can include their responses, how they’ll stop enabling the addiction, whether they’ll try to convince the person to seek help again, and how they’ll care for themselves in the meantime.
The coaching can also include education on the available treatment options. This way, family members can be ready if their loved one accepts help. They can also be ready to answer questions (duration, expenses, time off work, commutes, etc.).
Answering questions and solving problems on the spot can convince the individual that there’s no valid reason not to seek help.
Alternative Self-Help Resources for Families
Maybe you’re not ready to commit to multiple sessions of family coaching right now. Or perhaps you can’t find any reputable coaches nearby.
You can still get yourself (and other concerned relatives) educated and oriented on the recovery process. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), for instance, is a good resource provider.
Here are handy family education materials to check out in the meantime:
| Publisher | Resource | Scope |
| SAMHSA | “Talk. They Hear You.” | An underage drinking prevention campaign that targets parents and caregivers. |
| SAMHSA | A Community Action Guide | Info on supporting infants, toddlers, and families impacted by caregiver substance abuse. |
| Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation | How to Help a Family Member with Addiction | Explores what healthy support looks like, family integration in the healing process, and professional support options. |
| Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation | Helping Families Cope with Addiction | Research insights on the family’s role as a support network. |
| Al-Anon | Newcomers FAQ page | A list of frequently asked questions from Al-Anon, a mutual support fellowship for people impacted by someone’s alcoholism. |
| Recovery Research Institute | A Guide for Family Members | A complete guide discussing specific sensitivities, such as the stigma and emotional factors of addiction. |
How Long Island Interventions Can Help
At Long Island Interventions, we believe in the importance of comprehensive care in helping clients maintain progress long after rehab.
Being part of the Recreate Behavioral Health Network, we can coordinate admissions and refer clients to services in partner facilities.
Help Is Available. Talk to Someone Today.
Dealing with your loved one’s addiction can take its toll on your mental health. Even after they seek treatment, the recovery process can still impact the day-to-day life of everyone involved. The common problems range from blurred boundaries to poor communication.
So, it doesn’t really matter if you talk to your loved one’s clinical team or visit your local recovery community centers. What matters is that you ask for (and accept) the help you need to heal.
