Life-Changing Sobriety Coaching
from Ann Arbor Recovery Coaching
For the loved one who needs one-on-one, intensive support. Their personal Recovery Coach is a licensed Psychotherapist who will provide counseling , specific practical advice, professional resources and the caring attention needed to achieve and maintain sobriety .
Sobriety is hard work. You and your loved one have to deal with the mood swings, lack of motivation, dishonesty, frustration and hopelessness that accompany addiction . You deserve the very best help from a coach who has the tools, experience and time to monitor behaviors, demand accountability and provide encouragement. You need a coach with the insight to call out deceit, denial and relapse behavior, and the knowledge and compassion to help steer a quicker path to recovery. We offer 3 -month, 6 -month or 12 -month customized programs specifically designed to meet your needs.
Here is what you can expect from your coach:
24/7 Accountability
Sobriety requires constant vigilance - especially in the early days. Your coach is accessible when you need support in real-time situations. Time spent together might include shopping, job-hunting, working out or having coffee. Healing is a process that takes place across a wide array of activities.
Daily Check-in
Consistent support means speaking each day even if it is simply a quick check-in. Often this communication may be with the client’s family as questions and concerns arise daily. Sober coaching means support for the entire system that surrounds the client.
Random Drug Screens
We perform random UDS (Urine Drug Screens) that test for multiple substances and for adulteration of the specimen. If further testing is needed we can refer clients to testing laboratories.
Therapy
Both Linda and Bruce are licensed Psychotherapists with MSWs from the University of Michigan. Counseling around trauma, abuse, grief and loss, family and marital issues, sexuality, self-esteem and more is an integral part of a successful recovery. Our therapy studio is located in a beautiful serene setting with trees and ponds. Recovery counseling is sometimes more interactive than typical therapy, with sharing of successful strategies and programs. Counseling can include individual, couples and group.
12 Step Meetings
One essential key to recovery is active participation in a 12 Step Program. Many in early recovery resist 12 step meetings and especially resist getting a sponsor. We help clients overcome their reluctance to embrace the support of AA/NA. We guide clients to the most useful and supportive meetings based on their unique needs such as campus meetings or women only groups. We may attend with the client or monitor their attendance – many lie about attendance early in their program. We support frequent attendance, making friends, showing up early and staying afterwards, doing service work, getting phone numbers and following the direction of those who have done all these things and found sobriety.
Finding the Right Sponsor
We help guide clients in this key task of finding someone who will be an appropriate sponsor. The sponsor will guide the client through the 12 steps and act as a mentor. They will encourage service work, be available by phone when the client needs them and attend meetings with them. They will introduce others in the program and help with developing a network of sober friends.
Learning Assignments Reviewed With Your Coach
Our addiction and recovery library holds hundreds of books, articles, exercises, graphics and readings that are used to provoke thought and growth. Clients are asked to complete regular assignments and discuss them with their coach. Topics include triggers, relapse, sober activities, resentments, feelings, relationships, codependency, hopes and many more.
Education About the Brain Disease of Addiction
Bruce Thomson is a sought after lecturer on the brain chemistry of addiction. He lectures for the University of Michigan in the School of Social Work, Continuing Education courses, licensing programs, the National Association of Social Workers Conferences and in High Schools throughout Michigan. He will help explain the process of addiction as it affects the structure and working of the brain. Why is willpower not enough? Why is relapse so common? What actually helps in recovery and why? He will also explain the most current medical treatments available and describe the pros and cons of each.
Support, Education and Training of Family and Friends
Addiction is a family disease. It can exhaust people, damage health and destroy relationships. We work extensively with family members on issues such as self-care, codependency, enabling, patience, balance and especially, firm but loving boundaries. Considerable time is devoted to answering questions about how to handle moodiness, dishonesty, stealing, blaming, anger and lack of motivation. We work on how to manage your own feelings so you can make calm and wise decisions for your loved one.
Connection to excellent Doctors
Many clients struggling with addiction are self-medicating for other issues. If they suffer from untreated Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, Sleep Disorders or other serious problems the chances of a sustained recovery are slim. We help you find skilled Physicians, Psychiatrists and Addictionologists who can diagnose and treat these co-occuring disorders. It is essential to work with experienced doctors who understand the complex interplay of addiction and other medical problems.
Connection to Alternative Healing Practices
Ann Arbor is home to an amazing array of practitioners who use non-medical healing techniques. We help you meet specialists in areas such as Biofeedback, Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Yoga, Massage, Rolfing, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Reiki, Polarity and Energy work.
Establishment of a Successful Exercise Program
A critical element of any recovery program is exercise. Exercise improves physical health and stamina, supports a positive self-image, fights depression and increases Dopamine production without using chemicals – wow! We help clients develop a complete program for fitness and health. This may include joining a gym or the Y, getting a personal trainer, starting to lift weights or run or bike or swim. The exact program is tailored to the needs abilities and preferences of the client. The key here is to help provide motivation, positive feedback and the determination to persist.
Diet and Nutrition
You are what you eat. In recovery it is important to develop healthy eating habits around calories, sugar, caffeine and proper nutrients. We help you develop an eating plan that is consistent and achievable. The client will learn about restorative herbs and foods that encourage brain healing and dopamine production while avoiding triggers for relapse (think sugar!). We can help you secure the services of a Dietician experienced in working with recovery.
Support with Sober Accomplishment of Key Life Tasks
Your Coach will provide encouragement, advice and positive example when it comes to managing life tasks. The central challenge in recovery is not getting clean (hard as that is). The bigger obstacle is managing all of life’s highs and lows without resorting to the use of a substance. How to get a job/lose a job, find a partner/lose a partner, dance, work, play, and so on. We help clients develop a broad range of coping skills to replace the reliance on using.
Development of self-esteem and a positive self-image are an important part of this work.
Exploration of Personal Spirituality
Spirituality is highly correlated with successful recovery. We encourage clients to explore their own spirituality and reach out for support from a framework larger than their individual self. Concepts such as surrender and giving back are looked at within the framework of each client’s individual spirituality
About Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is nationally recognized as a city conducive to recovery! The educated population is open to the brain disease concept of addiction. The presence of the University of Michigan and nearby Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College and Concordia College provide for a rich cultural and intellectual climate. There are non-stop AA/NA meetings in a wide variety of settings. The medical facilities are world-renowned. The second oldest treatment facility in the nation, Brighton Center for Recovery, is just 20 minutes away. Employment is very strong and public transportation widely available.
Call Thomson Therapy Center today at (734) 994-8120 for your Free Consultation or for answers to your questions about
Recovery Coaching and Addiction Treatment in Ann Arbor.