The Riverside Journals - Festivals Issue 38 - FULL | Page 82

Coach on the Couch The Benefits Enjoying Life of Recovery to the Full Coaching in Addiction Treatment hatever you have planned this summer – festival, beach, camping or just relaxing in the garden – practise consciously working at really enjoying the moment. An ability to recognize and relish the good times means we are better at building resilience and coping when life gets difficult. Think about the last momentous life event you experienced – in our social media driven world you may well have been desperately recording it on your phone for posterity… but how much better to give it your full, undivided attention; recording it instead in your psyche, enveloping your senses in the experience so you can recall the smells, the feel, what you heard, saw, even tasted? Which do you think is the better way to store a memory? It is often the simplest things that are the most magical – I love feeling the first warm rays of sunshine on my back after a long cold winter… Allowing ourselves the time to really experience and enjoy precious moments brings us into closer touch with the important things in life. But it is easy to lose sight of this when life gets busy and overwhelming – there is always something that needs our attention and it’s easy to get stuck in a rut and forget to take delight in the things that bring us pleasure. Here is my challenge to you: undertake, every day, to re-engage with the world around you, think about all your senses and allow yourself to really enjoy just being. I hope that when you do this you will begin to be able to think about, and cope with, life’s minor trials and tribulations a lot more positively. Change begins by thinking, and then acting differently. Sometimes we can make those changes on our own, sometimes we need support to make change happen. Coach on the Couch, Alex Bailey Staines, is available by appointment for private consultations and motivational meetings. 82 www.baileystainescoaching.co.uk [email protected] 07710 328 586 the riverside journals W A ddiction takes on many forms, and recovery from addiction is not a single method approach. Instead, effective treatment is tailored by the therapist and addiction specialist to reflect the unique needs of the client. For many clients in addiction recovery psychotherapy or counselling is highly effective, providing the insight, training and support required. For others, a more personalized and immediate option is the use of Recovery Coaching. The Basics of Recovery Coaching As with all types of coaching services, the Recovery Coaching offered at Philippe Jacquet & Associates focusses in on the strengths of the individual. The Coach works as a sounding board and guide to help the individual in recovery make the best choices moving forward in their life. Clients may call on their Recovery Coach, send a text, email, or even have a video conference using Skype or another predetermined platform. Throughout the session, the Recovery Coach will pose questions and partner with the client to be a professional support person. This is very different from being a therapist or an addiction specialist, and there is no diagnosis or treatment – rather there is immediate feedback and support. Setting Goals Another essential role of a Recovery Coach is to help the client in setting future goals and working towards obtaining those goals. For many in recovery, a critical goal can be abstinence from all addictive substances, which is an overlying goal. Under this umbrella goal, there can be a series of specific steps or skills the individual can develop, with the help of the coach, to achieve their goal of living a clean and sober life. Recovery Coaches are also very helpful for support in rebuilding communication skills, assisting in developing interpersonal relationships and even in planning professional goals and changes. As a partner and guide, the Coach has a unique relationship with the client, and one which is often a long-term interaction with extremely positive results. www.philippejacquet.co.uk 020 72062438