Frequently Asked Questions

When the use of alcohol and other substances get out of control, treatment in an inpatient or outpatient program or facility is the best way to regain control of one’s life. With proper treatment and attitude the individual can get well and recover from their addictions and alcoholism and reach his/her potential by creating healthy habits and by learning another way to live. The amount of time required to kick addiction depends on how far the illness has progressed and how serious the addict is about recovery. The most successful programs require the addict to realize that there are consequences to expect if recovery fails.

Treatment plans may last for a finite amount of time, but most people require additional recovery, a much longer process to make it through the stresses of life without succumbing to the temptations that drugs and alcohol present.

Treatment is part of the process that involves an individual going to a facility such as an inpatient or outpatient center. These treatment centers will help individuals deal with their withdrawal and furthermore begin to address the emotional and physical issues that follow. When these individuals are undergoing treatment, they will have continuous medical care, supervision, and assessment. They may also be involved in psychological counseling and therapy. Some treatment programs teach various recovery tools, while others do not.

The process may begin with a detoxification and with many therapy and counseling sessions that follow. Dealing with grief and loss, trauma, self-image, nutrition, exercise, and more are all covered during treatment.

A treatment center will offer valuable education and training on how to incorporate a recovery program into the individual’s life, which is critical once they leave the center. Oftentimes, people who are newly sober struggle with recovery, so that groups and meetings are simply not enough. In these situations, getting treatment at a facility may prove to be a valuable and lifesaving decision.

Once an individual has completed their treatment, they will move onto recovery. They may begin this in their own home or in a transitional center such as a sober living home. During recovery, the individual should attend various recovery groups and meetings to help them to stay on the right path. These will also provide ongoing support and act as a useful resource for issues that may occur after treatment. Those who are in recovery will have an understanding of what addiction is and what tools and techniques are available to avoid a possible relapse.

If you need a treatment center as a first step in your recovery, David Malow Recovery Coach can recommend an appropriate place.

Recovery is hard to accomplish on your own because the roots of addiction run deep. For most former addicts, recovery may include a Recovery Coach, peer support groups, and recovery workshops, Some individuals who are addicted to a drug, but their addiction is not considered to be ‘serious,’ may be able to avoid proper treatment and go to recovery groups only. This is typically not the case for most addicts.

A key feature of our programs is accountability. While we can help a client face recovery, he or she must be committed to the process and willing to take responsibility for their progress. Throughout the process we perform random drug tests and verify meeting attendance to make sure that the person is on track.

We also offer Coaching, Mentoring, Monitoring, Intervention, Treatment Placement, Companion, or Transport. Our services can be as comprehensive as the client needs to promote recovery and sober reintegration into the client’s lifestyle. David Malow Recovery Coach offers a particularly robust plan for mentoring and monitoring that is delivered one on one and is caring, compassionate, and personalized.

A recovery coach (or sober coach) helps individual stay abstinent, often based on their own experience of recovering themselves. They help line up resources a person might need to achieve and retain sobriety, such as finding a treatment program or online support groups or developing a treatment plan. They also interact with the person on a regular basis. Most recovery coaches take a training course and depending on the state, may receive certification.

A sober companion provides clients with 1-on-1 attention as they begin recovery and start establishing a daily routine, They are on call, but may live with the recovering addict for a time. They can be particularly helpful in developing accountability and coping skills that can aid recovery and prevent relapse. As the hiring a sober companion is expensive, celebrities and other wealthy individuals are more likely to hire a live-in sober companion,

Sober Companions have been a huge success in the field of recovery, offering their recovering client that extra support needed based on their particular circumstances. Becoming enlightened and informed on the benefits of a Sober Companion may help you, your family, or potential client decide whether or not this would be a productive resource to seek out.

Since reentering normal life can be difficult challenge to many people, especially those in high-stress jobs, a sober coach adds motivational support and structure that makes recovery more effective. The coach assists the client form healthy habits and observes as individuals practice their new coping skills.

Because Sober Companions have been in the position of recovery themselves, they are more understanding of the problems that recovering addicts face than family member who may have biased opinions that can thwart progress. With empathy developed from experience, they can also help the client on an emotional level and mental level that others cannot. They are especially helpful if the person has relapsed in the past.

Some who seek out Sober Companions lack experience in self-care, which frustrates them and frustrates those around them. The Sober Companion will teach self-care to the client such as healthy eating habits, exercise, keeping their living space clean, getting up at a certain time, learning to use certain appliances that client is unfamiliar with, and keeping a day planner a/or calendar to keep track of accomplishing daily goals and tasks.

For the client, diligently practicing this new way of living is a significant self-esteem booster as they start to see their self-worth in a way they never had previously. Having that extra encouragement from the example of a teacher side by side with them gives them the encouragement to continue their new lifestyle.

While someone observing a loved one with a Substance Use Disorder may never be able to fully understand the struggle they are going through, they can prepare themselves by learning about treatment, recovery, and the process that is yet to come. This is where a Recovery Coach can make a very positive impact on the entire family.

Addicts often abdicate responsibilities, which puts additional financial and emotional support on other family members. David Malow Recovery Coach stresses accountability in recovery and with permission, shares the individual’s progress, so that the family learns to reestablish trust in their loved one’s ability to handle their affairs.

While a recovery program is personalized to each client, a plan might include all or part of these elements:

On Call Crisis Support

• Phone support available 7 days a week
• Education on how to ask for help

Daily, Weekly & Weekend Planning

• Learning how to use a calendar/planner
• Support in following through with commitments and appointments
• Creating an hour by hour schedule when necessary
• Learning to deal with free time and/or unstructured time

Physical Well-Being

• Nutritional consulting (meal planning, food choice education, safe medications & vitamins to use)
• Support with any codependency or eating disorder issues
• Creating an exercise routine
• Hiking/walking/running sessions
• Creating a personalized self-care plan (acupuncture, yoga, personal trainers, etc.)

Budgeting Issues

• Addressing over spending and under spending
• Learning how to create a monthly and weekly budget
• How to use checkbook/credit cards/open bank account/pay bills
• Learning how to re-establish trust with family/significant other/friends around money issues

Fun/Passion/Purpose

• Learning how to have fun in sobriety and explore different hobbies
• How to build fun into weekly schedule
• Finding one’s own aspirations and dreams
• Spirituality support

Sobriety Support

• Help in finding safe and comfortable meetings
• Daily relapse prevention plan
• Support in finding a sponsor
• Education on Cycle of Addictions
• Support in establishing healthy friendships and relationships

Team Approach

• Works with psychiatrists, therapists, sober living & outpatient programs and other service providers to provide a team approach
• Referrals to various professionals with specializations in addictions provided as needed

To build habits of accountability, a client:

• Agrees to adhere to their 911 plan/fire drill
• Agrees to submit to three SOBERLINK tests per day
• Agrees to check in with their coach by telephone every morning
• Agrees to email their coach a journal every night
• Agree to allow their coach to contact the following people
• Agree to carry their soberlink device with me
• Will notify the coach if or when they may be late or miss a test or if and when they need to adjust the testing schedule
• Agrees to meet with their coach face-to-face or via Skype or FaceTime once per week

Because addiction is intermingled with a person’s life, total recovery, which requires turning away from drugs, alcohol, or chemicals that one found enjoyable or at least necessary to survive, is difficult. Unless the person has a desire to change and is willing to participate in a recovery plan that requires accountability, lasting recovery is virtually impossible.

For an in-depth discussion of this topic, read our Ten Reasons Why Individuals Have So Much Difficulty Staying In Recovery (For Family/Loved Ones, Concerned Parties).

While our services are effective and an excellent value, they are not covered by insurance.