Learning as a Recovery Coach
When I first started working as a recovery coach with young adults in inpatient treatment programs for dual diagnosis, I thought I understood what the work would be like. I imagined supporting people through addiction, depression, trauma, and other psychiatric disorders by encouraging healthier habits and helping them stay motivated in their long term recovery. What I didn’t realize was how deeply the experience would shape my understanding of mental health, substance use disorders, and the emotional challenges many people face.
Why Power Struggles Don’t Work
Early on, someone taught me something simple but powerful about compassionate communication: don’t get into power struggles—redirect instead. That sounded easy, but when you’re working with people dealing with mental health problems, withdrawal symptoms, or emotional overwhelm, it isn’t simple at all. For example, if someone refused to clean their room, my mind would race with assumptions. Were they being stubborn? Did they not care? Or were they struggling with symptoms of depression or conflicts happening beneath the surface?
Eventually, I stepped back and began to understand the various aspects of their behavior. Often it wasn’t defiance—it was exhaustion, fear, or a lack of support. The more I understood their lived experience, the less I took things personally. My responsibility wasn’t to control them; it was to support them with empathy, patience, and emotional awareness.
How Communication Builds Connection
As I grew into the role, I prepared myself before every conversation. I used active listening, open-ended questions, and observations instead of judgments. Statements like, “I noticed your room hasn’t been cleaned in a week,” followed by, “Is everything okay?” helped build connection and foster understanding.
Sometimes clients got defensive, sometimes they opened up, and sometimes they simply said, “You’re right, I’ll take care of it.” No matter their response, I stayed supportive, grounded, and focused on communication—not control. Over time, these small moments created trust, which is often the foundation of recovery.
Supporting Someone Through Mental Health or Substance Use Challenges
Supporting a loved one experiencing substance use, depression, or other psychiatric disorders requires patience, emotional understanding, and a willingness to see beyond symptoms. Many people self medicate or withdraw because they feel overwhelmed—not because they don’t care. When you approach them with compassion, social support, and clear communication, you help reduce shame and increase their motivation to seek treatment options or participate in counseling. Evidence shows that individuals in recovery benefit from strong family support, peer support, and consistent encouragement. When you focus on empathy, connection, and understanding instead of criticism, you create a safer environment where long term recovery becomes more achievable. People heal when they feel seen, supported, and loved—not judged or pressured.
The Role of Emotional Awareness in Long-Term Recovery
Another critical part of supporting someone with dual diagnosis or substance use disorders is recognizing how emotions influence behavior. Many people struggling with addiction, depression, or other psychiatric disorders experience high levels of stress, emotional conflicts, and patterns they developed as a way to cope. When you understand that drug use, withdrawal symptoms, or sudden changes in behavior often come from unmet needs or unspoken pain, you can respond with more empathy and less judgment. Emotional awareness helps you see the person behind the symptoms, which strengthens communication and encourages them to explore treatment options, counseling, and healthier coping strategies. This approach not only improves relationships but also supports better outcomes by reminding the person that they’re not alone, that recovery is possible. That support is available at every step.
Boundaries Are Part of Compassion
Another important lesson was learning not to take the emotional weight home with me. When you’re surrounded by people working through co-occurring disorders, behavioral therapy challenges, or emotional stress, boundaries matter. They protect your mental health. They keep you steady. They allow you to show up for others without losing yourself.
How These Lessons Extend Into Everyday Life
Today, I use these same communication tools with my kids, friends, and family members. Even though I still get frustrated at times, I try to return to compassion. People grow when they feel safe, supported, and understood. They don’t grow from pressure or conflict—they grow from connection.
Working as a recovery coach showed me that the heart of treatment isn’t just programs or medication—it’s empathy, communication, and genuine human connection. These lessons continue to shape how I show up for others, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.
