How Are Recovery Companions Different Than a Sponsor?
Your recovery is one of the most important journeys you will take in life. Finding the support to get you through it can make a difference. Having someone who can provide accountability, encouragement, and stability, and be a shoulder to lean on if life gets a little too challenging to handle alone, can make the recovery process easier. A recovery companion or sponsor can be that support for you. Needing someone to help you means you are strong enough to know that you can't do everything alone. It also means you are strong enough to reach out when you need support. Finding that support can be a bit of trial and error, but once you do, you will find that recovery is made more manageable.
Recovery Companions
As part of its services, Next Level Recovery offers recovery companions to its clients. Recovery companions, or associates, are individuals hand-picked to support you during your recovery. They can support you in the early stages of treatment through your transition into a halfway house or back to your home and beyond. These individuals can perform a multitude of tasks to make your recovery more manageable, such as:
Help determine the correct treatment plan for you
Accompany you to and from treatment
Accompany you to social events and vacations
Help identify triggers and high-risk environments
Create a healthy day-to-day schedule
Keep you accountable for your life and sobriety
Provide stability, encouragement, accountability, and compassion
Encourage breaks and self-care
Help find hobbies and activities to limit temptation
Attend therapy sessions with you
Recovery companions are there to be what you need and provide you with a unique support system. They are trained to help you through recovery. They are also trained to know that everyone's experience and journey are different.
Contact us at Next Level Recovery for more information about recovery companions and find the best fit for you. Email us today at consult@nextlevelra.com.
Sponsor
A recovery sponsor is an upholder for sobriety who provides encouragement, understanding, and guidance throughout the recovery journey. They use their own experience to help get you through the different stages of recovery. Sponsors are often seen with groups such as alcoholics anonymous (AA) and narcotics anonymous (NA) and have completed a 12-Step program themselves.
Their personal experience with addiction gives them an insider's perspective that they can share with you. This may allow you to form a better connection with them and to feel more open to sharing because they have been through something similar. They may also be able to provide you with advice and tools that others can't due to this experience and knowledge.
They provide support and act as a friendly shoulder to lean on and vent to when needed. Sponsors hold you accountable for your sobriety and the actions surrounding it. They can help you find housing, advise, and get you back on or help you maintain your path to prevent relapse.
Similarities
Both recovery companions and sponsors provide a judgment-free, compassionate, encouraging support system to hold you accountable.
Recovery companions and sponsors perform various tasks to help make recovery more manageable.
Sponsors and recovery companions want to keep you on your recovery journey and prevent relapse as much as possible.
Both work to help you find and avoid triggers and harmful environments that could lead to a relapse.
Recovery companions and sponsors can be unique to you and what you need.
Differences
Recovery companions are trained to be able to help you through your recovery journey and the various struggles that may accompany it. Sponsors mostly rely on their personal experience and have no regulations for training or education.
Sponsors can connect people from different lifestyles and situations. Recovery companions primarily work with high-end business clientele because that is who many Next Level Recovery's clients are.
Sponsors can provide personal real-world experiences for you to relate to. Recovery companions don't necessarily have to be in recovery from addiction themselves.
Recovery companions can frequently involve themselves in your treatment more than a sponsor can by taking you to and from treatment and accompanying you to your therapy sessions.
Sponsors are unique to you because your sponsor is someone you identify with and choose as your guide. Recovery companions are personalized and hand-picked to meet your specific needs and support your situation.
You risk becoming overly attached to your sponsor and seeing them as the reason for your sobriety rather than yourself. There is also a risk that certain sponsors will push their lifestyle and values onto you rather than just helping you get through the steps of your recovery. Recovery companions are trained to avoid these situations and work with their clients appropriately to prevent them from occurring while still providing their clients with the needed support, compassion, and respect.
Recovery is one of the most important journeys you will venture on and is a lifetime commitment. The support system you surround yourself with can make a world of difference in your recovery. The recovery companions at Next Level Recovery are hand-picked to be the best fit for you and trained to help you on your recovery journey. They are there to be the support system you need. You are not alone in your recovery, and there are people who want to help. We at Next Level can provide a personalized experience to ensure you get everything you need to thrive in your recovery journey. For more information, email us at consult@nextlevelra.com.