Relapse and recovery: How to help your clients stay clean

If you’re working with someone in recovery, it’s important to help them stay on the path, and get back on it if they fall off. It’s not uncommon to relapse. Many people don’t stay clean during their first try. That’s why it’s important for those seeking recovery to know how to avoid relapse and what to do if they do relapse.

Work with your clients in recovery to help them identify any potential triggers that could tempt them into relapsing. There are plenty of things that can trip a person up. It could be people in their lives, different environments, or even smells. Avoiding these people or circumstances can help them stay on the road to recovery. This may mean throwing stuff out, redecorating at home, or even moving, if need be.

Encourage your clients to write down their goals and why they want to stay clean. They should keep this list somewhere they can easily access it for times when they feel tempted to relapse. This list also can come in handy if they do relapse. They can look at it afterwards and remember why it’s important to get back on the path to recovery.

Let your patients know that although you want to encourage them to stay clean, you’ll be there if they relapse. It’s important for them to know they need to reach out for support if they fall off the path. Those who relapse need to know they can reach out to loved ones and professionals for support. They need to lean on someone to help them get back up and stay clean. Let them know they aren’t a failure and help them find the strength to move on.

Relapsing can be an unfortunate part of the recovery journey. Help prepare your clients to find ways to avoid relapse, but also share with them what to do if it should occur. Give your clients the best chance at establishing their ultimate goal of living in recovery.

What we can learn from Ben Affleck’s struggle with addiction

Many people struggle with addiction, including people who seem to have it all. Take Ben Affleck, for instance, an actor who has been honest about his struggle with alcoholism. He’s been in rehab three times now, in 2001, 2017, and 2018.

There are a few things we can learn from Affleck about helping those with addiction. Affleck emphasized the importance of having support from friends, family and fans. He took to social media to talk about the support he received from those close to him and he thanked those who open up about their own battles. Support plays a key role in helping people get through addiction. It’s important that people walking this road don’t feel like they’re doing it alone.

Affleck also demonstrates the importance of honesty. When someone is dealing with addiction, they need to come to a point where they are willing to admit to themselves and others that there is a problem. Affleck did this and sought help — two key steps on the path towards recovery.

Affleck may live with an ongoing addiction, but he sought help. He has people in his life to show him support and a willingness to be honest about his struggles. What can we, as coaches, learn from his experience? We need to create a space where we are showing support for those we are coaching. We also need to strive to provide an atmosphere where people can feel comfortable enough to be open and honest about what they are going through. By doing this, we can help their chances at walking the road to recovery with success.

Find purpose in your career

How does it feel when you help others out? Do you get the inner sense of satisfaction from knowing you were able to bring positivity into someone else’s life? Being helpful can actually be good for your well-being as a whole. It can provide a deep feeling of meaning. And, it may even boost how many years you live.

But, when giving of yourself, it will mean more internally if you feel passionate about it. When you can pair helping others with something you’re passionate about, you’ll be more likely to have that deep satisfaction.

Coaching is a career that allows many to fulfill this purpose. It’s a career that is focused on helping others succeed. The coach’s job is to help others find their path and live out their lives the best way possible. It’s no wonder that people in the coaching career can also experience a lot of personal growth along the journey.

If empathy and understanding comes easy to you, and you have a passion for helping others, this could be the ideal career choice for you. Not only will you have the opportunity to help others, but you could benefit as well. You may find the feeling of purpose in this role and a newfound independence to live the life you’ve been dreaming of.

Find your emotional support outlet

As a coach, you will probably be very invested in the people you work with. You’ll encourage them and want to see them succeed. When they stumble, you’ll want to see them get back up and start again. This investment is one of the reasons you became a coach, because you enjoy helping others succeed. However, being invested in others can also take its toll on you.

When you’re emotionally invested in others, it can run you down. As a busy professional, you probably constantly have something go on, juggling many plates. But all of this time and investment can have negative effects on your emotional well-being.

You’ll need to find an outlet to handle your emotions as well. Maybe that means you talk with a close friend or family member about other stresses going on in your life. You could confide in a trained professional, even coaches and therapists can have therapists.

However, if you prefer another outlet, consider journaling out your emotions. It allows you to free them from your mind and let them go. Pets can also provide great emotional support. You can tell them anything and relax with them, being comforted by their love and loyalty.

Being a support for someone else is rewarding, you get to help others make goals and see them through to the finish line. But, it can also be mentally exhausting at times. While you’re being an emotional support, don’t forget that you also need to find support to get you through the days ahead.

Time for a career change

What does this new year look like to you? Is it full of possibilities? Every year, we decide on goals for how we want to improve. Last year, three resolutions tied for first place as the most popular: “Eat healthier, Get more exercise, Save (more money).” There were a variety of other resolutions of course too, focusing on additional ways to excel in the new year. One of which, hits close to home: “Get a (new) job.”

We’re going to turn our focus to this particular resolution, because we think it’s so important to have a job you’re passionate about. You’ll spend a lot of your lifetime on the job, so you want it to be one you care about. You don’t want to spend endless hours in a dead-end job that doesn’t provide you with satisfaction. Instead, you want to find something that fills you with purpose.

We have a great opportunity for those looking for more freedom and independence in their job. This is a job best suited for people who are passionate about helping others succeed in their journey. If you’re resolution is to find a new career, it’s time to consider coaching. It’s a career choice that allows you to really make a difference and be an incredible impact on the lives of others. It also has the ability to give you renewed energy by reigniting your inner being with purpose.

If you’d like to learn more, we invite you to check out our website. We have three great professional coaching programs. CPRC — offering a recovery coaching credential, CPC — a program that provides a life coaching credential, and CPRC Dual — allowing you to earn both credentials in one program.

It’s a new year. The perfect time to make a career change. Are you ready?

How to eat healthier with a busy lifestyle

You’re a busy person. It’s hard to make time for eating, especially healthy eating. Healthy eating can seem more time consuming. It’s something that typically has to be planned for. When you’re in a hurry, you’ll be more inclined to grab what’s fast and easy, i.e. fast food, takeout, or snacks from the vending machine. They’re quick. You can grab and go, get fed, and move on.

Eating like this on occasion may not be detrimental, but over time it can add up. Instead, choose a healthier way. First, start off your day with a healthy fix. Breakfast is a very important foundation for your day. It helps to set the pace for how you’ll feel and how you’ll perform the rest of the day. It provides you with energy to get moving and helps keep you fueled till lunch. There are plenty of quick fixes for the morning that are also healthy. Try a piece of whole grain toast spread with almond butter and slices of banana. You could whip up some scrambled eggs, or an egg sandwich to-go on whole grain toast with avocado spread. If you want something really quick, make a casserole ahead of time, something you can just cut, heat up, and eat in the morning.

Take this smart eating with you throughout the day. Keep healthy snacks available like almond packs, hummus to-go packs, raisins, granola, and cheese sticks. When you have something healthy within easy reach you can skip the vending machine and the tempting treats it has to offer. When it comes to meals, have your food prepped ahead of time or have it delivered from a restaurant nearby that offers healthy selections. If you go out to eat, be sure to choose grilled meats instead of fried, and opt for water over soda.

When you’re in a hurry it can be tempting to skip eating, eat while you’re on the job, or make unhealthy food choices. None of which are good for your overall wellness. Take time, even if it’s just a little, to eat good foods. Make it convenient and ready for when you need it, so you’ll be able to get everything accomplished without sacrificing your health.

Is coaching the right career for you?

Have you been considering coaching but you haven’t made a final commitment yet? We understand it can take some time to make a decision, especially when it comes to your career. So, we’re here to help you decide if this could be the right path for you.

Do you get satisfaction out of helping people?

If you have a desire to help others, coaching is a great career choice.

Are you looking for a change and want to help others change their lives?

Coaching can provide you with the opportunity to change and grow personally. It can also give you the tools needed to coach others on the road to success.

Do you want a job that allows you the freedom to grow independently?

When you work as a coach, you can be gifted the freedom to choose your clients and your hours. It provides you with the opportunity of independence and the potential for financial growth.

Are you self motivated?

When you’re a coach, you should have some self-motivation ingrained in you. This allows you to keep going and help motivate others to live their best lives.

Do you see potential in others?

As a coach, you’ll need to believe that others have the potential to grow and become the best version of themselves. If you can see that potential in others, it will help you be a great coach.

After reading through these questions, do you think coaching sounds like the right fit for you? If so, please head on over to our website to learn about the great coaching programs we have to offer.