Multiple services

 II. Intensive Recovery Workshops
III. Sober Coaches
 IV. Family Support

 I. Wise Life Coach - Offers respectful, unconditional positive regard to support and assist your changes you want to make, possibly finding it difficult to motivate yourself, find the time, encouragement and assistance. This is for anyone and is not recovery or addiction related and does not include deep therapy work.

 II. Intensive Recovery Workshops - This is a group with strong individual attention due to the small size. Intensive Recovery Workshop will include therapy, sharing, support, CBT, DBT, some art therapy, limited “group therapy”, meditation theory, fun and designing a new life practice. This program is for recovery, relapse prevention or just attainment of goals and better health and for those who won’t attend an IOP or can’t do to work or childcare. All materials will be supplied. Recovery from whatever you need to work on does not need to be a dismal, somber chore. We have fun and support each other. There will be homework though!

 III. Why Do You Need A Sober Coach? 

 A sober coach serves as an invaluable bridge between formal treatment programs and daily life outside - which could make the difference between success, a new life, happiness or death. Loved ones are rarely equipped to deal with the needs of a newly detoxed and sober addict.

 My methodology is professional, experienced and unique. I am a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with many years’ experience in addiction treatment and relapse prevention with proven results. I am a Masters Level Registered Addiction Specialist and the highest advance level Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor IV. Many sober coach businesses have unlicensed personnel without substantial substance abuse certifications and experience yet charge similar fees. No other program offers the extensive menu of help.

 The first year after treatment is incredibly difficult and most recovering addicts do relapse. Most families are ill equipped to deal with the enormous strain of helping an addict re-enter society successfully. Most addicts plan to leave rehab and go right back into the environment that supported their use and caused stressors in the first place. It isn't enough for most to succeed.

 From the moment a recovering addict leaves the treatment facility he begins the fight of his or her life. It is not uncommon for someone to leave the treatment program and head straight to the liquor store or to meet up with drug using friends. We seek to avoid that. Relapse threatens to undo all the hard work in detox or rehab when the individual is left to their own devices. Most drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities are very controlled environments. Being completely segregated from one’s home environment, the recovering addict spends their days in structured living with everything done for them. This is not a natural environment. To leave this safe haven and re-enter the life you left behind can introduce a multitude of triggers, leading to relapse. That is where a sober coach comes in.

 My approach and services, as needed 

 Assessment

• Full, extensive intake and assessment of current status and needs, complete review of history of use to assess level of support needed requiring one full day
• Developing and implementing short and long-term personal, educational and/or career plans, goals, tracking and a daily check-in regarding acting on these
  
• Exploration of current community and family can support and how to strengthen these
  
• Assessment of client's current situation and living environment including friends and contacts
  

 Support

• Intensive work on self-esteem and self-confidence in remaining sober
• Help in setting up personal, social goals and creating healthy habits
  
• Weekly one-hour therapy sessions (or counseling depending on the State the client resides in), or interfacing with the client’s existing therapist
• Helping those in recovery build skills and coping strategies using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and other therapeutic methods
  
• Support in resisting sober pressure to use or be around triggers
  
• Encouragement of making new sober friends to associate with 
  
• Support in getting to scheduled appointments; connections to fellowship communities
• Assistance to develop of independent living skills i.e.; budgeting, shopping, meal preparation
  
• Support of medication management
  
• Job coaching or education needs; identifying job or volunteer opportunities
  
• Connections to sober recreational activities, and like-interest groups
  
• Doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, physical therapy and other medical needs monitored
  
• Guidance through frequent in-person coaching and mentoring 
  
• Encouragement to improve health by exercise, sports, using a trainer if appropriate
  
• Optional: Companions available for appointments, excursions and attending sober meetings at possible additional cost
  

 Monitoring

• Accountability for complete abstinence from substances and facilitation of regular drug testing
  
• Sober living facilities weekly interface, if applicable
  
• (Monitoring Sober Link Alcohol Continual Testing, or other providers, on a case by case basis at provider’s added cost)
  

 Reporting

• Weekly written report to family or the financial sponsor
  
• Lawyers, Court reporting for Alternative Sentencing
  

 Re-Entry Skills

• Help towards doing the work of rebuilding relationships, job or schooling needs
  
• Finding meaning in helping others and becoming self-sufficient
  

 Referrals, if needed

• Sober companions
  
• Sober Living Environments (SLE’s)
  
• Special needs service providers
  
• Pharmacies
  
• Transportation companies
  
• Various professional services
  
• Testing
  
• Addiction treatment facilities
  
• Outpatient centers
  
• Psychiatrists
  
• Dietitians, trainers, physical therapists
  

 Family

• Weekly interface with family to discuss progress and ways to support permanent change (requires Release of Confidential Information form)
  
• Psychoeducation, ongoing
  

 Spirituality, optional

• Encouragement to explore or practice spirituality at local places of worship
  
• Support to attend retreats
  
• Training in meditation
  
• Encouragement to use yoga and other grounding techniques
  
• Connections to spiritual leaders
  

 Cost

• For the first 30-60 days it is generally advised to contract for the full services, as needed, listed above. Some people suffering from addiction need longer help.
  
• The cost is $1,000 per day. 
  
• All programs require a 10 day minimum commitment payable in advance.
  
• A la carte services may be requested covering a portion of the above for $195 per hour.

 Please email for details to discuss your needs and when we can arrange a phone call thereafter.

 Sharon Valentino, LMFT, RAS, CATC IV e:  [email protected]

 More help, if desired

 IV. Family Support Program

We have an entirely separate program is available to provide more in-depth weekly counseling, more intensive support, education and strategies in new ways of deal with a recovering addict. Online counseling is available if out of area or Family sessions with the recovering and any local family members. 

-  Life Coaching for Addiction

If the recovering addict needs additional help after leaving our Sober Coach program, we offer help with our Wise Life Coach program. 

Call or email for details