Bridging the Gap: The Value of Recovery Coaching in Clinical Care
Recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs) or mental health disorders is not a one-size-fits-all process. Clinical services such as therapy, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and psychiatric care play a critical role. But what happens between sessions? Who helps a person navigate the messy, day-to-day reality of building a new life?
That’s where recovery coaches come in.
What Is a Recovery Coach?
Recovery coaches are trained professionals—often with lived experience—who walk alongside individuals in or seeking recovery. They do not diagnose or treat, but instead offer guidance, connection, and support rooted in empathy, accountability, and hope.
Recovery coaches help clients:
Develop and pursue self-defined recovery goals
Navigate services and systems
Rebuild their social and recovery capital
Stay motivated and engaged in their recovery journey
Their work is grounded in harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and person-centered practices.
Why Combine Recovery Coaching with Clinical Services?
Clinical treatment addresses the biological and psychological roots of addiction. But recovery happens in daily life—in relationships, in housing, in work, and in moments of doubt.
When clinical providers and recovery coaches collaborate:
Clients stay more engaged in treatment and aftercare services (Bassuk et al., 2016)
Relapse and hospital readmission rates are lower (Reif et al., 2014)
Clients report higher satisfaction and feel less isolated (Eddie et al., 2019)
This synergy is often referred to as integrated care, and it recognizes that behavioral health outcomes improve when care teams include both clinical professionals and peer support providers.
What the Research Says
A growing body of research supports the integration of peer recovery coaches in behavioral health treatment:
A 2016 systematic review found that peer recovery support services led to reduced substance use, improved housing stability, and decreased rates of relapse and re-incarceration (Bassuk et al., 2016).
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) highlights peer services as a key component of recovery-oriented systems of care, emphasizing their role in long-term support and relapse prevention (SAMHSA, 2015).
A study by Reif et al. (2014) found that peer recovery support services improved engagement and retention in treatment and increased the likelihood of abstinence at follow-up.
In short, peer recovery support does not replace clinical care—it enhances it.
What Makes This Collaboration So Powerful?
Accessibility & Relatability: Clients often feel more comfortable being open with a peer who has "been there."
Real-Life Support: Coaches help clients apply therapy tools in everyday life—dealing with cravings, relationships, and setbacks.
Bridging Systems: Recovery coaches can help clients follow through on clinical goals while advocating for their unique needs across medical, legal, housing, and employment systems.
Recovery-Centered Metrics: Peer work often tracks qualitative outcomes like hope, self-efficacy, and engagement—critical indicators that traditional treatment may overlook.
Conclusion: Better Together
Recovery coaching, when integrated thoughtfully with clinical treatment, offers a more human, responsive, and effective approach to recovery. It centers the individual, supports autonomy, and recognizes that healing happens not just in therapy rooms, but in the mess and beauty of everyday life.
If we want to support lasting recovery, we need to stop thinking in silos and start thinking in teams.
References:
Bassuk, E. L., Hanson, J., Greene, R. N., Richard, M., & Laudet, A. (2016). Peer-delivered recovery support services for addictions in the United States: A systematic review. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 63, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2016.01.003
Eddie, D., Hoffman, L., Vilsaint, C., Abry, A., Bergman, B. G., Hoeppner, B., & Kelly, J. F. (2019). Lived experience in new models of care for substance use disorder: A systematic review of peer recovery support services and recovery coaching. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1052. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01052
Reif, S., Braude, L., Lyman, D. R., Dougherty, R. H., Daniels, A. S., Ghose, S. S., & Delphin-Rittmon, M. E. (2014). Peer recovery support for individuals with substance use disorders: Assessing the evidence. Psychiatric Services, 65(7), 853–861. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201300344
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2015). Core competencies for peer workers in behavioral health services. https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/pep15-peer-core-competencies.pdf
