03/21/2025
The role of 'coach' and 'mentor' have long played vital roles in the recovery process, whether formally recognized or not. The recent establishment of the titles 'Recovery Coach' and 'Recovery Mentor' over the past 10 (+/-) years highlights the necessity of defining their specific responsibilities and the positive outcomes they facilitate.
Despite being newly defined as professions and titles, research has already begun to look at the impact of coaching and mentorship delivery methods, interventions, and programs.
In a paper published in 2022 (Kang, Kang), research into the efficacy of peer recovery coach (PRC) delivery methods and intervention programs showed positive outcomes "...reduced participants' substance use and enhanced their treatment adherence rates, self-efficacy, quality of life, and stress control.
In a systematic literature review aimed at synthesizing the findings of studies conducted between 2010 and 2024 on the efficacy of recovery coaching in addiction recovery, the paper shared "...the available research on the effectiveness of recovery coaches in addiction recovery underscores their pivotal role in enhancing treatment engagement, reducing acute care utilization, and promoting long-term recovery success (Kibble et al., 2014)."
While more research is essential to clearly understand the impact of these roles on the recovery process, the reality is, that people experiencing addiction are still vastly underserved in our communities. The solution to this problem isn't all that complex - more resources, supportive programming, and trained professionals who are able to provide evidence-based interventions to those who need it.
Hats off to the many who are working tirelessly to support folks break free from addiction with limited resources, lack of government support, and very little recognition. You are carving a path and building a foundation that is absolutely necessary for the success of those you serve. Thank you.
