I help people maintain long-term recovery.
I'm Sophie. At the heart of my recovery coaching practice is a firm belief in an individual’s capacity for change and personal transformation. I also truly believe in the value of a coach, because it’s one of the main reasons I am thriving in life today, free from past damaging patterns and behaviours. To read about my coaching methodology, please visit the Coaching page.
Experience is our biggest opportunity to grow. I use my personal transformative experiences to help others encounter long term, rewarding personal growth and life satisfaction 'on the other side’ of addiction. It is possible to attain, and maintain, a life of meaning, purpose and joy in recovery.
I thrive on helping others find their experience of 'flow' – a state of being in which you are fully immersed and at one with what you are doing. The mental, physical, and spiritual are all in sync working in perfect accord toward reaching the vision.
With extensive experience in the corporate world, I have a deep understanding of the needs of executive level individuals and for discretion with these delicate matters. I use my lived experience to help others on a journey I know well myself.
I am accredited with the International Coaches' Register: the worldwide quality mark for active and excellently trained professional coaches.
The parable
Feeding the right wolf is not merely the difference between a good or bad day.
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
The moral of this story is quite obvious and gives everyone reason to pause and reflect. However, for those in recovery, feeding the right wolf is not merely the difference between a good or bad day. It can be life or death.
There are indeed two wolves. For those with a struggle of addiction, they are defined a bit differently: one is recovery and the other is a relapse.
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What is recovery coaching?
Recovery coaching is a non-clinical, self-directed, strengths-based partnership between coach and client with the goal of achieving long-term recovery and improved quality of life.
As a recovery coach, I help individuals on the path of recovery, before, during, and after treatment. I assist clients with identifying and overcoming barriers to recovery, including stigma and shame.
What are the benefits of recovery coaching?
Triggers will be alive in our day-to-day world, so it’s imperative to create a watertight strategy to manage how we react to those threats to recovery.
By being strategic, having a coach, and putting a structure in place for your recovery, you’ll have the best opportunity for long term recovery.
Some of the many benefits include:
- My assistance with navigating your recovery journey
- Learning evidence-based tools for behavioural change
- Habit forming and goal setting
- Adopting a more balanced and holistic approach to life
- Developing effective practices to help with emotional regulation
- Mindfulness practices for stress reduction and resilience
- Accountability and ongoing support.
How do I know if recovery coaching is for me?
I provide coaching for individuals who are seeking a supportive and proactive coach to stay aligned to what they want to achieve in life and ensure they maintain intentional, strong recovery. This includes identifying and overcoming barriers to recovery, including stigma and shame.
Recovery coaching might be for you if you:
- have just finished a rehab program
- are under pressure in your executive role
- are looking to strengthen your recovery journey
- are feeling ‘wobbly’ and overwhelmed with too much on your plate with work, family life and recovery.
How do sessions work?
Sessions are online, which is least disruptive to your day and allows us to work together wherever you are in the world.
Each session is 60 minutes. However, if there is greater urgency for change, I offer 90 minute appointments.
I usually coach clients once a week for a minimum of 8 weeks. We then review progress and decide whether further sessions would be useful. Later in a coaching program, fortnightly or monthly sessions can be suitable.
However, people are individuals, and each coaching arrangement is unique and tailored to meet the goals you want to achieve. Many of my clients contract my services as a long-term, ongoing agreement. Some need intense coaching support for a week or more when they first leave a treatment centre. In our initial call, we will discuss the best option for you.
What is your approach?
As your recovery coach I will help you identify your blind spots or triggers, and work with you to develop and strengthen a set of tools to keep you on track, even in the most challenging situations. I’ll also be there to ground you with support, guidance and accountability for when things feel tough.
While recovery from substance use is the primary focus, I address your whole life, encompassing health and wellness, self-care, and coping skills.
My coaching method includes evidence-based psychological and behaviour change methods, and neuroscience. I do not ascribe to one particular pathway – my approach honours individuality. I tailor our work together using a range of strategies for the best outcomes.
I help you dive deep into your purpose, your ‘raison d’être’, and your motivation for your recovery journey. This helps you work out what you want, most importantly why you want it, and what could be stopping you, before we create a plan of action together.