Introducing "Transitional Recovery Coaching”
Transitional Recovery Coaches expand care access for clients with eating disorders.
Transitional Recovery Coaches provide compassionate support for eating disorders clients during the admissions process. This helps clients overcome eating disorders beliefs and commit to self-advocacy and the recovery journey.
What is “Recovery Coaching?”
Recovery coaching, a term coined in the early 2000s, describes non-clinical peer and affiliated support – often provided by someone with lived experience – for individuals in recovery for substance use and/or other addiction-related mental health disorders.
The recent emergence of eating disorder recovery coaching as an adjunct to standard eating disorder treatment fills a significant gap for clients. Recovery coaches are accessible to and “in the trenches” with clients – more so than their therapists, dietitians, and doctors – offering practical guidance and information, emotional support, and a safe space for navigating recovery’s daily ups and downs.
Alsana’s Transitional Recovery Coach
We saw a growing need to support clients during their first steps of the recovery journey; namely, the admissions process.
To ensure clients receive the right dose of treatment, Alsana requires all clients to complete clinical and medical assessments prior to admission. But we also want to alleviate clients’ anxiety and hesitation around these steps and ensure their access to life-saving ED care. Thus, Alsana’s Transitional Recovery Coaching program was born.
The Transitional Recovery Coach (TRC) offers compassionate, complimentary, practical support exclusively for clients who are going through the admissions process or waiting to be admitted to an Alsana program. The TRC is a dedicated, experienced, and compassionate individual with personal eating disorder recovery experience. Whether a client ultimately chooses to come to Alsana or not, the TRC’s primary goal is to play some role in easing individuals’ transition into treatment.
“If you can’t beat fear, do it scared.”
Complimentary Coaching Services
The Transitional Recovery Coach is adaptive and will work to meet each unique client where they are in recovery, so service particulars vary with clients’ needs. Services include:
MOTIVATION & SUPPORT
We are committed to removing barriers between clients and the care they need, and passionate about expanding access to eating recovery services. The TRC provides support and motivation by facilitating compassionate communication, coping strategies, and experientials via phone or video, depending on clients’ preferences.
- Explore tools and coping strategies for pre-treatment challenges
- Process feelings of not being “sick enough”
- Validate and challenge treatment-related fears with compassion
- Understand the effectiveness and safety of treatment
- Reinforce pro-recovery behavior prior to treatment
- Create affirmations, helpful analogies, and words of encouragement
- Shame reduction
- Peer-to-peer brainstorming solutions to treatment barriers
- Reassurance that it’s ok to feel “not ready”
- Practice stress-management strategies such as breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness
- Explore motivation and build enthusiasm around the “whys” for recovery
- Accountability for self-care and self-compassion behaviors
- Judgment-free listening
ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROCESS GUIDANCE
- Appointment reminders: the client may opt to receive appointment reminders via phone or text.
- Pre-appointment check-ins: for example, the client and coach may practice grounding exercise or prepare otherwise for appointments – both emotionally and mentally
- In-transit support: the client may choose to stay on the phone (hands-free) with their coach on the way to their medical appointment
- Task Support: the client may opt for the coach to keep them company while packing for treatment or completing other pre-admission tasks
- Virtual waiting room: for example, the coach can lead the client in breathing exercises in the parking lot before they enter the doctor’s office.
- Educational downloads and letter templates: clients are welcome to access free resources designed to help them embrace a more proactive role in advocating for recovery.
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
While eating disorders thrive in isolation, recovery happens in community.
- Weekly Support Groups to remind clients they’re not alone.
- 1:1 coaching sessions for members of a clients’ recovery support network.
- Educational and testimonials blog content to help light the recovery path.
How to access Transitional Recovery Coaching services
During the admissions process, our admissions specialists may recommend that a client connects with our Transitional Recovery Coach for support if they have expressed anxiety, hesitation, or resistance regarding the next steps. A client may also request this support at any time during the admissions process, as well as during any wait time before entering their program. This can be done by calling admissions or by initiating a conversation via Live Chat.
Stay in Touch
We are grateful for our network of providers who play such pivotal, interventive roles in clients’ recovery journeys. As we pioneer these new Transitional Recovery Coaching offerings, we hope you’ll share feedback, success stories, and suggestions. You may email me at julia.shuster@alsana.com.
Thank you for being part of our eating recovery community.
Transitional Recovery Coaching Services
Weekly Support Group
Start the road to recovery with Alsana.
