In any discipline such as recovery and wellness coaching there are a variety of frameworks that are used to guide the coach in their practice and which provide clarity for coaching clients.
These include ethics codes, core competencies, best practice guides and core principle guides. There can be considerable overlap between all these which is to be expected and welcomed. People and situations cannot be placed in compartments where the boundaries are always clearly known and resistant to different interpretations so there needs to be scope for practioner discretion and interpretation.
Good quality coaching practice in the recovery and wellness domain is a mix of an individual coaches knowledge and skills, use of known and explored guidelines, self knowledge plus knowledge and integration of Recovery Orientation, Wellness Orientation, a clients Definition of Recovery and the core principles that this article sets out below.
There are 13 main principles with the first 4 being the most 'core' which is to say that they are the ones that, if we strayed from them we surely would fall far outside of the best practice framework, be quickly unethical and not person centred.
Core Principles
Principle 1
Recovery and Wellness always comes from the person developing Recovery and Wellness
This explicitly positions recovery and wellness coaching practice outside of the medical model (i.e. diagnostic by the 'expert' and delivery of 'treatment' as defined by such an expert) . It also means we focus as coaches on what arises from the person we are coaching in how recovery is defined, what the metrics of wellness is for them. And finally it reminds us that we are not blessed with omnipotence! We recovery and wellness for a client cannot come from us, their coach. We cannot implant it, do it or force it's manifestation.
Principle 2
The Recovery process and the Wellness experience increases an individual’s self-knowledge and ability to make choices
The recovery and wellness coaching practice with a client has several directions which we can think of as desired outcomes. Mainly these outcomes are decided by and pursued by our clients. Two other factors that a coach is watching for and which are significant to keep focus on are whether the person is learning more about themselves, how they function, what they want, their cap[abilities, dreams and so on. This self knowledge is important and it is hard to conceive of an ongoing change process coming about without it's ongoing development. Alongside this the ability to make choices is a significant factor. Awareness of choice and a persons ability to process their self knowledge and bring it to bear on the choices they make is also vital to successful change processes.
Principle 3
Recovery and Wellness develops through relationship with self, others, systems and communities
It is the interactional space of life that we learn so much. Relationships are such interactive spaces and we need them to develop. This principles calls coaches to be sure to include explicitly the awareness of the relational nature of living and change processes. Everything about our lives is relational, even our inner worlds.
Principle 4
People developing Recovery and Wellness are complete in the present moment and yet continuously changing
As we have seen coaches are person centred and recovery and wellness orientated. They are also asset based which means they look for what is functional, what is working, what is known, what can be used as a tool or resource for positive change. In short this principle expects coaches to see the cup of a person as half full, not half empty. We are not looking for their brokenness, not holding that they are lacking or less than in the moment. This principle also invites us to hold at the centre of awareness of our clients the truth that people are always continually changing. And they do that in a constantly changing world. This encourages us to never stop reaching for what is new and emerging in a client. It invites us to ensure that we stay alert at the coaching wheel, not making up that we 'know' someone completely.
Further Principles
These further principles complete a wide ranging and comprehensive set of interlocking approaches to recovery and wellness coaching practice.
Principle 5
A recovery and wellness coach is anyone committed to promoting recovery and wellness from a person’s particular condition by connecting them with recovery and wellness support services designed to build recovery and wellness capital, generate individualized recovery and wellness options and assist them to remove barriers to recovery and wellness.
Principle 6
The recovery and wellness coach is and should be nonclinical since it does not involve counselling or treatment interventions; diagnosis and assessment; or other medical, psychiatric or psychological services.
Principle 7
Personal recovery, lived experiences, and wellness bring a unique and significant benefit to recovery and wellness coaching.
Principle 8
The client is the decision maker in all aspects of the recovery and wellness coaching relationship and the client determines the background, experience and recovery status of a recovery and wellness coach supporting them.
Principle 9
The recovery and wellness coach role is based upon mutual respect, trust and honesty with the central task of meeting the client where they are in their recovery and wellness process, identifying their goals and assisting them to achieve them. It is the responsibility of the recovery and wellness coach to ensure clients are fully informed of and consent to the scope, limitations, requirements and nature of the coaching relationship.
Principle 10
Recovery is an individualized process of change designed to eliminate the negative, harmful and disharmonious impacts of the particular condition of the person while increasing health, wellness, meaning and purpose.
Principle 11
A recovery and wellness coach always respects a client’s definition and goals for recovery keeping in mind that people are in recovery when they say they are in recovery.
Principle 12
Recovery and wellness coaches value and respect all recovery pathways regardless of differences, individual philosophy, treatment modality, religious affiliation or recovery orientation.
Principle 13
Recovery and wellness coaches do not promote or endorse any particular treatment approach, methodology or pathway that may or may not be useful to a client.
Why these principles can help you create powerful and useful relationships with your clients
Recovery and Wellness coaching is a sensitive area of coaching. The stakes are high and coaches can get nervous and face uncertainty about doing the right thing. These principles can help promote best practice and confidence in coach
For Clients
Clients are entitled to transparency and best practice from coaches. These principles can be seen and shared by clients and form part of of their understanding of the way their coach works and approaches the clients needs. This can foster trust and hope in the coaching process.
For Practitioners
Recovery and Wellness coaching is a sensitive area of coaching. The stakes are high and coaches can get nervous and face uncertainty about doing the right thing. These principles can promote best practice and confidence for coaches which can only benefit their clients.