Comparing New York and California Recovery Coaches

Recovery coaches (aka. sober coaches) vary from region to region, such as, in example, more of an executive or corporate focus in New York vs. in California.

Does it seem like New York and California are always being compared to one another? Whether it’s the people (New York generally wins that one), the drivers (definitely California), or any of the many other things in life that people love to compare, these two regions are quite diverse in many ways, including addiction treatment and related services like drug rehab, recovery housing (sober living) and even recovery coaching & life coaching.

When it comes to personal & professional coaching services, whether an actual company or an individual, no two are ultimately the same. While they may refer to themselves as a life coach, or sober coach, or a success coach that provides targeted solutions for executives or professional athletes or what have you, there are a number of variables to consider.

One area that can impact the prevalence of the common aspects and nuances seen in recovery coaching providers is the specific region they are located in. Considering there is already so much overlap and fluidity within the world of personal coaching, adding in the location variable can be an important thing to consider when seeking a recovery coach or life coach that is best suited for the individual.

Just off the cuff, consider some of the more prevalent traits inherent to each region. First and foremost, there is no question that New York likely has a much deeper pool of recovery coaching services that specialize in working with corporate executives. Additionally, while California also has a diverse array of residents from around the world, New York not only has a broader array but also has a higher percentage residents with foreign backgrounds. Thus, you are more likely to find a recovery coach (or interventionist or therapist for that matter) in New York that speaks a specific language and possibly even shares that nation’s customs, traditions, etc.

It’s no shocker to anyone that California, especially Southern California, is known for its appeal to personality types that are more outdoorsy, adventurous, health-conscious, liberal, spiritual, young or young at heart, extreme, edgy, off-the-beaten-path, etc. Much of California also has a very high cost of living (which gets even higher the closer you get to the coastal areas) thereby attracting a very affluent population. As you travel north up the state you begin to see a very different population throughout several hundred miles of agriculture and mountains, only to then find yourself amongst the ultra-progressive crowds of Berkely, San Jose, the San Fran Bay Area and of course Silicon Valley.

You can easily see how the demographics vary as you compare the two states. As such, perusing the many options and variations of recovery coaches throughout California quickly reveals that many of them will, likewise, fit within or at least appeal to those with similar traits as described above.

Let your mind wander a bit with some personas of a recovery coach you might be more likely to see in California than you would in New York… Maybe a man or woman in their 30’s or 40’s, they grew up surfing and mountain climbing. Maybe they got caught up with drugs & alcohol themselves while in high school and in college it became full blown drug addiction, to the point where they were forced to drop out and go to a drug treatment center. They continued to struggle throughout their 20’s and maybe went back to rehab or sober living after relapsing. Who knows, maybe they even got arrested for a DUI or drug possession, or both! Finally in their late 20’s something clicked, they found their path to genuine sobriety. They began to gain an awareness of living that manifested as the foundation to a new existence. The right people entered their life, and what was at first their own living hell came to be the greatest gift they’d ever received. Today, with 10 or 12 years sober, they are a credentialed recovery professional and prominent sober coach & interventionist living in Los Angeles. On their days off you’ll find them surfing in Malibu, skiing at Mammoth, or maybe a Sunday night dinner with the whole family.

Does this person really exist? Who knows, it’s just one of a million hypotheticals of a recovery coach you might find there. And this isn’t to say that this type of recovery coach doesn’t exist in New York, in fact I’m sure they do. We’re just talking in generalities here.

With all of that said, the one area of recovery coaching that remains concrete and independent of its surrounding regions is the recovery and sobriety component. Whether they discuss their recovery philosophy in depth, as we do, or not, and whether they attempt to align their views & process of recovery with the local/regional views or nuances, or not, this core element must always remain priority one. This can be a slippery area. Sometimes concessions need to be made. This is where the nuances of effective recovery coaching really come into play.

Now here’s the funny thing, sometimes the better match is, in fact, a coach and client with almost no shared traits. sometimes it is that very scenario which most effectively sets the stage for new experiences. How will you know? Keep your mind open, keep your intentions pure, and you’ll know.

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This article was submitted anonymously by a non-employee of FoxWhole Recovery Services