Recovery Coaching · Sober Coaching
Recovery coaching that starts with the brain
One-on-one sober coaching with Dr. Drew Edwards for people who want to stop drinking or using, stay stopped after rehab, or help someone they love.
In person in Jacksonville Beach or by video from anywhere. $250 per hour. The first 20-minute conversation is complimentary.
Confidential. Nothing is shared with anyone without your permission.
What a sober coach does, and what one doesn’t
A recovery coach
- Builds a day-to-day plan for the hours when cravings are strongest
- Works on sleep, stress and routine, the things that make relapse more likely
- Prepares you for high-risk situations: travel, holidays, work events, a hard week
- Keeps you accountable between sessions
- Works with your family when you want that
- Coordinates with your therapist, sponsor or physician, with your consent
A recovery coach does not
- Diagnose or treat mental illness
- Prescribe or manage medication
- Replace detox or residential treatment when those are needed
- Replace your sponsor or your 12-step group
When someone needs detox or residential care, Dr. Edwards refers them to NGP’s network of trusted treatment partners and picks the coaching back up afterward.
Most sober coaching works on behavior. Dr. Edwards starts with the brain.
Dr. Drew Edwards, EdD, MS, is the Chief Clinical Officer and Co-founder of The Neurogenesis Project, specializing in Addiction Medicine and Neurocoaching. He has spent four decades on the brain systems behind addiction: the reward circuitry that makes a substance feel essential, the stress response that drives cravings, and the decision-making networks that drinking and drug use wear down.
His method, NeuroCoaching, uses that science to explain why cravings and relapse happen and to build the plan around it. When imaging, lab work or a neurological evaluation would help, he coordinates with Dr. Sean Orr, the practice’s neurologist.
Recovery coach, therapist, sponsor or sober companion?
They do different jobs, and many people use more than one at the same time.
| Recovery coach (Dr. Edwards) | Therapist | 12-step sponsor | Sober companion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main focus | A day-to-day plan, accountability and brain-based relapse prevention | Diagnosing and treating mental health conditions | Working the 12 steps and peer support | Round-the-clock presence, often living in |
| Diagnoses or treats mental illness | No | Yes | No | No |
| Background | Doctorate and four decades in addiction neuroscience | Licensed mental health clinician | A peer in recovery, usually a volunteer | Varies widely |
| Schedule | Scheduled sessions plus check-ins | Usually weekly sessions | As needed | Around the clock, for days or weeks |
| Cost | $250 per hour | Varies; insurance often applies | Free | Varies; private pay |
Who works with a sober coach
Executives and professionals
The drinking hasn't cost you your job, but it is costing you sleep, focus and patience. You want help that is private and fits around your work.
After rehab
You finished treatment, maybe more than once, and the first weeks home are where things slip. Coaching covers the stretch that most programs hand off.
Still drinking or using
You are not sure you are ready to stop, or you have tried and it didn't hold. You can start here without a diagnosis or a commitment.
The high-functioning drinker
No crisis, no DUI, just a habit that has grown. Some people call it gray-area drinking. Coaching helps you cut back or stop on your own terms.
Young adults
Leaving home, college or a first job is when patterns set in. Coaching gives structure without the label of treatment.
Parents and families
Someone you love is struggling and you don't know what to say or what to stop doing. You can work with Dr. Edwards even if they won't come in yet.
How recovery coaching works
A complimentary 20-minute conversation
Talk with Dr. Edwards about where things stand and what has already been tried. He will tell you plainly whether coaching is the right fit or whether something else should come first.
Assessment and a written plan
The first full session maps the patterns behind the drinking or use: reward, stress, sleep, triggers and family dynamics. You leave with a plan for the next few weeks.
Regular sessions
In person in Jacksonville Beach or by video, with check-ins between sessions during the higher-risk weeks.
Progress reviews and stepping down
As things stabilize, sessions move further apart. The goal is for you to need the coach less over time, not more.
How long sober coaching lasts
Dr. Edwards recommends a schedule after the first conversation, and it changes as you do. Common patterns:
- A few weeks of intensive support around a high-risk period, such as leaving treatment or the holidays
- Weekly sessions for about three months
- Monthly check-ins once things are stable
What it costs
$250
per hour, in person or by video
- The first 20-minute conversation is complimentary
- Booked by the hour; no package to buy
- Direct care: we don’t bill insurance. Why
Private by default
Discretion matters, especially for people whose work depends on their reputation. Nothing you share is passed to your employer, your family or anyone else without your permission, and coordination with other professionals happens only with your written consent. Video sessions mean you never have to be seen walking into an office.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sober coach?+
Do I need to be sober before starting recovery coaching?+
Is sober coaching evidence-based?+
How much does recovery coaching cost?+
Can I work with a sober coach online?+
How long does sober coaching last?+
Will my information stay private?+
Can a sober coach help my family?+
Related programs
Brain-Based Recovery
Dr. Edwards on why addiction is a brain problem with a path back
Learn more →Rescue From Rehab
For people who have been through treatment and are still struggling
Learn more →Family Help
Guidance for families of someone who isn't ready for help
Learn more →Jacksonville Beach Office
Directions, hours and what to expect
Learn more →Start with a 20-minute conversation
No pitch and no service menu. Dr. Edwards will listen, ask what has already been tried, and tell you whether coaching is the right next step.