Do you need a sponsor in recovery? It is not a requirement to have someone to sponsor or support you, but it can be one of the most powerful tools you have to achieve long-term success. When you enter treatment, you want to change, and you want to stop struggling. Sponsorship is something that can help you to make this happen. If you need an AA or NA sponsor in Portland, OR, our team at Crestview Recovery can provide you with the resources you need.
Why Sponsorship Matters
Sponsorship is a concept that is a part of the 12-step program. However, it can be used in any type of addiction treatment. A sponsor is a person who makes recommendations of a person entering into treatment. That is, this person is there to sponsor your recovery. In addiction treatment, your sponsor works as a person to help support you through this process. A sponsor in recovery can help you in many ways:
- Motivate you to keep going
- Ensure you are completing the right steps
- Hold you accountable for your promises
- Support you through the steps of treatment
- Share experiences with you
What Can a Sponsor Offer?
There is a range of potential benefits that come from having a sponsor in recovery. At the heart of the process, you want someone that is going to be by your side as you work on your addiction. They may help you in a range of ways.
Helping You to Understand the Plan: One key goal of sponsorship is to help you to understand where you are in treatment and help you to keep moving forward. They can help you understand what your next step is or to know how to offer support as you go through your substance use treatments.
Share Experiences: Another key reason to have a sponsor is that they have been through what you have. They understand your feelings and thoughts. They get your isolation and fear. Knowing that you are not in this alone can be a very big part of your recovery. It can help you to stay on the course.
They Listen to You: Sponsors in recovery are also meant to be there to listen. They do not always have answers and cannot always tell you what to do. Yet, they can listen to your thoughts and needs. They can help you with comfort when you need it and try to help you express your feelings in a meaningful and beneficial way.
They Hold You Accountable: Sponsors are also tasked with holding you accountable. If you make promises or decisions, they will know about them. They can help remind you of them. Sponsors can also help ensure that, when you do make a mistake, you know someone saw it, so you don’t do it again.
They Are There for Relapse Prevention: After treatment, your sponsor because your go-to person when you are thinking about using drugs and alcohol. They can often be the tool you need to prevent relapse from occurring.
One Part of Your Treatment
A sponsor in recovery is one component of your treatment. Our team can provide you with the rest. Our comprehensive treatment programs offer care that you need, including innovative treatment programs and therapies such as:
- Individual therapy sessions
- Group therapy sessions
- Rehab aftercare support
- Telehealth rehab programs
- Dual diagnosis treatment and care
Choose to Get Sober
There’s never a better time than right now to invest in yourself. Having a sponsor in recovery will help you to succeed. However, you also need the right professionals around you to ensure you are always getting the very best care possible. Our team at Crestview Recovery can help you. Reach out to us at 866.262.0531 to learn how.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
