Treatment providers in the addiction recovery field have one unifying goal: help clients attain and maintain sobriety. One way to achieve this goal and help clients overcome Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is through alcohol monitoring. As the leader in remote alcohol monitoring technology, Soberlink has helped treatment providers enhance clients’ recovery journeys for nearly a decade. Continue reading to discover why four out of five treatment providers recommend Soberlink.
Relapse Prevention and Management
Don McHenry, an Addiction Recovery professional and board-certified chemical dependency counselor, knows that one stumble along the road to recovery doesn’t mean relapse. McHenry acknowledges that relapse is a potential part of all serious diseases, from cancer to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
“The fact is that relapse happens and when clients use Soberlink they don’t get so far down that you need a backhoe to get them up. We know right away, and we can act on it to adjust the program, get them to stop and redirect them,” he says.
Similarly, Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor Sarah Espenshade of Espenshade Counseling incorporates Soberlink into aspects of her practice as a way to detect red flags during treatment recovery.
“If the test comes back positive, then of course we reach out and help address whatever is going on with them,” Espenshade says. “Soberlink keeps people accountable, keeps them connected and definitely helps reinforce the importance of communication.”
Support and Accountability
One way to assuage your clients’ fears as they take the leap to sobriety is by reassuring them of your presence as a safety net. The more forms of accountability that are added to this safety net, the stronger it becomes. Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor Laura Crosset incorporates Soberlink into the sober monitoring program at Hired Power Recovery Services, to help clients navigate through the early stages of sobriety.
“I have some clients that are three and four years ongoing with Soberlink. They’ve experienced holidays, marriages and surgeries and, because of ongoing accountability and case management using Soberlink, they can walk through these life events sober,” Crosset says.
Other treatment providers have experienced similar success stories with Soberlink, attesting that the device enhances treatment programs for clients in all stages of recovery.
“Soberlink has worked well for our clients, even if they are struggling with their addiction. It has helped to give us both the information needed to continue to explore and process where they are in treatment, and what is needed to maintain their sobriety,” one anonymous provider says.
Another anonymous provider agrees that Soberlink helps keep clients accountable for their actions, adding that the device and interface are both “very easy to learn and use.”
In addition to its user-friendly interface, Soberlink is designed with state-of-the-art technology, including facial recognition, tamper detection and detailed reports. One anonymous provider praises Soberlink’s customizable timing intervals, which prevent pre-meditated drinking, and its unprecedented facial recognition, which ensures the integrity of each test.
Peace of Mind
As a provider for multiple clients, it’s challenging to constantly check in with every one of them. Soberlink can help bridge this gap.
“Soberlink gives me a sense of security that the client isn’t in danger. If clients are adhering to their alcohol monitoring schedule when they’re not in the presence of treatment professionals, then I know they’re much safer than if they’re going home and drinking by themselves at night without anyone knowing,” Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Michael O’Brien says.
Crossett praises Soberlink for this real-time technology: “A drinking event could take place, but we may not know that for a couple days because we’re waiting for lab results to come back. With Soberlink, if a client misses a couple tests in a row, we know to reach out because there might be something going on.”
Client Freedom
While some treatment practices may require alcohol monitoring and drug testing as part of clients’ recovery plans, not all do. For O’Brien’s telehealth practice, many of his clients choose to utilize monitoring tools like Soberlink, even though they aren’t mandatory.
“The majority of my clients choose to use Soberlink, because they feel like it gives them an added level of accountability and helps them achieve their goals,” he says.
McHenry agrees that Soberlink can encourage clients to establish new-found freedom, rather than take it away.
“It’s the idea that sobriety is a great gift. I’ve been sober for almost 37 years and, in the beginning, you want to stand on a soap box and let people know. But you don’t have that opportunity all of the time. I think Soberlink plays into something psychological (for clients), that they’re able to send out a positive message of ‘look what I’m doing.’ There’s something to that, that goes a little bit deeper than I can fathom,” he says.
This joyous sense of sobriety doesn’t take much time out of clients’ daily lives but adds to it tremendously.
If you’re thinking about implementing alcohol monitoring into your addiction recovery practice, there’s no better option than Soberlink. To learn how Soberlink can enhance your treatment programs, from assisting in relapse prevention to helping clients establish a sense of freedom, click here.
*Based on Survey of Current Soberlink Providers
About the Author
Soberlink supports accountability for sobriety through a comprehensive alcohol monitoring system. Combining a breathalyzer with wireless connectivity, the portable design and technology includes facial recognition, tamper detection and real-time reporting. Soberlink proves sobriety with reliability to foster trust and peace of mind.