Do I need an NDIS Psychosocial Recovery Coach?
What is an NDIS Psychosocial Recovery Coach?
An NDIS psychosocial recovery coach is a qualified individual who helps those with psychosocial disabilities. They are some times referred to as mental health peer workers, NDIS life coaches or life coaches. These coaches give the time, attention and respect to those who struggle to live resourcefully due to mental health issues.
Additionally, a recovery coach’s main focus is to improve the mental health of their participants. They help those who don’t have the ability to plan tasks in their everyday life.
The recovery coach may work with an individual for as many hours as necessary.
Generally Local Area Coordinators allocate between 50 to 100 hours of support per year.
This time is used by the coach to help a person develop a Recovery plan and help break down their NDIS plan into achievable goals. These plans may help people with disabilities exercise their choice and control their goals, to achieve a more fulfilling life.
Even if the person living with a disability feels disconnected from their community, the recovery coach can assist them with plans to be more active and engaged. Furthermore, a recovery coach can help you with various life skills to improve your way of living.
The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) started in Australia in 2013. The organisation revolutionised the way disabled people are treated by giving them a choice. The NDIS supports those with psychosocial disabilities to improve how they manage life and its challenges. Click for NDIS psychosocial recovery resources.
The benefits of having an NDIS Psychosocial Recovery Coach
Psychosocial recovery coaches believe that you are the expert in your own life and will encourage you to make the right choices. With the proper support from your coach you may experience the following:
Improved independence
Do you find yourself relying too much on the people around you due to your disabilities? A NDIS psychosocial recovery coach can help you build the skills you need to improve your independence.
Help with participation
It can be difficult to participate in your community or family activities when you have a psychosocial disability. Whether you have social anxiety or physical disability, a recovery coach can get you involved in your community again.
Living more fulfilled
Without independence and your contribution to society you may feel like you’re not living a fulfilling life. But after your coaching sessions you may be able to do the things you never thought you could. You may then start to live a life that feels rewarding and fulfilled.
Better decision making
Sometimes psychosocial disabilities hinder people from making decisions or the right choices that can benefit them. A recovery coach helps you develop problem solving skills so you don’t make decisions that can have a negative effect on your well being.
Who might need an NDIS Psychosocial Recovery Coach?
“Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.”
This quote is very true because a coach can assist you to find this fire through a person centred approach. They will take you on a journey of self discovery to find your strengths and values and then help you set meaningful and attainable goals.
Sometimes in life we get trapped on a negative wheel of bad experiences and feelings.
Small successes and achievements as well as positive encouragement can help a person slowly turn the direction of the wheel to a more positive side.
If you suffer from a mental illness and you are feeling stuck, sick of not getting results or unmotivated then an NDIS life coach might be a great option to light your own motivational fire and to live the life you’ve always wanted.
Some disabilities stop you from doing small tasks such as cooking, cleaning or even going outside. With the proper coaching anyone can start to learn how to develop key skills so they can be independent and start enjoying life.
A recovery coach can help take you on a journey of self-discovery, to find your values and strengths. This newfound discovery may help you develop more meaningful and informed goals.
What is a Psychosocial Disability?
A psychosocial disability is used to describe any disability that occurs due to a mental illness. These are the main mental illnesses that Recovery Supports Australia assists with:
- Anxiety Disorders: Obsessive compulsive disorders, PTSD and agoraphobia
- Mood Disorders: Bipolar and dysthymic depression
- Schizoid Disorders: Schizophrenia and schizoaffective
- Autism: dysregulation disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Schizoaffective Disorder
These disabilities have a major impact on the social construct of an individual’s life. Someone living with a psychosocial disability may struggle with the following:
- Retaining jobs and relationships
- Engaging in educational environments
- Developing plans to reach their goals
- Engaging in social and cultural activities
Purpose of having an NDIS psychosocial Recovery Coach
The reason you may need a recovery coach is the services they provide for those who need to build meaning and purpose in their lives. Proper coaching can provide a participant with the tools they need to break down their goals into manageable tasks.
Sessions help participants uncover resilience so they don’t give up on their goals. With the right recovery coach, participants can develop a deeper understanding of themselves so they can identify what triggers certain behaviours.
Some examples of things you and your coach may work on:
- Improving your decision making
- Self-discovery
- Living a more fulfilled life
- Creating SMART goals
- Developing recovery plans
- Provide exercises
What can you expect from sessions with your Recovery Coach?
Before you start your sessions with a recovery coach you may spend quality time with your coach to build trust and rapport. This includes a few hours with your coach so you can get to know each other on a personal level. You and your coach can enjoy many recreational activities together during your training to build trust and understanding.
Most psychosocial plans can be 50 to 100 hours a year which is far more than what a support coordinator can provide you. With these hours allocated to your sessions you can get the support you need to improve your mental well being and your life.
The people that will be involved in your recovery are your recovery coach, NDIS networks and may include your family and support networks. It’s important that you feel safe and secure during your recovery process so you’ll be surrounded by people you can trust.
To improve your way of living and your mental well being you’ll have to complete the tasks your coach gives to you. Your coach may give you homework on the sessions you’ve done so you can retain information.
What’s more, you may start to learn how to recognise challenges and reflect on them. You will need to take responsibility for all your actions and recover from the negative ones. The purpose of your coaching sessions is to reduce any risks in your home so that you or the people around you are safe.
Another responsibility of yours is to be honest about plans and changes to your NDIS plan. You must always be on time for your sessions and if you have to cancel, make sure you do it well in advance. Part of your coaching can teach you how to be punctual and to have consideration for the people around you.
You must also treat your coach with courtesy and respect so that you can have a positive rapport. Trust and understanding between you and your recovery is crucial for a successful recovery.
You’re not the only one that will have responsibilities. Your coach will have more than you have such as the following:
- Confidentiality: One of the major responsibilities of a recovery coach is to respect your privacy. Under no circumstances will your sessions be discussed with anyone without your permission.
- Person centred approach: Your choices are always respected and you will never be forced to do anything you don’t want to do. This gives you control over your choices.
- Providing support: If your decisions aren’t harmful to yourself and others your recovery coach may support your decisions and encourage you to pursue your goals.
- Monitor use of funded supports: If you’re unsure about the costs involved, your recovery coach can help with details about what is covered in your plan. Recovery Supports Australia can inform you of any changes in NDIS funding. What’s more, all laws and guidelines relevant to funding will be adhered to.
- Advising: Whether it’s decisions for your NDIS plan or any life choices you make, your coach must be a trusted advisor. Your coach is responsible for giving you sound advice on all areas of your life.
- Tend to unique needs: Every participant is unique. Therefore, a recovery coach can tailor a plan according to your specific needs. This means no two plans will be the same because you’ll get unique treatment which may help with your specific disability.
- Design recovery plan: Your plan can be designed for you and you alone. You may have disabilities that require a unique plan that can help you recover. Your coach’s responsibility is to identify your unique needs so a plan can be designed for you.
- Connect NDIS participants to services: If there are specific services you need your coach must be able to connect you to the right people that can assist you.
- NDIS reporting: A recovery coach may give you information about how to change or cancel supports. Your coach is responsible for giving you information on short term cancellations and the costs involved.
It should be noted that there are some responsibilities that your coach isn’t liable for such as medication management or cleaning your home. Find out what your sessions can cover so you’re aware of your coach’s responsibilities and what he or she isn’t liable for.
Your network’s involvement may include working collaboratively with families and support networks to have a better understanding of the illness you or the NDIS participant has. This may help the network provide a comprehensive plan that can benefit the participant and to build trust with all parties involved.
Families may also learn to handle their loved ones who live with psychosocial disabilities with more care. This is because family members may start to understand their situation better thanks to the help of a recovery coach.
Our Recovery Plans
There are many features a recovery plan may offer NDIS participants. A plan may cover the following:
A psychosocial recovery coach is trained to identify a participant’s strengths and what is preventing them from progressing. The recovery coach’s goal is to help a participant overcome their fears so they can build on their strengths.
Every participant has different triggers. A participant with PTSD may get triggered by something that reminds them of a traumatic experience. Others may be triggered by words, images or even sounds. A recovery coach may spend time with their participants to identify what their triggers are and develop a plan to help them recover from those triggers.
Everyone should have life goals. For some, it’s buying a house or earning a degree. But for psychosocial participants, their goals may be something as simple as going outside in public or not having panic attacks when they’re in a crowd. A recovery coach helps participants map out their goals into smaller manageable activities so participants achieve them without being overwhelmed.
If participants would like to use other support strategies a recovery coach can help them adjust their plans accordingly.
Some participants will need a plan that can help them in case of an emergency. A recovery coach can structure a plan that may help the participant when they experience a trigger. This plan may include activities and exercises the participant or family members can use to help with immediate recovery after a trigger.
A well-structured plan should connect participants to other services they may need. Maybe they have other underlying illnesses such as cancer or HIV which may require support counselling.
How will I know that I'm recovering?
In order to recover from your psychosocial disability you must attend all your sessions according to your plan. Your recovery may be defined by how you improve on certain aspects such as your social skills, emotions, problem solving abilities and your independence.
After you’ve reached certain recovery goals you may benefit from life changes such as relying less on your caregivers or family. This means you may have the confidence and the skills to make your own choices. Thanks to recovery you may notice the following abilities that you lacked before:
- If you had social anxiety you may be able to talk to others with confidence
- You might be able to now complete small day-to-day tasks
- You may be able to retain jobs and relationships
- You might not let fear control you
- You may be able to control your aggression
- You may become more mindful of others
- You may now understand what you need and don’t need to succeed
- You may now take responsibility for your actions
Ready to begin your journey towards recovery?
Taking the first step is often the most difficult one, yet its necessary to begin your journey towards recovery. The sooner you take it though, the sooner your progress towards a more independent and fulfilling life begins.
