If you have psychosocial disability and an NDIS plan, you may have heard about Psychosocial Recovery Coaching.
But what exactly does a Recovery Coach do?
What is an NDIS Psychosocial Recovery Coach?
The NDIA describes a Recovery Coach as an NDIS-funded worker who supports participants with psychosocial disability in their recovery journey.
A Recovery Coach can help a participant build capacity and resilience, organise supports, strengthen decision-making and connect with community, health and mental health services.
You can read the official explanation from the NDIS — What is a Recovery Coach?.
What does recovery mean?
Recovery is personal.
It means different things to different people.
Your goals might include:
becoming more independent
building a daily routine
developing confidence
connecting with your community
accessing health or mental health services
exploring work or education
building everyday skills
strengthening your support network.
Recovery Coaching should focus on your strengths, choices and goals.
A Recovery Coach works with you rather than deciding what your life should look like.
What can a Recovery Coach help with?
Understanding the NDIS
NDIS plans and services can sometimes be difficult to navigate.
A Recovery Coach can help you better understand your supports and how different services may work together.
Finding and organising supports
A participant may have several providers and services involved.
A Recovery Coach can help explore options and organise appropriate supports based on the participant’s needs and goals.
Connecting with services
Not every support comes from the NDIS.
A Recovery Coach may help connect participants with appropriate:
community services
health services
mental health services
NDIS providers
mainstream services.
Building independence
Recovery Coaching isn’t about doing everything for someone.
It should help build capacity.
That can include developing:
confidence
knowledge
resilience
decision-making
self-advocacy
everyday skills.
Recovery Coach vs support worker
A Recovery Coach and support worker can have different roles.
A support worker may provide practical assistance with daily living or community participation.
For example, they may support a participant to go shopping, attend an appointment or participate in an activity.
A Recovery Coach has a broader recovery-oriented and capacity-building role specifically for participants with psychosocial disability.
The two roles may complement each other depending on the participant’s individual plan and needs.
Recovery Coach vs Support Coordinator
There can also be overlap between Support Coordination and Psychosocial Recovery Coaching.
A Support Coordinator helps eligible participants understand and use their NDIS plan, connect with providers and build their ability to manage supports.
A Recovery Coach can provide similar coordination support but works specifically with participants with psychosocial disability using a recovery-oriented approach.
Which service is appropriate depends on the participant’s individual circumstances and NDIS plan.
How do I choose a Recovery Coach?
Finding the right person matters.
Consider asking:
Do they listen to me?
Do they understand psychosocial disability?
Do they respect my choices?
Do I feel comfortable talking with them?
Will they communicate clearly?
Will they help me build independence?
A good working relationship should feel respectful and collaborative.
Psychosocial Recovery Coaching on the Sunshine Coast
Assist Lifestyle provides Psychosocial Recovery Coaching across the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gympie.
Our approach is person-centred and recovery-oriented.
We focus on understanding each participant’s strengths, preferences, goals and support needs.
If you’re looking for an NDIS Recovery Coach on the Sunshine Coast, contact Assist Lifestyle to discuss your goals and the support you’re looking for.
Your recovery journey. Your goals. Your choices.