Sober Corps

We are a community helping people achieve their 1st year of freedom from addiction through life skills mentorship, training and networking.

Below is a story about one of our mentors and mentee candidates in Sober Corps' program.  It illustrates the work and the success that come from the life skills mentoring we provide.

Mike and Pat initially met in person once a week. They focused on Mike’s transition, addressing his upcoming needs and challenges. For example, they discussed interviewing pointers, housing options, and mending relationships. Pat says part of her role has been to be a voice of support, especially during the job search process: “I would encourage him to keep going and help keep his spirits up that something (a job) would break.” Pat also wrote a character reference for a potential employer. Once Mike overcame some initial hurdles, it was on to the next. For example, he found a job but it requires him to have a 90 minute bus commute each way. Pat and Mike worked on how to make the best use of this commute time instead of going down the “poor me” path. Mike spends his morning commute reading and his evening commute on the phone. Since the long commute interferes with his ability to make all of his 12-step meetings, he calls his sober support network on this return trip. Pat is one of the people he calls during this time, and they still talk three to four times per week. Mike is settled in sober housing. Because his work schedule makes it impossible for him to conform to all the meeting requirements stipulated by the halfway house, Mike's sponsor, another sober resource, and Pat met with the house director to allay her fears about his commitment to sobriety. Mikes says "I think my entourage bowled her over." According to Pat, Mike has said having a life skills mentor as an additional resource has been lifesaving. Pat believes he is successful because "he listens, he remains true to his commitment, he has a willingness to seek resources and he takes people at their word when they say they are willing to be part of his program of recovery. I would be hard-pressed to identify anyone I've known through the years who has worked as hard as Mike."