The road to recovery is paved not only with personal effort, but also with meaningful conversations, supportive relationships, and honest communication. One of the key elements of recovery is having strong communication skills so the individual can be successful while going through recovery. Here is a list of ways you can build skills of communication and openness to maintain a lifestyle of sobriety
PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING
- Focus fully on the speaker without planning your response in advance.
- Reflect back what you hear (‘What I’m Hearing is…”), which shows understanding and builds trust.
USE “I” STATEMENTS
- Instead of saying “you make me feel” try “I feel.”
- This improves communication and shifts the object of blame. So the person will not get defensive.
SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES
- Practice clear, respectful language when saying “no” or asking for space.
- Clear boundaries protect your recovery while allowing healthier relationships.
SEEK FEEDBACK
- Ask trusted friends, mentors, or sponsors how you come across in conversations.
- Be open to hearing their response and ways you can improve without self-judgment.
ENGAGE IN SUPPORT GROUPS
- Recovery meetings (AA, NA, SMART, etc) provide a safe environment to practice sharing openly.
- Hearing how others communicate also helps you model effective expression.
LEARN CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS
- Practice staying calm during disagreements.
- Aim for resolution, not winning. Try techniques like pausing before responding.
WORK WITH A THERAPIST
- Professional guidance can help uncover patterns in communication (such as avoidance or aggression).
- Role-playing difficult conversations can prepare you for real life moments.
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS FOR SPEAKING
- Pausing to breathe before responding reduces impulsive or defensive communication.
- It helps maintain your sense of peace and well-being.
JOURNALING and SELF-REFLECTION
- Writing about interactions with others after they happen helps you notice triggers and areas that you need to grow in.
- Over time, you’ll see patterns of communication and progress.
CELEBRATE SMALL WINS
- When you communicate more openly, honestly, and respectfully than before. This will help you gain a better understanding of yourself and others. With the object being to improve your success while you go through the recovery process.
- Positive reinforcement in communication helps keep recovery sustainable.
