Scope & Ethics

Scope of Practice & Code of Ethics Last updated: October 17, 2026

At Unpolished Sobriety, transparency, integrity, and clear boundaries are foundational to the coaching relationship. This document outlines the scope of our recovery coaching services, defines professional boundaries, and details the ethical standards upheld across all individual sessions, group cohorts, and digital platforms.
1. Scope of Practice What We Do (Recovery Coaching & Peer Support) Recovery coaching at Unpolished Sobriety is a strengths-based, present-focused, and action-oriented partnership. As a designated Recovery Coach Professional (RCP), the coach works collaboratively with individuals seeking to initiate, sustain, or enhance their recovery journey.
Our practice focuses on:

Goal Setting & Accountability: Co-creating practical, sustainable recovery wellness plans and establishing clear milestones.
Habit Reconstruction & Lifestyle Design: Identifying daily triggers, developing functional routines, and replacing destructive patterns with sustainable behaviors.
Resource Navigation: Helping clients identify and connect with community support groups, professional clinical services, wellness modalities, and recovery capital.
Overcoming Roadblocks: Navigating the real-world friction of early and long-term sobriety—social situations, career pressure, identity shifts, and routine disruptions—using practical, grounded tools.
Empowerment & Self-Efficacy: Encouraging client autonomy; recognizing that each individual is the ultimate expert on their own life and path to wellness.

What We Do Not Do (Professional Boundaries & Exclusions) Coaching is distinct from licensed healthcare disciplines. To preserve client safety and maintain professional integrity, Unpolished Sobriety operates strictly outside the clinical domain:

No Clinical Psychotherapy: We do not diagnose, assess, or treat mental health disorders, mood disorders, or psychiatric conditions. We do not provide trauma therapy, psychodynamic analysis, or clinical psychotherapy.
No Medical or Psychiatric Advice: We do not evaluate medical conditions, manage acute substance withdrawal/detoxification protocols, or advise on prescriptions, medications, or supplements.
No Legal or Financial Counsel: Coaching does not include legal advocacy, statutory representation, or professional financial advising.
No Crisis Intervention Service: Unpolished Sobriety is not an acute crisis clinic, walk-in stabilization center, or electronic health monitoring network.

DistinctionRecovery Coaching (Unpolished Sobriety)Psychotherapy / Clinical TreatmentFocusPresent state to future goals; action and lifestylePast wounds, pathology, deep trauma processingRelationshipCollaborative peer partnership; mutual accountabilityClinician–patient / Doctor–patient dynamicPrimary ToolPractical habit design, inquiries, life structureClinical diagnosis, therapeutic interventions, DSM-5ObjectiveBuilding recovery capital and daily self-efficacySymptom reduction, psychological stabilization 2. Code of Ethics Unpolished Sobriety adheres to the ethical benchmarks established by professional recovery coaching bodies (including CCAR and the Recovery Coach Professional standards):
Client Autonomy & Many Paths to Recovery

We honor and respect that there are multiple pathways to recovery (including abstinence-based, harm reduction, 12-Step, secular, faith-based, and medication-assisted recovery).
The coach does not impose personal recovery dogmas, belief systems, or rigid agendas. The client determines their vision of recovery; the coach provides the framework and accountability to help them achieve it.

Confidentiality & Discretion

All conversations, session records, written reflections, and personal details shared within 1:1 sessions or secure messaging channels are kept strictly confidential.
Information is never disclosed to family members, employers, or third parties without explicit, written client consent.

Mandatory Exceptions to Confidentiality Under ethical standards and applicable law, confidentiality must be breached in the following limited situations:

Imminent Harm: Clear and credible evidence of immediate threat of physical harm or violence to yourself or others.
Abuse or Neglect: Knowledge, admission, or reasonable suspicion of ongoing abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a minor child, elderly person, or vulnerable adult.
Legal Compulsion: Receipt of a valid, enforceable court order or subpoena requiring disclosure.

Dual Relationships & Conflicts of Interest

The coach maintains clear, professional boundaries at all times. Exploitative, romantic, sexual, or predatory interactions are strictly prohibited.
The coach avoids entering into secondary business or financial arrangements with active clients that could impair professional judgment or create conflicts of interest.
If a potential conflict arises, the coach will address it transparently and, if necessary, assist in finding alternative support.

Professional Referrals & Duty of Care

When a client's needs fall outside our scope of practice—such as severe clinical depression, active psychosis, unmanaged trauma responses, eating disorders, or medical detoxification needs—the coach will proactively recommend appropriate clinical specialists.
We actively collaborate with licensed therapists, psychiatrists, addiction medicine physicians, and healthcare providers when requested and authorized by the client.

3. Crisis Resources If you are facing an emergency or acute mental health crisis, immediate help is available through dedicated 24/7 networks:

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (Available 24/7 across the United States)
SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (Free, confidential 24/7 treatment referral and information)
The Trevor Project (LGBTQ Youth): 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678
Emergency Services: Call 911 or visit your nearest hospital emergency department.

4. Inquiries & Accountability Questions regarding our scope of practice, ethical obligations, or service standards may be directed to: