2. What Is Couple Recovery?

Defining couple Recovery

The term “couple recovery” has different meaning for people. Often, the assumption with couples work in early recovery is that the focus is only on the relationship, something that could pose a threat to each partner’s individual recovery. This is a widely held belief leading to the conclusion that couples work should be postponed until individual recoveries are well established. I was trained to think this way until I discovered in my work with couples another way to think about recovery.

Individual recovery and couple recovery are not mutually exclusive, they can co-exist. In fact, research supports the concept of early intervention with couples linking relationship stability with increased likelihood of successful long-term recovery.

Importantly, the statistic that couples impacted by an addictive disorder have higher rates of divorce than average supports the idea of a relationship approach in recovery. Waiting for years of continuous recovery before addressing relationship issues may be too late for some couples.

Couples have a lot to manage when a partner with an addictive disorder gets into recovery. The fear and uncertainty that pervades individuals and in the relationship does not disappear when starting recovery. New questions and concerns are added to the old ones. Couples need a blueprint to start to make adjustments in their individual and relationship lives. Recovery becomes the new organizer for both partners, and being able to talk about what is happening for each partner and in the relationship increases the chances for more stability in each partner’s life and in their relationship.

Couple Recovery is about connection: Connection with self and connection in relationships

Dr. Robert Navarra