Most people have had some form of experience with addiction and mental health, whether it be yourself, a friend, or a relative.
Mental health and addiction affect many people every single year.
Fortunately, there are people to help make the journey easier to deal with if you want to take the steps to get the help you need.
One of these professionals who helps others is called a professional recovery coach.
If you want to help others and have had experience dealing with addiction and mental health issues, you might wish to become a professional recovery coach.
How exactly do you become a recovery coach in Florida?
What schools and programs are available?
How much can you make as a professional recovery coach?
These are a few of the questions we will answer below.
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Steps to Become a Professional Recovery Coach in Florida
The first step to becoming a professional recovery coach in Florida is graduating from high school.
For just about any job, you need to have a high school diploma or a GED.
If you prefer, you can choose to enroll yourself in higher education and pursue a degree program or certificate program.
This step is optional, but it can make a difference to whether you get the job or not, especially when competing with other applicants for the same position.
Most employers for the role of a professional recovery coach would prefer you to have experience in dealing with addiction and mental health issues, but it is not a solid requirement.
One final step before applying for jobs is getting yourself certified to become a recovery coach in your state.
In this case, you would want to get certified to be a professional recovery coach in Florida.
If you have completed most or all of these steps, it is time to start applying for job positions for a role as a professional recovery coach.
You will want to send in lots of applications and make sure your resume is up to date and reflects your qualifications for the job you are applying for.
Schools in Florida
International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches
The International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches offers two programs that could be beneficial for someone wanting to become a professional recovery coach.
The first program is the Certified Professional Recovery Coach Credential.
This program is made up of nine modules and costs approximately $4,497.
Fortunately, they do have payment plans available if you want to go that route.
In the CPRC credential program, students learn:
- Neuroscience of Joyful Recovery
- Mini-Video Courses: Roots of Addiction and Alcohol Effects
- Professional Recovery Coach Competencies Part 1
- Professional Recovery Coach Competencies Part 2
- Live Skills Practice Sessions
- Family Issues in Recovery: Releasing the Authentic Self
The second program offered is called the Recovery and Life Coach Credentials program.
In this program, you can be certified as a recovery coach and a life coach.
With that, you can expand your clientele to include people searching for a recovery coach as well as someone looking for a life coach.
If you just want to become a recovery coach without the option of life coach credentials, then the first option will better suit your needs.
The Academy for Addiction Professionals
The Academy for Addictions Professionals offers a 30-hour course for recovery coaches.
In this course, they teach students a variety of things, including:
- What coaching is and isn’t and the difference between coaching and counseling
- Foundational principles of addiction and treatment
- The recovery process, including the principles, beliefs and values, stages of change, setting goals, and emotion management
- Coaching skills including learning styles, communication, language, motivational interviewing, and relationships
- Conducting interviews
- Self-discovery
- Creating a vision statement
- Creating an action plan
- Professional readiness
Recovery Coach Representative Schools in Florida – Summary Table
Top 2 Schools in Florida
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches | 4767 New Broad St Orlando, FL 32814, United States |
| The Academy for Addiction Professionals | 12716 NW 67th Dr, Parkland, FL 33076, United States |
Salary
In the United States, the salary of a professional recovery coach ranges from $30,784 to $38,404 with the average falling to around $34,337.
The average salary for a professional recovery coach in the state of Florida is approximately $32,620 with the low starting from $29,245 and the high reaching approximately $36,484.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Professional Recovery Coachs in Florida
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $32,648 |
| Miami | $33,324 |
| Tampa | $32,682 |
| St. Petersburg | $32,689 |
| Hialeah | $33,169 |
| Orlando | $32,617 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $33,345 |
| Tallahassee | $30,937 |
| Hollywood | $33,345 |
| Pembroke Pines | $33,128 |
Regional Salary in Florida
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 290 | $66,910 | - NA - | $110,350 | $26,850 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 90 | $68,570 | - NA - | $109,250 | $29,670 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 290 | $72,910 | - NA - | $123,980 | $27,510 |
| Gainesville, FL | 390 | $86,390 | - NA - | $130,720 | $25,390 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 120 | $54,580 | - NA - | $81,700 | $31,340 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1,260 | $60,700 | - NA - | $84,840 | $28,450 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 330 | $60,080 | - NA - | $106,790 | $25,140 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,280 | $68,850 | - NA - | $122,380 | $28,550 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 260 | $54,680 | - NA - | $85,750 | $28,870 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | 680 | $64,820 | - NA - | $111,800 | $28,380 |
| Ocala, FL | 110 | $52,590 | - NA - | $102,530 | $22,300 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,580 | $57,760 | - NA - | $96,110 | $24,120 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 210 | $72,010 | - NA - | $129,730 | $27,970 |
| Panama City, FL | 110 | $47,430 | - NA - | $105,070 | $22,350 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 290 | $55,340 | - NA - | $92,640 | $28,490 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 190 | $72,140 | - NA - | $120,730 | $29,840 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 30 | $46,110 | - NA - | $79,980 | $23,170 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 70 | $52,490 | - NA - | $98,500 | $22,150 |
| Sebring, FL | 60 | $88,710 | - NA - | $133,050 | $31,280 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 260 | $50,000 | - NA - | $72,970 | $26,160 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,390 | $69,720 | - NA - | $110,060 | $27,280 |
| The Villages, FL | 50 | $51,640 | - NA - | $83,140 | $21,650 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Florida require any licensing or certification?
Yes.
Florida does require certification to become a professional recovery coach.
You can apply for certification in a variety of places, but the most accessible is the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work website.
Here, they have a couple of options where you can apply for certification as a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist.
How long does it take to become a professional recovery coach in Florida?
In most states, including Florida, it takes anywhere from a couple of months to a year or two, depending on the program you go through.
Depending on the program, you can be eligible to take the certification exams upon completion or you might have to apply to take the exam separate from the course or program that you pick.
Fortunately, you don’t have to have additional training before applying for certification to become a professional recovery coach.
What are the education requirements for becoming a professional recovery coach in Florida?
As stated above, you don’t have to have formal education to become a professional recovery coach in Florida.
All you need is a high school diploma or a general equivalency degree.
Although it isn’t required, completing a certificate or degree program can increase your chances of getting hired when applying for a job.
Most employers receive hundreds of applicants applying for the same role.
When competing with other candidates, it might be helpful to have other stuff to add to your resume, such as any additional education, degrees, training, or experience related to being a recovery coach.
What city in Florida pays the highest for a professional recovery coach?
Boca Raton, Florida is the city with the highest salary for a professional recovery coach.
The average salary in Boca Raton is around $33,796.
The second-highest city is West Palm Beach, Florida at $33,491.
