Recovery Coaching and Kratom

David Mahler • November 18, 2024

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a plant native to Southeast Asia, whose leaves are used for their stimulant and sedative properties. In recent years, it has gained popularity in the United States, especially as an alternative to opioids and as a natural remedy for pain, anxiety, and depression.

However, as with many substances, kratom use can lead to dependence and addiction, and its growing popularity has also been accompanied by concerns about its potential for abuse. When someone becomes addicted to kratom, they may face a range of physical and psychological challenges, including withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and difficulties in maintaining a healthy, balanced life.

While traditional treatment methods such as detoxification and therapy are essential, addiction recovery coaching can play a pivotal role in supporting someone through their journey of recovery. This blog will explore how Ground Zero Recovery Coaching can help someone struggling with kratom addiction. 

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Ground Zero Recovery Coach is a trained professional who works with individuals to help them achieve and maintain long-term sobriety. Recovery coaches are not therapists or counselors, but they provide valuable support to people in recovery by helping them navigate challenges, develop coping strategies, and create a sustainable plan for their future. They are allies in the recovery process, offering practical advice, emotional support, and accountability. Unlike therapists or medical professionals who focus primarily on clinical treatment, addiction recovery coaches work with individuals on a personal, day-to-day basis to help them apply what they’ve learned in therapy or detoxification programs to real-world situations. Your Ground Zero Recovery Coach will help you identify triggers, set and achieve goals, and provide encouragement when the road to recovery gets tough. 

Ground Zero Recovery Coaching Can Help with Kratom misuse, just like with other substance dependencies, Kratom misuse can be a complex and multifaceted issue that requires a holistic approach to treatment. Recovery coaching can be particularly effective in supporting individuals who are addicted to kratom by providing personalized guidance and practical tools to help them achieve sobriety. 

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Building a Personalized Recovery Plan: One of the first steps in recovery is creating a customized plan that takes into account the individual's specific situation, challenges, and goals. Ground Zero Coaching will work with the person to assess their current state of addiction, their reasons for using kratom, and their motivations for quitting. Together, they will craft a recovery plan that outlines short- and long-term goals, strategies for overcoming obstacles, and actionable steps to stay on track. For someone addicted to kratom, this plan might include tapering off the substance slowly (since abrupt cessation can lead to withdrawal symptoms), identifying triggers that lead to cravings, and establishing healthy habits to replace the time spent using kratom. 

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Providing Emotional Support: Substance Use disorder recovery is often a deeply emotional journey. People who are misusing substances like kratom may experience shame, guilt, and fear, and these emotions can hinder their progress. Your recovery coach will provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you can express your feelings openly. At Ground Zero we will also offer positive reinforcement and encouragement, helping individuals stay motivated even when they face setbacks. By fostering a relationship of trust and support, Your Ground Zero Coach can help you feel empowered and validated in your recovery efforts. 

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Addressing Underlying Issues: many individuals who become addicted to kratom may be using it as a way to self-medicate for underlying mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. Your coach will not diagnose or treat mental health disorders, but will work in tandem with a therapist or counselor if necessary to ensure that emotional and psychological factors are addressed in the recovery process. Your Ground Zero Recovery Coach may help identify unhealthy patterns of thinking or behaviors that contribute to addiction and work with you on replacing these with more positive, healthy habits. By addressing underlying issues, your coach can help reduce the risk of relapse and encourage long-term recovery.

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Helping with Cravings and Triggers: Kratom addiction, like other substance dependencies, is often accompanied by intense cravings and triggers that make staying sober difficult. Your recovery coach can help identify specific triggers that lead to the use of kratom—whether these triggers are emotional, social, or environmental. Once these triggers are identified, your coach can work with you to develop coping strategies to handle cravings in a healthy way. Coping strategies might include mindfulness exercises, distraction techniques, or finding alternative activities that bring a sense of joy or relaxation without the use of kratom. Your coach can also help practice emotional regulation, teaching you how to manage stress or negative emotions without turning to kratom as a crutch. 

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Accountability and Motivation: One of the key roles of your Ground Zero Recovery Coach is to provide accountability. When someone is trying to overcome an addiction, especially one to a substance like kratom, it can be easy to slip back into old habits or get discouraged. Your coach can help you stay on track by checking in regularly, reviewing progress, and offering constructive feedback. Accountability is often the difference between success and relapse in the recovery process. Knowing that someone is there to support you and hold you responsible for your actions can be a powerful motivator for individuals in recovery. By setting clear goals and regularly evaluating progress, your coach can help you stay focused on your recovery journey.

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Developing Healthy Habits and Life Skills: Kratom misuse often disrupts many aspects of a person’s life, including work, relationships, and overall well-being. Your recovery coach can help you rebuild your life by focusing on developing healthy habits and life skills that support your recovery. This might include establishing a healthy daily routine, improving sleep patterns, incorporating exercise or meditation into your day, and building healthy social connections. Your Coach will also work with you to set achievable, meaningful goals that contribute to a sense of purpose and fulfillment. By focusing on building a well-rounded, balanced life, your recovery coach helps you to create a foundation for lasting sobriety and success beyond just overcoming kratom addiction. 

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Relapse Prevention and Long-Term Success: Recovery is a lifelong process, and relapse can be a reality for many individuals. However, your recovery coach can help mitigate the risk of relapse by teaching you how to maintain your sobriety and stay focused on your goals. Coaching will provide ongoing support, especially during high-risk situations, such as periods of stress or social pressure, when the temptation to use kratom might be greatest. By encouraging you to continue developing coping skills, reinforce healthy behaviors, and remain engaged in the recovery community, your coach will help ensure that you are equipped to face challenges and prevent relapse in the future.

Addiction to kratom can be a challenging battle, but with the right support, recovery is entirely possible. Ground Zero Recovery coaching can provide the guidance, emotional support, and accountability necessary to help overcome an addiction to kratom . By working with a coach, you can gain insight into your substance misuse, develop practical coping strategies, and build the foundation for a sober, fulfilling life. Ground Zero Recovery Coaching can play a vital role in your journey toward healing, offering a blend of support, encouragement, and real-world tools to help you thrive in long-term sobriety.

By David Mahler July 27, 2025
Recovering from a substance use disorder is a life-changing journey, but it’s rarely a straight line. Some of the most vulnerable moments happen not only during treatment, but also before entering a facility and after returning home. Having a sober companion during these transitions—while waiting to begin care, traveling to or from a treatment center, and adjusting back to life at home—can provide the critical support needed to stay on track. Before Treatment: Support in a High-Risk Window The time between deciding to seek help and entering a treatment program is often filled with anxiety, fear, and temptation. And a desire for a last run before entering treatment. Triggers are still present, and doubt can easily set in. A sober companion offers reassurance and structure during this fragile period. Their support can help you remain committed, stay accountable, and reduce the risk of returning to harmful behaviors before treatment even begins. Traveling to Treatment: Safe and Steady Transition Traveling—whether by plane, car, or bus—to a treatment center can feel intimidating. For someone beginning their recovery journey, unfamiliar and unsafe environments, delays, and emotional stress can heighten vulnerability. A sober companion ensures a safer, more comfortable transition. They help manage logistics, reduce anxiety, and offer emotional support throughout the journey. Their presence turns what could be a high-risk situation into a positive, empowering experience focused on healing. After Treatment: Bridging Treatment and Real Life Finishing residential care or an intensive outpatient program is a major milestone, but returning home can feel overwhelming. The support and structure provided in treatment are suddenly gone, and you’re faced with navigating daily life again—sometimes in the same environment where substance use once occurred. A sober companion can travel home with you and remain by your side stay from several days or even weeks to help you gradually readjust. They can assist with routines, coping strategies, and emotional support during this transitional time. Their presence builds confidence and accountability, helping you apply what you’ve learned in treatment to real-life situations. Why Sober Companions Work Most sober companions have lived experience or specialized training in substance use recovery. They understand the emotional ups and downs of early sobriety and offer practical, empathetic support. They are more than just a safeguard—they are a compassionate guide through some of the most challenging parts of recovery. Whether you’re waiting to start treatment, traveling to a facility, or heading home afterward, having a sober companion by your side can be a transformative part of your recovery journey. They provide grounding, safety, and hope when you need it most. If you or someone you care about is facing the challenges of early recovery and needs professional, compassionate support, Ground Zero Recovery Coaching is here to help with trusted sober companions who walk with you every step of the way.
By David Mahler June 26, 2025
Wall Street thrives on performance, precision, and high-stakes ambition - but at what cost to mental health? Behind the fast-paced decisions and relentless drive, many finance professionals quietly struggle with stress, burnout, and substance use. In an environment that prizes control and composure, acknowledging a personal challenge can feel like professional failure, even career suicide. Despite being one of the most demanding industries in the world, the financial sector continues to lag behind in addressing mental health and substance use head-on. The long hours, aggressive targets, and sky-high expectations create an environment where unhealthy coping strategies can take root and thrive. In New Yorks financial sector, stress isn't just common, it's constant. Increasingly, professionals are seeking confidential support through resources like executive recovery coaching in New York . Services such as Ground Zero Recovery Coaching offer executive-level, discreet support for those struggling with substance use or in recovery, helping them navigate their challenges without jeopardizing their careers. Whether its alcohol to decompress after long hours or stimulants to maintain sharpness during back-to-back meetings, substance use can quietly escalate. What begins as an occasional coping mechanism can spiral into something far more serious. And too often, the fear of stigma or job consequences keeps people silent. Its time for firms to treat mental health and addiction risk like any other major operational risk. A substance abuse awareness trainer can help break the silence and shift your organization's culture bringing awareness, education, and humanity into conversations around recovery and prevention. Why awareness training matters: - Early intervention prevents crisis situations - Builds a healthier, more trusting culture - Improves retention and team performance - Reduces legal, reputational, and financial risk - Encourages leadership to model well-being But training is just the beginning. Leaders must take real action: - Share personal stories or support recovery openly - Create peer-led support systems - Update policies to encourage, not punish, help-seeking - Redesign workloads to prevent chronic burnout Other high-performance industries are evolving. Executive recovery coaching in New York is no longer rare, it's rising fast. This is more than a wellness conversation. Its a leadership decision. A business priority. And most importantly, its a human one. Lets break the silence. Lets lead with compassion.
By David Mahler June 5, 2025
Recovering from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a complex journey that can require many different steps such as detox, therapy, finding a good recovery coach, belonging to a supportive community and making lifestyle changes. In recent years, the integration of nutritional supplementation has gained attention as a potential tool to ease withdrawal symptoms, support brain chemistry, and rebuild the body's depleted resources. Among the supplements being explored, magnesium, L-glutamine, and DL-phenylalanine (DLPA) have emerged as particularly promising. Understanding the Nutritional Toll of AUD Chronic alcohol use depletes the body of essential nutrients and impairs its ability to absorb and utilize vitamins and minerals. Alcohol disrupts gut health, liver function, and metabolic pathways that are crucial for maintaining physical and mental health. As a result, many individuals with AUD suffer from deficiencies that exacerbate fatigue, mood disorders, cravings, and cognitive difficulties. Magnesium: The Calm Within the Storm Magnesium is a vital mineral involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including nerve function, muscle control, and mood regulation. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, increasing the excretion of magnesium and contributing to widespread deficiencies among those with AUD. Why Magnesium Matters in Recovery: - Mood Stabilization: Magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, which are often disrupted by chronic alcohol use. Deficiencies can lead to anxiety, depression, and insomnia. - Craving Reduction: Some studies suggest that magnesium supplementation may help reduce the severity of alcohol cravings. - Improved Sleep: Restorative sleep is critical in recovery, and magnesium supports better sleep quality by promoting relaxation and reducing nighttime awakenings. Supplementing with magnesium can help restore balance in the central nervous system and alleviate some of the physical and emotional discomforts of early sobriety. Magnesium glycinate and citrate are often recommended due to their high bioavailability and gentle effects on the digestive system. L-Glutamine: Fuel for the Healing Brain L-glutamine is a non-essential amino acid that becomes conditionally essential during times of physical stress, such as alcohol withdrawal and early recovery. It plays a critical role in immune function, gut health, and most notably, as a precursor to neurotransmitters. Why L-Glutamine Supports Recovery: - Curbing Cravings : L-glutamine is known to cross the blood-brain barrier and convert into glutamate and GABA, two neurotransmitters that influence mood and cravings. Some anecdotal evidence and preliminary research suggest that L-glutamine may reduce the intensity of alcohol and sugar cravings. - Gut Repair : Alcohol severely damages the gut lining and microbiome. L-glutamine helps repair the intestinal wall and supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, aiding nutrient absorption and reducing inflammation. - Brain Energy : During withdrawal, the brain is starved for glucose. L-glutamine serves as an alternative energy source, helping to reduce the mental fog and fatigue that often accompany early recovery. Taken as a supplement, L-glutamine powder or capsules may provide immediate and long-term benefits, particularly when cravings strike unexpectedly. DLPA: The Mood-Enhancing Amino Acid DL-phenylalanine (DLPA) is a combination of two forms of the amino acid phenylalanine: D-phenylalanine and L-phenylalanine. This supplement is particularly interesting in the context of addiction recovery due to its role in supporting mood and motivation. How DLPA Aids in Recovery: - Dopamine Support: L-phenylalanine is a precursor to dopamine, the "feel-good" neurotransmitter that becomes depleted with chronic alcohol use. Replenishing dopamine levels can help restore motivation, pleasure, and focus. - Pain Reduction: D-phenylalanine inhibits the breakdown of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. This can help reduce both emotional and physical pain during withdrawal. - Emotional Stability: Many in recovery experience emotional volatility. By supporting neurotransmitter balance, DLPA may help stabilize mood swings and enhance emotional resilience. DLPA is often used in early recovery protocols to help rebuild the brain's reward system and ease the emotional challenges of sobriety. It should be used under medical supervision, particularly for individuals with certain psychiatric conditions or those taking antidepressants. Integrating Supplements into a Holistic Recovery Plan While magnesium, L-glutamine, and DLPA offer promising benefits, they are not standalone solutions. Supplementation should be seen as one component of a comprehensive recovery plan that includes: - Professional Treatment: Therapy, recovery coaching, counseling, and possibly medication-assisted treatment. - Nutrition: A diet rich in whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats. - Exercise: Regular physical activity to support mood and overall health. - Support Systems: Peer groups, family support, and sober communities. Safety and Considerations Before starting any supplement, it's essential to consult with a healthcare provider, especially during the sensitive early stages of recovery. Individual needs vary, and some supplements may interact with medications or underlying health conditions. Conclusion The road to recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder is challenging, and there are many roads to recovery such as 12 step meetings, treatment centers , and addiction coaching . Studies show that the integration of targeted nutritional supplements can offer meaningful support. Magnesium helps soothe the nervous system and improve sleep; L-glutamine aids in curbing cravings and healing the gut; and DLPA supports mood and emotional resilience. When used thoughtfully and in conjunction with other recovery strategies, these supplements can empower individuals to rebuild their health and find strength in sobriety. Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or treatment program.