Lived Experience

What Is Lived Experience?
In the context of recovery coaching, "lived experience" refers to a coach's personal journey through addiction, mental health challenges, or other significant life adversities, and their subsequent path to recovery and well-being. This firsthand understanding provides a unique perspective that formal training alone cannot replicate. It's about having walked the path oneself and emerged with insights, resilience, and a deep appreciation for the recovery process.
Key Advantages for Recovery Coaches with Lived Experience:
Enhanced Credibility and Trust: Coaches with lived experience are often seen as more authentic and trustworthy by clients who recognize a shared understanding of their struggles. This can significantly reduce initial barriers and foster a stronger coaching alliance.
Profound Empathy: Having navigated similar challenges, these coaches possess an innate ability to empathize deeply with their clients' feelings, fears, and triumphs. This empathy creates a safe and validating space for clients to share openly.
Practical Wisdom: Beyond theoretical knowledge, lived experience provides practical insights into what truly works in recovery. Coaches can offer relatable strategies, coping mechanisms, and encouragement based on their own successful application of recovery principles.
Benefits for Clients Working with Coaches Who Have Lived Experience:
Instills Hope and Inspiration: Seeing someone who has successfully navigated similar challenges provides tangible proof that recovery is possible. This can be a powerful source of hope and motivation for clients who may feel isolated or defeated.
Reduces Stigma and Shame: Clients often feel less alone and less judged when working with a coach who understands their experience from the inside out. This shared understanding helps to dismantle feelings of shame and stigma associated with their struggles.
Increased Relatability: When a coach shares personal anecdotes or understands specific nuances of the recovery journey, clients feel understood at a deeper level. This relatability builds rapport and makes the coaching process feel more personal and effective.
How Lived Experience Enhances the Coaching Relationship:
Lived experience fundamentally transforms the coaching dynamic by fostering a profound connection rooted in shared understanding and mutual respect. It moves the relationship beyond a purely clinical or advisory role into a partnership where the coach serves not just as a guide, but as a testament to the possibility of recovery. This connection cultivates a unique environment of trust, allowing clients to engage more deeply, feel validated in their struggles, and be more receptive to guidance, knowing it comes from a place of genuine understanding and not just theory. This foundational trust is crucial for sustained progress and empowers clients to envision and achieve their own recovery goals.
UK Policy & Practice
In the United Kingdom, the crucial role of lived experience in recovery coaching and mental health support is increasingly being recognized and formalized through policy and practice. This integration highlights a growing understanding of how personal journeys of recovery can profoundly benefit others navigating similar challenges.
NHS England's Integration of Peer Support
NHS England has formally integrated peer support into mental health services, marking a significant shift. The number of peer support workers has seen a remarkable increase, from 48 in 2016 to 862 in 2019 (NHS England, 2023).
Government Recognition and Publications
Government bodies, through publications from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (2025), acknowledge the vital role of recovery support services and initiatives driven by lived experience, underscoring their commitment to this approach.
High Value Placed by Service Users
Evidence consistently shows that service users highly value peer support workers, indicating significant benefits for both those receiving support and the peer support providers themselves.
Defining Peer Support
NHS England (2023) defines peer support as a "supported self-management intervention." This approach empowers individuals to take active ownership of their health and wellbeing, fostering independence and resilience.
Latest Research Findings
A recent 2024 NIHR systematic review highlighted that peer support significantly aids recovery, reduces symptoms of depression, and enhances self-belief among participants (NIHR, 2024).
King's College London Study
Research conducted by King's College London (2025) involving 35 peer support workers demonstrated the distinctive recovery-oriented approaches they employ, further solidifying the evidence base for lived experience in practice.