The Connection Protocol. Not Your Standard Sobriety Coach.

From the Boardroom to the Backstage and all that’s in-between.

Most sobriety coaching isn’t our bag. It’s clinical, it’s fluffy, and it treats you like a patient. I don’t.

Whether you’re a C-Suite Executive protecting a legacy or a Musician navigating the chaos of the road, your struggle isn’t about “bad habits”—it’s about a loss of connection.

I’ve worked with the high-flyers and the hell-raisers. I know that in your world, “just don’t drink” isn’t advice—it’s an insult to the complexity of your life.

Connection Over Coaching

In a world that’s increasingly digital and detached, we provide a High-Fidelity Connection.

If you’ve been referred to this page from a friend of Sober Standard and want to skip the small go here:

Email: standardsober@gmail.com

Include: Brief background, what you’ve tried, why now, your location.

No Fluff

I don’t do “sobriety gimmicks.” No sales. No kumbaya circles (unless thats what you need). No pretending your relationship with alcohol can be fixed with a motivational quote and a gratitude journal.

No fake promises but expect an amazing journey. Some of our clients journeys have included climbing mountains, run ultra marathons, open water swimming events and exploring the world.

If you want someone to hold your hand and tell you everything will be okay, hire a life coach. If you want someone who understands the weight of real consequences—career destruction, relationship wreckage, the complete dismantling of everything you built—then we should talk. Strap yourself in and we’ll navigate this together.

Real-World Experience

This isn’t theory. It’s rooted in 10 years of hard-won sobriety and a track record of professional interventions.

My story? Corporate success to complete loss. Everything I built, gone. Not because I was weak, but because I didn’t have the tools to understand what addiction actually is. I had to find my way back. To self-discovery. To the roots that were there all along in the early stages of straight edge culture—Minor Threat, the DIY ethos, the idea that sobriety isn’t surrender, it’s rebellion.

Before the X’s on hands became tattoos. Before straight edge was co-opted and commercialized. When Ian MacKaye sang “I don’t drink / I don’t smoke / I don’t fuck / At least I can fucking think” it wasn’t a trend—it was a war cry against self-destruction disguised as freedom.

But this isn’t about my story, it’s about yours.

That’s where this comes from. Not from a textbook. From the pit. From the wreckage. From rebuilding when there was nothing left to self control and freedom.

The Map

We don’t just talk about the problem; we map out the journey forward with tactical, real-world strategies that fit a high-performance lifestyle.

This means:

Strategic recovery planning that accounts for your actual life—travel schedules, high-pressure environments, public scrutiny
Crisis protocols for when shit hits the fan (because it will)
Performance optimization that integrates fitness, nutrition, and sleep hygiene as non-negotiables. CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION ALL DAY!
Relationship reconstruction strategies because you can’t do this alone
Identity work so you’re not just “the sober guy”—you’re yourself again, sharper

Who This Is For

Everyone In Between

From attorneys to artists, entrepreneurs to engineers—I’ve worked with them all. The common thread? High-functioning people who know something has to change but refuse to be discarded by traditional recovery programs.

You don’t need someone to explain addiction like you’re a child. You need someone who respects your intelligence and helps you navigate the complexity of modern addiction in a modern world.

Managing tour life without substances
Navigating band dynamics when you’re the only sober one
Handling the comedown after shows without drinking through it
Building routines in chaos
Protecting your creativity without the “liquid muse” myth

The Executive

You run companies. You make million-dollar decisions daily. But when you’re alone at night in that hotel room after another board meeting, another conference, another “networking dinner” that’s really just organized drinking—that’s when the wheels come off.

You know exactly how much you’re drinking. You’ve done the math. The financial cost doesn’t even register. It’s the performance cost. The cognitive decline you can feel. The mornings that start slower. The ideas that don’t come as fast.

You need someone who gets that sobriety isn’t about “getting your life back”—it’s about optimizing performance at the highest level. About protecting what you’ve built. About ensuring your legacy isn’t defined by what you lost to the bottle.

The Musician

The road is brutal. Boredom, adrenaline crashes, the same van with the same people for months. And every single venue has a bar. Every promoter wants to buy you a shot. Every fan wants to party with you after the show.

The industry runs on alcohol. Try staying sober on tour and watch how quickly you become the outsider. The buzzkill. The one who “changed.”

But here’s the thing: some of the most legendary musicians in hardcore and punk were straight edge. They created more, lasted longer, and didn’t die at 27. Sobriety wasn’t their limitation—it was their edge.

What Makes This Different

Peer-Level Connection

This isn’t a therapist-patient dynamic. This isn’t even a traditional coach-client relationship. This is peer-level strategic partnership.

I’ve sat where you’re sitting. I know what it’s like to:

Make excuses that sound completely rational
Function at a high level while slowly dying inside
Convince yourself you’re different, special, exempt from consequences
Lose everything and have to rebuild from absolute zero

That’s the connection. Not some clinical manual. Not lectures. Real talk from someone who’s been through the fire.

Straight Edge Roots, Modern Application

The straight edge movement started in 1981 with Minor Threat’s 46-second anthem. It was a rejection of self-destruction masquerading as rebellion. A declaration that sobriety itself could be punk.

Ian MacKaye didn’t want to start a movement. He just wanted to think clearly. To create without the fog. To not watch his friends die from heroin while Sid Vicious posters hung on every wall.

That ethos—DIY, uncompromising, no excuses—is the foundation here. Updated for your reality. No dogma. No judgment of people who aren’t sober. Just a commitment to your edge.

For more on straight edge history and its impact on modern sobriety culture, see our comprehensive guide: How Straight Edge Punk’s Radical Sobriety Challenged Punk’s Party Culture.

High-Discretion, High-Stakes

Your career, reputation, and privacy matter. This work is:

Completely confidential
No group sessions where your face ends up on someone’s recovery Instagram – I hate big tech. So your journey will remain yours to do whatever you want with it.
No 12-step requirements (though I’ll connect you if that’s your path)
Flexible scheduling around your actual life
Global availability via secure video or in-person where appropriate

How Long Does It Take?

There’s no fixed terms and never will be, when you’re done we part ways ‘professionally’. Some people need one session to talk other’s have an open ended arrangement. I want what’s best for you and whenever YOU deem that it’s time to end I’ll gladly oblige.

We do have networking options for those that have spent some time in the programs, these include retreats and meet-ups where those that want to can meet like minded individuals.

Current Services in New York

1. Professional Connection (Available Globally)

Strategic, high-discretion intervention services for families and organizations. I provide the bridge from crisis to clarity.

This isn’t the TV version. This is:

Pre-intervention assessment and strategy development
Family/stakeholder preparation to prevent disaster
Professional facilitation of the intervention itself
Treatment placement and transition support
Post-intervention follow-up to ensure adherence

Whether you’re a family member watching someone spiral or a company protecting a key executive, interventions work when done correctly. Most aren’t.

Enquire About Services

2. 1-on-1 Performance Mentoring (Limited Capacity)

Strategic recovery planning for those who need a peer-level connection that understands the pressure of high-stakes environments.

What this includes:

Weekly strategic sessions (in-person in select cities or secure video globally)
24/7 crisis text support for high-risk moments
Customized protocols for your specific triggers and environment
Performance tracking across mental health, physical health, career, relationships
Accountability without judgment
Access to vetted treatment resources when clinical support is needed

What this doesn’t include:

Therapy (I’m not a therapist—hire one if you need one)
Medical advice (I’ll connect you with doctors who specialize in addiction medicine)
Enablement or excuses

Use our free alcohol use assessment to understand where you stand. Then assess your relapse risk to determine if you need this level of support.

Investment: This is premium, limited-capacity work.

3. New York and The World Connections. In Person and Virtual(Waitlist Open)

We are currently expanding the Sober Standard footprint in New York

The work itself? That comes from the same place it always has—from 5 years of doing this myself, from sitting across from people in crisis, from understanding that you can’t bullshit someone who’s lived it.

Join the New York 2026 Waitlist

Why Spaces Are Limited

I intentionally cap capacity to ensure a high-fidelity connection with every client.

This isn’t a business model built on volume. You can’t do this work at scale and maintain quality. I’ve seen too many “recovery coaches” take on 20, 30, 50 clients and turn into glorified cheerleaders who text “you got this!” once a week.

That’s not connection. That’s content.

When you work with me, you get:

My full attention during sessions
Actual strategic thinking, not templated worksheets
Responses when you’re in crisis, not auto-replies
Customization to your specific situation, not one-size-fits-all protocols

If you want a recovery partner who understands that your “standard” is higher than most, get on the list.

The Reality Check

This Work Isn’t For Everyone

You might not be ready if:

You’re looking for someone to enable your “moderation experiment” (see our guide on damp drinking if you think you can moderate—most people with real problems can’t)
You want to go ‘Cali Sober’. The only high we get is the mountains
You want to go on a hallucinogenic experience
You want someone to validate your excuses
You’re not willing to do uncomfortable work
You think you can outsource recovery instead of owning it
You’re mandated by court/employer and just need to check a box

You’re probably ready if:

You know something has to change but traditional recovery feels wrong
You’re tired of being the smartest person in AA meetings (no shade to AA—it works for millions, just not everyone)
You’ve tried moderation and it failed (be honest)
You want someone who respects your intelligence and experience
You’re willing to be uncomfortable in pursuit of real change
You understand this is partnership, not outsourcing

When You Actually Need Clinical Treatment

Let me be clear: I am not a replacement for clinical treatment.

If you’re experiencing:

Severe withdrawal symptoms (shaking, sweating, seizures)
Suicidal ideation
Complete inability to function
Medical complications from drinking
Poly-substance addiction requiring medical detox

You need medical treatment first. I’ll help you find the right place. I’ll support you through it. But I’m not a doctor and I don’t pretend to be.

Use our resources to find help:

SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7)

What Success Looks Like

This isn’t about counting days (though we’ll track them). This is about rebuilding yourself sharper than before.

Success means:

Cognitive clarity you forgot was possible
Performance at levels you couldn’t sustain while drinking
Relationships rebuilt on authenticity, not avoidance
Identity that isn’t defined by what you quit
Tools that work when you’re triggered, stressed, or tempted
A life you don’t want to escape from

Track your own progress with our tools:

Calculate what you’re saving (it’s more than money)
See your healing timeline based on neuroscience
Access all our tracking tools

Services: The High-Fidelity Connection

Most recovery programs fail because they lack real-world context. They expect you to change your life while sitting in a beige room. I don’t. I work where you live and where you work.

The Intensive: On-Call & In-House

For: High-stakes individuals, artists on tour, and executives. This is the “nuclear option.” If your environment is the trigger, I become the filter. I provide 24/7, in-house support to manage the logistics of your recovery so you can focus on the logistics of your life.

Tactical Shielding: I travel with you, backstage or to the boardroom, managing the environment to ensure sobriety isn’t compromised by the “lifestyle.”
The Blueprint: We rebuild your routine from the ground up—coordinating fitness, high-performance nutrition, and a schedule that eliminates the “3 PM slump” where most people fail.
The Right-Hand Man: I’m not your therapist; I’m your peer-level accountability partner. We navigate the high-pressure moments in real-time.

The Strategy: Personal Recovery Mapping

For: Individuals ready for a hard reset but sick of the “fluff.” This is for the person who has done the “Dry months” and the “Challenge weeks” and realised they were a waste of time. We build a long-term plan rooted in science and actual experience.

Zero Gimmicks: We look at the actual data of your drinking/usage and map out the biological and psychological path forward.
Connection Over Clinical: One-on-one sessions that focus on the “why” and the “how,” cutting through the excuses that clinical settings often tolerate.
The Outcome: A sustainable, non-negotiable sobriety that doesn’t feel like deprivation, but an upgrade.

The Bridge: High-Discretion Intervention

For: Families and organisations in the middle of a crisis. When someone is burning their legacy to the ground and won’t listen, you need a bridge to professional care.

Strategic Coordination: I use my background as a Certified Interventionist to move the conversation from “conflict” to “solution” in a single session.
Direct Placement: I have the network to bypass the waiting lists and get the right person into the right facility—discreetly and immediately.
Family Standard: We set the rules for what happens after treatment, ensuring the environment they return to doesn’t trigger the next relapse.

Success Stories (The Track Record)

The Executive Reset: Spent 3 weeks in-house with a Fintech CEO after a high-profile relapse. We re-engineered his morning routine and business travel protocols. He’s now 18 months sober and running a $500M firm with more clarity than ever.
The Backstage Protocol: Accompanied a touring musician across 12 cities. While the industry standard is “party at the after-party,” we focused on training, recovery, and performance. The tour finished on time, on budget, and 100% sober.
The Family Pivot: Facilitated a high-stakes intervention for a family whose adult son was cycling through ER visits. He is now completing his first year of sober living.

Next Steps

For 1-on-1 Performance Mentoring

If you’re ready to do this work yourself:

Email: standardsober@gmail.com

Include: Brief background, what you’ve tried, why now, your location

For New York in person 2026 Waitlist

If you’re in/near NYC and want to be first when we have more in person spots available.

Join the Waitlist

A Final Word

Recovery isn’t what they sell you in the books. It’s not linear. It’s not pretty. It’s not a Netflix documentary with a satisfying arc.

It’s messy, uncomfortable, and requires you to face everything you’ve been avoiding. But here’s what they don’t tell you: it’s also the best thing you can do.

In a culture that profits from your consumption, your distraction, your numbness—choosing to be fully present, fully sharp, fully you? That’s rebellion.

Ian MacKaye was right in 1981 and he’s still right now: “At least I can think.”

That’s the edge. That’s what we’re building here.

Not fluffy sobriety. Not clinical recovery. High-performance living for people who refuse to settle for less.

Sober Standard. Real sobriety, real life.

For more resources:

Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or psychological advice. Recovery coaching is not a replacement for clinical treatment, therapy, or medical care. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers for diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorders. If you’re experiencing a medical emergency or crisis, call 911 or the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.