The Three Domains of a Resilient Life

To move beyond sobriety as the only measure of recovery success, we must shine a spotlight on the social determinants of health. The Recovery Capital Index (RCI) achieves this by respecting the entire presence and experience of a person.

The treatment of addiction has focused almost exclusively on the disease model of care – seek out and eradicate the symptoms and ailment. This has led to a dependence on abstinence as the only right measure. Care centered on recovery capital looks at both the internal and external influences. Measuring recovery capital means treatment and coaching can refocus on the whole person and address the root issues of addiction, which will help the individual build lasting resilience. 

Why is this important

• William Cloud and Robert Granfield (1999) coined the phrase “recovery capital” and defined it as “the breadth and depth of internal and external resources that can be drawn upon to initiate and sustain recovery from severe alcohol and other drug problems.”

• The Recovery/Resilience Capital Index measures three domains: Personal, Social, and Cultural Capital. These are based on the work of Cloud and Granfield who applied research on social capital to the recovery field in 1999. 

  • Personal Capital: The collection of tangible and intangible assets of an individual, such as education, housing, and mental wellbeing. 

    • Being employed is a tangible asset, but it is not enough to know whether someone is employed or what their employment status is. We must consider whether they are satisfied with that work and if their recovery or whole wellbeing is supported in that work.

  • Social Capital: The totality of an individual’s relationship assets, including support obligations, lifestyle, and social mobility. 

    • No matter how one person individually defines their recovery, the web of close social connections has a real influence on whether or why we abuse drugs or get a promotion.

  • Cultural Capital: Our values, beliefs, and connection to other social and community specific norms.

    • We exist as individuals within communities, cultures, and belief systems. We can sometimes experience a wide change in cultural capital as our value system grows or community norms change around us.

Addiction recovery is not a zero-sum game. The binary approach of sober/not sober needs to expand to include an individual’s lived experience—all of the proven influences which determine their resilience over time. The Recovery Capital Index assesses those determinants and provides an objective measure for both therapists and coaches.