Setting
Sober living
Also called: recovery housing, sober house.
Short definition
Sober living is a structured shared home where residents follow community rules, attend recovery meetings, and live alongside others in early recovery.
Sober living houses are the lower-intensity end of residential care. Residents have their own room or share with one person, follow house rules (no substances, mandatory meetings, curfew, chores), and attend outpatient therapy separately. Stays range from three months to a year or more.
For people leaving luxury residential, sober living is the most common bridge back to independent life. Quality varies widely in this largely unregulated space — the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) runs a credentialing system with four levels. NARR Level III and IV homes are the right tier for clients coming out of luxury programs.
Sober living works best when paired with intensive outpatient or other ongoing clinical care, not used as standalone aftercare.