Recovery Resource Center
Recovery glossary
Use this page when a treatment, sober-living, mental-health, family-support, or faith-related term needs a plain explanation before you keep reading.
How to use it
Start with the word that is slowing you down.
Definitions stay plain, practical, and connected to deeper articles when you need more context than a short answer can provide.
Good to know
- The glossary explains terms. It does not replace assessment, therapy, medical care, or detox guidance.
- Definitions here are educational and not individualized clinical advice.
- Use the related article links when a short definition is not enough for the decision in front of you.
Popular starting points
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Recovery support
Accountability
Accountability in recovery means staying honest, visible, and answerable to agreed supports, expectations, or next steps. Healthy accountability is not humiliation. It is a practical structure that helps reduce secrecy and drift.
Also searched as: being accountable
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C
Spirituality and faith
Church community
Church community refers to relationships, worship, fellowship, mentoring, service, and support within a local Christian congregation. In recovery, church community may offer belonging and accountability, but it does not replace treatment, psychiatric care, or crisis support.
Also searched as: church support, christian community
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Housing and support
Curfew
A curfew is a house expectation that sets a time residents are expected to return or check in. In sober-living settings, curfews are often part of broader structure, accountability, and safety rather than a punishment by themselves.
Also searched as: house curfew
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G
Spirituality and faith
Grace
In Christian recovery, grace refers to God’s undeserved mercy and help. Healthy recovery language about grace should lower shame without lowering truth, accountability, or the need for concrete next steps.
Also searched as: christian grace
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P
Recovery support
Peer support
Peer support refers to encouragement, accountability, and practical help from people with lived recovery experience or from recovery peers who understand the process from the inside. It may happen in meetings, sober living, church community, or other recovery settings.
Also searched as: peer recovery support
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S
Housing and support
Sober living
Sober living is a structured recovery-housing environment designed to support abstinence, accountability, daily routine, and connection to outside recovery supports. It is housing, not detox, psychotherapy, medical care, or licensed residential treatment.
Also searched as: recovery housing, sober home
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Recovery support
Sponsor
A sponsor is usually a more experienced member in a 12-Step recovery community who provides accountability, guidance, and practical support in working the program. A sponsor is not the same thing as a therapist, psychiatrist, or prescriber.
Also searched as: 12-step sponsor