Reinforcement vs. punishment worksheet
Recovery goals worksheets can be a helpful tool to support clients in getting clear about their motivation to achieve and sustain substance use disorder recovery.
This article provides an overview of recovery goals, why they are important, and tips for goal setting to suggest to clients.
We’ve included a free downloadable goals in recovery worksheet to save to your electronic health record (EHR) and share with clients in your practice.
What are recovery goals?
Recovery goals are specific objectives guiding a person's substance use recovery and the ways they want to improve their health and quality of life. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines recovery from mental health and substance use disorders as “A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.”
There are many pathways to recovery, which consist along a spectrum of harm reduction and may include abstinence, medication-assisted recovery, or moderation. There are also multiple ways to achieve recovery, through meetings, 12-step recovery, SMART Recovery, therapy, and other forms of therapeutic healing.
Goal setting is most effective when person-centered and created collaboratively, with the help of a clinician.
Successful goal setting involves outlining a written plan of realistic and achievable goals, actionable steps, defining how to monitor progress, incorporating support systems, addressing barriers, and adjusting goals and treatment as needed.
Goals for addiction recovery
Examples of goals for addiction recovery include:
Complete abstinence from all substances
An example abstinence goal might look like, “Starting on Monday, I will abstain from all substances, attend three recovery meetings a week, and track my progress in a journal and check in with my therapist.”
Short-term abstinence
This goal involves abstaining for a specific period and may include completing a challenge like Dry January or Sober October. For example, “I will abstain from all substances for the whole month of January and use a tracking app to log my progress.”
Harm reduction goal
This approach involves reducing the harm of substance use. For example, “For the next 45 days, I will limit my alcohol use to drinking only on weekends, consuming no more than two drinks, and will abstain from drug use. I will track my progress in a journal and check in with my therapist in weekly therapy sessions.”
Medication-assisted recovery (MAT) goal
MAT involves the use of medication, such as buprenorphine, for the treatment of opioid use disorder. A MAT goal might look like, “I will meet with my provider and take the medication as prescribed for the next three months, attend doctors' appointments, and track my progress in a journal and with my drug and alcohol counselor.”
Recovery-related goals
Recovery goals may also encompass adjacent goals that are possible once a person is in recovery. For example, repairing relationships, reconnecting with family, regaining employment, finding stable housing, and improving health and wellness.
Tips for goal setting
Using a recovery goals worksheet during therapy sessions allows clinicians to structure treatment planning and guide clients through the following strategies:
Encourage clients to get clear on what they want to accomplish and their motivation to achieve the goal.
Help clients identify the tools, support, and resources needed to accomplish their goal.
Use a goal framework like the SMART goal structure to achieve realistic recovery goals. SMART stands for:
Specific: Defines what the client wants to achieve.
Measurable: Track progress with tangible milestones and provide criteria for successful completion.
Achievable: Set realistic and attainable goals considering available resources, skills, and circumstances.
Relevant: Goals should align with the client's values and long-term vision.
Time-bound: Provides a clear deadline for completion.
When challenges arise or a client faces competing priorities, goals can become overwhelming or demotivating. Remind clients to adjust their goals to ensure they remain achievable and manageable, rather than trying to manage two conflicting projects simultaneously.
How to use the recovery goals worksheet
You can download and use the goals in recovery worksheet in several ways:
Use the worksheet to provide psychoeducation about substance use disorder and recovery goals.
Complete the worksheet collaboratively in session and give the client a copy to take home.
Ask the client to reflect on the goals in recovery worksheet, complete the reflection questions between sessions, and report their findings at their next therapy appointment.
Use the recovery goals worksheet in group therapy sessions to encourage clients to share more about their motivation for recovery with other participants.
Combine this worksheet with other substance use and recovery-related worksheets, including our substance use assessment form, money management in recovery worksheets, urge surfing worksheet, relapse prevention worksheets, and substance use disorder group topics for recovery.
Share the recovery goals worksheet with coworkers or leave copies in your office.
Use this worksheet to provide training to interns or supervisees on the importance of SMART goal setting in substance use disorder treatment.
Sources
Kuplinski, R. (2025). Choosing Your Own Recovery Goal. SMART Recovery.
Littooij, E., Doodeman, S., Holla, J., Ouwerkerk, M., Post, L., et al. (2022). Setting meaningful goals in rehabilitation: A qualitative study on the experiences of clients and clinicians in working with a practical tool. Clinical rehabilitation.
Magill, M., Martino, S., & Wampold, B. E. (2022). Goal setting and monitoring with alcohol and other drug use disorders: Principles and practices. Journal of substance abuse treatment.
Ogbeiwi, O. (2017). Why written objectives need to be really SMART. British Journal of Healthcare Management.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). SAMHSA’s Working Definition of Recovery.
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