Recovery Voices

I decided to rehabilitate myself and become a good father and husband, which involved stopping drinking and drugging. I did not access any treatment service. I worked as a chef for a period, rising up the ranks quickly. The thought of being a chef for 30 years, and seeing other chefs develop substance use problems and experiencing broken marriages scared me. I didn’t want another addiction.

Something Had To Change: James Deakin I decided to rehabilitate myself and become a good father and husband, which involved stopping drinking and drugging. I did not access any treatment service. I worked as a chef for a period, rising up the ranks quickly. The thought of being a chef for 30 years...

I just wanted to let you know that I have just added three posts to the Stories section of the website that relate to the conversation that my colleague Wulf Livingston had with Rob Havelock and Lianne Jones in March last year.

Three New Story Posts: Rob Havelock and Lianne Jones I just wanted to let you know that I have just added three posts to the Stories section of the website that relate to the conversation that my colleague Wulf Livingston had with Rob Havelock and Lianne Jones in March last year.

Now, I was connecting with people and my emotions, and learning more about the latter. I felt a massive sense of achievement in giving back to others and learning about myself. The connections with these other people and the sense of belonging I experienced were very different to the connections I had previously with my drinking associates. (Kevin front right in photo)

Journey Into Recovery: Kevin Morris Now, I was connecting with people and my emotions, and learning more about the latter. I felt a massive sense of achievement in giving back to others and learning about myself. The connections with these other people and the sense of belonging I experienced were very different...

'Grassroots recovery community organizations and new recovery support institutions offer vehicles for long-term recovery support that bridge the clinic and the community. The clinic can bolster the will to recover and the means to recover, but it is the community that must provide the welcoming space in which one can live as a person in long-term recovery. It is time we balanced recovery support within the clinic with recovery support within the community.’ Bill White

Advocating Recovery-Oriented Care Grassroots recovery community organizations and new recovery support institutions offer vehicles for long-term recovery support that bridge the clinic and the community. The clinic can bolster the will to recover and the means to recover, but it is the community that must...

'Retirement Reflections: Crumbs and Gold Dust' By Wulf Livingston
The alcohol and drug landscape continues to remain dominated by policy and practice seeking to ‘treat’ people. Despite the oft heard phrase - ‘it is easy to get off and much harder to stay off’ - we still have a world where the vast majority of all monies are allocated to ‘treatment’ with recovery literally living ‘off the crumbs on the table’.

Retirement Reflections: Crumbs and Gold Dust The alcohol and drug landscape continues to remain dominated by policy and practice seeking to ‘treat’ people. Despite the oft heard phrase - ‘it is easy to get off and much harder to stay off’ - we still have a world where...

I've just added three Theme posts (that link to YouTube Playlists) relating to Wulf Livingston's conversation with Rob Havelock and Lianne Jones. The Themes are: 'Being a Couple in Recovery';'What Makes NWRC Work?' and 'How Outside Activities Facilitate Recovery'. Some interesting conversations. https://www.recoveryvoices.info/themes/

The person who had the biggest impact on me was Mark Gilman. ‘Mr Gilman’—he has reverential status for me—talked about Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), and this was a massive light bulb moment for me.... The ABCD approach was focused on a person or a community’s assets and strengths. ‘Don’t focus on the stuff you can’t do in that community, focus on the skills and assets that you have in the community and build upon, and connect, them.’

A Catalyst: James Deakin Story The person who had the biggest impact on me was Mark Gilman. ‘Mr Gilman’—he has reverential status for me—talked about Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), and this was a massive light bulb moment for me. Mark worked for Lifeline for four years as Director of...

'I found your book incredibly moving. What you've created is much more than a book about addiction and recovery. It's a testament to the power of community, the importance of being seen and valued and the extraordinary capacity people have to transform pain into purpose.

Kind Words: Carlie Atkinson 'I found your book incredibly moving. What you've created is much more than a book about addiction and recovery. It's a testament to the power of community, the importance of being seen and valued and the extraordinary capacity people have to transform pain...'

My book highlights what can be achieved by peer-led recovery communities by focusing on North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC), based in Bangor, and founded by James Deakin in 2015. It has five primary aims: 1. To illustrate key elements that are known to facilitate recovery from addiction, as well as healing from trauma and other adversities that can lead to addiction and other problems...

‘Transforming Pain Into Power’: Outline This book highlights what can be achieved by peer-led recovery communities by focusing on North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC), based in Bangor, and founded by James Deakin in 2015. It has five primary aims: 1. To illustrate key elements that are known to...

Rob and Lianne are an exception to the commonly held view that romantic relationships don’t work for people in early recovery. Their relationship put them in a somewhat difficult situation. What did they say to other people who wanted to start a romantic relationship?

Theme Film Favourites: Rob Havelock & Lianne Jones Rob and Lianne are an exception to the commonly held view that romantic relationships don’t work for people in early recovery. Their relationship put them in a somewhat difficult situation. What did they say to other people...