Welcome to our blog

Suffering is part of what it is to be human. The “art of living” (Discourses of Epictetus, 1.15.3) is in large part how we cope with...

We find ourselves in others. We come to know ourselves as others know us. That is how we find our identity in relation to others. It is...

We hear the cry of many, and perhaps we have done it ourselves on occasion – “what is the point of it all?” We do it when we are sick,...

There is a fundamental difference between not drinking and living sober. The former is tough because you focus on being deprived.

Alcoholics can’t stop at just the one drink. Whatever the good intentions, one drink is followed by another until oblivion is reached. It...

This time of year is especially tough for alcoholics. We need to talk about the particular problems posed and the strategies that we can...

Some people ask me - "how did you manage to cope and be a success in your career?" or "how did you manage to carry on with your work...

When I stepped into semi-retirement, I wanted to do something useful and with purpose. I said to somebody that I wanted to stop being an...

In an earlier blog from last year, called Be Still – Mindfulness in Lockdown, we talked about how lockdown was an opportunity to stop...

Addiction is a contentious area. The causes and the treatments are subject to much debate. But there are two basic truths about recovery...

Is an alcoholic ever really happy? When I went into psychotherapy, I was asked at some stage, "When you were younger, when were you...

Alcoholics and drug users find it tough to stick to a treatment programme. Motivation comes and goes. Discipline is something different....

Alcoholics and other sufferers from addictive disorders have a hard time accepting help let alone reaching out to others in a similar...

I’m an alcoholic in recovery. There, I’ve just said it. It wasn’t that difficult. But I’ve been saying it for many years, so I’ve got...

Alcoholics in recovery often talk about the need to hit “rock bottom” before a commitment to treatment will have any possibility of...

Paul Merson is a famous ex-football player who still features as a popular TV pundit on Saturday afternoons. He is equally famous for his...

Running helps to keep me sober. That is because it helps both my physical and spiritual health. If I go several days without running then...

I'd been dry for five years. It had taken intensive psychotherapy and three years to overcome excruciating panic attacks. I'd gone...

The title of this blog is taken from a book published by Paul Tillich in 1952. At its broadest level, it's saying that we need courage to...

One of the ancient Greek sayings much beloved by philosophers is “know thyself”. With this in mind, I recall being asked at an addiction...