Sometimes, when we are in the midst of change, it can feel like little is happening or, worse, that we are going backwards. Lou describes the journey of change as more like a journey through a city than one through the countryside. In the latter we can usually see quite far ahead and have a …

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This is a short series looking at what we can learn from Lou's counselling sessions. Much of her counselling practice is helping couples to have a better relationship. So there are many lessons and tips that can be taken from her counselling room and applied directly to other relationship situations, such as Bottled Up. Read More >

In this video Lou talks about her marriage to a drinker. Would she have changed how she had approached him, how she had discussed things with the children - almost certainly! Hear what she would have changed and why in this candid video. To watch the other videos in this series follow the links below. …

Continue reading "Things I wish I had known about problem drinking during my marriage"

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Continuing with the series of - Things I know now that wish I had known ...., Lou talks about the beginning of her relationship.  What would she have done differently, would she still have got married or what would she have changed.  Find out by watching this video. To watch the other videos in this …

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In this, the second of the 'if I had known then' videos, John talks about recovery and the unexpected positives. Like many drinkers, I expected that my life, at least my social life, was over when I stopped drinking. What I found was that, instead of my life being over, it really just began. So …

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This is the first in another short series of videos.  In this series we are answering the question - If I had known then what I do now then ,,,,,? In this first video John is answering the question about the beginning of his drinking.  It is about Problem drinking signs I wish I had …

Continue reading "Problem Drinking Signs I Wish I had not Ignored"

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One of the things I find myself doing in 1 to 1 sessions is providing coaching family members on how to talk to their drinker.  Many people who come to me feel that they have tried everything and nothing has been successful.  So they come looking for that perfect thing to say that will make …

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Continuing with our short series looking at the issues that John meets in his 1 to 1 sessions.  In this video Lou asks John how he responds to people who come along and say "I need to cut down my drinking". We also discuss how he responds to requests to help with Controlled drinking, what …

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Continuing the series where Lou interviews John on his 1 to 1 sessions, this video is about sessions with the drinker rather than the family member.  Sometimes family members ask me to talk to their drinker, something that I am happy to do provided their drinker is willing. At times the drinker will be aware …

Continue reading "My Partner Thinks that I’m and Alcoholic"

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Very often partners of alcoholics will feel that they are ‘just making a fuss’ if they criticise their drinker’s behaviour. There are a couple of reasons for this feeling, an obvious one being the drinker will tell them that.

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