Alcohol CoachBy Michaela Weaver

As the founder of The Alcohol Coach, its my job to coach clients, train them, educate and encourage them away from a life where alcohol causes problems, and where they are stuck in a growing cycle of addiction.

An alcohol coach isn’t the same as a counselor. I take people from where they are now and move them forwards to a place they want to be.

We start from day 1 and move forwards. It’s often said that a coach takes people from the dark into the light, and that’s a great way to think about alcohol coaching and my job as an alcohol coach.

I am also an alcohol teacher who provides learning and information to help people make sense of the alcohol conundrum, and that is so important because there is a dearth of misinformation out there about alcohol and addiction.

Love me or hate me, I am not a fan of Alcoholics Anonymous, and yes I have read the book: my copy is a big blue book, The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I thought it was badly written, antiquated and, as it is now widely known that there is no such thing as ‘an alcoholic’, thoroughly unhelpful.

If you are not convinced of this yourself, you can download my free Guide: Do I Have a Drink Problem? Am I an Alcoholic? Not being a fan of religion (I don’t mind if you are), or housework (the same applies), the opening line put me off completely: Trust God, Clean House and Help Others.

I agree with the last sentiment and that’s about all I agree with in the whole book, and if you need to believe in God or a higher power to solve alcohol problems, then why don’t you need to do that to solve nicotine problems? It’s just illogical.

My approach to alcohol coaching is based on science, psychology and down to earth common sense. I teach rational ideas that people find refreshing, inspiring and helpful. I also teach people to be incredibly happy without alcohol and not to feel as though they are missing out or are social outcasts. That would be miserable, and my whole purpose is for people to thrive, to be happy and to be free.

If you are struggling right now with alcohol problems I have one very important message for you: you are not weak, and you are not incapable of controlling yourself. You just haven’t figured out yet, how you have become involved with an addictive drug and what to do to solve that. That’s where I come in.

The fact is that alcohol is highly addictive, and they don’t teach us that when we’re given ‘just a little’ at Aunty Jane’s wedding when we are 12 years old, and then thrown headlong into a life where we’re expected to take the addictive drug for the next 20 years, and yet not become addicted.

I am also a mentor for solving alcohol problems and discovering life without it, and I was addicted to alcohol myself for probably all of my adult life until I figured it all out. Being out of the alcohol trap is called sobriety and it’s actually fabulous.

It’s not boring in any way, and when I look back to when I was drinking a bottle or two of wine every night and slurring at family reunions I was probably very boring indeed.

As an alcohol coach I inspire clients to learn, build confidence and to grow into a life where they can be vibrant and copy with stress and challenges in new ways.

This means that I also use my life and wellbeing coach training as well as my addiction and emotional health training when I provide alcohol coaching. I mostly run programs and courses, but I also offer 121 support as well when time permits.

Where it’s a program or 121, I don’t just leave clients at the gate of being alcohol-free and say, ‘off you go then.’ I provide coaching for the ‘what happens next?’ for the ‘what do I do now?’, and the ‘how do I behave in front of my friends, or my partner?’ My alcohol coaching is also a vibrant, resilient life coaching service as well.

If you like the sound of my approach I look forward to working with you. You can dive into my free Masterclass and learn some things about alcohol that I guarantee will surprise you.