Why Originality Matters in Professional Recovery Counselling.

In recent months, I’ve noticed a rise in imitation within the sober support space—formats, language, and programme names lifted wholesale from my established work. As flattering as it might be on the surface, it’s important to remember: mimicry can’t manufacture authenticity. Coaching rather than counselling is a way of piggybacking on those of us who are well qualified and deeply invested in all the the methods that have been created by us.

The Six Week Programme wasn’t just a catchy title, it was born from lived experience, years of therapeutic practice, and the voices of the thousands of people over 20 years  I’ve worked with since founding Harrogate Sanctuary. Every part of it, from the structure to the language, has been shaped by real people, real pain, and real progress.

Copying someone else’s framework might seem like a shortcut to credibility, but it can’t replicate the trust or depth that only comes from walking the long road firsthand.

To those of you seeking support: look for originators, not imitators. You deserve guidance built on substance, not a second-hand version of someone else’s work.

They can try to mirror The Sanctuary surface but will never be able to touch our depth.