John’s Testimonial
As a doctor in a busy GP surgery of course I should have known better than to drown my sorrows after losing my wife of 32 years with whisky. As a male of the species and brought up in an age where a stiff upper lip and a slug was acceptable when dealing with grief, my friends all sympathised and to some extent joined in.
What they didn’t do was call in to various convenience stores on the way home, daily after my beloved’s death and buy half a bottle of scotch and drink it alone, becoming more and more morose and depressed.
I know better than anyone I suppose the outcomes. But something, almost like an alter ego, told me that because I was so aware that nothing dramatic would happen to me.
Really nothing did. I just began to get more tired, less sharp, much fatter, and deeply sad.
A patient of mine had used Harrogate Sanctuary some years ago and become so vital, changed after working with Sarah, one evening after unloading my stash, before I poured it, I called her. Discretion and privacy were so key to me, and talking with her made me feel extremely safe, understood, with her insightful experience not just with alcohol dependence but so many of life’s challenges I knew I had to put myself into her hands and embark on The Six Week Programme.
The whole process was reassuring, incredibly hands on, very flexible to suit my schedule, and it works!! There was never a time that I needed to reach out to others, Sarah made it quite clear from the get-go, comparing our struggles with others often isn’t helpful, and that ultimately, we all stand alone. The time for sharing would come later if I wanted to.
The order and organisation of her work suited me, the written word is powerful, making the space for those diaries daily to her with some fairly random thoughts sometimes, were cleverly interpreted and logically she gave me some answers that resonated with me.
I cannot recommend Sarah and her work enough and will be doing so to some of my patients who have struggled with their sobriety.
Thank you, Sarah the grief is ongoing but the coping mechanisms are healthy ones and that is down to you and your stellar advice.
