What sober coaching is like

The following sober coaching testimonial is from a coaching client. Name withheld for privacy.

"I started seeing real changes. I began to enjoy life sober – not just endure it."

What sober coaching is like

"When I first started working with Paulette for sober coaching, I was stuck. Stuck in a cycle of drinking, regret, guilt and shame – yet somehow still believing I had it under control. Deep down I knew I didn’t. I had already been through rehab more than once. I had made promises to myself and to the people I love, only to find myself slipping back into old patterns. I had convinced myself that I could 'manage' it but the truth was, it was managing me.

Over the past eight months of weekly coaching with Paulette, everything started to shift. She helped me face the parts of myself I had spent years avoiding – the part of me we called the “saboteur.” The part that told me I deserved to drink, that I needed it to feel alive, to socialise, to escape, or to cope with stress. Through our conversations, reflections, and practical exercises, I began to see that while that part of me once helped me survive, it was now holding me back from living the life I wanted.

Paulette didn’t just give me advice – she helped me build real, practical tools to navigate life differently. We worked on daily check-ins, building structure, using Antabuse as a safeguard and surrounding myself with a supportive network of people who genuinely wanted to see me succeed. She challenged me to be honest with myself, to stop playing the same old mental games and to start showing up for myself in a way I hadn’t done for years.

There were times when I doubted myself, but Paulette helped me understand that 'easy' doesn’t lead to freedom – it leads back to the same cycle I was trying to escape. She reminded me, time and again, that every time I chose to care for myself instead of giving in, I was strengthening my future.

"The constant noise in my head started to quieten down."

I started seeing real changes. I began to enjoy life sober – not just endure it. I found peace in the ordinary moments: training at the gym, cooking healthy food, sleeping well and spending time with people who matter to me. The constant noise in my head started to quieten down. I noticed my relationship with my partner improving – not because I was trying to fix everything all at once but because I was finally showing up as someone she could trust again.

Moments of victory

There were key moments when I realised how far I had come – like when I was gifted alcohol and felt no temptation to drink it, or when I went away on trips where drinking had once defined the experience but this time, it didn’t even cross my mind. Those moments felt like real victories.

Perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that sobriety isn’t something I have to do – it’s something I get to do. It’s freedom, clarity and peace. It’s being fully present for my life, my health, my family and my future.

Looking back now, I hardly recognise the person who started this journey. What began as weekly coaching to get sober has become a transformation of how I live and who I am. Paulette helped me navigate the hard parts, celebrate the wins and stay true to what I really want for my life.

I now believe in myself again. That wouldn’t have been possible without Paulette’s support, honesty and belief in me – even when I struggled to believe in myself.

Like podcasts? To find out what sober coaching is like, listen to the Sober Coaching episode of the Ocean Hills Addicted to Recovery podcast here .

Find out more about coach Paulette Crowley in the blog or listen to the podcast featuring her personal story of recovery from alcohol here.

If you need to talk to someone about recovering from a relapse, call Ocean Hills founder Elaine Atkinson on 027 573 7744 or contact the team here.