“I’d never got clean before,” she says. “But that all started to change when I stopped drinking. It was the first step, and I had an amazing key worker at Wirral Ways who helped me through it.”
Rachel believed she’d stay on a script for the rest of her life. But her key worker saw something in her that she couldn’t yet see in herself.
“She told me I had more fire in my belly than that. She believed in me when no one else did—and that helped me believe in myself again.”
That belief took Rachel to a residential treatment service for what she thought would be three months. She ended up staying five. It was the beginning of a journey not just of recovery, but of rediscovery.
“I learned a lot about my behaviours in treatment. And while I was there, one of the staff told me about the support available through Wirral Ways. Even though I’d lived nearby for 30 years, I’d never accessed anything in Birkenhead.”
Rachel began taking part in the Voyage of Change sessions and then joined the Pre-Academy, which helped her build confidence and connect with others in a safe, understanding space.
“Pre-Academy was so important. We got to know each other over nine weeks, so when we started the full Discovery Academy, it wasn’t as daunting. When you’ve been in addiction, you close off. You lose your self-worth. But the Academy made space for us to be vulnerable—and to feel accepted, with no judgement.”
Through the Discovery Academy, Rachel found more than just support. She found herself.
“It’s changed my life. It’s shown me that I’ve got good stuff inside me. And now I’m starting to use it.”
The person she used to be, she says, is almost unrecognisable.
“Rachel before was closed off, angry. I had the Great Wall of China wrapped around me—no one was getting in. That’s how I protected myself.”
But today?
“Rachel now is open, willing to learn—and a happy, shiny person. I’m so glad I did this. I’m so grateful to CGL and to the facilitators—they’re phenomenal.”
Rachel’s story is one of courage, connection, and transformation. If you’re thinking about taking the next step in your own recovery, Rachel has one message:
“I’d recommend the Academy to anyone trying to get their life together. It’s brought out the best in me. It can do the same for you.”
Last Updated on 8 August 2025
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