Corporate info
Can you spare half an hour for your employees?
Hi there
My name is Sam, and I am excited to introduce you to The Sober Experience, my company that provides webinars, workshops and 1:1 coaching primarily around the theme of alcohol. The focus of The Sober Experience:
to normalise the conversation around alcohol
by removing stigma, by educating and by providing support to anyone that might benefit from a Sober Experience.
I am working with other organisations, some with platforms dedicated to alcohol support, others who are in the early stages of integrating alcohol support into their wellbeing platforms. The topic is gaining real momentum within organisations and I offer an accessible, positive and engaging option.
What exactly is a Sober Experience?
It’s the learning, the empathy and the tools to support taking a break from alcohol delivered in the most positive way.
The overall aim of my corporate work is to raise the level of openness, empathy and understanding around the topic of alcohol. I support organisations in creating that space where alcohol can be discussed and support can be given.
The Sober Experience is also my first book which contains my theory and lessons to support change. I am hugely passionate about the work that I have created and include a copy for you to read. I also include more information about me, the concept behind the workplace initiative and what exactly I can offer companies.
I would love to talk to you about how I can support your organisation.
Pricing
A bit about me
In 2020 my life transformed and the impact was so monumental it inspired me to put aside my calculator after a 20 year career as a chartered accountant and train to become a coach. And what changed? I stopped drinking. Though my consumption fell within “normal” limits, removing alcohol lifted a fog I hadn’t even realised was there. This experience drives my passion for helping others discover the life-changing potential of taking a break from alcohol. The message and coaching I deliver centers around the positivity, the outcome. I do things differently.
Alcohol had been in my life since birth. Both parents were alcoholics. My traumatic childhood provided a stark reality of the dark side of alcohol and its impact on family, finances, work, life, memories. So, telling myself this would never be me, I jumped into the drinking culture feet first age 15 thinking I was bullet proof with my insider knowledge.
What I hadn’t realised is that it doesn’t work like that. You don’t visibly pivot from in control to out of control. It is a gradual shift and this is what I highlight in my talks. You don’t notice it until it feels like it’s too late.
Parenthood increased my consumption. I talk about invisible triggers when I explain how alcohol consumption can increase. For some it might be a life shift, loss of some kind, marriage break up. Parenthood was mine. It was a combination of things. Triggers back to my own childhood, having 3 children under 3 and then the diagnosis of one of my children with a rare chromosome disorder. My accountancy career was based in London so I had to shift my work locally to be available for my daughter. Everything felt like it was changing and getting harder. Mummy wine culture gave me permission to be a mummy drinker and I embraced it. A whole new network of drinkers, a whole new reason to drink - “we are parents, it’s tough, we deserve this”.
Before I knew it, I was not an addict but addicted to the habit of drinking. Where once I enjoyed a controlled habit I now needed it to influence my mood and despite not drinking daily, it occupied my thoughts daily
It took me so long to realise the damage it was doing because no one talked about it. I had a “normal” drinking habit by any standards. I still had my job, my family, hobbies, friends. But I hadn’t noticed things slipping away to accommodate my habit, life slowing getting greyer. Then after a gradual feeling of unease over a couple of years, one day I looked at my children and decided it was time for change
My drinking story isn’t unique but it’s real and I am happy to share it. My new life is incomparable to the life alcohol had so heavily influenced and I want to highlight this to others and then help them achieve it, even if it is just taking a break.
Alcohol related problems cost UK employers an estimated £7.3 billion* annually through lost productivity, absenteeism, accidents, poor performance
The relationship between work and alcohol reveals a striking pattern: employed individuals, particularly those in managerial and professional roles, are more likely to drink heavily than those who are unemployed. In 2017, about 36% of staff in these positions reported excessive drinking. Yet despite spending a third of our lives at work, we rarely feel comfortable discussing this issue in the workplace – precisely where these conversations need to happen.
In my talks, I emphasize a fundamental truth: Alcohol is highly addictive. To those struggling with excessive drinking who feel they must hide, I say emphatically: "there is absolutely no shame." I share my own story because I understand first hand how alcohol is engineered to hook us, altering our brain chemistry and impacting our mental state.
Often, increased alcohol consumption begins with an unrecognized trigger. Society presents alcohol as a solution: a way to soothe, numb, and relax. Our minds and bodies learn this association, leading us to unconsciously reach for drinks when life becomes challenging.
The path to dependence can be subtle. The brain forms habits readily, and regular drinking patterns can evolve into reliance before we realize it. This is where the habit takes root. Importantly, problematic drinking doesn't require hitting a dramatic "rock bottom", it can manifest in less extreme but still concerning ways.
My mission is to bring these discussions into the open, providing practical support, tools, and motivation for change. Through my book, personal story, webinars, and workshops, I take a positive, authentic, and supportive approach. My model creates a safe space for participation, free from stigma or labels.
- * Stats taken from Alcohol change UK
- ^ Stats taken from IAS (institute of alcohol studies)
Potential path for employees
