In Listen UP Episode 10, former professional footballer and ex-PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle shares boundary rules that protect sobriety, highlighting how to stop digital pile‑ons at the door, and how one daily script steadies mood swings.

Clarke Carlisle unveils four low‑mood stabilisers that transform “here we go again” into “I’m safe for tonight”:

- Keep one sentence ready for invites: “Not tonight, early start” — no debate, no guilt

- Phone in another room after 9pm: alarm on a cheap clock; messages wait till morning

- Pre‑prepare a 3‑name call list: if you're struggling, call the first name on the list — don’t wait for the “right” words

- Make routines effortless with the “same day” rule: same dinner, same bedtime, same check‑in — a bad day doesn’t cancel self-care

...and shares one number that predicts relapse more than motivation.

This episode: lk2.app/luep10

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...

In Listen UP Episode 9, Gayle Brannigan of The St Mirren Charitable Foundation shares the simple anchors that keep recovery on track, highlighting a morning reset that steadies emotions, and the power of hearing lived experience weekly.

Gayle unveils a stadium‑based hub plus weekly speakers that transforms isolation into steady, face‑to‑face support:

--Use a 60‑second “just for today” check to stop spiralling and choose the next right step

--How two pocket‑sized readings cool anger, lift gratitude, and steady choices

--Turn high‑risk calendar dates into safe days with one planned meeting and one backup

--Convert festive triggers into support by planning one meeting you will not miss

...and reveals one crucial boundary that protects the first 7 days after detox.

#recovery, #mutualaid, #wellbeing, #StMirren, #soberliving, #ListenUPPodcast

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...

In Listen UP Episode 8, bestselling 12‑step author and Somerton Lodge founder John Elford shares the exact turning points that moved him from homelessness and hospital detoxes to 22 years sober, highlighting the two‑word decision that stopped his next drink, and a step‑by‑step way to face everyday triggers without panic.

John Elford unveils no-nonsense, practical strategies that transforms urge spikes at the door into calm action:

-Name the problem out loud to lower cravings in the next five minutes

-Keep momentum with a single daily action that proves progress by bedtime

-Quiet racing thoughts with an audio reset that actually sticks

-Walk past the booze aisle with a simple head cue that keeps your feet moving

…and reveals pocket‑size anti‑craving scripts throughout.

#addictionrecovery, #soberlife, #recoverytools, #earlyrecovery

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...

In Listen UP Episode 7, Alcohol Focus Scotland’s Marc Buchanan shares a simple, stackable approach to reducing alcohol harm in Scotland, highlighting how pricing, outlet density, and marketing limits work together, and why personal routines still matter.

Marc unveils a combined‑measures insight that transforms fragile early days into a steadier, lower‑risk rhythm:

--Pair policies with habits: plan your shop, route, and time; remove surprises, remove urges
--Use structure: morning check‑ins, planned meals, and a set bedtime cut evening cravings
--Cut exposure: choose shops and times with fewer alcohol displays to reduce cue‑reactivity
--Swap routes: avoid alcohol aisles and end‑caps; pick click‑and‑collect to stay out of trigger zones

...and shares field‑tested tactics from recovery groups across Scotland throughout.

#recovery, #alcoholguidelines, #triggermanagement

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...

​In Listen UP Episode 6, Marie McGuire, a seasoned therapist, dives into the universal truths of addiction, highlighting the critical role of trauma-informed therapy and community-based support in recovery, all while sharing a message of hope.

Marie unveils how understanding addiction's indiscriminate nature transforms feelings of isolation into empowerment:

- Why addiction doesn’t discriminate—and why that matters
- Practical ways to personalise your recovery journey
- The connection between compassion and lasting change
- How structure can ease the fragile beginnings of sobriety

...and shares the one question every recovering individual must ask themselves.

#addictionrecovery #cbt #recoveryjourney #therapyworks

- This Episode - lk2.app/luep6
- All Listen UP Episodes - lk2.app/lueps
- Listen UP Podcast - lk2.app/lu

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...

In Listen UP Episode 5, discover recovery strategies that saved broadcaster and presenter Iain Lee's life, and how he understood lasting sobriety is possible, even after devastating relapses and career destruction.

Iain unveils four crucial strategies that shift the focus from despair to hope:

--The role of honest conversations in healing

--How to break the cycle of shame and fear

--Unlocking the true benefits of community support

--The importance of accountability in recovery

...all shared with his signature candour.

#communication #addictionrecovery #supportnetwork #mentalhealthawareness #healingjourney

- This Episode - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/episodes/episode-5-broadcaster-iain-lee/
- Listen UP Podcast - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...

Start Small, Aim Big — Recovery Is Possible | Listen UP Episode 4 - Paul Donnelly

In Listen UP Episode 4, Paul Donnelly, founder of The Max Kolbe Recovery Movement, shares practical steps to navigate recovery, highlighting the power of small, consistent changes and the courage to seek connection.

Paul unveils how embracing vulnerability can turn fear into strength, making recovery not just possible but sustainable:

How to find the courage to take the first step

Why small, consistent actions matter in sobriety

Simple ways to build confidence in early recovery

How to turn social anxiety into connection

...and shares one critical insight that transforms recovery outcomes.

- This Episode - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/episodes/episode-4-founder-paul-donnelly/
- All Listen UP Episodes - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/episodes/
- Listen UP Podcast - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/


Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and professional approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from those who've experienced recovery and experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:20 Why It's Called Max Kolbe
00:02:35 Paul's Story of Recovery
00:06:58 Facing Recovery Meetings for the First Time
00:16:40 Instant Gratification & Mental Health Today
00:21:03 Navigating Food & Addiction Triggers
00:25:09 Making Recovery Visible with Hats & More
00:27:05 How the Team Plans Events
00:29:59 Mental Health, Loneliness & Suicide Awareness
00:38:42 Loving Yourself in Scottish Culture
00:47:27 Behind the Scenes of Group Videos & Music Choices


Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...

In Listen UP Episode 3, The Recovery Collective, the minds behind Scotland’s first alcohol-free music festival, dive into how they create safe, stigma-free events, highlighting the role of music in recovery and the value of community support.

Shaun Kenny and Derek Watt of The Recovery Collective unveil how creating alcohol-free music events transforms isolation into connection and stigma into empowerment.

- How their love of music inspired a movement
- The surprising role of community events in reducing isolation
- The role of sober events in dismantling addiction stigma
- How 2,000+ attendees found greater connection at an alcohol-free festival

...and reveal the practical steps to use creativity as a recovery tool.

- This Episode - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/episodes/episode-3-recovery-collective/
- All Listen UP Episodes - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/episodes/
- Listen UP Podcast - https://www.abbeycarefoundation.com/listenup/

#recovery, #musicfestival, #RecoveryConnects, #alcoholfree, #communityevent, #mentalhealthawareness, #substanceuse, #Glasgow, #ScottishMusic, #addictionrecovery, #RecoveryCommunity, #supportiveculture, #musicandhealing

Why Listen UP matters:

- Discover how others found strength when they thought they had none
- Learn personal insights and approaches to breaking free from addiction's grip
- Understand the comprehensive support system that makes lasting recovery possible
- Hear from experts who've helped thousands rebuild their lives after addiction

Abbeycare provides comprehensive 28-day residential rehabilitation programmes at our facilities in Scotland and Gloucester. Our holistic approach combines medically-supervised detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, counselling, and aftercare planning to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction.

Our programmes are personalised to meet individual needs, with comfortable en-suite accommodation, nutritious meals, and a supportive community environment.

Beyond your stay, our dedicated aftercare team remains connected, ensuring you're supported at every step of your recovery journey.

Whether you're considering taking the first step toward recovery or supporting someone who is, Listen UP provides the insight, inspiration, and information you need to move forward.

Connect with Abbeycare:
Website: ...