Laura is a trauma-informed somatic therapist and certified yoga and meditation teacher with over 25 years of experience – 19 of those specialising in mental health, trauma and substance misuse.

After years of living in disconnection and using alcohol to numb anxiety, quiet the constant mind chatter and cope with the exhaustion of overworking and perfectionism, Laura chose a different path. Establishing sobriety was just the beginning, which then opened the door to a deeper journey of reconnection with body, mind and soul.

Her approach blends somatic therapy, nervous system regulation, movement, mindfulness and ancient eastern philosophy guiding others to gently release old coping patterns and reconnect with their true nature. Laura’s work is rooted in the understanding that we’re not broken – we’ve just forgotten who we really are. That wholeness, that sense of being fully alive and at home in ourselves, is never lost. It’s just been buried under years of stress, survival and trying to keep it all together. Through reconnecting with the body, we remember. Not by fixing ourselves, but by slowing down, listening in and realising that what we’ve been searching for has been here all along.

Hear Laura’s story here…

Laura's Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/iamlaura.starky

All Laura's other links in one place:

https://marvelous.bio/somatic-wellness

https://thecostaricanews.com/spiritual-consequences-alcohol-consumption/

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

David Wilson – Trauma-Informed Coach, Public Speaker & Bestselling Author

David Wilson is a Trauma-Informed Coach, Accredited Grey Area Drinking Coach, and Public Speaker dedicated to empowering individuals to transform their lives, overcome personal challenges, and embrace sobriety with a renewed mindset. Renowned for his no-nonsense approach and personable delivery, David provides impactful guidance that resonates with diverse audiences.

As a speaker, David has addressed schools and colleges, raising awareness about the risks and consequences of excessive alcohol consumption on individuals and their families. His work extends to corporate settings, where he delivers presentations and consultancy to support employee well-being and workplace wellness initiatives.

David is the host of the highly successful Top 10 Apple Podcast, One For The Road, which has garnered over 300,000 downloads in its first year. The podcast features in-depth conversations with notable guests, including RTT founder Marisa Peer, SAS: Who Dares Wins star Ollie Ollerton, bestselling author Catherine Gray (The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober), and musician Matt Willis.

A No.1 Bestselling Author, David’s debut book, One For The Road, combines his personal journey with coaching insights and motivational strategies designed to help readers redefine their relationship with alcohol.

David’s influential online presence includes his Instagram account, @soberdave, which boasts a loyal and engaged community of over 167,000 followers. Through live interviews and regular content, he fosters open conversations with thought leaders and advocates from the global sober community.

His annual initiative, #DryJanSoberdave, has supported thousands of individuals in taking their first steps toward sobriety, providing encouragement and accountability throughout the journey.

In addition to his coaching and advocacy work, David is committed to helping individuals explore the connection between past trauma and alcohol dependency. His recent qualification as a Trauma-Informed Coach strengthens his ability to guide clients toward sustainable, long-term sobriety through healing and self-awareness. He has also recently qualified as an EFT Practitioner.

Believing that the opposite of addiction is connection, David has created private online support communities, providing safe spaces for individuals to share experiences, receive support, and build meaningful connections.

Dave's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/soberdave

All Dave's other links on his Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/Soberdave

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Darren McGarvey, is a Scottish social commentator, journalist, author and tv presenter on hard hitting documentaries.

McGarvey was brought up in Pollok on the south side of Glasgow, Scotland. Between 2004 and 2006, he wrote and presented eight programmes about the causes of anti-social behaviour and social deprivation for BBC Radio Scotland.

Darren battled with his own addictions with alcohol and drugs and has made several programs highlighting the issues faced in society.

Listen to Darren’s story here…

You can find Darren here:

https://www.instagram.com/darren_mcgarvey

Trauma Industrial Complex:

https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/darren-mcgarvey-trauma-industrial-complex-the-live-show

Darren's Website:

https://darrenmcgarvey.com

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Louisa was a nearly nightly bottle of wine drinker and had been since her 20's. When Louisa became a mother, the pressure to cope with motherhood with 'wine o'clock' increased and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to turn to a glass of wine or two (or three) at the end of the day to cope.

In her day job, Louisa is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and Hypnotherapist and so she was finding a real incongruence with the advice she was giving other people and yet struggling herself behind closed doors.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In October 2022 Louisa couldn't ignore her desire to go sober any longer and began her sober journey. It wasn't a straightforward path though. Despite having all the tools she uses in her clinic with other people and habit change Louisa couldn't seem to get sobriety to stick.

​

So she ended up stuck in a resetting loop for a couple of months and her mental health really suffered in that time.

Hear Louisa’s story here…

You can find Louisa at:

https://www.instagram.com/stepping_into_sobriety

Louisa's Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/stepping_into_sobriety

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

At 29, Sam was on his knees, physically, mentally and spiritually shattered. He hated himself and wanted to die. This coupled with a life of chronic alcoholism of which his journey began at a young age, was a tragedy in waiting.

His name is Samuel, and by the grace of some elusive entity he managed to crawl out of the abyss and got sober in 2013. The past eleven and a half years or so have been filled with joy, passion, love, adventure, presence, heartache, heartbreak and all the messy stuff in between, but he has managed this without having to use the once ever present crutch - alcohol.

Listen to Sam's story here...

You can find Sam at:

https://www.instagram.com/life_after_destruction

And at his father's art pages:

https://www.instagram.com/the_hand_of_ray_lowry

https://raylowry.com

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

At 29, Sam was on his knees, physically, mentally and spiritually shattered. He hated himself and wanted to die. This coupled with a life of chronic alcoholism of which his journey began at a young age, was a tragedy in waiting.

His name is Samuel, and by the grace of some elusive entity he managed to crawl out of the abyss and got sober in 2013. The past eleven and a half years or so have been filled with joy, passion, love, adventure, presence, heartache, heartbreak and all the messy stuff in between, but he has managed this without having to use the once ever present crutch - alcohol.

Listen to Sam's story here...

You can find Sam at:

https://www.instagram.com/life_after_destruction

And at his father's art pages:

https://www.instagram.com/the_hand_of_ray_lowry

https://raylowry.com

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Gary was in a rut with his drinking, at the end it was all consuming and despite having a good job, being well traveled and having met the love of his life. It was all falling away, he would drink daily and not care about anything else, losing friends and his love he finally decided to change things and started walking, walking back to sobriety…

Listen to Gary’s story here…

You can find Gary at:

https://www.instagram.com/sobernsound

Gary's Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/sobernsound

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Leanne is a solo parent, she has been sober almost 5 years. Loud and proud. She now works in therapy with people in addiction or substance use. Leanne is also a writer and the book From Cocaine to Rice Cakes will be out soon. Since getting sober Leanne has devoted her time to helping others. She runs Self Love club on Sundays for women who want to be empowered. She made it to 28 sober influencers in the world which she was stunned by, although I think it is totally fitting. She says she’s here to hold anyone's hand to a better life. Leanne is a powerhouse on insta and her story is remarkable. Listen here…

You can find Leanne at:

https://www.instagram.com/soberlittlemotherred

Leanne's Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/Soberlittlemother?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAab719fU0X6s1sFa8HOPF1BA-wNshihXQnFP-PhaLBTs_Ya9lh7GESxVMyA_aem_LHVw23q4s1kaCLXDPKeXQw

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt