This Is Powerful With Paul Sculfor

Behind the scenes of many addiction treatment support organisations are devoted souls who give their lives and careers in aid of helping families who are struggling with the addiction of a loved one. Today’s guest talks about overcoming shame, setting firm boundaries and the rehab myth within a family setting.
Vivienne Evans is the Chief Executive of Adfam, the national organisation for children and families affected by someone else’s substance misuse.  Adfam advocates for support for these family members, trains practitioners to work with them, and provides support services. Vivienne has a long history of leadership roles within the public and charity sectors, has a background in drug and alcohol education and prevention within young people and families, and specialises in substance misuse policy and practice.

Adfam mission statement:
Adfam is the leading families and addiction charity in England. We are here for all the millions of people affected by someone else’s drinking or drug use. These people are children, parents, friends, partners, siblings and grandparents. Coping with someone you love experiencing these problems can cause physical, mental, emotional, social and financial distress. Substance use or gambling are often just one part of the story – so many also suffer mental ill health, domestic abuse and financial problems.
They may be afraid to speak out so they are hidden in plain sight. Adfam gives them a voice. More than five million people are affected in this country and we know how tough it can be, so we want to make their lives better. Our vision at Adfam is that family members affected by substance use or gambling are heard, valued and have access to support

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/
Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor 
Follow us on social media for more insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you!
Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 
Adfam: https://adfam.org.uk
Adfam support services: https://adfam.org.uk/find-support/
Adfam guidance around dealing with a family member or loved one’s substance use in video: https://adfam.org.uk/video-support/, and written form: https://adfam.org.uk/for-families/.
Adfam social media pages:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/adfam
https://www.facebook.com/AdfamUK
https://www.instagram.com/adfamuk

He knew that what he was doing was wrong but he couldn’t stop until a life-changing incident set his life on a new course.
22-year-old Jack from Dagenham in Essex joins us today. Working in the building maintenance industry, he has over a year's recovery under his belt.  Starting with ketamine use from age 16, then moving through other drugs and alcohol, Jack’s story could have ended in tragedy. Thankfully Jack is still with us today, talking about what led him down a very dark path. In the hopes of helping other young people, Jack speaks courageously, honestly and with great clarity about the grip his addictions had on him and how he managed to free himself.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/
Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor 
Follow us on social media for more insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you!
Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor

Many many young people who have struggled with mental health, disordered eating or addiction have benefited from a guiding hand from our guest today.
Alex Blatch initially trained as a Registered Mental Health Nurse and later as a Bereavement Counsellor working in CAMHS, Eating Disorders, Adult Acute and Addiction Services. Over the past 35 years, Alex has worked in and managed a variety of private mental health settings, including inpatient, daycare and outpatient services.
Often using humour to connect with young people, Alex talks to us about the difficult topic of shame, shares her thoughts regarding the pressures on young men right now, and we find out exactly how disordered eating is defined and how to treat it. Alex offers up advice not only for young people who are struggling but she is also a wealth of knowledge for parents when it comes to identifying and seeking help for their children when they are facing challenges.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/
Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor 
Follow us on social media for more insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you!
Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 
Top Charities & Support Services suggested by Alex:

YoungMinds: Offers, information, and guides for young people, as well as a helpline for parents concerned about their child. 

Place2Be: Provides counseling and mental health services directly within schools, focusing on early intervention.

Stem4: Focuses on teenage mental health, providing clinically-validated digital apps (e.g., Calm Harm, Clear Fear) to manage anxiety, depression, and self-harm.

The Mix: Offers confidential support, including counseling, for young people under 25 on various issues.

Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention: Operates HOPELINEUK, providing practical advice and support for young people struggling with suicidal thoughts or those worried about them.

Anna Freud Centre: Focuses on research, clinical care, and developing tailored mental health support in schools and communities. 

YoungMinds +4

Digital & Specialized Services

Kooth: Free, anonymous, online counseling and mental wellbeing platform for young people.

Shout 85258: A free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone struggling to cope.

Selfharm UK: A dedicated project aimed at supporting young people impacted by self-harm.

Students Against Depression: Provides resources and guidance specifically for students struggling with low mood and depression.

Brent Centre for Young People: Provides specialized psychotherapy for adolescents, particularly in London, addressing anxiety and self-harm.

We have an extraordinary young guest today, a real highlight for our youth and addiction series. Isa got sober as a teenager and is now an inspiring example of how you can turn your life around if you really work a recovery programme. Isa can trace the beginnings of her pattern of addictive behaviour back to unhealthy eating when she was just seven years old. Unhealthy eating led to full-blown addiction to drugs and alcohol, bringing Isa into rehab by the time she was 18 years old. This episode is especially powerful for young people struggling with addiction and a real source of hope for their parents too.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/
Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor 
Follow us on social media for more insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you!
Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor

Today we welcome Melanie, a young woman working through the stages of recovery after growing up a child of an alcoholic. Melanie always felt different at school and struggled to make friends.  After learning as much as she could about alcohol and having had a spiritual awakening, she is now able to speak about her experiences and share her strength and hope for other young people who are living in households where alcoholism is present. Melanie speaks openly about how living with alcoholism shaped her early years and has some enlightening insight into how other young people can identify whether someone close to them might have a problem with alcohol.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/
Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor 
Follow us on social media for more insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you!

Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 
Find Nacoa online https://nacoa.org.uk/
Find NACOA on Instagram @nacoauk