Devon LivingIssue #04
The road to recovery
We catch up with Gerri Creedon, the inspiring personality behind Regain Recovery.
Gerri tells us: “People often ask me where my passion for supporting people to make positive changes in their lives comes from, especially as I had a successful career working in the oil industry. My own struggle with alcohol over the years led me to realise that I had to make significant changes in my life. My years struggling with alcohol were arguably the most painful of my adult life, however somewhere deep inside I knew there was hope, and experience shows me now that I was right.”
“My years struggling with alcohol were arguably the most painful of my adult life, however somewhere deep inside I knew there was hope, and experience shows me now that I was right.”
Gerri explains how recovery took her on a journey of self-discovery, where she regained her self-esteem and loving relationships. “Following my own treatment I completed a post-graduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy and I am a qualified EMDR Therapist. I’ve worked in private drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation settings and other agencies that specialise in substance misuse, both in the community as well as the NHS. I also had a very busy private counselling practice.”
But, Gerri tells us, this still wasn’t enough, and the desire to help more people experience the positive changes that she went through kept pushing her forward. Thus Regain Recovery was born. Gerri set up Regain Recovery in six acres of tranquil land in the heart of north Devon. “My vision was to create a safe, warm and friendly environment where individuals struggling with substance use could access treatment and recover, but it had to be somewhere I’d be happy to go myself. My own treatment was very effective for me, but it did not provide the support for my loved ones that they needed. Partners and loved ones have their own needs on the recovery journey, so I was determined to cover the needs of everyone involved.”
Gerri is passionate and committed to providing an effective, excellent service to all clients and their families. “My aim is to empower people approaching recovery, enabling them to help themselves and learn as much as possible about substance use and the underlying issues associated with it. With knowledge comes power, and understanding the cause and effect of substance use can be a powerful tool.”
Gerri continues: “I am excited to share my recovery journey with anyone struggling to regain control of their own issues. I know how important it is for people to see that success is possible, and this is a key feature of the Regain Recovery programme.”
REGAIN RECOVERY
Barton Court, Barton Road,
Buckland Brewer, Bideford EX39 5LN
01237 405200
"My years struggling with alcohol were arguably the most painful of my adult life, however somewhere deep inside I knew there was hope, and experience shows me now that I was right."