Natural remedy
Kate Furey talks about how she used long-forgotten skills to get her life back on track
My life started to spiral out of control when I lost my job as a fundraiser. I was struggling to bring up my little girl, who has Asperger’s syndrome, as a single mum and things seemed pretty bleak. While it was clear to everyone around me that my drinking had become a problem, it wasn’t until my daughter was taken away that I realised how my actions were affecting others.
Having a dependency robs you of your self-worth and confidence. CRI provided the support I needed to make it through my recovery. While it felt like an emotional boot camp at times, my key recovery worker helped me to realise how many useful skills I have – for example, I have successfully run three businesses and I’m a qualified aromatherapist. I came out determined to make the most of my talents and to take positive steps in my life.
I opened up Clean and Green Recovery on my first ‘sober’ anniversary two years ago. I began selling my own hand-made, natural cleaning products on a market stall, and two years on I’m running my very own shop! I sell cards and jewellery by others in recovery, as well as my own cleaning and beauty products. I’ve also just received funding to turn one of the rooms in the shop into a holistic salon to provide aromatherapy and reflexology treatments to people in recovery.
I also volunteer with CRI because it’s wonderful to support the recovery of others. It’s amazing to help them rebuild their confidence. Because I have shared many of the same experiences, I’m able to relate to their situation and can prove to them that, even at their lowest points there is always hope.
Kate Furey is the founder of Clean and Green Recovery