Everything you need to live your best no-alcohol / low-alcohol lifestyle.
Ever wondered what inspires Alcohol Behaviour Change (ABC) coaches to do what they do?
In the Beyond the Bio Interview Series, we go beyond the professional profile to meet the people helping Australians and New Zealanders positively change their relationship with alcohol. We explore their backgrounds, approaches and techniques — and, importantly, what motivates them to do this life-changing work.
Hit us with the personal stuff first, we’re intrigued to learn more about your own background and experience with alcohol?
I grew up as a pretty typical Perth kid in a working-class family. My parents drank and smoked, but they were never what I would have considered alcoholics. From a young age, alcohol was simply part of everyday life. At 15, while still at school, I started working in hospitality at a hotel restaurant, and this normalised drinking even further. I loved hospitality—it taught me that you could make friends with almost anyone if you bought them a beer. After dropping out of university, I studied hospitality at TAFE because, at that stage, it was the world I knew. There were plenty of travels, plenty of messy nights and plenty of drinking along the way.
Eventually, I decided I needed to change direction and found my way into the construction industry. It was a completely different career, with good money and opportunities, but the culture felt surprisingly familiar. Construction was dominated by big personalities and a strong drinking culture, particularly among the men and women on site. Although I worked primarily on the corporate side, representing government clients, I felt incredibly comfortable in that environment. Being able to drink anyone under the table was seen as a badge of honour—not a warning sign. Monday mornings were often spent swapping war stories about the weekend and giving each other a hard time about whatever ridiculous behaviour had unfolded. It was just the Australian way, wasn't it?
It wasn't until I reached my mid-thirties that I began to recognise how much drinking was actually costing me. I started to see the amount of time, energy and potential I was losing—not just through the drinking itself, but through the life I wasn't building. Then I had a major accident while riding my bike and broke my back. Lying there recovering, I was forced to confront something I had been avoiding for years: I couldn't stop drinking. And for the first time, that genuinely frightened me. I couldn't understand why something I supposedly had control over was proving so impossible to walk away from. I began to seriously question what was really going on beneath my drinking—and why, despite everything I had achieved, I couldn't seem to choose not to drink.
For many years, I believed there was something wrong with me. I wasn't drinking because of a major trauma or dramatic life event—I simply loved alcohol and was caught in the cycle of drinking a bottle or two of wine every night.
Like so many people, I believed I just needed more willpower or better self-control. I would stop for a while, cut back, or prove to myself I didn't have a problem, but I always found myself back in the same exhausting cycle: tired, hungover, anxious and wondering when this was ever going to stop.
I was listening to the Annie Grace Pod Cast and reading her newly released book in 2019 when I really had the Ah Ha moment that changed my life and feelings around sobriety. It was here I discovered the science behind alcohol addiction. I realised I wasn't broken. The reality was, alcohol is an addictive substance that changes the brain, and freedom begins with understanding, not shame.
I knew I wanted to stop drinking forever. But it took me a few goes of trying to quit. A few months, then a year, then I never looked back. It was like I was building strength each time. Once I had the information on the science of addiction, I started to understand my brain and was able to know that these things take time and not to give up! I had my two kids to live for and I wasn’t going to leave them behind or loose them to being an alcoholic mother.
Today, I live an alcohol-free life that I genuinely love.
I wanted to help others find the same freedom I had found and find it fast. So, I started studying and became a This Naked Mind Certified Coach, a yoga teacher, meditation guide and 9D Breathwork facilitator.
I know what it's like to live the social drinking life, the hiding life, the “I'll start again on Monday” life—and I also know what it feels like to finally be free. My greatest passion is helping others discover that the other side of addiction isn't deprivation—it's connection, peace, purpose and a life you no longer want to escape from.
This isn’t recovery, its self-discovery.
Now let’s cover off on the credentials – what makes you qualified to work in this specialised field of coaching?
My qualifications include:
I’ve also got Senior Project Manager credentials, which may seem irrelevant, but it actually arms me to help you break your journey pragmatically into bite-size actions, celebrate the milestones and keep you focused on the next most important thing.
If I was to work with you, what should I expect?
In my experience, I’ve seen that alcohol is rarely the real problem—it's often the symptom of something deeper. So, in my coaching we go beyond simply helping you stop drinking. Together, we'll explore the unconscious beliefs, emotional patterns and life experiences that have kept you stuck, replacing shame and self-judgement with understanding, compassion and lasting change.
I adopt a blend of one-on-one coaching, neuroscience, positive psychology and transformational 9D Breathwork. It’ll help you release old emotional patterns, process unresolved experiences and create healthier ways of thinking and living.
Rather than relying on willpower alone, we'll work together to rewire your mind, regulate your nervous system and build a life where alcohol naturally loses its grip—allowing you to reconnect with yourself, your relationships and the future you truly want.
What sort of people do you normally work with?
Most of my work is with people who struggle with binge drinking and high functioning corporate workers.
I’ve worked with both men and women in the construction and hospitality sectors.
Many people I work with have confounding factors that differently impact their experience with alcohol, such as people within the LGBTIQ community, dealing with ADHD, food related issues and struggling with overwhelm and anxiety.
I enjoy working with a broad variety of clients.
Why would I choose you to work with?
My approach is practical, compassionate and designed to meet you exactly where you are. Together, we'll break the journey into manageable, achievable steps that fit your lifestyle, your goals and your pace.
Through affordable one-on-one coaching, powerful mindset tools, practical strategies and transformational 9D Breathwork sessions (available both online and in person), I'll help you understand why you drink, rewire the unconscious patterns keeping you stuck, and build a life where alcohol naturally loses its place.
I offer longer sessions than the norm (90-minutes), to make sure we have enough time to get everything you need to share out of your system and cleared – like wiping it off a whiteboard. This is such an important part of the process. Once that’s taken care of, we focus on your learnings, insights, next steps and getting you prepared for the next unique stage ahead.
Breaking free from alcohol doesn't have to feel overwhelming or rely on endless willpower. My goal isn't simply to help you stop drinking—it's to help you create a life you genuinely love waking up to.
How can people wanting to work with you get in touch?
Book a discovery call – https://calendly.com/kim_raysmith/30min
NoLo Life thanks Kim for giving us deeper insight into her life and coaching practice.
You can review profiles of other ABC Coaches and Therapists in our Individual Support Directory.
