Everything you need to live your best no-alcohol / low-alcohol lifestyle.
Looking for insight into the work of an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women? In this Beyond the Bio interview, Megan Webb shares her personal journey with alcohol, her path to an alcohol-free life and how her lived experience led her into coaching women who want to change their relationship with drinking.
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.
As an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women, Megan combines lived experience with trauma-informed and somatic coaching approaches. Her work focuses particularly on women in their 40s and 50s who want to understand their drinking patterns and develop different ways of coping.
Hit us with the personal stuff first, we’re intrigued to learn more about your own background and experience with alcohol?
My relationship with alcohol began when I was 18. Like so many young women, drinking was simply part of socialising, having fun and fitting in. However, I did have a social anxiety which meant I would shake when I ate in front of others or held a glass etc. And when I had my first drink I discovered my shaking stopped. So it became a form of self-medication as well as a social lubricant from day one. Also from day 1 I was a binge drinker. I ALWAYS drank quickly and I drank a lot and this continued right up until my last drink in my 40’s. So I was always aware that my drinking wasn’t great, but something in the back of my head would say “I’ll deal with that another day”
Through my 20’s and 30’s I drank like this but I always had a long break when I was pregnant and after I had my kids. But I then would go back to drinking how I did before, binge drinking socially.
However when I got to my forties, and I wasn’t going to have any more kids, life became increasingly overwhelming. I was raising three children, working, managing a home and navigating the breakdown of my marriage. I was exhausted, anxious and disconnected from myself, and alcohol became my way of coping. Eventually, I was drinking every night, sometimes up to two bottles of wine. From the outside, I was functioning and getting on with life, but internally I was struggling. Alcohol had become my way of switching off, escaping difficult emotions and getting through the day.
I had my first break from alcohol in 2018 for 5 months, I tried AA and I did enjoy it because of the community, but I couldn’t commit to all the meetings plus I didn’t think I was an alcoholic. I went back to drinking for the next few years and finally decided that I was going to stop for good. So New Year's Eve 2021 became the day I quit and I've been alcohol free coming up 5 years this New Years Eve!
And that has completely changed the direction of my life. Getting sober wasn't simply about removing alcohol; it was about learning who I was without it. I had to rebuild my relationship with myself, learn to regulate my emotions, work through old wounds, develop healthier ways of coping and begin trusting myself again.
Today, Megan works as an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women, drawing on both her lived experience and her professional coaching training. I now combine my lived experience with coaching, nervous-system and trauma-informed approaches to help other women understand what may be underneath their drinking. I believe there is so much more to alcohol recovery than simply stopping drinking. It's about creating the safety, self-trust, connection and confidence to build a life you no longer need to escape from.
Megan's lived experience is one part of what she brings to her work as an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women, alongside her professional coaching qualifications.
Now let’s cover off on the credentials – what makes you qualified to work in this specialised field of coaching?
When choosing an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women, understanding how the coach approaches drinking, emotions and behaviour change can be just as important as reviewing their qualifications.
If I was to work with you, what should I expect?
If you work with me, you can expect a safe, compassionate and completely non-judgemental space where you can be honest about what is really going on. There is no shame, blame or expectation that you should simply be able to stop drinking through willpower. We will get curious about your relationship with alcohol and begin to understand what it has been doing for you.
My approach is trauma-informed and somatic, which means we don't just focus on the behaviour of drinking. We look at what may be underneath it — your emotions, nervous system, beliefs, patterns, relationships and the experiences that may have shaped the way you cope. Together, we work to understand your triggers and develop new ways of responding, so you can feel more in control without relying on alcohol to cope.
You can also expect me to gently challenge you when needed. I won't tell you what to do or judge your choices, but I will help you see things from a different perspective, ask the questions that may be uncomfortable but necessary, and support you to make decisions that are aligned with the life you actually want.
Most importantly, I want you to leave our work together knowing yourself better and trusting yourself more. My goal isn't simply to help you stop drinking — it's to help you reconnect with who you are, heal what needs healing and create a life where you no longer need to numb, escape or abandon yourself.
People may seek an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women for different reasons, including daily drinking, binge drinking, anxiety, overwhelm or simply feeling ready for a different relationship with alcohol.
What sort of people do you normally work with?
I work with women in their 40’s and 50’s who are ready to stop the daily drinking cycle and shame and blame that goes with it, and heal what is underneath. I work with women who are unfulfilled, and who know there is more to their life and want to find their way back to their authentic selves.
Finding the right Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women is also about finding someone whose experience, communication style and approach feel right for you.
Why would I choose you to work with?
Because I have lived experience as well as the above credentials. All the coaching I do is because I have lived it. And I have come out the other side with passion, purpose and a life where alcohol is small and irrelevant to me. I offer compassion led coaching and I am a safe place for you always.
How can people wanting to work with you get in touch?
You can find me at my website www.meganwebb.com.au and you can book a FREE discovery call here: https://calendly.com/glassfulfilled
For women considering support, working with an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women can provide a dedicated space to explore drinking habits, personal goals and the changes they want to make.
Megan's story offers a personal look at what can lead someone to become an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women and how lived experience can shape their approach to supporting others.
NoLo Life thanks Megan for sharing her personal journey, coaching approach and experience as an Alcohol Recovery Coach for Women.
If Megan's approach resonates with you, visit her website or book a free discovery call using the links above. You can also explore other ABC Coaches and Therapists through NoLo Life's Individual Support Directory.
