RedChair

29/08/2026

28/07/2026

Secure Ambulance Needed today, 28th July 2026. Male under section currently in South Manchester needing to be taken to Chester. Any one available today please?

15/05/2026

A report in today's Liverpool echo is confusing.
Merseyside Police said a post-mortem was held yesterday (Thursday), however, the cause of death is currently pending further medical investigations. Police launched an investigation and arrested six men, aged 30,42, 45, 50, 54, 53 and 58, from Liverpool, on suspicion of murder.

28/03/2026

I stopped drinking in 1993. I stopped smoking in 1998. The benefits are beyond words. However, just ran the scenario thru ChatGPT. I am left with these facts and one question.

Combined Financial Reality
Total saved
Smoking: ~£115,000
Drinking: ~£181,500
👉 Grand Total: ~£296,500

Where The F* #! Is The Money? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Thankyou AA, NA and everyone, Sobriety Pays in every possible Way.

26/01/2026

Counselling placement needed for a student doing a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling. Idealy in the Southport / Liverpool area. Any kind souls out there who could help with suggestions for me to pass on to them? Thankyou .

21/01/2026

Why Silence Isn’t Always Golden: Finding Peace in the Noise

Author: Bill Stevens, RedChair Recovery Date: January 2026

Hello everyone, Bill here.

If you’ve spent any time sitting in a chair opposite me, you’ll know I often talk about the importance of "finding quiet." But let’s be honest with each other for a moment—for those of us with addiction histories, or for anyone living with the kaleidoscope of ADHD, silence can be terrifying.

When you take away the drink, the drugs, or the chaos we use to distract ourselves, the silence that’s left behind isn’t peaceful. It’s loud. The brain starts itching. The anxieties we’ve been drowning out come rushing back in.

We try to meditate like the books tell us to, but sitting in a quiet room just makes the internal committee in our heads shout louder.

This is where we get stuck. We want serenity, but the silence feels unsafe. So, we react. We look for a quick fix to change the channel in our heads.

I want to offer you a different way to change that channel today. It’s a tool I’ve been looking into that bridges the gap between the noise in our heads and the peace we’re looking for.

It’s BBC Radio 3 Unwind.

Now, before you roll your eyes and think "classical music isn’t for me, Bill," hear me out. This isn’t about knowing your Beethoven from your Bach. This is about biology.

The team behind this station (it’s on the BBC Sounds app) have built it specifically to hack your nervous system. They mix slow-tempo music with mindfulness techniques, and for people like us, it does three very important things:

1. It occupies the "Monkey Mind" For my ADHD clients, or anyone in early recovery, the brain needs something to chew on. You can’t just "empty your mind." The specialized streams on here, like Piano Focus, provide just enough stimulation to keep the "busy" part of your brain occupied, leaving the rest of you free to actually concentrate or relax. It’s a safety net against the spiralling thoughts that usually lead us to bad habits.

2. A physical brake pedal Anxiety and anger are physical. You feel them in your chest, your jaw, your stomach. The music on this station is tempo-matched to a resting heart rate. It’s a physiological intervention. If you’re feeling that mid-afternoon rage or the "witching hour" cravings, sticking on a Mindful Mix acts like a brake pedal. It forces your body to slow down, even if your mind is still racing.

3. A ritual that isn't destructive We love our rituals, don’t we? The glass of wine at 6 PM, the chaotic rush to fix everything. We need to replace those. Shows like Classical Wind Down give you a structured, safe ritual to end your day. It’s a way of saying to yourself, "I am switching off now," without needing a substance to flip the switch.

My Suggestion for the Week

We spend years trying to "fix" ourselves—usually with things that end up breaking us further. True self-care is about finding non-destructive ways to soothe the soul.

So, here is your homework. You don’t have to meditate on a mountain top. Just download the app. The next time the house is too quiet and your head is too loud, or when you feel that familiar itch to "fix" how you feel... put your headphones on.

Give it 15 minutes. Let the sound do the heavy lifting for you.

Walk well,

Bill

17/12/2025

🎁 Christmas 2025: A Quick Word from Bill
Look, I know most of you reading this don’t need my help. You’ll enjoy your Christmas, have a few drinks with mates, eat too many mince pies, and wake up in January ready to go. That is exactly how it should be.
But at RedChair, we see the other side of the coin. The festive season often brings a spike in accidents, arrests, and regrets—not because people are "bad," but because good people get caught in traps they didn’t see coming.
This guide isn’t here to lecture you. It’s here to offer a bit of foresight so you can protect yourself, your licence, and your family. And if you are one of the few who feels the chaos creeping in? Don't wait for the unwanted consequences. Call us now. Let’s intervene before the crash happens.

🍻 Alcohol: The "Home Pour" Trap
Alcohol is legal, social, and everywhere. That’s precisely what makes it tricky. We underestimate it because we’re used to it. But at Christmas, our routines go out the window.
The "Glass" Deception When you’re at the pub, measures are standard. At home? Not so much.
A "large" glass of wine at home is often 250ml (half a pint). If it’s 13% ABV, that’s 3.3 units in one glass.
Two of those? You’ve consumed half your weekly recommended limit in under two hours.
Free-pouring spirits often means a "single" is actually a double or triple.
The Morning After Myth Here is the cold truth: Sleep does not reset your breath alcohol level. You can go to bed feeling fine, sleep for seven hours, and still blow over the limit on your way to work or the shops the next morning. Breath tests don’t care how sober you feel; they only care about the chemistry in your blood.

❄️ Co***ne: The Invisible Legal Risk
Forget about how "high" you feel. The danger with co***ne and driving isn’t just impairment; it’s the law. The UK drug-driving limits are set exceptionally low—essentially a zero-tolerance approach.
The Numbers Game
The Limit: 10 micrograms per litre of blood.
The Reality: One line can put you over this limit.
The Trap: Police also test for Benzoylecgonine (BZE), a chemical your liver makes when processing co***ne. BZE stays in your system long after the high is gone. You could feel completely sober on Tuesday, but still test positive from the weekend party.
The "Cocaethylene" Cocktail If you mix alcohol and co***ne, your liver manufactures a third substance called Cocaethylene.
It is far more toxic to the heart than either drug alone.
It creates a longer, more aggressive high.
It is a leading cause of sudden cardiac issues in young, healthy people.

🌿 Cannabis: It Stays Longer Than You Think
Attitudes towards cannabis might be softening, but the traffic laws haven’t. The limit is based on presence, not just impairment.
The Limit: 2 micrograms per litre of blood. This is microscopic.
The Risk: THC (the active part of cannabis) dissolves in fat, meaning it lingers in your body. If you are a regular smoker, you could be constantly over the drive limit, even days after your last smoke.
Passive Smoking: Highly unlikely to trigger a blood test failure, but direct use? You are almost certainly over the limit.

🚨 The Roadside Check: It Doesn't Take Much
You don’t need to be swerving all over the road to get stopped. A broken brake light or a routine winter stop is all it takes.
If the police suspect anything, they will use a DrugWipe saliva test. It detects Co***ne and Cannabis instantly.
Positive Result? You are arrested and taken to the station for a blood test.
The Outcome: If the blood comes back over the limit, it’s a minimum 12-month ban, a hefty fine, and a criminal record. There is very little room for negotiation here.

❤️ The "ACT" Pause: A Moment of Clarity
In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), we talk about moving towards what matters, rather than just reacting to impulses.
Before you head out, or when you feel that pressure to have "just one more," take a breath and ask: "Is this choice moving me toward the person I want to be, or away from it?"
Connection: Do I want to be present for my family tomorrow?
Safety: Do I want to keep my licence and my job?
Self-Respect: Do I want to wake up with clarity or regret?
Making a safe choice—switching to water, booking a taxi, leaving the car—isn’t boring. It’s a brave move that protects your future.

📍 Need a Hand?
Most of you will sail through this season. But if you find yourself struggling to stop, or if the consequences are starting to pile up, you don't have to do it alone.
RedChair | Bill Stevens Addictions Intervention & Recovery Coaching 📧 [email protected] | 🌐 www.redchair.co.uk

10/12/2025

A Friendly Message for Anyone Feeling the Strain This Season
From Bill Stevens, Red Chair Therapy & Counselling

As we move towards Christmas, this time of year can bring both warmth and pressure. Many people find themselves quietly worried about their own drinking, or about someone they love. You’re not alone in that.

I’m Bill Stevens, an addictions therapist and intervention specialist, and I wanted to offer a simple, friendly explanation of what really happens when someone sits down with an addiction therapist who uses ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy). It’s nothing heavy or shaming. It’s human, calm, and genuinely helpful.

Clearing two big myths

Most people have heard something like:

“You can’t help an alcoholic until they hit rock bottom.”
“You can’t help someone unless they ask for help.”

These ideas linger, but in modern life they simply don’t hold up.

Rock bottoms today often show themselves quietly:
• changes in health
• friction at home
• drifting confidence
• worries about work or money

These are not moral failings. They’re side effects of a struggle – and side effects are information. They tell us that something needs attention long before life becomes unmanageable.

And a person doesn’t have to “ask for help” before help becomes possible. Often the very nature of the struggle makes asking the hardest part.

What actually happens in a first conversation

Most people are surprised by how safe the first meeting feels.
There’s no judgement, no blame, no pressure.

We gently explore three things:

1. What really matters to you

Your values: family, honesty, peace of mind, health, being dependable, being present.
These are your signposts, not mine.

2. What thoughts and feelings show up when alcohol isn’t doing the numbing

For many, it’s anxiety, overwhelm, loneliness, guilt, or stress.
These are human experiences, not character flaws.

3. How drinking becomes a way of trying to manage those feelings

Alcohol can offer temporary relief… but then come the side effects: arguments, shame, secrecy, physical symptoms, financial strain, a sense of drifting from the person you want to be.

ACT helps us map that cycle clearly and compassionately.
Not to point fingers – but to free you to choose a different direction.

We simply look at whether certain actions are carrying you towards or away from the values you named at the start.

What’s in it for you

You gain:
• clarity about what’s actually happening
• a sense of dignity – you’re not a bad person, you’re a stuck person
• a safe space to breathe and make sense of things
• practical ways to move closer to the life you want
• support for partners and families as part of the process

Most people say, “I thought I’d be judged… but I’ve never felt so understood.”

You don’t have to wait for a crisis

If alcohol is taking up too much space in your life, or someone you love is drifting, you can reach out early.
Early help is kind. Early help is wise. Early help works.

If any of this speaks to you, I’m here to talk in confidence.

Bill Stevens
Addictions Interventionist, Therapist & Coach
Red Chair Therapy & Counselling
📍 23 Hawthorn Street, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5EH
📞 07894 80286
📧 [email protected]

🌐 www.redchair.co.uk

A conversation can be the start of something lighter, steadier, and more hopeful.

20/11/2025

https://youtu.be/Exk1I_gf0-I?si=jLg3mN6IJMTjDzqj

Welcome to the first episode of Woody Unscripted.This episode Woody and Karen sit down with footballer Mick McCarthy, Mike's best mate of 40 years. Full of h...