28/04/2026
We’re delighted to welcome Maria to the team as a Support Worker. She brings lived experience, empathy, and understanding to her role within the service, and we’re pleased to share some of her bio below...
My name is Maria, and I bring lived experience, empathy, and understanding to my role as a Support Worker. I struggled with addiction from the age of 11 to 45 and have been in recovery since November 2023—a journey I remain committed to every day.
During some of my time in addiction, I appeared to be functioning on the outside, but my life was becoming unmanageable. I experienced difficult relationships, made harmful choices, and eventually lost my family, stability, and sense of dignity. These experiences have shaped who I am today and how I support others.
For the past two years, I have volunteered with services including CGL, First Step, Lindale, and women’s groups. Through this, alongside my own recovery, I’ve learned the importance of responsibility and accountability. I’ve also developed a deeper understanding of myself, which helps me better connect with and support others in their recovery.
I want to support people to feel seen, heard, and understood, as I once needed. I am passionate about helping others not only get clean, but stay clean, and build a more stable and meaningful life.
One of my guiding beliefs is: “Everything I did in my addiction is not who I truly am. Getting clean can be the easier part—staying clean is the real challenge. That’s why I do what I do: to support others in staying clean and moving forward.”
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