STAR Housing

03/02/2026

Celebrating Dan’s 1 year of sobriety!✨🫶💥

We are so incredibly proud of you, Dan. The change in you has been absolutely phenomenal. Your confidence has grown so much from the day we met you to now and it’s inspiring to see.

You are such a helpful, kind and adventurous guy , always up for anything and always showing up for others.

Don’t give up. Keep going. You should be so proud of yourself ✨🫶💥

29/01/2026

Final day of pottery for this group yesterday and what a finale! ✨
Finished pieces, a big glaze reveal, lots of colour, shine and good spirits.
Watching everyone grow from beginners to confident makers has been inspiring.
Truly proud of what’s been achieved.💥

29/01/2026

Graduation Day !! ✨
The STAR Day Programme finale of the 12 weeks.

What a beautiful day, so much love and empowerment in one room.

Days like today blow us away. The feedback from each other is enough to bring tears to your eyes. The encouragement they give each other is truly wonderful. They really are all like a STAR Family.

Congratulations to you all , showing up for yourselves and building a life in recovery.

We wish you ALL , the very best ❤️

27/01/2026

Absolute phenomenal achievement. One of our ex clients has set up ‘The K-Hold’ with two friends- Simon & Kelly . A new and upcoming Ketamine support group in Bristol.

This is a needed service in Bristol and all areas!!

We wish all of you the very best at your new project !! We know you guys are going to smash it 💥💥💥💥
The K-Hold Please Like & Share their new venture ✨✨✨

Hi I'm imogen, a founding member and facilitator at The K-Hold.

I first picked up Ketamine when I was 15 and over the next 17 years it slowly destroyed my life. It ruined relationships, my career, I nearly lost my family and my mental and physical health was obliterated, including permanent damage to my nose and face. My whole life revolved around it, it was the cause but also the solution to all my pain. When i was 32 i was sent to Rehab through local services in Oxfordshire. After treatment I took a big risk and moved to Bristol to continue my recovery journey living in the dry house system, as of writing this I'm a year and a half sober. My life is immeasurably better without K in it.

Today my life is full of purpose, I can acess the care I need for my mental health, I have some amazing friends, I am building relationships with my family and I can go out sober, dance the night away and enjoy music again, it's such a gift.

During treatment I started volunteering at a charity called Rusty Road 2 Recovery in bridgewater, where I facilitated mindfulness art groups, I have continued to do this is Bristol for Star Housing and PRSC. I am currently training to be a peer mentor. I have previous experience working with vulnerable adults. I have a passion for advocacy, holding space and helping people find their voice.

I know first hand the struggle and cycles of Ketamine addiction, both physically and mentally.

I believe it is so important to have this space to support people, sober or not still facing the unique challenges Ketamine causes. Especially providing a safe space to speak freely about those issues. There is so much stigma and shame connected to Ketamine, I'm committed to breaking that down and raising awareness, this group is very close to my heart and something that is very clearly needed.

26/01/2026

We only have one space available left 💥✨

Limited spaces available for our upcoming Day Programme starting February 17th 2026.
Places are in high demand and fill quickly ✨

Our programme follows a structured, treatment-based model and is completely free of charge to clients through allocated funding.✨

This is a valuable opportunity to access structured support in recovery. Early enquiry is strongly encouraged.✨

25/01/2026

There’s a lot happening behind the scenes at STAR Housing and we can’t wait to share it with you. 💥✨
Exciting updates coming very soon🫶✨
Happy Sunday Everyone …

24/01/2026

This image, often called “The Addiction Tree,” illustrates how visible behaviors like substance use, gambling, overworking, or unhealthy relationships are only the branches, while the real drivers sit deeper. 🌳
Beneath the surface are patterns of thought (rigid thinking, obsession, worry), difficult emotions (shame, grief, anger, fear) and unmet needs that feed the cycle. 
The roots represent the underlying wound shame, trauma and disconnection that nourish the entire system.
It is a powerful reminder that recovery is not just about stopping behaviors; it is about healing what lies underneath with compassion, support and self-awareness. ❤️‍🩹

24/01/2026

Wrote by Lou Lebentz🫶 Please have a read ❤️

Our team at star have had the privilege to do training with Lou and we have some more coming up 💥

Trauma-informed doesn't mean soft.
It means safe.
It means regulated.
It means we work with the nervous system, not against it.

There's a narrative circulating right now that compassion equals weakness.

That naming emotions is "woke". That people have "gone soft.
But that story doesn't hold up.

What we are actually seeing, across systems like; healthcare, education, therapy, business and community work, is a move toward emotional literacy. Toward understanding how humans function under pressure.
Toward recognising that unspoken, unregulated emotion doesn't disappear. It leaks. It hardens. It turns into burnout, aggression, illness, violence, and even war.

In some patriarchal systems that have long rewarded suppression, stoicism and dominance, anything that invites feeling can look like fragility from the outside. But regulation is not collapse, awareness is not indulgence, and compassion is not passivity.

Trauma-informed practice is not about excusing behaviour or lowering standards. It is about understanding how our experiences as humans stays with us, how this impacts our journey through this life, and that we need to choose responses that reduce harm rather than multiply it.

22/01/2026

Today’s Star Day pottery session was truly uplifting! The room was full of laughter and positive energy as everyone immersed themselves in creativity. It’s amazing how much joy comes from working with clay together.

We focused on carving and etching today!
Using mugs that had been prepared and allowed to reach that perfect leather-hard stage, each person etched their own unique designs. These mugs are now not just functional, but full of personal stories and artistry.
It’s a wonderful testament to just how much everyone is enjoying the process and growing in their pottery skills. In fact, a few participants are already asking for more advanced techniques they’re eager to experiment with oxides for glazing and to try intricate methods like water etching. It’s inspiring to see that spark of curiosity and ambition!

21/01/2026

Today the clients were invited to take part in mindful mark making. They used watercolours, paint powder pigments, Posca pens, felt tips and metallic roller pens.
The clients were encouraged to create open and expressive marks using these different mediums. 🧡💚💛💜🩵
This is a fantastic process for practicing letting go of control and perfectionism. It is almost impossible to control the direction and colour outcome of the paint pigments. This process can help to challenge narrow thinking and encourage openness to new ideas and outcomes.
It also creates an opportunity for clients to express their inner worlds, thoughts and feelings in a safe and non-verbal environment. The group came together beautifully to encourage one another’s work and celebrate their own unique creative expression.

21/01/2026

A place called home ❤️
Wonderful feedback from one of our clients.
Happy Wednesday 🫶

20/01/2026

Today we explored Step Twelve and the spiritual principle of service ,often considered the most powerful way to carry the message and to practice spiritual principles in everyday life.

This exercise was designed to celebrate the individuality of spiritual paths.
The same principle can mean completely different things to different people and that diversity is something to honour.

That is the beauty of the Twelve Steps: an entirely personal affair.

We talked about planting seeds, while accepting that we may never get to see them grow.
And sometimes, that is the work.

❤️💙💜💛🖤💚🧡