Morgan Carmichael
A CHARITY worker who was once warned she would die if she had another drink has told how she regained control of her life and now helps others overcome similar addictions.
Ami Laurie, 37, spent three months at Abbeycare Scotland, in Erskine, where she received treatment for alcohol addiction last summer.
During her stay, she took part in a unique ‘Anonymous Drama’ therapy programme pioneered by Glasgow-based charity Creative Change Collective.
She enjoyed the experience so much that, only a few months after leaving rehab, she was offered a job delivering the same programme to others struggling with addiction.
“I was at rock bottom before I went into Abbeycare,” said Ami. “I had lost my home, I had no job, I was bankrupt, I’d lost my fiancé, everything.
“I was down and out, so I had to move back in with my parents. I was suicidal and, by the end of 2022, nobody thought I was going to make it.
“I’d been in hospital for a detox over that Christmas and I was told that, if I had another drink, I would die but I still kept drinking all the way until I was admitted to Abbeycare in May 2023, five months later.”
Just a few weeks into her time in rehab, Ami was invited to take part in the Anonymous Drama programme, which allows people to express themselves in a safe environment which is less emotionally triggering.
Participants speak about their experiences but do not reveal which parts of the stories they choose to tell are fictional and which are based on real life.
Ami said: “I remembered doing drama at school and I thought ‘I can’t do this in front of a bunch of people that I’m living with and trying to look okay in front of.’
“Everybody else was feeling that same fear about it too but, as soon as we got in and realised what it was actually about, people really enjoyed it.
“Everyone laughs so much. When you’re in rehab, a lot of the work you do is on yourself all day, every day, and to have that break is just such a relief.
“I rediscovered that I was quite creative and started writing poetry when I was in rehab about my journey and used that in what we produced.
“It’s amazing how creative some of the people in the sessions are. It definitely helped with my recovery by showing me I could do stuff I’m not comfortable with and helped me regain my confidence.”
Ami now works for Creative Change Collective as a lived experience delivery team member and recently returned to Abbeycare to lead one of its 16-week courses.
Her group is currently preparing for a live event at Erskine Arts on Wednesday, April 3, starting at 7pm.
The focal point will be a group script consisting of recoverythemed monologues, sketches and spoken word, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Tickets cost £5 and can be booked online at www.eventbrite. co.uk/e/drama-therapyanonymous-drama-tickets-853494453887.