Paula has been working in the field of addiction since 2012; she has worked within the private treatment sector and for one of the UK's largest charity-funded community services. Paula states her role is much more than a job and feels this a vocation.

In 2012 Paula decided to pursue a change of career after working within management roles in the commercial sector and began to volunteer as a support worker within a private substance misuse treatment centre. She has personal experience of the 12 step model of addiction and has utilised this knowledge within her career.

In 2015 Paula gained employment at Sanctuary Lodge, a UKAT facility, as a support worker and quickly progressed in her newly chosen career. She was promoted to senior support and team leader at Sanctuary Lodge, to then went on to join another UKAT facility based in Worthing, Recovery Lighthouse.

As part of Paula's personal and professional development, she revisited education and is now a qualified counsellor gaining a Diploma in Integrative Counselling and is a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy). She also decided to develop her management skills by completing a City and Guilds Diploma in Leadership and Management Level 5, and the IOSH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) certificate. She is trained using DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) and practises this alongside the 12 step approach. Her qualifications come from reputable institutions such as Cara Counselling, Chichester University group and Life Force School of Counselling, accredited BACP (Gold Book Standard), which have helped her gain an increased understanding of the behavioural effects of addiction and mental health.

Paula's course at the Astutis - IOSH gave her an in-depth understanding of health and safety practices within an addiction treatment environment, while her time at Paragon Training - City and Guilds has allowed her to gain an insight into the quality management and improvement of addiction treatment.

Paula is very passionate about supporting and empowering addicts to enable them to help themselves, to be part of education around addiction, support the emotional processes and associated underlying.

Paula believes in a holistic approach to physical, mental and emotional well-being. She is an accomplished mindfulness and meditation practitioner and began practising at Triratna Buddhist Centres. She promotes a creative approach to addiction treatment while keeping the 12 step model as the foundation of recovery.