MARK DEMPSTER

Psychotherapist, Addiction Specialist & Author

With over 25 years of professional experience, Mark Dempster is a highly respected psychotherapist, trauma specialist and addiction expert, practising from Harley Street, London.

Combining extensive clinical expertise with his own lived experience of addiction and recovery, Mark brings a unique depth of understanding to his work. His personal journey, from the devastating consequences of addiction to rebuilding his life and establishing a successful career, is documented in his acclaimed autobiography, Nothing to Declare. He is also the author of The Ongoing Path.

Mark specialises in addiction, trauma, mental health and behavioural challenges, drawing on a broad range of therapeutic disciplines, including cognitive behavioural therapy, systemic psychotherapy and trauma-informed approaches.

A passionate advocate for lasting recovery, Mark is committed to helping individuals overcome the barriers to change and realise their full potential. Alongside his private practice, he is an accomplished speaker, educator and contributor to the wider addiction recovery community.

His approach is founded on compassion, rigorous honesty and the belief that meaningful, lasting recovery is possible.

FREDDIE BICKER

I am a qualified humanistic counsellor working with adults experiencing addiction, trauma, anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, relationship difficulties and significant life transitions. I have a particular interest in the impact of early relationships, attachment disruption, childhood adversity, loss and experiences that may have occurred before a person had the language to describe them.

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A significant part of my work is with people affected by alcohol, drugs and other forms of dependence or compulsive behaviour. I also support partners and family members who are living with the emotional consequences of someone else’s addiction.

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Before establishing my private practice, I worked extensively within drug and alcohol services as a counsellor, keyworker and group facilitator. I supported people with complex and overlapping needs, including trauma, shame, poor mental health, homelessness and involvement with the criminal justice system. I have experience of abstinence-based recovery and harm-reduction approaches and understand that meaningful change rarely follows a simple or predictable path.

JERRY A. SLAGER

I trained with the CCAR Recovery Coach Academy, but what I bring to recovery coaching extends beyond certification. My approach is shaped equally by professional training, lived experience and the hard-won understanding that comes from having navigated addiction and recovery myself.

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My experience with addiction began long before I built a successful career in trading, which took me from Amsterdam to Paris and London. Outwardly, life appeared successful; internally, it was very different. Beneath the career and achievements was a persistent search for belonging, acceptance and, ultimately, escape.

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My recovery was inspired by a pivotal moment in my life, but understanding what recovery truly meant to me happened more gradually. It began with honesty, structure and a willingness to look closely at the patterns and experiences that had shaped me. In particular, I began to understand the relationship between early trauma, low self-worth, the need to belong and my own vulnerability to addiction.

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