John McKeown

Managing Director

John McKeown is a highly qualified Clinical Psychotherapist and Addiction Counsellor, who trained at the Guy’s, St Thomas’s and King’s School of Medicine in London. With over 38 years’ experience in the addiction and mental health recovery field, he has helped to develop many inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation clinics across the UK.

John ran a successful private practice in Harley Street, London, providing services to several premier league football clubs, working clinically and delivering education programmes. He was instrumental in setting up the first drug and alcohol rehabilitation project in the British prison system.

In 2007, John co-wrote a self-help autobiographical book with Paul Gascoigne (Being Gazza, my journey to hell and back). John, alongside actress Finty Williams, presents “The Wagon”, a podcast about mental health and addiction. Each episode has a special guest and is a unique story about what struggling with mental health can feel like, what being an addict means, what happens in treatment, and what recovery feels like.

More Articles

  • When university becomes overwhelming: Supporting student mental health

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    University marks a profound shift. Young adults move away from home, manage finances, organise their schedules, and navigate complex social environments, often for the first…
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  • Community in Eating Disorder Recovery

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that can affect people of any age, gender, background or body size. They are not a lifestyle choice,…
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  • Menopause and Mental Health: Understanding Impact

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Some women move through menopause with relatively mild disruption. Others experience profound shifts in mood, anxiety levels, sleep, concentration, memory, and self-confidence. These changes can…
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  • When love and attachment become painful

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    When attachment becomes compulsive rather than supportive, relationships may shift from sources of comfort into sources of ongoing distress. Love can begin to feel painful,…
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  • Why Supporting Parents Supports Families

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Parent Mental Health Day (PMHD), marked on 30 January, offers an opportunity to reflect on the role parental wellbeing plays within families. Mental health difficulties…
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  • Mid-January clarity? When Dry January reveals a deeper issue

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Mid-January can be a moment of clarity rather than failure. Alcohol and many drugs affect the brain systems responsible for reward, stress regulation, and emotional…
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  • Red January and the power of movement for mental health

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Red January offers a compassionate way of approaching change at the start of the year, encouraging people to engage in daily movement as a means…
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  • Choosing Meaningful Change Beyond Resolutions

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    The days between Christmas and New Year often carry a different energy. The main celebrations are over, social plans begin to quieten, and there is…
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  • Alcohol, Stress & Substance Use During the Holidays

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    December is habitually a month where alcohol flows freely and where the pressure to join in feels strong. Alongside this, stress levels frequently rise, as…
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  • When the world turns festive, but you don’t …

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    As expectations rise, many people feel that they are meant to be joyful even when life feels challenging. The contrast between how they feel and…
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  • We are 10!

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Ten years ago, Ibiza Calm began as a vision to create a place of healing and care. Today, that vision has flourished, and continues to…
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  • Gambling Problems Hidden in UK Communities

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Unlike alcohol or drugs, gambling problems leave no visible traces. Losses are financial, emotional, and relational. Many people continue working, parenting, and socialising, all while…
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You’re not alone on this journey.

The path to recovery starts with a small first step.