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

  • International Women’s Day ………5 amazing women rocking recovery!

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    In celebration of International Women’s Day 2022, we are honouring the lives of five amazing women. Women who despite battling personal demons and the devastating…
    Read More
  • 5 Common myths about addiction – debunked!

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    With any subject that is at times controversial, and often misunderstood, there are always rumours, myths and half-truths circling around the whole concept. Addiction is…
    Read More
  • Bullying and its effect on mental health

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    One of the latest scandals to hit the headlines involves UK daytime TVs, This Morning, andis mirrored by similar accusations being levelled against The Kelly…
    Read More
  • Dealing with grief in addiction recovery

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Grief and addiction are interlinked, one often having an impact on the other. Grief and trauma are two of the most common root causes of…
    Read More
  • Menopause, mental health, substance abuse, and addiction

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    October is World Menopause Month, with the theme this year (2022) being cognition and mood. The menopause is a natural stage in a woman’s life,…
    Read More
  • Mental health and drug use in elite level sports

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    With the Olympic Games Paris 2024 held in July and August and the Paris 2024 Paralympicscurrently happening, we look back at this blog from 2020…….
    Read More
  • Is sex addiction real?

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    In the second season of the Emmy award winning HBO series, “The White Lotus”; the former-Sopranos actor, Michael Imperioli plays Dominic Di Grasso, a successful…
    Read More
  • Three stars who share 100+ years of sobriety

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Alcoholism and addiction can happen to anyone. Being famous, or rich does not give you immunity to the deadly disease. Here are three well-known celebrities…
    Read More
  • World Suicide Prevention Day

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10th, 2024 – ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’ Since 2003 the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Federation for Mental…
    Read More
  • What to expect when entering a rehab centre

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Accepting that you need help, whether it is for drug and alcohol misuse, addiction, or a mental health problem such as depression and anxiety, is…
    Read More
  • What is ‘pink cocaine’? Why is it so dangerous?

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    In August, Ibiza Calm’s Clinical Manager, Lluc Acero Martínez spoke with ITV News about the latest party drug to hit the streets in Ibiza, “pink…
    Read More
  • Addiction and mental health care; what to look for in a rehab

    by

    John McKeown

    on

    Choosing the right place for treatment. Accepting that you may have, or that someone you love, has; a substance use disorder or a mental health…
    Read More

You’re not alone on this journey.

The path to recovery starts with a small first step.