This site is under construction until Jan 2026 please hang in there
I'm Valerie Moughan—56, fabulous, Separated mother to five, granny to five and living proof that you can screw up, fall in shite, and still come up smelling of roses.
I don’t do shame. I do truth, healing, belly laughs, and a wee bit of swearing when required
(I'm Irish so I get an automatic feckin swear pass 😏)
All joking aside though here, we tell the truth, no filters—because life’s too short for shame and cheap vodka.
So kick off your shoes, have a nosey around, and let’s figure this out together.
The Emotional Drinker offers compassionate, evidence-based support for women navigating emotional drinking, dual diagnosis, and lifestyle change.
This includes
-
one-to-one sessions
-
group circles
-
Emotional Drinker 8-Pillar Practices — a formula for transformation, not a recovery programme.
“For women ready to make peace — with their past, their children, and themselves.”
Women rediscovering peace after estrangement from the adult children they raised
This heart-led space supports women who have lost contact with their children and/or grandchildren
Explore gentle pathways to healing — whether you’re rebuilding bonds or learning to make peace when reconnection isn’t possible.
"Empowering professionals to see the human behind the behaviour — with confidence and care."
Training, talks & workshops that change how we understand addiction, emotion & behaviour.
From NHS teams to charities and community organisations, Valerie delivers interactive training rooted in empathy, psychology, and lived experience.
Sessions include group training, online learning, professional development, and public speaking.
🔬 Sources, Evidence & Research
At The Emotional Drinker, everything I offer — from courses to campaigns — is grounded in both lived experience and professional knowledge. But beyond that, it is deeply informed by the research, data, and work of trusted organisations across the UK and Ireland.
This honours the clinicians, scientists, advocates, and policy-makers whose work helps us understand the emotional and psychological roots of alcohol use, especially in women.
Whether you're a healthcare professional, policymaker, or someone simply seeking evidence-based insight, this collection is designed to support transparency, credibility, and ongoing learning.
Where appropriate, I’ve included links to the original source material so that others can explore, reference, and build upon this work.
Because when we’re talking about real people, real pain, and real recovery — the facts matter.
“How I Keep You Safe”
You’re safe here — and I mean that in every way.
I run The Emotional Drinker with the same level of care and responsibility you’d expect from any national health service, but in a much warmer, more human way. Everything I do is based on what actually works in real women’s lives, backed up by solid guidance from the UK and Ireland.
I follow the national best-practice standards for alcohol support, mental health, and dual diagnosis — including the official guidelines used in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. (Don’t worry, you don’t need to know what any of that means — it just means I don’t mess about with your safety.
My job is simple:
To keep you safe, supported, and moving in the right direction — emotionally, mentally, and practically.
No judgement. No jargon. No pressure. Just proper care, grounded in lived experience and national safety standards.
You bring your truth.
I’ll bring the guidance, the grounding, and the guardrails.
💁♀️ The Grown-Up Bit (for anyone who likes the official stuff):
I align my work with national evidence-based standards from:
-
NICE (England & UK-wide)
-
HSE & HIQA (Ireland)
-
SIGN (Scotland)
-
NICE Wales / Public Health Wales (Wales)
-
🌼 The Human Bit (for the rest of us):
I follow the proper safety rules,
-
explain everything in normal English,
-
and keep things warm, supportive, and easy to understand.
You never have to figure anything out alone.
My Approach
“My approach is simple: no judgment, no jargon, just real conversations that help women heal from the inside out.
I don’t believe in quick fixes or shame-based approaches. Healing happens when we feel safe, understood, and supported to explore what’s really going on beneath the surface.
My work blends compassion, education, and a touch of humour — because healing doesn’t have to be heavy.”
Meet
Valerie
“Hi, I’m Valerie — part coach, part cheerleader, and a firm believer that healing doesn’t have to be heavy.
I help women untangle their relationship with alcohol, emotions, and self-worth in a space that’s kind, funny, and real.
So if you’ve lost your spark or your sense of self, you’ve just found your people.”