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  • The Living Room Academy
  1. How we help
  2. The Living Room Academy

The Living Room Academy

The Living Room Academy

Raising Awareness, Inspiring Change

At The Living Room, we believe that understanding addiction is a powerful step towards change. Through our Academy, we offer talks and presentations that help people better understand the impact of addiction on individuals, families, workplaces and communities.

We’re pleased to offer these sessions free of charge (or for a donation, if you’re able) to charities and referral organisations. They’re designed to support those who work alongside people struggling with addiction—helping you recognise the wider impact and understand how we walk alongside people on their journey to recovery.

For those wanting to explore the subject in more depth, we also offer more detailed sessions for a suggested donation of £60+. These go further into the complexities of addiction, including both substance and behavioural dependencies, and the pathways that support lasting recovery. Every contribution helps us continue our work.

Our approach goes beyond definitions. We focus on the whole person—encouraging hope, restoring dignity, and supporting people to take meaningful steps towards improved wellbeing and a life beyond addiction.

Suggested donation: £60 per hour

Workshops and Training:

Supporting Healthier, More Compassionate Workplaces

We’re passionate about helping workplaces feel confident in supporting their people. Our Training Academy offers interactive workshops for organisations, employers and employee assistance programmes, designed to build understanding around addiction and mental wellbeing.

Each session is practical, engaging and shaped around your needs. Rather than simply delivering information, we create space for conversation, reflection and real learning.

Workshops are delivered online or in person by two experienced facilitators. Where appropriate, we may also include someone with lived experience of recovery, offering a powerful and authentic perspective.

As a charity, we ask for a contribution towards these sessions, which helps sustain our work while providing meaningful value to your organisation.

Sessions typically last around 90 minutes and can be tailored to suit your team.

£120 per facilitator (two facilitators required: £240 total)
In-person sessions: additional £20 per facilitator

Workshop Topics Include:

Breaking the Stigma: Understanding the language of addiction and recovery, and how reducing stigma improves support and outcomes.

The Health Impact of Addiction: Delving into how addiction affects mental and physical well-being, and its ripple effects on the workplace.

The Road to Recovery: What does a successful recovery journey look like, and how can employers support staff through this process?

Understanding Addictive Personalities: Recognising the traits that lead to dependency and strategies to foster healthier habits in both professional and personal lives.

Supporting Someone in Recovery: The actions and emotional impact of being a supporter, and how to maintain your own well-being while helping others.

Building Emotional Resilience: Helping employees develop emotional resilience and healthy coping mechanisms to prevent reliance on addictive behaviors, improving both personal and professional well-being.

Additional Workshops:

Creating a Supportive Work Environment:  Practical steps to foster a workplace culture that supports employees coping with addiction or mental health issues.

Recognising Early Warning Signs: Training managers and HR teams to identify early signs of addiction or mental health struggles among staff.

Stress Management and Resilience Building: Tools and techniques to help employees cope with stress and avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Workplace Mental Health Awareness: Promoting mental well-being in the workplace to boost morale, productivity, and retention.

To make a booking or enquiry, please contact us at [email protected]. Let’s work together to create a healthier, more supportive workplace for everyone.

Action Learning

Creating Space for Insight, Growth and Real Change

Adrienne, our CEO, has been facilitating Action Learning sets since 2019, supporting groups across Hertfordshire to think more clearly, grow in confidence and find practical solutions to real challenges.

Action Learning is a powerful, reflective process where small groups come together to explore live issues in a supportive and structured way. Through thoughtful questioning and shared learning, participants gain fresh perspective, deeper insight and the confidence to take action.

Whether you’re looking to set up a new group (up to 8 participants) or would value an experienced facilitator to guide an existing set, Adrienne brings warmth, skill and a depth of experience to help your team get the most from the process.

If you’re curious about how Action Learning could support your organisation, we’d love to have a conversation.

Find out more about Action Learning.

Fees and Booking

As a charity, we ask for a contribution towards facilitation and administration:

  • £100 per hour (facilitation)
  • £28 per hour (administration, including preparation and follow-up)

Sessions are flexible and can be shaped around your needs. A typical programme might include 2-hour sessions once a month over 5 months, alongside around 5 hours of administration, totalling approximately £1,140.

To make an enquiry or book a session, please contact:
[email protected]

Room Hire

A Space for Connection and Support

We have a range of welcoming spaces available for hire across our centres in Stevenage, Watford and St Albans.

Whether you’re looking for a larger room for group work or a smaller, private space for one-to-one conversations, our rooms offer a safe, comfortable environment for local organisations and community groups.

Our spaces are available to hire per session (or part of a session), with the following rates:

Per session or part of session

Non-Commercial Organisations

Commercial Organisations

Fellowships

Staff/Partner Commercial

09:00 – 13:00

£30

£55

£15

£45

13:00 – 17:00

£30

£55

£15

£45

17:00 – 21:00

£30

£55

£15

£45

As we don’t run our own services in the evenings or at weekends, there is often greater availability at these times.

To make a booking or find out more, please contact:
[email protected]

We’re especially keen to support fellowship meetings at our locations and would really welcome a conversation about how we can help.

Published: 12th March, 2018

Updated: 15th April, 2026

Author: Mark Wiseman

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The Living Room trading as The Living Room Hertfordshire is a registered charity registered in England and Wales number 1080634 and registered as a Charity Incorporated Organisation number 1175541

Registered office 8-10 The Glebe, Chells Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 0DJ

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