About Us
We are Gillian Brown & Karen Long
We Help Mums Become & Stay Alcohol Free
Hi, I’m Gillian
I’m a Personal Life and Alcohol Free Coach for women and mums. I have a diploma in Positive Psychology and am a Practice Development Co-ordinator.
Together with Karen I run our circle, an online community for mums who want to become and stay alcohol free.
Get in touch with me to arrange 1:1 Coaching at gillian@gbcoaching.net
Read Gillian's Journey
I started drink at the age of 12 down the local park. After years of being bullied this finally made me feel relaxed and like I fitted in.
The connections in my head started young. This seemed normal, everyone was doing it and my drinking remained “normal” as it progressed to house parties, local pubs, university and moving on to wine as I finally grew up and got the stressful job I had always been working towards.
All normal, right? Well, it felt normal until it really started catching up with me. Once my wee boy was born I really struggled with being a mum. I was not one of those “natural” mums and this transition did not come to me easily. Having lived a life of self-doubt, comparison and never ever feeling enough, taking on the role of motherhood might just have been the tipping point for me.
Anxiety arrived and it took over. But it was ok, I had the answer. Years of drinking had told me that alcohol was the answer to pretty much everything: a bad day, a good day, a funeral, a wedding, loneliness, low confidence, so it would work for this. NO, it could not. It all got worse and worse.
After a long time of going back and forth I finally made the connection between alcohol and my feelings and tried to take a break. I took many of these “breaks” with the help of One Year No Beer, but I kept returning to my old ways. Feeling amazing when I did not drink and terrible again when I did. Eventually the bar swung and I realised I had to make the call once and for all. What a relief.
When I finally decided to quit altogether all the pieces clicked together. I was able to start seeing the consistent benefits and opportunities in all areas of my life, most importantly my parenting. I was showing up for myself and for my child. When I stopped drinking I found all this time, physical and mental, so I started learning. Learning about human behaviour, about alcohol and about myself and this all led to me wanting to help other people, other mums get out of the horrible situation I had found myself in. I knew that is what I wanted to do. I needed to help other mums.
And then, while training to be a coach I met Karen. Straight away we clicked and knew that our hopes were shared by each other, and we had to create something special. Our circle was born.
Hi, I’m Karen
I’m Karen-a former Bank Manager, wife, and mum to two beautiful children.
After allowing alcohol to hold me back for many years, I experienced 18 months alcohol-free in 2019 before returning to drinking for a further year – a decision that became the most challenging period of my life. That experience powerfully reinforced the difference between the two versions of myself and ultimately led me back to living alcohol-free.
Now four years alcohol-free and having created a new chapter for our family in Yorkshire, I finally feel the peace, clarity, and contentment I searched for so long.
I’m a qualified Alcohol-Free Coach for women and mums, trained in Positive Psychology, with particular expertise in health and menopause-related challenges. Together with Gillian, I co-run Our Circle – an online community supporting mums to become and stay alcohol-free, and to build calm, fulfilling lives they truly love.
Get in touch with me to arrange 1:1 Coaching at karenbrasier00@hotmail.com
Read Karen's Journey
I was introduced to alcohol at just 14. I was the ultimate 90s tomboy-band-obsessed, football-loving, living in my DM boots. I always had friends, yet I never truly felt at ease in my own skin. Beneath the surface, anxiety and self-doubt were constant companions, and alcohol quickly became the thing that gave me confidence and relief from the daily noise in my head.
After meeting my husband and becoming a mum to our two beautiful boys, those feelings didn’t disappear. Instead, the pressure to cope, perform, and keep everything together grew. Alcohol became my escape-a way to switch off, to feel calmer, and to give myself what I believed was a well-earned reward at the end of the day.
In 2019, after one binge too many, I knew something had to change. I stopped drinking and focused on my wellbeing, and the impact was immediate: more energy, better sleep, and a deeper presence in my life and family. After 18 months, I convinced myself I had it under control and reintroduced wine, believing moderation would finally work. It didn’t. I quickly returned to old patterns, and the contrast between life with alcohol and life without it became impossible to ignore.
In December 2021, I made the decision to remove alcohol for good. This time, I approached it differently. I invested in myself, worked to truly understand my anxiety, and began healing the parts of me that had been driving my need to escape. I also found my people-including Gillian-and for the first time, I didn’t feel alone or ‘different’ for choosing this path. I felt understood.
I went on to train in Positive Psychology and Alcohol-Free Coaching, and I now use these tools to guide both myself and the women I support through life with greater clarity, confidence, and self-trust. As a mum, I once believed prioritising myself was selfish. I now know it’s essential. By investing in my own wellbeing, I became calmer, more present, more connected, and the positive ripple effect on my family has been extraordinary.
Together with Gillian, I’m here to share what’s possible when you stop numbing, stop settling, and start choosing yourself. Because at its heart, this journey is about one simple truth – you deserve more.
