Amazon Review
Poured me a glass of Life:
One Women’s journey of choosing Life over the bottle
A real-life portrayal and uplifting memoir of one woman’s near-death struggle with alcoholism. Denise beautifully tells her story of where the depths of alcoholism led her, and her inspiring story of finally finding hope and strength to overcome her underlying issues, and no longer needing a substance to numb her life.
Going on to work with and navigate thousands of people away from the entrapment and pain that mental health and addiction create, Denise shares not only her story, but the stories of the journeys of a number of her clients. “Poured me a glass of Life” is a journey of life, death, and rebirth. It shares inspirational hope and strength which is thought provoking, keeping you captivated, and profoundly emotionally moved with every single page.
About the Author
Denise Cloughley, I’ve seen life from both sides now. Strangled by addiction and heavy baggage that weighed me down and led me to self medicating and self destruction with alcohol. As my health was drawing my life to an end, I finally grasped hold of hope and courage, and learnt how to let go of all that trapped me. I learnt how to lift my head up, let go of what I didn’t own, acknowledge what I did, then I learnt how to finally fly.
“Yesterday is now for reference, not residence”.
Excepting that not everyone makes it, comes with my working life for the last 6 years in mental health and addiction. BUT, that doesn’t make it OK. In September this year, while still border bound in Thailand, due to Covid 19, I once again, I sadly, experienced a ‘loss’ so I accidentally wrote a book to get ‘even with addiction’.
‘Poured me a glass of Life’ is part memoir, part inspiration and a lot of my no holes barred personality. Reviewed as a captivating, uplifting and inspiring read, one that at times, required me to revisit deep fragility to acknowledge how strength, love and connection truly allowed me to turn my life around, each and every beautiful day of it.
‘Poured me a glass of Life’ is not just about mental health and addiction, its about Life, and what we as worthy souls, can really achieve, if we just believe we are possible, and then simply believe we can. To strive and accomplish change in our world, to become who we were truly meant to be.
Dr Gavin Jones, beautifully concludes the book with a wonderful professional insight into the human mind and spirit.
Denise is a New Zealand born, mother and grandmother in her mid 50,s. She has been navigating thousands of people away from entrapment to underlying issues and addiction for the past 6 years, running her own company (Seeking Solace) for the past 4 years. Denise spreads her time between New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, and Mexico.
Review by Luka V.
Denise, I’ve just finished the book and it was wonderful. An inspiring tale of hope, regeneration and healing from the darkest depths of addiction, raw, gripping stories, told with wisdom and genuine personality. Informative and revealing of the inefficiency of the public rehabilitation systems, and offering insight to how important it is that treatment considers first the psychological root of addiction, and offers experience in these centers. Reading this book offers hope and a light in the dark for anyone affected by substance addiction, and simultaneously a fascinating autobiography of a strong woman who rose from the ashes like a Phoenix. Thank you Denise for your courage in baring your soul to the world. I feel so much admiration for you that you not only made it out and poured yourself a glass of life, but that you have and will make a positive difference in helping countless others.
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