Susan Laurie is an author, speaker and mental health advocate, specifically relating to alcohol issues and alcohol dependence. Following university, she had a successful career in marketing in the pharmaceutical industry and was then an entrepreneur with her own company, before succumbing to a serious drinking problem. This escalated to a life-threatening situation, despite many attempts at familiar interventions including counselling, rehab and Alcoholics Anonymous. After her recovery, she wrote the book ‘From Rock Bottom To Sober Forever’, which has provided inspiration and hope to thousands of people and has been praised for the exceptional account of the stealth-like progression of addiction.

She is committed to helping anyone who is struggling with alcohol, and to helping organisations develop practical and non-judgemental resources and support for employees who may be concerned about their drinking. She uses her personal experience to educate the wider population about the reality of the impact that alcohol can have on a person, and is passionate about breaking down the stereotypes and removing the stigma associated with alcohol dependence, which can deter people from seeking help.

Susan contributed to the House of Lords Commission on Alcohol Harm and has written blogs for the Alcohol Health Alliance and Alcohol Change UK. She is a frequent guest on alcohol related podcasts and recently hosted a meeting for Public Policy Exchange where MP’s and experts on alcohol harm discussed alcohol dependence and misuse, and she contributes to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Harm. Susan was recognised as a ‘Woman of The Year’ in 2020 and is now an Associate of Alcohol Change UK.