Faye Lawrence had been a heavy but high functioning drinker since her teens – almost 30 years – before she wound up in inpatient detox in 2017.  Shortly afterwards she started Untoxicated (Booze-Free Fun and Friendship) which has grown to be a national charity and not-for-profit with almost 10,000 members across Australia. Hear how Faye created new ways for people to socialise, connect and have a good time without alcohol, so that sobriety doesn’t have to ruin one’s social life.

With alcoholism on both sides of her family, she had no clue how to do life without alcohol and had to learn how to navigate the world and manage her own life and emotions in entirely new ways. Armed with a sense of humour and playfulness and a determination not to let her sobriety ruin her social life, Untoxicated was born.. A rebel at heart who hates being told what to do, she felt driven to help smash the negative stereotypes around sobriety, and the shame and stigma that exists around problematic alcohol use that often keeps people stuck there. Today, Untoxicated is a national charity and not-for-profit with almost 10,000 members across Australia, and is run entirely by volunteers, all of whom have lived experience. Faye’s professional background is in marketing, communications & corporate affairs, predominantly in the not for profit sector. She also holds a psychology degree, graduating shortly after she got sober. A social butterfly and a bit of an idealist, she believes in the power of community and compassion, and a world where everyone belongs.