We talk to trauma recovery coach Rose Romain about all things sobriety

If you’re not exactly sure what a trauma recovery coach is, don’t worry, Rose Romain has you sorted. Rose is a certified professional, creative and trauma-informed recovery coach and has faced her own courageous journey of recovery head-on; now eight years sober. Rose’s MO is to help her clients transform their inner voice through creativity by helping to guide them in trusting themselves with their relationship to their body, mind and soul.

Aside from that, Rose is a valued member of the MITC (Music Industry Therapists and Coaches Collective) and proud co-host of the progressive and mind-opening podcast ‘Sober Sex’ with DJ, Louisahhh! If that wasn’t enough, she’s also part of a new series called Sober Stories where she interviews six people in the music industry on their sobriety. 

We get to talk to Rose about all of her incredible projects, how she approaches trauma and dark subjects with her clients, COVID and what the future holds for her coaching and sobriety stories.

What made you want to become a trauma-informed recovery coach after 20 years in the entertainment industry? Was there a lightbulb moment?

Definitely! In the back of a tour bus, after a gruelling long tour after 20 years working internationally in the entertainment world as a professional actor, voice artist, and in the music industry, I found myself consistently mentoring fellow performers out of empathy and compassion. With signs leading me into the dimension of healing, I made the decision to pivot and follow my universal path and, following a final bow at a sold-out opera house performance, I converted my energy into the professional capacity of empowering others and retrained as a coach.

As a certified trauma recovery coach, you cover a diverse range of topics (burnout, trauma, substance abuse, depression, debt, anxiety, alcoholism) some of which are very dark, do you have to approach each new client in a different way or do you have a set of guidelines you stick to for every client?

Absolutely, there is no one size fits all when it comes to recovery. Substance misuse isn’t the same as recovery from burnout for example, however there are some similarities which are based in chronic lack of self worth, so looking at the basics before the substance or behave started is hugely important to changing long lasting behavioural patterns.

Let’s talk about sobriety - how do you feel being now 8 years sober? And what made you want to start your podcast Sober Sex?

I FUXKIN LOVE BEING SOBER. Everything positive in my life (the most important being my relationships and connections) are due to a sober life.

I was always searching for deeper connection through booze and drugs, but realising that I am enough, just as I am, and then embracing that person, has brought me so much authentic loving connection, based in genuine realness. Sober Sex was born out of a women’s recovery meeting where we realised the chats around intimacy in recovery rooms were limited, so we got excited to interview folk about their journey in this realm and shine light on to this important topic

Speaking of, you’ve also been part of Sober Series, with six people within the music industry talking through sober life and recovery - how is the series formed each episode and how can our readers access the series?

The series was a desire to give voice to the party not being over. I believe it’s really important for folk to know that partying is still an option - sober! 

Sober Stories speaks in-depth and unfeignedly to the individuals at the heart of the dance music scene, delving deeper into their reasoning behind the change to their lifestyle. The interviews cover past traumas that may have triggered unhealthy habits, the effect of narcotics and alcohol on their mental health, how the switch to sobriety has impacted their creativity and much more.

As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, do you feel more light needs to be shed on trauma and recovery within other marginalised communities? 

YES! Addiction is a huge problem in the LGBTQI+ community, as we know. Various studies have shown that we are at higher risk of experiencing poor mental health, including self-harm, alcohol and substance misuse, and lesbian/bi women are twice as likely as straight women to binge drink. But there’s no one reason why queer women in particular struggle with addiction. It could be stigma, violence, trauma, judgement. These things aren’t as prevalent in the cis, straight world in the same way. Drugs and alcohol can become a fast track to intimacy, to connection, and a way of dealing with shame.

I imagine that anxiety post lockdown is rife, has COVID over the last year impacted your work and clients, and how have you tried to cope and deal with that? 

Holding acute awareness that the pressures of 2020 have been unexpected, intense and detrimental to many people’s mental health and addiction, I strive to help others overcome these trialling times. By continuing the push on creativity and healthy relationships with ones-self, with a poignant reminder that “being strong doesn’t look like holding your sh*t together so tight that you have to numb it out”. Being strong looks like asking for help then letting the help in, that is the reality of true strength and courage.

What other women do you admire?

I admire women who are living in their authenticity, who go unnoticed in the press and social media, and who work tirelessly doing the jobs that keep the world turning over and get left out of recognition. I admire my sponsors in my 12 step groups who walk through fear and face the brave journey of leaning into faith in a world that can feel overwhelming insecure and destabilising

What are your plans for the rest of this year? 

Well....I am currently 8 months pregnant, on the sofa, eating Dominoes and watching trash TV in Paris! 

I’m assuming this next month in a nutshell, is going to be much of the same whilst wobbling around the city and then embarking on the adventure of becoming a loving present mother!

Anything we should be looking out for? 

YES !! January we will be launching some exciting events as the world opens up in conjunction with our podcast Sober Sex! Watch this space ❤️