4 years ago, I reached a huge milestone in my life.
On the 15/9/2014 I was 5 years Sober. A place I wasn’t sure I could reach.
An important process throughout the recovery journey is to acknowledge milestones and 5
years was, and is, massive.
One day at a time, with a great support network and bag of tools, I was able to achieve what so
many , sadly, cannot.

As I sat in the office behind my desk, the irony of how I had begun my journey washed over
me. I reminisced about how I was sitting on the opposite side of this exact table, as a client, 5
years earlier. I felt a mix of emotions. Emotions, that I had tried to mask for years with many
different substances, vices, and behaviours.
During this reflection; It struck me !

I dont have anything to connect with; regarding what I was like back then, when I entered
treatment, on the 15th September 2009.
I thought to myself… What was I thinking? How was I feeling? Who was I ?
I felt a sense of sadness and grief as I wished I had done something to track, document, and
reflect, on my progress…
This is where my idea to create a digital time capsule came from.

You see, part of my job as a Counsellor and Senior Case Manager at Glebe House, is to assist
people coming through treatment to take a journey back in time and unravel, relearn, and
recreate a healthier version of themselves.
I thought, this “Time Capsule” is a tool I can use to support and motivate the people I am now
working with. Providing them with a unique way to capture themselves and their achievments
with the latest technology.

As part of my studies at university to become a counsellor, I researched and developed a list of
important life questions. I purchased a video camera and printed out 10 of these questions
and then pressed record on the first video of my Digital Time Capsule project.
This was me, recording a message to my future self.

As I began to answer the questions I found the experience to be so valuable. It was not
something I would normally choose to do; sit in front of camera answering questions about
myself, my vulnerabilities, my strengths.
However, in a private and confidential space I was able to speak to myself in that capacity.
I found the experience nurturing, empowering, and humbling. A great source of self-care and
personal development.
I was aware that the ability to express myself without fear of judgement or shame was such a
valuable tool.

A tool, that needed to be shared.

LETTING GO

Letting go is different for everyone depending on why the separation is occurring. It affects each of us with different emotional states and for different periods of time.

For some it’s letting go of a loved one who has always been by your side, for others it could be breaking free of a trauma bond, releasing a part of yourself that doesn’t bring you happiness or growth anymore or choosing a different path for your life that rids you of an emotional attachment to another, maybe it’s a culmination of all of these.

Regardless of your need to let go or your desire to feel free, the idea of this is never easy but it is a core experience we each face in this lifetime and from this program we reach out a hand to you in the form of video journal and offer you the opportunity to let go in a constructive way and adapt the idea of valuing the memories, appreciating the lessons learnt and understanding that every goodbye can offer you a new beginning.