About The Author
Celeste Barker

Celeste is an Alumni Coordinator for UKAT, offering support and guidance to clients as they navigate their recovery journey rehab. As an addict in recovery and the child of an alcoholic, Celeste uses the firsthand experience of addiction to create informational web pages and help guides for our websites, particularly surrounding the topic of addiction’s impact on family and loved ones. They hope that this content helps readers relate to unhealthy behaviours and encourage them through the first stages of their recovery journey. Celeste has also been featured across radio stations, including BBC Radio Essex.

Celeste Barker



Celeste has known addiction their whole life, growing up with an alcoholic father and bearing witness to his decline. After over twenty years of struggling with addiction, predominantly to alcohol and cocaine, they found recovery in 2021 and have been sober ever since. A passionate writer, Celeste produces the UKAT recovery podcast ‘Screaming on the Inside’, is the author of a recovery blog and is Editor of the Alumni Newsletter.

A member of, and media volunteer for, Nacoa (national association for the children of alcoholics), Celeste is a passionate advocate for those in recovery from addiction, and hopes that by writing and talking about the issues surrounding addiction and recovery, they can contribute to this important conversation.

Celeste also has an Accredited Level 3 Addiction Counselling Diploma .

“We may not always get what we want, but if we take it a day at a time and do the next right thing, we will always get what we need.” - Celeste


23 June 2025
30 June 2025
30 June 2025

Schizophrenia and addiction. Learn about schizophrenia, symptoms, the link between schizophrenia and addiction and how w...

30 June 2025

What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? How are PTSD & addiction related? Learn about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and...

24 June 2025

What is personality disorder? And how are personality disorder and addiction related? Learn all about personality disord...

24 June 2025
07 May 2024

How does substance abuse affect mental health? Or is addiction the cause of mental health? Learn about mental disorders ...

24 June 2025
24 June 2025
10 January 2024

What is dual diagnosis? And how is it different from co-occurring disorders? Learn all about dual diagnosis and treatmen...

24 June 2025

What is depression? And how are depression and addiction related? Learn all about depression and addiction, signs, sympt...

23 June 2025

What is codependency? And how are codependency and addiction related? Learn about symptoms, effects and rehab treatment ...

23 June 2025

Bipolar disorder and addiction are strongly related. Find out here how bipolar disorder and addiction interact with each...

23 June 2025
02 May 2024

Autism and addiction. Learn about autism, signs, symptoms, the link between autism and addiction and how we treat them a...

23 June 2025

Anxiety and addiction. Learn about social anxiety, symptoms, the relationship between anxiety and addiction and how we t...

23 June 2025

ADHD and addiction. Learn about Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and addiction and how we treat them at Sanctuar...