26 March 2026
Starting a career within probation services, Michelle Woodward has spent the last 16 years building skills and qualifications across various roles to support people through connection, trust and meaningful recovery.
Here, Michelle shares her journey into the drug and alcohol sector, reflecting on moments she values most and the privilege she feels to sit alongside people through their recovery journey.
Rebuilding lives within the community
I joined WithYou in 2009, after working within both Nottinghamshire and Cornwall Probation Service. I started out as a Substance Misuse Practitioner delivering brief interventions and group work around substance use, particularly where alcohol was linked to offending. From there, I moved into community-based work from GP surgeries, supporting people more closely on a one-to-one basis.
Over time, I found myself drawn more and more into this area of work, taking on different roles across the service, including within the criminal justice team and later into management. Along the way, I was involved in projects supporting people in recovery to rebuild their lives, including moving into employment.
Becoming a part of the recovery family at Chy
After a while, I stepped away for a couple of years to deepen my understanding of working more specifically with women, and during that time trained as a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) registered counsellor. Coming back to WithYou and settling into Chy felt like a natural next step.
Chy gives me the opportunity to work closely and intensively with people, and there’s something really powerful about that. I might sit with someone in a one-to-one session, and then see that same work unfolding in real time within the house. You get to witness change as it’s happening, not just talk about it.
I really love the pace and the unpredictability of it, no two hours are ever the same. The constant movement and dynamics actually work to my advantage, and keep the work feeling alive. There’s something special about being alongside residents day to day, co-regulating in those moments where things feel overwhelming, and supporting them to feel safer, more grounded, and held.
Chy also allows space to be creative in how we work. Whether that’s through conversation, cooking, walking, yoga or quiet moments of reflection, it all becomes part of supporting people to understand themselves, regulate, and reconnect. There’s a real mix of emotion in the house. Tears and laughter often sit side by side and it’s a privilege to be part of that.
The team at Chy are a big part of what makes it what it is. We’re very much part of the recovery community ourselves, and although it’s a professional setting, it often feels like a recovery family. There’s a real can-do attitude, with everyone pulling together to support both residents and each other.
Connecting with clients
Working at Chy, what I enjoy the most is connection. There’s something really meaningful about being trusted to sit alongside people as they begin to grow and gently let go of what’s kept them feeling stuck or powerless for so long. I feel a real sense of privilege in those moments especially when someone finds the courage to let go of their shame in a room full of their peers, and you can feel that they’re safe, supported, and not alone in it.
I love seeing the shift in people over time. Watching someone arrive feeling lost, trying to stay small and unnoticed, and then gradually finding their voice, speaking more openly, taking up space, connecting with others, and even stepping into things like cooking for the house or running their own groups. Those changes, big and small, really stay with me.
The residents teach me just as much as I hope to offer them, both about the work and about myself. And, often, it’s the simplest things that matter most. I run a weekly Yoga Nidra (deep rest) session, and I’m always struck by how much people value that shared space to pause, to be still, to be wrapped in a blanket (what they’ve come to call “tucking in time”). There’s a real sense of trust in those moments, and I feel genuinely grateful to be part of that.
Providing women-only spaces
Being a woman means we’re able to offer women-only spaces, which can be really important. For some, it’s the first time they’ve experienced feeling safe or supported around other women, especially if their past relationships haven’t felt positive. It’s often where connections begin, and I’ve seen those relationships continue beyond Chy, with women supporting each other in their recovery.
On a personal level, I think I bring a natural warmth to the work, perhaps a maternal one at times. Being a mum has shaped how I show up, with an understanding of the importance of boundaries, honesty and consistency. Alongside that, there’s also space for humour, softness, and a nurturing presence, which can really help people feel at ease.
That said, for me it’s always about the person in front of me. Working with women is something I value deeply, but the connection itself is what matters most.
Want to learn more about Residential Rehabilitation in Cornwall? Visit wearewithyou.org.uk/local-hubs/cornwall/services/at-chy-residential-rehab
