Meet Jennifer

Speaking to others helps us understand that we are not alone in our journey. WiSE is built on women coming together to meet as women, regardless of the drugs or alcohol they use to cope with their challenges.

Jennifer started coming to the WiSE Project in January 2026 for support with her alcohol use. To protect her anonymity, she’s sharing her experience with a different name, but what she describes is completely real.

For a long time, Jennifer had used alcohol to help her cope with issues in her life, but additional challenges and increased pressures led to her drinking more heavily. She became cut off from her family, which triggered Jennifer to increase her alcohol use. But her family’s distance also motivated Jennifer to find support.

Jennifer joined her local WiSE Project in January 2026, and initially she was sceptical about whether it would help. “I didn’t think it would work for me,” she explained, “but now I’ve only missed two sessions”.

Before, Jennifer had struggled to connect with anyone who understood her experiences. “I couldn’t really talk about this fear with people who didn’t have a problem”, she explained. Now, every week, WiSE provides an opportunity to socialise with women in similar situations.

Jennifer is working through her fears within a community, and without any judgement.

Stigma and shame from others left Jennifer feeling isolated, but since joining WiSE, she has gained empathy for women who use drugs to survive the challenges they face. “Using drugs is often seen as a weakness”, she stated, “but everyone uses something to cope.”

Jennifer has now reconnected with her children. She recalled: “When I saw them for the first time, they saw I’d put on weight and they could tell I was doing better. We were overjoyed.”