Client Testimonials

When I met Michael, my life was in disarray. His influence on me goes beyond words—truly transformative. Rare are those who embody love and compassion in their work, free from the grasp of money or status. Michael's actions speak louder than words, guiding me on the path to recovery. Today, I proudly stand 90 days clean, a stark contrast to the hopelessness I felt just three months ago. Michael swiftly orchestrated the support and treatments I needed to face my struggles head-on. I've emerged a better person because of him. Even after our sessions ended, he continues to check in, a testament to his genuine care. Thank you, Michael, for your unwavering kindness and friendship. Keep shining your light—the world needs more souls like you.

Michael has been an invaluable resource for us. He’s kind and caring and I strongly recommend him!

I highly recommend Michael Walsh to anyone who struggles with addiction or has a loved one that is. Michael was recommended to me and I am so indebted and grateful for that referral. Michael is knowledgeable, helpful, patient, compassionate and non- judgmental. This past year has been a tough one. I that feel without Michael’s support and guidance it could have been a disastrous one. Our family is talking and rejoicing in each and every positive step. Thank you Michael. I feel so very blessed to have had you with us on this journey to recovery.

Months ago, I was in desperate need of compassionate help and guidance. I had tried other avenues of recovery and wasn't finding the perfect fit for me. Upon reaching out to Michael Walsh, I received an immediate response and was matched with a Sober Coach by the name of Connor O'Reilly. I was reassured that if this wasn't the right fit for me, we would reevaluate. Connor has been my rock. He is not judgmental, he helps me form my own conclusions, and he is always out for my best interest. This company literally saved my life, and I cannot thank them enough for their kindness, patience, and expertise. I would recommend them to anyone looking for help navigating recovery!

Michael is fantastic! Don’t hesitate to reach out to him.

My work in residential mental health and addiction treatment means working with like-minded skilled and caring professionals across Canada. Michael is our go-to guy in Victoria and, for the past couple of years, Vancouver and beyond.

Michael Walsh helped me get away from my alcohol dependence. I had a lot of evenings with alcohol and had wanted to quit for some time as I knew it was affecting my overall health. I had tried to quit a few times on my own but was unable.

I found Michael on the internet and although he was across the country for me he was able to give me the confidence and support I needed to succeed. He provided various methods of communication and immediate help if I needed it along with tons of great resources and tools to enable me to get through the tough times.

The work I did with Michael allowed me to better understand myself in the process. I needed exactly this kind of support and it was provided in a non-judgemental, empathic and progressive manner. Thanks Michael!

Addictions is a difficult topic for the family of and addict and even more for the addict themselves. And when you have 12 years of sobriety like I do sometimes you feel like you can handle it on your own when in fact you can’t. I was introduced to Michael on my 9th year of sobriety. I was having a difficult time coping with running a business, living life and staying sober. Michael gave me the tools I needed to keep sober during a time when I was completely out of options and no one wanted to help. And since then he has answered any text or phone call and really been there for me even after the our sessions were up. I have been to a lot of addictions specialist, meetings and a recovery house but none of them ever gave me a second thought after I was finished. If you are suffering you are not alone there are a lot of us in the same boat. But….. I can tell you for a fact that Michael will be there for you. He will help you get through the rough times and even stick around for the good ones. Thank you Michael for everything you have done for me.

Michael helped me when I thought that all hope was lost. I struggled with addiction to many things in my life. He was able to open the door to recovery and set me up with tools to help manage the mine field of this thing we call life...I would recommend this resource to anyone struggling with addiction and recovery and looking to move forward.
Thanks again Michael.

Micheal and his team, are very caring and we are so grateful to have them to talk and guide us in a positive outlook. Moving forward can feel impossible at times and we are so fortunate to be able to reach out and talk to someone who has struggled and understands what we’re going through. Micheal and his team are genuinely understanding and compassionate.

Michael's support and guidance has made my journey of quitting alcohol and living a cleaner live a much simpler and attainable process. Michael is a great coach whom I highly recommend to anyone that wants to make a lasting change.

About 7 months ago I was in a pretty horrible place. I was drinking from 5 in the morning on, 7 days a week, and basically hit rock bottom. A friend of mine fixed me up with Michael's number. Michael and his staff were more than sympathetic and welcoming to me and my situation. Michael placed me with a like minded guy named Luke, who was awesome. I'd go as far as to say that I consider him a friend. He got me through some hard times in a very un-judgemental way. I know that this sounds cheesy, but it has changed my life. I have not had a drink in 7 months, nor do I feel the need to. I couldn't recommend these guys more. 2 thumbs up!

Michael Walsh is a professional I work with very closely, and I consider him a specialist and recovery coach of the absolute highest calibre. His expertise and professionalism are outstanding, and he always "greets clients where they are," with respect, compassion and humility. I would recommend him to a friend or family member, in a heartbeat! He is the best of the best.

While working for one of Canada's leading Substance Misuse treatment clinics, I had the pleasure of working with Michael Walsh and a few of his clients. I particularly appreciated how flexible, accommodating and collaborative he was to work with. Each person and their family are at different stages in their journey; Michael met them where they were at, which is so important.

He provided them with expert guidance, in a calm, confident, highly personal and professional manner. Michael genuinely cares about the folks he works with and is 100% committed to helping them succeed in their sobriety journey. If a member of my family needed a sobriety coach, I would choose Michael.

As parents, we live halfway across the country (Canada) from our son. He has both substance misuse and some complicated mental health issues, so having someone on the ground locally in Victoria has been a godsend. Michael has a great rapport with our son, and can be a little more detached than we are surrounding all the issues that have arisen; he has the trust of our son, and so can assist him in ways that we cannot.

When trying to detach with love, it is very important not to cut the legs out from under the loved one; they did not ask for this life, but do not let it take over yours. Michael can be trusted to be there when you aren't; so take a few steps back, breathe occasionally. Good advice if you can follow it.

Michael offered me a knowledgeable and supportive approach to dealing with substance misuse. He meets individuals and families where they’re at in that journey. He provides options and awareness that there are many elements to recovery, and will compassionately assist in finding the treatment and approach that fits.

I highly recommend Michael.

I used Michael for Alcohol addiction recovery since 2018. He was pleasant to work with - understanding, not judgmental and supportive. He is experienced in the addiction field and knows of recovery / rehab options.

Accordingly I was comfortable discussing any challenges, concerns, relapse issues and alternative treatments.

I have talked to many different professionals from many walks of life regarding drugs and alcohol. I have never had a connection as real as the one with Dylan.

The progress I have made working with Dylan far exceeds the progress anyone else over the years battling drug use. I have not touched drugs or alcohol since my first meeting with Dylan many months ago and I am very grateful.

I found this service through a Google hunt for sobriety coaching, and am so thankful that I did. I was seeking assistance in evaluating & assessing my relationship with alcohol and it’s role in my life.

Although I worked with Dylan for a relatively short period of time what I walked away with was nuclear & transformative. If you are considering this process and contemplating making the shift to the next step, I highly recommend you step forward.

I can’t say enough good things about Michael. He helped me hold onto my sanity — not with sympathy — but just by being the compassionate and direct person he is. Michael doesn’t just counsel the person with the addiction but he’s there for the entire family. Always professional and never judging or critical.

When my husband first met Michael I now realize it was too late — Korsakoff Syndrome (alcohol dementia) had already started to ravage his brain. Michael counselled him, drove him to rehab and listened to me — never being critical — instead asking questions and gently guiding.

Michael never forced his ideas on my husband — just pointed him in the right direction. If you have substance use and addiction concerns whether you're an individual or family — Michael can likely help.

When I first met Michael I was not sure what I wanted or needed to change in my life. I was drinking a lot and was angry. Michael helped explore my relationship with alcohol from, at first, a moderation perspective — then as we moved through our work I became less reliant on alcohol and found that not drinking worked much better for me in my life.

Michael connected me to a Clinical Psychologist in Victoria to help identify and work through the sources of anger (which helped immensely) and I also did some sessions with my wife which was very helpful and provided a renewed dynamic within that relationship. Recovery Coaching was an approach and model for change that worked very well for me.

Thank you, Michael.

A friend referred me to Michael. Although I was sober for a three months when I met Michael — my mental health was not great. I wanted to maintain my sobriety while also needing to move beyond the situation that was holding me back in many ways. Michael met me where I was at in my life and then helped me move along to a place of 11 months of sobriety and a new outlook on life.

Even when I didn’t necessarily believe in myself — Michael looked beyond that and saw the greater good in me and helped me write a new narrative. I feel like I have turned a corner.

Things are much better in my life — still some barriers — but nothing I can’t tackle.

My story is one of trial & error — and ultimately successful recovery. I have, in the past had stints of mediocre recovery — this ultimately led to relapse. So what's changed? I included Recovery Coaching!

In my lowest point, I was overwhelmed with shame, guilt, denial and no self esteem. One of the key tools I incorporated into my "tool box” this time was Michael as my Recovery Coach. What he gave me was guidance, resources, friendship, and most importantly, a sense of safety at a time I had none. Michael was able to act as my guide to what life in recovery can be.

With a shared lived experience, Michael understood what it felt like to be misguided, hurt and lost. This in turn gave me confidence that if I followed him I could live the life I had always dreamed of — free from the destructive nature of my addiction and a productive individual in society.

Michael's method started by meeting with me twice a week to help pull me out of the disaster I then called my life. Having someone I knew was "team Kees" allowed me to trust again and is still a key component to my recovery today. As we moved through the early days, I started to rely on him for how to get to the life I wanted. We started discussing career aspirations, connecting with others, staying safe when I felt unsafe, how to commit and follow through with myself and others — and ultimately how to create accountability and responsibility in my life.

Along the way, he introduced me to helpful resources such as counsellors, career development advisors and social communities of like minded people. These resources I still use today.

That is all the boring stuff. You're sitting there reading this review wondering why Michael Walsh Recovery Coaching?

Today, I have a career I never ever thought I was worthy of having, I have a community of people who know and care about me, I don't fear living my life, I have solid enduring recovery, I have people and an amazing dog Bella who rely on me and most importantly family in my life I thought had given up on me!

Best of all, Michael has taught me that I can say "I love you" in the mirror and mean it.

“There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met. – Jim Henson

As a Registered Clinical Counsellor, I am fussy about referrals. But I recommend Michael to my clients without hesitation. He has the experience, expertise, knowledge and skills. He's also a great guy, which really helps.

I was referred to Michael by a counsellor my wife was working with while I was in treatment at the Edgewood facility in Nanaimo. The counsellor recommended that Michael could help in the inevitable transition from in-patient therapy to “normal” life.

I had not had a positive experience at Edgewood because many aspects of the therapy were incompatible with my personal beliefs, however I left with a very strong resolve never to relapse into abuse. I met Michael weekly for several months while I explored options for further therapy, deciding on weekly meetings with the Smart Recovery Program and subsequently being accepted into the excellent Vancouver Island Health Authority’s Relapse Prevention Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program.

Michael was very accepting of my choices for on-going therapy and provided a very useful weekly “sounding-board” for my views on, and reactions to, those programs. I have now been sober for a year and nine months. Thank you Michael for all your help.

Our late 20’s son disclosed to us he had a serious issue with cocaine and that he could not stop on his own. We had limited knowledge on how to handle this situation. We did some research online and found Michael. We provided Michael as a resource to our son and left it to him to make contact. Our son went to see Michael and disclosed everything including “I think I need to go to rehab." Four days later, we met with Michael and our son at our home and within a matter of days our son went to treatment in Vancouver. We can not believe the change in our son — ‘we have our son back with his full potential’.

As parents we also utilized Michael for support and guidance. We also participated in a “realtime” weekly online program specifically for those affected by someone else's substance use as recommended by the treatment centre. Michael helped us make sense of our situation at a critical time and provided practical solutions to help make a dire situation much better.

We highly recommend Michael!

After many years of looking for help and trying numerous types of counseling and supports, I was left lost and confused. Nothing was working and I was super frustrated. When I contacted Michael I was skeptical because it seemed that every person who tried to help me had many great suggestions of where to go to find help, but couldn't actually help me themselves. I felt as though I was just being passed around, and was hopeless.

I was struggling with addiction in all sorts of ways, mainly alcohol, edible cannabis, and the thing that always tore me down, cocaine. Michael was the first person who was direct with me, concise with how to begin my recovery, and empathic of my struggle. Because of this I listened, and followed his suggestions.

Today I am 14 months sober and have just completed a Mental Health and Addictions college program. I received all A's. I am now able to find hope in my future, and it all began with the help I received from Michael. If you are serious about beginning recovery, just simply follow his suggestions, they work. Many thanks.

Michael is an amazing support. Dedicated, responsive, communicative and caring, he was exactly the right person at the right time. He was able to help in ways that we didn't think were possible. Michael used compassion and expertise to address addiction and give our family a second lease on life. We highly recommend Michael especially for those who are in crisis, have few choices left and who are dependent on drugs and/or alcohol to make life bearable.

Words cannot possibly express what Michael has done for our family when so many others had tried and failed.

Thank you Michael for the joy, love and laughter you've returned to us.

I contacted Michael to assist a family member in need of recovery treatment & sober coaching. I was at a point of extreme stress. Michael answered my contact message very promptly and scheduled a telephone meeting. Within minutes of that first meeting I felt much more at ease and confident that help was achievable.

Michael's professional coaching has been, and continues to be, an important foundation of the recovery journey for our family.

I highly recommend and thank you Michael.

Michael provided my son with incredible support, guidance and hope during a very difficult time in his recovery. I am incredibly grateful for Michael’s outstanding communication with me and support of not only my son but our whole family as we navigated such a challenging time.

You are truly a gift in our life. Thank you. 

Most of my life I'd been a social drinker. When I was under a lot of stress in my early 70's I found courage and strength to handle it all in "alcohol." I started drinking more and more until I realized I could not stop. That scared me a lot and so I tried to quit. I attended community support groups, went to group therapy and even to a rehab for 7 weeks but always had periods of relapses.

I was introduced to Michael by a counsellor, Matt McCoy. When I met Michael I felt comfortable with him right away. He is a very warm and caring person, not judgemental at all when relapses happened — counting only the even longer periods of sobriety. Michael is an excellent listener. He encouraged me to utilize multiple strategies that helped make changes in my life.

Now I am 82 years old and sober for one year and looking forward to a happier and healthier rest of my life. I deeply thank Michael for that.

Michael has worked closely with a number of my clients that have transitioned from in-patient treatment to Sober Living houses in Victoria BC. I have witnessed first-hand the positive impact when clients work with Michael. He provides a practical perspective and functional approach to change.

Michael’s specialty is moving clients beyond substance use, addiction and recovery and making the change process worthwhile.

I wholeheartedly recommend Michael.

Michael Walsh was introduced to our son and within a few weeks we noticed a remarkable and significant change in our son's life. Michael made connections with different support organizations to help my son's issues. Michael continually stayed in contact with us allowing us to be part of my son's healing process.

His experience, professionalism, skills and strategies are shown in his work.

We highly recommend Michael.

Michael helped me to get beyond my alcohol addiction. I was a closet drinker who was hiding my life away every evening with alcohol. I had wanted to quit for some time as I knew it was affecting my overall health: physical, mental, social and financial. I had tried to quit a few times but was unable.

I found Michael on the internet and although he was across the country he was able to give me the confidence and support I needed to succeed. He provided various methods of communication and immediate help if I needed it along with tons of great resources and tools to enable me to get through the tough times.

The work I did with Michael allowed me to better understand myself in the process. I needed exactly this kind of support and it was provided in a non-judgemental, empathic and progressive manner. Thanks Michael!

The positive changes I have made in every aspect of my life, from the day I started working with Michael until four months later, I did not think would be possible.

When I first met Michael, I was at a very low point in my life. Michael has helped me transform every aspect of my life, from my addiction issues to character issues to work issues. I had sought professional help in the past, but it was never successful. What Michael did differently that made all of the difference was leading me down a path of personal growth using practical methods and strategies, while holding me accountable every week to ensure I stayed on course.

I have become a stronger person and more conscious of the impact of my decisions on myself and those around me. Michael’s caring and comforting approach, combined with his ability to keep me on track and hold me accountable, is just what I needed. I would recommend Michael to anyone looking to make transformational changes in any aspect of their life.

Our family has been coached for the last year by Michael and we are extremely satisfied with the results. Along with reading books recommended by Michael we are all on the same path with our son to recovery, using the same techniques and methods of communication. This means we are working together, along with Michael, toward the same goal in the same way.

Our son is far more stable and definitely on the path to recovery, in large part due to the compassion, understanding and professional help that Michael has provided.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I was looking to make some changes in my life and Michael Walsh helped me do that. While substances never took a toll on my life to the extent that it has with some of Michael’s clients, he did a great job of meeting me where I was, and enabling me to move past some problematic behaviours and habits I’d developed with his professional, yet very warm, guidance.

Michael is an excellent listener: I never felt lectured at any of our sessions.

Instead, Michael let me ramble on as he attentively took notes. At the end of my epic monologues, Michael helped by synthesizing what I was saying, and developing strategies that helped me make some profoundly helpful changes in my life.

I would highly recommend Michael to anyone who is looking to change the direction of their lives.

I left drug rehab to go back to work in Alberta and had a slip a few days after starting work again. I remembered my counsellor talk about using a Recovery Coach when I left but thought I’d be fine after treatment. I was wrong!

I connected with Michael through his website and started working together within a week. Working with Michael was invaluable. Much of our work was dealing with the roller coaster of life after treatment, setting and achieving goals and being held accountable.

I did have a one day slip while working with Michael and told him about it right away which he did not judge. Instead he supported me to move forward and put it behind me. Michael helped me regain the trust of my family and friends and I feel really good about my future – substance-free.

I went to Michael deeply distressed with my addiction to alcohol. I was messing up as a mother, wife, friend and founder of a successful company as my alcohol misuse was getting worse.

I hired Michael on the spot and stopped drinking alcohol.

His weekly coaching sessions enabled me to find ways to power through the addiction. It's been over three years now. The incessant hunger for alcohol no longer ruins my life and I feel free from it's grasp!

Michael has been a sober coaching mentor to me for over 7 months. He stands out for his warmth, generosity and professionalism and has a reputation for being “the best in the business”, not only here in Victoria but (I assert) in western Canada.

His “outside the box” approach to recovery is refreshing to me, and I can hardly thank him enough for his support and guidance in our relationship.

If you want to permanently address your problematic substance use, please contact Michael.

Michael was a huge help in navigating the choppy waters of readjusting to life outside of treatment and into second stage sober living. His empathetic and practical approach helped hugely for me to feel supported and to develop trust, which has always been a major obstacle for me when dealing with counsellors etc.

Five months of being out of treatment and having Michael on my team is very valuable. He has helped me connect with professionals in the fields of work that interest me, and is very accommodating to my schedule as a university student.

Michael is a fully equipped resource for help and hope. So many families in BC and Vancouver have struggled with substance use. It affects us all. Over zoom, Michael became a turning point for my own behaviour, which affected the rest of my family dynamics, with powerful results. Thank you, Michael!