Cosmo Duff Gordon CPsychol, AFBPsS, Grad Dip Couns (SACAP), Grad Dip Psych (OU), MA (Edin), DPsych (London) is a director of Barney Recovery, the 1st tech-driven solution of its kind to provide treatment centres with analytical data on their alumni. It is designed to reduce relapse rates through continuous engagement and support, enabling treatment centres to provide alumni the tools, connections and opportunities to seek help when needed.

Cosmo also founded London’s Start2Stop clinic in 2010. There, he pioneered intensive outpatient programmes and residential secondary treatment.

He also worked for in the NHS service for treating problem gambling. Start2Stop was bought by the Nightingale Hospital in 2022 and Cosmo continues to clinically supervise the work undertaken there.

He has published in peer-reviewed literature, and is a chapter author in a book on recovery. His doctoral thesis was on the subject of the ideological dilemmas of 12-Step recovery. He was awarded the Bruner Prize by the Open University in 2011. He has been an invited speaker on addiction to the staff of Public Health England and has been interviewed on the subject of addiction by the media including Radio 4’s Today, The Times, Telegraph, Evening Standard and Guardian.

PRESENTATION

Turning clients and alumni into advocates

Pinpoint practical, ethical, and effective strategies for transforming people in recovery who have completed addiction treatment into powerful advocates for addiction treatment, recovery and policy change. Discover how the Barney Recovery app serves as a powerful platform for engaging alumni, providing ongoing support to prevent relapse, and mobilising them into advocacy roles. Attendees will quantify the benefits, navigate potential risks, and build sustainable alumni programmes that reduce stigma, influence legislation and strengthen recovery communities – all the while helping to sustain their healthcare providers.

Learning objectives

At the end of this presentation, delegates will be able to:

• Identify key indicators of readiness and appropriate timing for inviting clients and alumni to engage in advocacy activities while maintaining their personal recovery and safety
• Apply practical frameworks and training techniques to equip clients and alumni with the skills needed to share their stories effectively, engage with policymakers, and participate in public awareness effort
• Design or enhance an alumni advocacy programme in their organisation, including integration of digital tools such as the Barney Recovery app, to foster engagement, provide continuous support, and impact stigma reduction and recovery advocacy.