Natalie grow up with an alcoholic father and a religious mother who kept the peace by avoiding conflict with the alcoholic. Feeling overlooked in her family, Natalie looked forward to a life independent of it. When she moved away to study and begin a career, she found that she still had to reckon with her family relationships, finding difficulties with each of her parents at different times, reconciling with her father at one point and separating herself from her mother at another. At a low point in her early thirties, Natalie chanced upon a TV program that mentioned support for families of alcoholics and went to her first Al-Anon meeting.  

If you think that Al-Anon or Alateen could help you cope with someone else’s problem drinking then you can phone 1300 252 666 or go to their website al-anon.org.au