Question 1

Do I really need to taper my medication?

Accepted Answer

Not always. If you have taken it for less than a week or two, you may be able to stop abruptly. The difficulty is that individual responses are hard to predict. I have known people—including a family member—who took Ativan for two months, stopped and experienced no problems. I have also known people who stopped an SSRI, supposedly easier to come off, after a week and experienced symptoms for more than ten months.My main point is: do not go through this physically alone, especially with benzodiazepines. Have a family member or friend with you and pay attention to how you feel. Abruptly stopping a benzodiazepine after dependence has developed can cause seizures, so do not try to “push through” debilitating symptoms. If these develop within hours or days, my advice is to reinstate as quickly as possible and contact me for tapering support.

Question 2

What is the free discovery call for?

Accepted Answer

The free discovery call is a 20-minute video appointment where we can meet, discuss the support you’re looking for and decide whether working together feels right for you—and whether I can help.I don’t give practical advice during this call. That requires a separate intake appointment and a signed disclaimer. I will explain whether I can help and how we could work together on a plan to help you feel better.

Question 3

Does your support replace my doctor?

Accepted Answer

No. I’m a qualified mental health peer worker, not a doctor. Depending on where you live, you will need prescriptions from a doctor, nurse practitioner or another authorised prescriber.In a better system, part of what I teach would already be covered by your doctor. They should understand tapering. Yet, based on my own experience and the experiences shared by others around the world, I estimate that this knowledge is missing around 95% of the time. Some clinicians are willing to learn; others are not. I consider that unacceptable and unethical, but it is the reality we have to work with—and one reason I and others advocate for change.I can provide information to help you make informed decisions and give you tools to advocate for yourself. I can also support you in discussions with your prescriber. With your permission, I may join an appointment virtually or email them when needed. If your current doctor is not providing the support you need, I can help you look for a tapering-informed doctor.

Question 4

Can you help my family or friends understand what I’m going through?

Accepted Answer

Helping your support network understand your experience is part of the support I offer. We can discuss what would be useful in your circumstances.It is very important to identify the people you want involved. Not everyone wants others involved, but I believe it is important to have at least one person who understands what is happening. I can also arrange an appointment with them, as I have done for other clients.Some clients have a family member join every video call because they feel confused or highly anxious, and having someone familiar there reassures them.

Question 5

What tapering methods do you use?

Accepted Answer

I use personalised tapering approaches, including slow and hyperbolic tapering where appropriate. I’ll help you think through the pace, the dose reductions, and the practical steps involved.

Question 6

What type of drugs do you support tapering from?

Accepted Answer

I support people tapering benzodiazepines, antidepressants, Z-drugs, Low dose antipsychotics given for sleep and gabapentinoids. My work focuses on safe, careful reduction, with as much support as you need.

Question 7

Can you help if I’m experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I can support you through withdrawal and recovery with a calm, trauma-informed approach. I will help you adjust your tapering speed and method, and introduce, carefully and slowly, supplements, physiological and psychologial supports and techniques that I can help, sometimes substantially. I will also help you understand what may be happening so it's less scary, and help you on how to discuss it with your prescriber, family and friends, or talk to them directly.

Question 8

Does everyone suffer during a taper?

Accepted Answer

No. My own experience is one example. When I came off sertraline in 2022, I reduced from 200 mg to zero over eight weeks using large, linear reductions. I experienced only very mild restless legs for a week after my final dose. I also have clients who had no problems coming off benzos at all, except for mild insomnia and anxiety that I helped them with. Before that I had a Prozac to Sertraline switch that was so uneventful, that I don't even remember it - cross taper? cold turkey switch? how long? no idea. These experiences are probably why I was so easy to convince to take clonazepam for more than 2 weeks and accept my doctor's casual mention that 'worst case we'll taper you' like it's a walk in the park. By contrast, someone on my peer support course struggled through a two-year taper, possibly because she initially reduced too quickly and then tried to readjust. My clonazepam 'taper' was a horror story which is why I'm here. Some of my worst case clients were just doing an 'simple and gradual' SSRI cross taper that completely ruined their life at that point. That is the difficulty: we cannot predict how an individual taper will go. This is why I emphasise a slow, percentage-based taper: beginning with very small reductions and increasing them gradually only when they are well tolerated or no symptoms are occurring.There is a very good chance that you will taper without problems. Even so, I would rather be prepared and walk carefully along an unfamiliar path than rely on luck. That is the approach I take.

Question 9

What is Guy’s Tapering Tool (GTT)?

Accepted Answer

Guy’s Tapering Tool is a downloadable psychiatric drug tapering tool for Windows and Mac. It’s designed to help people plan safer tapers for medicines such as benzodiazepines, SSRIs, and SNRIs, using exponential (also known as hyperbolic) tapering approach. It comes free with an intake appointment, or you can purchase it for $30US. You can learn more about it in this link.

Question 10

How long will my taper take?

Accepted Answer

The answer is - 'as long as your body needs to recover'. It changes a lot between people - some find it easy and taper within months, and some take even two years. It also depends on the dose you are taking of course. The key is to use GTT to start very low (normally 3%) and find the right 'rhythm' (how long between cuts it takes to recover form each, if you do get withdrawal symptoms). Once you find the right % and interval between cuts, you can get a general idea by looking at the software, depending on the 'jump dose' thats appropriate to get to, at which stage you stop taking the drug all togehter.

Question 11

Where can I see the prices?

Accepted Answer

The booking page lists current appointment prices and reduced-fee eligibility. You can review those before deciding to continue.

Question 12

What happens during the intake appointment?

Accepted Answer

We usually spend the first 30–60 minutes understanding your circumstances. I ask about your history, other health conditions, why you started the medication, any other medicines or substances you take, your support network and your relationship with your prescriber. We discuss whether this is the right time to taper and, if you have already started and are struggling, what you have tried so far.We also discuss whether to stay with the same medication—a particularly relevant question with short-acting benzodiazepines—and its formulation: immediate-release or modified-release tablets, capsules or liquids.The rest of the appointment depends on your needs, the formulation and the time available. We cover how Guy’s Tapering Tool (GTT) works and why I use exponential reductions—a percentage of the current dose at each cut, rather than a fixed number of milligrams. We also discuss the practical mechanics of measuring doses. For an immediate-release tablet, for example, this may include powdering tablets and using a scale and laboratory spatula. Other formulations require different approaches. I explain which equipment you may need and how to keep the process practical and economical.We discuss supplements and other tools you may want to consider, starting low and slow and obtaining your doctor’s clearance where needed, taking account of other medications and sensitivities.If time allows, we spend around half an hour discussing sleep and options that may help if insomnia develops during tapering. Not everyone experiences it, but it appears to occur across medication classes during withdrawal.You will also receive a link to install GTT. We set it up during the intake if time permits, or at your next appointment.

Question 13

Why does a two-hour intake cost $240, and what if I can’t afford it?

Accepted Answer

The fee covers more than our two hours together. I research your circumstances and prepare for the appointment—usually for at least half an hour, often longer. Afterwards, I upload and send you the recording and transcript, plan the next steps and share links to anything we discussed. In practice, this usually adds up to around four hours of work, before accounting for marketing, free advice or my own ongoing learning.I previously charged less, but it was not sustainable. Like anyone else, I have bills and a mortgage to pay. I now earn around 20% of what I earned as a software developer, but I find this work far more meaningful because of the difference it can make to people’s lives.I find it frustrating when someone is clearly suffering and has already been harmed, yet decides against paying for support even after I offer a discount. You cannot put a price on suffering or the possibility of becoming disabled. Even from a purely financial perspective, avoiding support can be a false economy: feeling better may help you return to work or get through a shift without suffering. That can potentially save tens of thousands of dollars.For people who genuinely cannot afford the upfront cost, I offer one or two appointments per week at a 50% discount. These are for people who are already disabled, suffering and unable to work, at serious risk of homelessness and without a working partner, or struggling single parents with children.I also offer one or two intake appointments per week, subject to availability, for US$10 to people from selected developing countries. The list is on my booking page. These appointments are intended for people living in countries where average monthly earnings may be only a few hundred dollars and standard Western fees are out of reach.

Question 14

Will I need follow-up appointments?

Accepted Answer

Usually, at least one. If you need a scale, you should have it ready for the next appointment. We can then set up Guy’s Tapering Tool (GTT) around your medication’s formulation—an immediate-release tablet, a coated modified-release tablet, a capsule containing beads or a liquid. We can discuss immediate-release alternatives where relevant. There is a solution for each of these situations.If you decide to buy the recommended supplements or equipment, we discuss how to introduce them before tapering—or during a hold if you have already started—and what to watch for. I also show you how to keep a diary in GTT so we can track your progress, document changes and investigate any setbacks.After that, the frequency is up to you. Many clients prefer a regular weekly appointment of 30 or 60 minutes. Others choose a WhatsApp package for shorter conversations—even ten minutes at a time—when questions arise or they need urgent support.Some people are doing well and do not need ongoing appointments. Others are progressing well but still value the encouragement and psychological support of someone who understands the process.

Question 15

Are all supplements dangerous during withdrawal?

Accepted Answer

“Supplements” covers a broad range of products, from omega-3 capsules to herbal preparations such as saffron and turmeric. Products sold under that label can also include kratom, a dangerous and addictive substance. Treating them all as equally dangerous is like declaring all food dangerous because you are allergic to nuts.Blanket warnings are a recurring problem in withdrawal groups, particularly benzodiazepine groups. Some accounts come from people who became highly sensitised after abruptly stopping medication they had taken for decades, sometimes alongside pre-existing health problems. Their experiences are real, but they are not everyone’s experience. When those experiences become universal rules, I see a “fear cult” developing. That fear delayed my own healing because I became anxious about everything I tried.The reality is not black and white. Some people do become sensitive to particular supplements—and to foods. This can include people experiencing MCAS-like symptoms after an overly rapid benzodiazepine taper; benzodiazepines have mast-cell-stabilising effects. In my experience, these sensitivities mainly affect people with protracted withdrawal or very severe symptoms. Think of badly damaged skin: even aloe vera may sting, while intact skin may respond very differently.Any supplement or substance I suggest needs your doctor’s approval. You may have a condition, allergy or medication interaction I am not aware of. Beyond that, we start low and slow.With some products, I have only heard reports of benefit or no effect, rather than adverse reactions. Others are much less predictable. My role is to help you manage the timing, document your response and work out what is worth considering—and what is unnecessary or unhelpful.

Question 16

Why go with you and not other taper coaches?

Accepted Answer

Good question. I will answer this in an article coming in the next few days.

Question 17

I received a free benzodiazepine taper plan from David at Beating Benzos. What do you think?

Accepted Answer

Watch this video: https://youtu.be/Vmi-wB3FZsA

Professional, individualised support for coming off psychiatric drugs - Benzos, Antidepressnats, Z-drugs and low dose anti-psychotics.

My story.
How I can help.

A place to start.
Someone to talk things through with.

Thinking about tapering

Someone holding your hand

Building your life again, and healing.

Start with a conversation.

Free discovery call

Intake & consultation

Follow-up conversations

Tools, articles & thoughtful questions.

Guy’s Tapering Tool

Should I use AI for tapering advice?

Read beyond the headlines

A few useful answers.

Do I really need to taper my medication?

What is the free discovery call for?

Does your support replace my doctor?

Can you help my family or friends understand what I’m going through?

What tapering methods do you use?

What type of drugs do you support tapering from?

Can you help if I’m experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms?

Does everyone suffer during a taper?

What is Guy’s Tapering Tool (GTT)?

How long will my taper take?

Where can I see the prices?

What happens during the intake appointment?

Why does a two-hour intake cost $240, and what if I can’t afford it?

Will I need follow-up appointments?

Are all supplements dangerous during withdrawal?

Why go with you and not other taper coaches?

I received a free benzodiazepine taper plan from David at Beating Benzos. What do you think?

You don’t have to figure
everything out before we talk.

Professional, individualised support for coming off psychiatric drugs - Benzos, Antidepressnats, Z-drugs and low dose anti-psychotics.

My story. How I can help.

A place to start. Someone to talk things through with.

​

Thinking about tapering

Someone holding your hand

Building your life again, and healing.

Start with a conversation.

​

Free discovery call

Intake & consultation

Follow-up conversations

Tools, articles & thoughtful questions.

​

Guy’s Tapering Tool

Should I use AI for tapering advice?

Read beyond the headlines

A few useful answers.

​

Do I really need to taper my medication?

What is the free discovery call for?

Does your support replace my doctor?

Can you help my family or friends understand what I’m going through?

What tapering methods do you use?

What type of drugs do you support tapering from?

Can you help if I’m experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms?

Does everyone suffer during a taper?

What is Guy’s Tapering Tool (GTT)?

How long will my taper take?

Where can I see the prices?

What happens during the intake appointment?

Why does a two-hour intake cost $240, and what if I can’t afford it?

Will I need follow-up appointments?

Are all supplements dangerous during withdrawal?

Why go with you and not other taper coaches?

I received a free benzodiazepine taper plan from David at Beating Benzos. What do you think?

You don’t have to figure everything out before we talk.

My story.
How I can help.

A place to start.
Someone to talk things through with.

You don’t have to figure
everything out before we talk.