Online Course for Families
The Conversation
For families who love someone struggling with addiction — and don’t know what to say. A 6-module course built from the inside, by someone who was there.
Launching September 7, 2026 — join the waitlist to be first in
Join the WaitlistBe first to know when doors open
The Conversation launches September 7, 2026. Join the waitlist and you will get early access before it opens to everyone else.
No spam. Just one email when enrolment opens.
You love them. But you don't know what to say.
If any of these sound familiar, you're in the right place.
✓ Every conversation ends in a fight — or you say nothing at all
✓ You've rehearsed what to say a hundred times but can't seem to start
✓ You're scared that saying the wrong thing will make it worse
✓ You've tried lecturing, pleading, or ultimatums — none of it worked
✓ You feel completely alone — like no one else understands what you're going through
✓ You want to be ready with the right words when the moment comes
Why I Built This Course
A dinner in Adelaide changed my lifes direction.
For years I was the person your loved one is right now. Hiding behind a TV career on Channel 10 and the ABC — while privately losing the battle with addiction.
My sister Kathy and my best mate Brad tried to reach me before. Nothing worked — until one quiet dinner on Jetty Road, Glenelg. No lecture. No ultimatum. Just the right words, said the right way.
Within 24 hours I was in a car to a rehabilitation centre in Geelong. Seven years later, I’m still here.
“They didn’t save me by fixing me. They saved me by knowing exactly what to say.”
A short message from Mark
Why he built this course, who it’s for, and what you’ll walk away with.
What’s Inside
6 video modules. Approximately 90 minutes. Watch at your own pace.
Welcome Module
Welcome to The Conversation
What this course is — and what it isn’t. Why Mark’s lived experience matters, and how to get the most from what follows.
Module 1 — 14–16 min
My Story — The Night That Changed Everything
The mask, the years of hiding, and the dinner in Glenelg that finally got through.
Module 2 — 10–12 min
Why Conversations Go Wrong
The lecture, the ultimatum, the silence. Why even loving attempts can push someone further away.
Module 3 — 10–12 min
What Actually Works — The 5-Step Framework
The exact approach Kathy and Brad used — broken into five practical steps you can adapt for your situation.
Module 4 — 12–14 min
What to Say — and What Never to Say
Phrases that open people up, and the well-meaning things that shut everything down — from someone who heard both.
Module 5 — 11–13 min
When They Push Back
What to do when they get angry, deny everything, or go silent. A guide to the hardest moments.
Module 6 — 12–14 min
Before, During & After
How to prepare, what to do in the moment, and how to look after yourself — whatever their response.
Included With Your Course
The AI Conversation Practice Tool
Practise the real conversation before it happens — safely, privately, as many times as you need.
Practise Before the Real Thing
Tell the AI about your person and have the conversation in a safe space before it matters.
Get Honest Feedback
After each run, the AI tells you what landed and what to try instead — grounded in the course frameworks.
Go Again, Any Time
No limit — because some conversations take more than one attempt to get right.
Your Instructor.
“I know what it feels like to be the person nobody could reach. This course is for the people who refused to give up on me.”
Mark Aiston spent 40 years as one of South Australia’s most recognised television presenters. Behind the camera, he was quietly struggling with addiction and self doubt.
He he appeared to functioning normally, however like a duck on the river, his legs were paddling as fast as they could to ensure he didn't drown.
Mark"s not a psychologist or a doctor or a social worker, he's none of them, however he’s someone who was on the other side of this conversation for years, he loved the torment for much of his life, BUT he was finally reached. Now 7 years in recovery he continues to rebuild his life. And you can as well. and now he's the person who built the roadmap nobody gave his family.
