Check Out Margot Escott’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Margot Escott.

Hi Margot, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Margot and I’m a recovering alcoholic! Years ago it was considered a moral deficiency or a mental illness to be an alcoholic, but today it’s common knowledge that addiction is a disease. You might not think this is true looking at me today in my life as a successful psychotherapist for over 35 years and Improvisation Theatre teacher. I started my love affair with alcohol in my early teens, and continued for 2 decades! Despite growing up in a nice middle-class family in North New Jersey in the 50’s and 60’s I just never felt like I fit in. My parents weren’t heavy drinkers but there was always cocktails for dinner parties, wine and cordials. So I grew up where drinking alcohol was considered a norm. On holidays when my parents served wine or champagne and I always wanted a glass and then more.! But nothing was ever enough and I always wanted more! My folks gave me many advantages. Piano lessons, nice clothes, tennis lessons and every year on my birthday was taken to a Broadway show and dinner at a super cool New York City restaurants like The Plaza. I wanted to be with the “in crowd” at school, but felt awkward and very uncool. I learned by age 14 that once I had a beer or a glass of wine, my anxiety seemed to go away.. And a second and third drink made me beautiful with witty conversation! By age 15 I had my first black-outs, periods of time where I was walking and talking but had no recall at all. My drinking continued through college. After graduating I got the perfect job for a drunk. I was a bartender at The Village Corner in NYC. My co-worker was a fun-loving drunk like me and we had some very wild and risk-filled experiences. I led a dangerous life and am grateful I didn’t end up dead. Somehow I got myself together enough to apply for grad school and start my degree for an MSW. I was still drinking a lot. But then I met a fellow student who was sober and introduced me to a better way to live. I learned that I had to live one day at a time, or even an hour at a time to resist the urge to drink. Alcoholism is a physical disease and there is a compulsion for the alcoholic to drink, despite suffering disastrous consequences from their drinking. I learned that I was like a cucumber that was turned into a pickle, and I could never be a cucumber again. I had crossed a line and they only way to survive was to eliminate alcohol in my life. I was fortunate that I had “hit a bottom” and found wonderful people that continue to support me in my recovery.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road but from the moment I put down the drink, the compulsion left me and I never had the desire to drink again. I lost my mom when I was sober for 5 years. But I was a sober woman and able to be by her side when she died. That was really tough but I had people I could share this with and that helped a lot. Life has had it ups and downs but I’m very grateful that no matter what, I now know a drink won’t make it better.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have always been a proponent of Play for Adults! For over 40 years I’ve lead workshops and seminars teaching grownups to learn to play again. I was a trainer in an organization called New Games and taught mental health professionals and folks in my community to laugh and play. Then I discovered Improvisational Theatre and was blessed with some wonderful teachers. I use Applied Improvisation, which means I teach folks not to perform but to enhance their lives with the many benefits of improv. I have been trained in the “Rehearsal for Growth” program that teaches mental health providers how to use improv in psychotherapy, and that has been part of my therapy practice. I teach Improv in my local schools for autistic children and teens, and that brings me great joy. Also, for the past eight years, I have online classes “Improv for Parkinson’s” and have students from all over the US. I am proud of that as I believe I’m bringing laughter into the lives of people who live with a disease that currently has no cure. Unlike my alcoholism! I guess you could say that I’m in my golden years but I continue to teach and play and love to surround myself with playful people.

What are your plans for the future?
I have a podcast, Improv Interviews, found at Improv4Wellness.com, that has over 210 episodes. I look forward to having more sessions with Improvisers and sketch comedy writers around the world. For the past two years I’ve been learning sketch comedy writing at The Sketch School, an online class in LA and have performed many of my sketches online. This is one of my favorite things to do and I think writing helps keep my mind sharp.
I have a wonderful life and wouldn’t change a thing! With my husband of 35 years and our beloved Shetland Sheepdog, Dr. Winston O’Boogie, life couldn’t get any better!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Improv4wellness.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margotescott/?hl=en

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margotescott/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margot-escott-lcsw-40a733b1/

• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCswWRH-dfN6AkjC0IwS6GMQ

• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/margote18

• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@margote186

Original Article Post: https://voyagela.com/interview/check-out-margot-escotts-story