Alex Fontaine, MBE

Alex Fontaine, MBE is a Recovery Manager at Harbor. For more than 20 years, she has supported people and their families through addiction and mental health problems.

Over that time, she has worked with people with psychiatric diagnoses, PTSD and anxiety, and with children who have special educational needs (SEN).

Alex has been in recovery herself since 1999. She later founded The Yellow Heart Trust, a charity that supports people affected by PTSD and addiction, including those living with both.

Alex was awarded an MBE in 2007 for her charitable work, and in 2024 she became a Freeman of the City of London.

Professional Background & Qualifications

Alex is registered with Professionals in Addiction. Her professional training includes drug and alcohol testing, advanced adult safeguarding and drug and alcohol awareness.

Her earlier education spans agriculture, maritime training and the arts. She holds an MA in Art Appreciation and Professional Practice from Kingston University, a BA (Hons) in Fine Arts Valuation from the University of Southampton, and a certificate in the History of Fine and Decorative Arts from the Inchbald School of Design.

Professional Experience

Alex works with clients and with their families, including families with complex needs. She also supports people with dual diagnosis, meaning addiction alongside a mental health condition.

Before moving into recovery work, Alex was a private PA and family lifestyle manager, a job that required discretion and close support for the people she served. This gave her a practical sense of what families need while someone they love goes through treatment.

Approach to Care

Alex helps clients and their families find a practical path through treatment that they can sustain over time. Having been in recovery for so long herself, she knows how much effort recovery takes once formal treatment has ended.

In her view, recovery means more than stopping harmful behaviour. As she puts it, “the key is to create a happy and fulfilling life.”