Explore every episode of the podcast Sisters In Sobriety

What happens when a successful life includes a private struggle with alcohol? In this episode, Sonia speaks with Casey Davidson, founder of Hello Someday Coaching and host of the Hello Someday podcast, about high achievement, anxiety, and getting out of the drinking cycle.

Why can drinking feel like the only way to switch off? What makes the evening “witching hour” so difficult? How can sober curiosity and gray area drinking open a conversation without labels? Sonia and Casey explore early sobriety, moderation, and the value of support from women who understand.

Casey shares the practical pieces of her “sober bubble”: asking for help, changing routines, eating before the evening rush, and lowering expectations. She explains her 100-day coaching approach, discusses everyday rewards, and explores how boundaries and community create room for a more satisfying life.

From college rugby and corporate pressure to motherhood and nightly red wine, Casey traces the moments that made drinking harder to ignore. She shares how a 100-day commitment grew into lasting sobriety—and how admitting she no longer wanted her corporate job helped lead her toward coaching.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Casey’s Links

🌐 Hello Someday Coaching Website 📸 Casey’s Instagram — @caseymdavidson

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram 🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast 📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Timestamped highlights

00:00 — Introducing Casey Davidson 02:00 — People-pleasing and the gold-star girl 04:00 — Rugby culture and problematic drinking 07:00 — Mommy wine culture and climbing the ladder 09:00 — Recognizing herself in quit lit 11:00 — Reaching the point of needing change 12:00 — Committing to 100 alcohol-free days 15:00 — Extending the break to a year 16:00 — Building a sober bubble 19:00 — Preparing for the witching hour 20:00 — Eating before the evening rush 23:00 — Life after the red wine identity 25:00 — Admitting her career no longer fit 28:00 — Launching Hello Someday and defining coaching 30:00 — Making room for bigger life changes 33:00 — Casey’s perspective on moderation 37:00 — Her approach to substituting substances 42:00 — Questioning recovery labels 45:00 — Sober curiosity and gray area drinking 48:00 — Finding women who understand

What happens when the drinking stops but the anger stays? Sonia welcomes Zach Brittle, LMHC, Certified Gottman Therapist, Relational Life Therapist, and host of Marriage Therapy Radio.

Why can resentment linger after quitting alcohol? How can someone take responsibility without taking all the blame? What happens when partners get sober at different times? Sonia and Zach explore recovery, relationship boundaries, and rebuilding trust beyond counting drinks or sober days.

Zach explains his approach to the “wise adult,” pausing before reacting, and playing the movie forward. He describes how Relational Life Therapy connects self-esteem, boundaries, and intimacy, and why having communication tools differs from being ready to use them. Sonia also asks about the difference between celebrating recovery and becoming overconfident.

From asking for help during the pandemic to confronting longstanding resentment, Zach shares the experiences behind his recovery. An unforgettable Christmas tree stand, a frustrating gas-station queue, and his and Rebecca’s different paths to sobriety reveal how change has reshaped their marriage and parenting.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Zach’s Links

Website

Instagram

Marriage Therapy Radio

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram 🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast 📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Episode Highlights

00:00 — Introducing Zach Brittle 02:00 — Recovery beyond alcohol 04:00 — Recognizing personal relapse risks 08:00 — Drinking escalates during COVID 10:00 — Asking for a sponsor’s help 13:00 — Taking inventory of resentment 15:00 — Owning his anger without alcohol 18:00 — Responsibility versus self-blame 20:00 — Anger in the gas-station queue 22:00 — The pause that creates choice 25:00 — Playing the movie forward 27:00 — Recovery becomes a new way of living 29:00 — A milestone tests his sobriety 33:00 — Why tools alone aren’t enough 35:00 — Self-esteem, boundaries, and intimacy 40:00 — Partners on different recovery paths 46:00 — Setting relationship boundaries 47:00 — Alcohol’s impact beyond drink counts 49:00 — Connection, fun, and life after drinking 56:00 — Modeling recovery for adult children

On Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia welcomes relationship coach, author, and podcast host Monica Tanner to explore conflict, emotional safety, and intimacy when alcohol is no longer the escape hatch. Together, they explore how to ask for support, navigate difficult conversations, and reconnect through change.

Does “never go to bed angry” actually help? When does communication become criticism? What happens when drinking or scrolling becomes a way to disappear during conflict? Sonia and Monica explore resentment, sober relationships, and talking about sex without turning the conversation into a performance.

Monica introduces relational life therapy concepts, including protective childhood patterns, the emotional “whoosh,” and choosing a response with greater awareness. She shares examples of clear requests, healthy boundaries, side-by-side intimacy conversations, and small routines that create space for connection.

Monica also shares how her parents’ divorce shaped her interest in relationships, why late-night arguments brought up fears of abandonment, and how a simple request for reassurance changed those moments in her marriage. Her son’s approaching wedding became the inspiration for her book.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Monica’s Links

🌐 Monica Tanner’s Website 🎙️ Secrets of Happily Ever After Podcast 📖 Bad Marriage Advice

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram 🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast 📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Timestamped Highlights

01:00 — Meet relationship coach Monica Tanner. 02:00 — The divorce that reshaped her idea of marriage. 04:00 — Rethinking “never go to bed angry.” 06:00 — Asking for reassurance before taking a break. 08:00 — Relationship maintenance before a crisis. 11:00 — Why conflict can block familiar communication skills. 14:00 — Recognizing protective patterns and boundaries. 16:00 — Teaching a partner how to love you well. 18:00 — Small requests before resentment builds. 20:00 — Asking for listening instead of solutions. 23:00 — Making requests without criticism. 25:00 — Withdrawal, fawning, and old survival strategies. 26:00 — Sonia on alcohol, conflict, and getting sober. 28:00 — Withdrawing in plain sight. 30:00 — Pausing during the emotional “whoosh.” 34:00 — Making space for conversations about sex. 38:00 — Exploring a broader definition of intimacy. 41:00 — When deeper relationship problems need help first. 45:00 — Monica’s routines for regular connection. 46:00 — Couples work, intensives, and closing reflections.

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia explores the invisible work adult daughters perform to keep families connected. With communication scholar, Baylor professor and Good Daughtering author Dr. Allison M. Alford. Dr. Alford helps women recognize how family roles can shape self-worth, perfectionism, resentment and coping.

Why are daughters so often expected to organize, anticipate needs and smooth over conflict? How do culture, birth order and family expectations influence daughtering? And why can a son receive enormous praise for a small gesture while a daughter feels she is always falling short?

Dr. Alford defines daughtering as the mental, emotional, logistical and identity work daughters do for their families. She explains how to make that labor visible, establish boundaries without turning them into ultimatums, distinguish venting from rumination and replace impossible A+ expectations with a sustainable B+ standard.

She also shares how her own family relationships changed when she stopped building connection around complaints and enlisted her husband, children and sister in creating new conversation patterns. Her message is simple: every woman is already a good-enough daughter and has agency in deciding how that role will fit into her life.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Dr. Alford’s Links

🌐 Daughtering 101 Website 📕 Good Daughtering 📸 Instagram

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram 🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast 📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

01:00 — Dr. Allison Alford introduces her work on daughtering 05:00 — Defining the overlooked cost of being a good daughter 07:00 — Why women’s caring roles are so often called mothering 10:00 — Honoring daughterhood as a distinct part of identity 12:00 — Choosing how fully to show up in family roles 14:00 — Daughters as the behind-the-scenes family CEOs 16:00 — How daughter conditioning develops from childhood 18:00 — Why sons receive praise for exceeding lower expectations 22:00 — Culture, geography and privilege shape daughtering 24:00 — The unspoken rules daughters are expected to follow 27:00 — How impossible standards create a fog of failure 30:00 — Creating a personal B+ daughter rubric 32:00 — The relationship between resentment and self-abandonment 34:00 — Boundaries as fences around emotional and physical space 36:00 — Recognizing when family venting becomes rumination 38:00 — Communicating a boundary once—and following through 40:00 — Making invisible daughtering labor visible 43:00 — Building a Plan B for healthier family conversations 46:00 — Eldest and only daughters face distinct pressures 50:00 — Every daughter gets to decide what “good enough” means

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia explores the connection between sobriety, creativity, and reinvention with Kerri Maher, the USA Today bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller and The Kennedy Debutante. Kerri discusses her four years of sobriety and her deeply personal new novel, Summer of Love, set in California and centered on addiction, family, recovery, and hope.

What happens when someone’s drinking does not produce a cinematic rock bottom, but no longer feels sustainable? How can people find recovery support outside traditional 12-step programs? Sonia and Kerri discuss sober identity, online community, emotional sobriety, belonging, and the many different paths people can take toward changing their relationship with alcohol.

Kerri explains how The Luckiest Club helped her find her people, why sobriety and writing are both daily practices, and how greater clarity changed her creative and professional decisions. She also shares how The Artist’s Way, morning pages, artist dates, and an “adjacent art” with no pressure attached helped her develop Summer of Love.

Kerri’s story reveals a quieter, joyful vision of recovery: clear mornings, renewed confidence, richer emotions, and the freedom to experience places such as Napa beyond their drinking culture. She also reflects on generational addiction, “good girl” identity, sober travel, and writing a novel that allows recovery to be hopeful rather than punishing.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Kerri’s Links

📚 Summer of Love 📸 Instagram: @kerrimaherwriter

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram 🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast 📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

01:00 — Kerri introduces her sobriety and Summer of Love 04:00 — The small moments that made Kerri question her drinking 05:00 — An early 15-to-18-month period without alcohol 08:00 — How The Luckiest Club began and became Kerri’s community 10:00 — Finding accessible support during the sandwich-generation years 14:00 — Is recovery’s “special sauce” the program or the community? 17:00 — Emotional sobriety, anger management, and continued inner work 19:00 — Writing and sobriety as practices built through repetition 21:00 — How alcohol created subtle brain fog without stopping productivity 26:00 — The personal origins of Summer of Love 28:00 — Morning pages bring the book’s characters and plot together 31:00 — Watercolor play as relaxing, pressure-free creativity 33:00 — Writing about recovery as joyful rather than punishing 35:00 — Clear mornings and dependable presence as everyday sober joy 43:00 — Exploring generational patterns of addiction 46:00 — Looking beyond wine culture in Napa Valley 49:00 — Rediscovering California through food, landscape, and connection 53:00 — Sober travel and experiencing mornings without a hangover 54:00 — Kerri’s message to sober and sober-curious readers 55:00 — Closing the conversation

On this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia explores how alcohol-free drinks can become meaningful rituals rather than consolation prizes with bestselling author and mixologist Julia Halina Hadas, whose book Mystical Mocktails combines zero-proof recipes with intention, connection and everyday magic.

What makes a mocktail feel complete? How can flavor, aroma, temperature and glassware change the experience? Julia explains why people often seek more than alcohol from a drink—and how a thoughtfully made alternative can offer beauty, pleasure and social connection without the buzz.

The conversation covers practical building blocks such as citrus, sweeteners, tea, coconut water, herbs, spices and garnishes. Julia shares how mint can suggest renewal, maple and black tea can feel grounding, and rose can represent connection. She also explains how to prevent watery tea-based drinks, balance sweetness and acidity, order creatively at a bar and pair affirmations with the physical act of drinking.

Julia also reflects on pregnancy, her husband’s sobriety and the importance of recognizing when alcohol-removed products feel triggering. She shares how creating her Rose of Remembrance recipe unexpectedly helped her process grief following her father’s death—showing how an intentional drink can hold memory, emotion and healing.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Website: WitchCraft Cocktails Instagram: @witchcraftcocktail Book: Mystical Mocktails

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram 🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast 📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

01:00 — Meet bestselling author and mixologist Julia Halina Hadas 02:00 — Making zero-proof drinks before nonalcoholic spirits were widely available 04:00 — Seeking connection and a change in feeling through drinks 06:00 — Bringing herbs and intention into mixology 07:00 — Magic, spirituality and reclaiming personal power 09:00 — Using maple and black tea to create a grounding drink 11:00 — The Rose of Remembrance recipe and processing grief 12:00 — Why yuzu can transform an alcohol-free drink 14:00 — How garnishes and aroma elevate the experience 17:00 — Mint, cucumber, strawberry, basil and rose as intentional ingredients 20:00 — Preventing tea-based mocktails from becoming watery 22:00 — Adding cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove 25:00 — The color-changing magic of butterfly pea flower 27:00 — Tea ceremonies, presence and the Jasmine Peace Potion 30:00 — Making drink preparation part of a personal ritual 32:00 — Why glassware can make an ordinary moment feel special 35:00 — The cup as a symbol of what a person welcomes into their life 39:00 — Pairing affirmations with the physical act of drinking 47:00 — How to order a more interesting mocktail at a bar 56:00 — Protecting sobriety when alcohol-removed drinks feel triggering

Midlife can make a woman feel as though her body has suddenly changed the rules—but those changes are not a personal failure, and they are not “just aging.” In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen help unpack the relationship between perimenopause, metabolic health, alcohol, blood sugar, stress and movement with Dr. Shawna Darou, ND. A naturopathic doctor with more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Darou translates complex women’s health information into clear, practical steps for building strength and vitality through midlife and beyond.

Why does alcohol suddenly hit harder in midlife? What do belly weight, brain fog, disrupted sleep, afternoon fatigue and persistent food noise reveal about insulin resistance? How can women use GLP-1 medications and continuous glucose monitors more responsibly—and why can excessive fasting or carbohydrate restriction backfire? The conversation also explores sugar cravings in early sobriety, chronic stress, menopause and the habits that support long-term metabolic health.

Dr. Darou explains why menopause is a metabolic transition, not only an estrogen transition; how alcohol interrupts nighttime blood sugar regulation and fat oxidation; and why muscle acts as a “metabolic sink.” She shares a realistic starting point: prioritize protein, add daily movement, walk after meals and build strength gradually. Flexible consistency, proper recovery and movement that feels genuinely enjoyable matter more than perfection.

Dr. Darou also shares her unexpected evolution from engineer to naturopathic doctor—and from someone who did not identify as an athlete to a competitive runner who began racing at 50. Her story challenges narrow ideas about aging and shows how confidence, community and ambitious new goals can emerge later in life.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Timestamp Highlights

01:00 — Meet Dr. Shawna Darou 02:00 — From engineering to women’s health 05:00 — The pandemic’s metabolic impact 06:00 — Movement as a longevity lever 07:00 — Becoming an athlete at 49 09:00 — Why women over 40 need new possibilities 13:00 — Metabolic health beyond weight 15:00 — Early signs of metabolic dysfunction 17:00 — How insulin resistance fuels cravings 18:00 — Reversing dysfunction without diet culture 20:00 — GLP-1 benefits and risks 23:00 — Why midlife changes the rules 26:00 — Using a continuous glucose monitor responsibly 32:00 — Chronic stress and blood sugar 35:00 — What alcohol does metabolically 38:00 — Why alcohol hits harder in midlife 39:00 — Sugar cravings in early recovery 41:00 — The “yes with a boundary” approach 47:00 — Protein and post-meal movement 56:00 — Flexible consistency, intensity and recovery

Dr. Darou’s Links

Website — www.drshawnadarou.com Instagram — @drshawnadarou

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

What happens when alcohol feels like the only way to become comfortable in your own skin? In this episode, Sonia is joined by Braunwyn Spinner, advocate, mother of seven, and former Real Housewives of Orange County cast member whose sobriety unfolded in public.

How can someone go years without alcohol and still have a serious drinking problem? What changes when a social life—and a television career—is built around drinking? Braunwyn and Sonia explore relapse, alcohol withdrawal, AA and the 12 steps, sober socializing, queer recovery spaces, codependency, parenting, and the difference between avoiding alcohol and developing emotional sobriety. They also ask why getting sober can initially feel worse, how to identify the “fun limit,” and what it means to choose recovery when relationships and routines begin to change.

Their conversation makes clear that alcohol dependence is not defined only by how often a person drinks, but by what happens after the first drink. They discuss why heavy withdrawal should never be attempted alone, how independent transportation and an exit plan can protect early sobriety, and why repeatedly stopping for a few days can mean reliving the hardest stage again and again. Recovery can include community, boundaries, therapy, medication, and learning to recognize the restless “wanting” beneath substitute compulsions.

Braunwyn also shares the deeply personal story behind her first drink at 14, the moment in Miami that ended her drinking, and the sober producer who helped get her into an AA meeting when she planned to relapse. She opens up about realizing she was gay in sobriety, leaving a decades-long marriage, co-parenting, becoming more present with her children, surviving a mental health crisis, returning to television, and loosening the hold of beauty standards and the male gaze.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:01 – Braunwyn introduces herself in a new chapter as Braunwyn Spinner 00:02 – Why her first drink made her feel comfortable in her skin 00:04 – The difference between abstinence and working a recovery program 00:05 – Why time between drinks does not rule out alcohol addiction 00:07 – How reality television accelerated her drinking 00:09 – The “God shot” that told her drinking had to end 00:12 – Sonia’s final drink and the unexpected day sobriety began 00:14 – What the first 30 days can feel like 00:16 – The sober producer who helped save Braunwyn’s life 00:19 – Finding comfort instead of judgment in AA 00:21 – Sobriety, stillness, and realizing she was gay 00:23 – Protecting early recovery with a private room, car, and exit plan 00:24 – Recognizing the sober “fun limit” 00:27 – Braunwyn’s first sober kiss with a woman 00:29 – How sobriety exposed codependency and changed her marriage 00:34 – Parenting with presence and making living amends 00:36 – Why emotional health can feel worse before it gets better 00:38 – Queer identity, religious trauma, and addiction risk 00:42 – Recognizing substitute addictions and the feeling of “wanting” 00:52 – Why giving sobriety six weeks can change everything

Braunwyn's Links

📸 Instagram

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Early sobriety can feel euphoric, terrifying, lonely and unexpectedly funny—sometimes all in the same day. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen explore what the first days and months without alcohol actually look like and share practical ways to manage cravings, triggers and life after rehab. They are joined by Heather Chappell and Zoe Kachan, host and co-host of Girl, Undrunk, the raw, unfiltered sobriety podcast that finds humor in the highs, lows and messiness of recovery.

What happens when someone returns from rehab to the same apartment, routines and drinking cues they left behind? How do friendships change when alcohol is no longer the thing holding them together? Heather and Zoe discuss the “rehab high,” the fear of relapse, sober community, dating without alcohol and the surprising challenge of discovering who they are when drinking is no longer shaping their personalities.

The conversation examines emotional sobriety, mental health and the slow work of developing coping skills that alcohol once replaced. Heather and Zoe explain how meetings, sponsorship, therapy, firm boundaries and supportive sober friendships helped them build safer lives. They also share simple approaches to cravings: staying in the present, following the possible consequences of a drink from beginning to end, leaving overwhelming situations and naming uncomfortable feelings out loud.

Heather and Zoe also open up about the experiences that led them to treatment, from isolation and deteriorating health to job loss, a DUI and repeated hospital visits. Their stories continue beyond getting sober, revealing the anger, trauma and relationship patterns that resurfaced in recovery. An honest discussion of sober intimacy explores how the body can carry fear even when the mind feels safe—and why patience, communication and self-trust matter while learning to date and connect without alcohol.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Episode Highlights 02:00 Heather’s loneliness, anxiety and escalating drinking in New York 05:00 The call that finally took Heather to rehab 06:00 Zoe’s early drinking, drug use and need to fit in 09:00 A DUI, hospital visits and Zoe’s last attempt to start over 11:00 Leaving rehab and facing the first 90 days 12:00 Resisting an early craving at the dog park 13:00 Building a protective routine around high-risk hours 15:00 Discovering that personality and humor survive sobriety 17:00 Relearning adulthood after years of drinking 19:00 Mental health, emotional sobriety and alcohol as a coping mechanism 21:00 Meetings, sponsorship and rebuilding confidence 22:00 Therapy, anger and confronting the past without alcohol 24:00 Everyday triggers and rewiring the brain 26:00 Leaving unsafe situations and setting firm boundaries 29:00 How sobriety changes friendships 32:00 The chance meeting that brought Heather and Zoe together 40:00 Dating, relapse and protecting early recovery 44:00 Sober intimacy, dissociation and learning to trust the body 49:00 Day-one advice and how to name a craving

Girl, Undrunk Links

Instagram

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Can unresolved emotional pain influence alcohol cravings, addictive behaviors, and the way the body experiences stress? In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia speaks with Dr. Bradley Nelson, holistic physician and bestselling author of The Emotion Code, The Body Code, and The Heart Code, about his approach to identifying and releasing what he calls “trapped emotions.”

Why can someone understand a harmful pattern and still feel unable to change it? Could addiction be less about the substance itself and more about an attempt to soothe emotional pain? Dr. Nelson shares his perspective on the subconscious mind, biofeedback, muscle testing, alcohol cravings, and the “heart wall”—a protective emotional barrier he believes can form after heartbreak, grief, trauma, or loss.

The conversation explores how emotions may go unprocessed, how present-day triggers can connect with earlier experiences, and why Dr. Nelson views symptoms as messages rather than root causes. He demonstrates the sway test, explains the Emotion Code chart, and describes his process for narrowing down an emotion, deciding whether more context is needed, and using a magnet or hand movement to release it. These practices are presented as Dr. Nelson’s energy-healing framework and are not a substitute for evidence-based medical, mental health, or addiction care.

Dr. Nelson also opens up about the childhood experiences that shaped his path, including a serious case of measles, kidney disease, and an early encounter with holistic practitioners in rural Montana. He traces the journey from computer programmer to chiropractor and shares stories that led him to connect physical symptoms, heartbreak, compulsive behavior, and emotional healing—including accounts involving chronic pain, food cravings, and alcohol use.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

00:00 — Dr. Bradley Nelson and the concept of trapped emotions 02:00 — Childhood healing experiences and belief in a higher power 05:00 — From computer programming to the healing arts 06:00 — Searching for the roots of patients’ symptoms 07:00 — Addiction as a response to emotional pain 09:00 — The subconscious mind as the body’s internal computer 11:00 — Muscle testing and yes-or-no biofeedback 13:00 — How emotions may become “trapped” in the body 16:00 — Emotional baggage, anxiety, PTSD, and addictive behavior 18:00 — The overflowing-glass metaphor for emotional pain 20:00 — How the “heart wall” may relate to addiction 22:00 — Why the heart is viewed as more than a pump 26:00 — A patient story connecting heartbreak and chronic neck pain 29:00 — Introducing the ring-in-ring method and sway test 36:00 — Using the Emotion Code chart to identify an emotion 38:00 — Closing an emotional “open loop” 42:00 — How emotional baggage may drive cravings 45:00 — A story about alcohol urges and releasing the heart wall 48:00 — True healing versus symptom relief 51:00 — A small next step and where to learn more

Dr. Bradley's Links

Instagram

Website

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Addiction treatment has not always been designed with women in mind—and that can profoundly shape how women experience recovery. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia is joined by Dr. Stephanie S. Covington, internationally recognized clinician, author, and pioneer in addiction and trauma treatment, whose groundbreaking work includes A Woman’s Way Through the Twelve Steps, Helping Women Recover, Beyond Trauma, and Awaken Your Sexuality.

Why do traditional addiction treatment and Twelve Step programs sometimes fail to reflect women’s actual experiences? How are trauma, relationships, sexuality, shame, and addiction connected? Dr. Covington examines why recovery can look different for women, what conventional relapse prevention may overlook, and why community and connection are so essential. She also discusses the gaps in addiction treatment within jails and prisons, the importance of continuity of care after incarceration, and why she prefers the term “criminal legal system” over “criminal justice system.”

The conversation breaks down the relationship between childhood trauma, genetics, emotional development, substance use, and relapse. Dr. Covington explains when trauma and addiction may need to be treated simultaneously, the difference between trauma-informed, trauma-responsive, and trauma-specific care, and the powerful shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” She also offers a gender-responsive perspective on the Twelve Steps, reframing concepts like the Fourth Step in ways that can reduce shame and help women see themselves more clearly in recovery.

Sonia also gets personal about working the Twelve Steps nearly nine years into sobriety, feeling disconnected from the male-centered language of traditional AA literature, dating and having sex sober for the first time, and navigating conversations around “Cali sober” and mindful substance use. Dr. Covington shares her own early experiment with moderation, why she has no desire to test whether she could drink again, and a surprisingly simple “green beans” test that can reveal just how much power alcohol or another substance has in someone’s life.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:01:00 – Meet Dr. Stephanie Covington and the personal recovery story behind her pioneering work

00:02:20 – What early addiction treatment and Twelve Step programs got wrong about women

00:03:35 – Why women-only recovery spaces can create greater safety and vulnerability

00:04:00 – Addiction, incarceration, and the lack of real treatment inside jails and prisons

00:06:00 – Medication-assisted treatment, Twelve Step access, and what is missing behind bars

00:07:00 – Why recovery community can be critical for successful reentry after incarceration

00:08:35 – Sonia shares that she is working the Twelve Steps nearly nine years into sobriety

00:09:20 – Why A Woman’s Way Through the Twelve Steps reframes recovery through women’s voices

00:10:00 – Reimagining the Fourth Step as a compassionate “spring cleaning” of the self

00:14:00 – Should AA literature change, and why Dr. Covington focuses on the Twelve Steps over the Big Book

00:16:00 – The Twelve Steps as tools for living, not simply tools for stopping drinking

00:17:00 – Why meetings, connection, and community strengthen long-term recovery

00:18:30 – How trauma and addiction become intertwined and why genetics is only part of the picture

00:21:00 – When trauma and addiction should be treated together rather than sequentially

00:23:30 – The three major relapse risks for women: trauma, relationships, and sexual issues

00:25:30 – Why childhood trauma can have a particularly profound developmental impact

00:28:00 – Big-T versus little-t trauma—and why comparing trauma can be misleading

00:30:00 – Relationships, sexuality, shame, and the overlooked realities of women’s recovery

00:33:00 – Sonia opens up about dating, intimacy, and having sex sober for the first time

00:37:00 – Trauma-informed, trauma-responsive, and trauma-specific care explained

00:39:00 – The origin and power of shifting from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

00:44:00 – Cali sober, switching substances, moderation, and whether addiction can be “transcended”

00:49:30 – Dr. Covington shares her own failed experiment with having “just one” drink

00:50:30 – The 30-day experiment and the unforgettable “green beans” test for evaluating alcohol’s role

Dr. Covington's Links

https://www.stephaniecovington.com/

https://www.instagram.com/stephaniecovingtonofficial/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Addiction can gradually disconnect people from the ordinary pleasures, relationships and experiences that once made life meaningful. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen help make the science of addiction recovery practical and accessible with Dr. Eric Garland, a clinical researcher, psychotherapist and leading expert in mind-body therapies for addiction and chronic pain. Dr. Garland is the developer of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement, or MORE, an evidence-based treatment that combines mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy and positive psychology.

Why do alcohol and other addictive substances begin to feel more rewarding than everyday life? How are addiction, chronic pain, depression, anxiety and trauma connected? Dr. Garland explains how substance use changes the brain’s dopamine and reward systems, why cravings can become automatic, and how mindfulness can create a pause between an urge and an action. He also discusses relapse prevention, emotional pain, moderation, harm reduction and the role of meditation in 12-step recovery.

The conversation breaks down the three pillars of MORE: mindfulness, cognitive reappraisal and savoring. Dr. Garland explains how mindfulness strengthens attention and awareness, how reappraisal helps people examine the consequences of their choices, and how savoring retrains the brain to experience pleasure from ordinary moments. He also shares techniques for observing cravings, “playing the tape forward,” rebuilding natural reward and using the STOP practice before engaging in an addictive behaviour.

Sonia reflects on how rediscovering simple pleasures and developing new hobbies contributed to a profound identity shift in her own sobriety. Dr. Garland shares how his personal mindfulness practice shaped his career, why recovery can involve transcending an addiction-based identity, and how people can reconnect with meaning, joy and a version of themselves that is larger than any craving, painful feeling or past behaviour.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:00 Dr. Eric Garland and the MORE approach 02:00 How mindfulness shaped Dr. Garland’s career 04:10 Addiction, chronic pain and the loss of natural reward 07:00 Clinical research and the effectiveness of MORE 08:00 Reducing relapse, cravings, pain and emotional distress 10:00 Why people use substances to escape pain 12:00 Mindfulness, reappraisal and savoring 15:00 How addiction hijacks the dopamine reward system 18:20 Practical ways to relearn pleasure in recovery 20:00 The mindfulness loop and strengthening attention 23:00 Recognizing triggers and automatic cravings 25:00 Zooming into the physical experience of a craving 28:00 Playing the tape forward through cognitive reappraisal 30:20 Mindfulness, pain and emotional bypassing 32:00 What traditional addiction treatments may be missing 34:00 Finding reward in coffee, birdsong and everyday moments 40:00 Sobriety, identity change and self-transcendence 43:00 MORE, the 12 steps and responding to a lapse 46:00 Harm reduction, moderation and opioid treatment 49:00 The STOP practice for interrupting automatic behaviour 53:00 Expanding MORE through training, community and technology

Dr. Garland's Links

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

What if the parts of you that feel stuck, afraid, or hard to explain are connected to something deeper than this lifetime? In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen explore hypnosis, identity, past lives, intergenerational trauma, and spiritual healing with Boris Walter, a Psychotherapeutic Consultant specializing in parallel metaphysical phenomena, commonly referred to as past lives, and founder of the Consciousness Integration Collective. Boris helps people locate their inner authority by remembering who they are beneath fear, protection, and conditioning.

Boris shares how his path moved from offshore oil and gas work into psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, altered states of consciousness, and spiritual exploration. Together, Sonia and Kathleen ask: What is the difference between personality, identity, and the true self? Can hypnosis help people access parts of themselves that ordinary talk therapy cannot reach? Are past life memories literal, symbolic, or both? And how do fear, shame, family trauma, and old protective patterns keep people disconnected from their own inner knowing?

This conversation opens up a grounded but expansive discussion of the ego, the unconscious mind, hypnosis, higher consciousness, and the ways trauma can live in the body. Boris explains how hypnosis can soften the grip of the ego, move people beyond the social mask, and allow them to access imagery, emotion, memory, and meaning that may not be available through conscious thought alone. He also explores the idea that healing is not always about proving whether an experience is “real,” but about understanding the themes, emotions, and false beliefs that are asking to be transformed.

In the personal story portion of the episode, Boris reflects on the childhood experiences, family dynamics, spiritual encounters, and early client sessions that shaped his work. Kathleen also shares her own powerful experience in Egypt and the unexpected emotions that surfaced during the conversation. The episode moves into a deeper discussion of ancestral memory, intergenerational trauma, Indigenous history, and the possibility that healing may involve not only this lifetime, but the wider field of family, body, spirit, and consciousness.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

[00:01:00] Boris shares the unexpected path that took him from offshore oil and gas work into psychotherapy.

[00:02:00] Why money, success, and a “good job” still left Boris feeling unfulfilled.

[00:03:00] Boris explains how wanting to understand himself and his mother’s mental health led him toward psychology.

[00:04:00] Kathleen relates to Boris’s career change and the feeling of being called into therapy work.

[00:06:00] Boris discusses childhood wounding, ego compensation, and finding work that is no longer driven by the wounded self.

[00:07:00] Why traditional talk therapy felt incomplete to Boris, and what he believed was missing.

[00:09:00] Boris explains why he became interested in altered states of consciousness and experiences that transcend the mind.

[00:10:00] The first client experience that introduced Boris to past life material and higher-self perspectives.

[00:12:00] Kathleen asks whether Boris was spiritual before these experiences began appearing in his work.

[00:13:00] Boris describes his early fascination with paranormal activity and parapsychology.

[00:14:00] Boris shares a profound DMT experience that changed his understanding of divinity, purpose, and love.

[00:17:00] How client sessions began shifting Boris’s personal spiritual practices and relationship with his body.

[00:18:00] Kathleen asks whether there is such a thing as a “true self.”

[00:20:00] Boris explains personality as a social mask and identity as a structure that creates stability.

[00:24:00] Kathleen asks what hypnosis is and what happens in the brain during a hypnotic state.

[00:26:00] Boris breaks down beta, alpha, and theta brainwave states and how hypnosis creates openness.

[00:29:00] Boris explains how hypnosis can help people access higher-self perspectives, guides, past lives, and deeper emotional material.

[00:34:00] Kathleen asks whether past life experiences should be understood as literal, symbolic, or something else.

[00:41:00] Kathleen shares her own powerful experience in Egypt and the theme of feminine power that emerged.

[00:49:00] Kathleen asks about intergenerational trauma, Indigenous clients, residential schools, and inherited memory.

Boris' Links

Website: https://www.boriswalter.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boriswalterofficial

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia explores the hidden patterns behind addiction, emotional dysregulation, self-sabotage, and high-functioning survival mode. She is joined by Dr. Blair Steel, a licensed clinical psychologist whose career has focused on resilience, substance abuse treatment, and helping people understand how they either transcend adversity or become trapped in negative cycles. Dr. Steel’s background includes training at Beit T’Shuvah, working as a primary therapist at Cliffside Malibu, serving as Program Director at Passages Malibu, and maintaining a private practice. She is currently a clinical supervisor at pH Wellness and part of the clinical team at Carrara Wellness Treatment & Spa, with writing featured in outlets including The Huffington Post, CNBC, and Well + Good.

Together, Sonia and Dr. Steel unpack why addiction is often more complicated than a simple bad habit or lack of willpower. They discuss what it means to view emotional and behavioral patterns as protective rather than defective, and why alcohol or substances can become a way to regulate depression, anxiety, social discomfort, trauma, identity loss, or overwhelm. The conversation looks at the progression from drinking as something that feels magical, to something medicinal, to something miserable — and how to recognize when substance use has become a private coping mechanism instead of a shared ritual or choice.

Dr. Steel brings a compassionate, clinically grounded perspective to high-functioning addiction, perfectionism, shame, cultural programming, and emotional avoidance. She explains why shame rarely creates lasting change, why internal motivation matters in long-term sobriety, and how “pattern solving” can be more useful than problem solving. Sonia and Dr. Steel also explore AA, community, social media, therapy, psychedelics, ketamine, antidepressants, labels, self-regulation, and the difference between being alcohol-free and identifying as sober.

In the personal story segment, Sonia shares her experience of being a high-functioning alcoholic while working as an orthodontist, running a large practice, and holding a professional license. She reflects on selling her business, the identity loss that followed, her fear of having too much unstructured time, and the realization that sobriety was not just about removing alcohol — it was about building a new life. Sonia and Dr. Steel also discuss the grief of letting go of old identities, the pressure to appear put together, and the moment when the “party” has often been over long before someone finally stops drinking.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

[00:01:00] Dr. Blair Steel introduces her work as a clinical psychologist and how she entered the addiction treatment field.

[00:02:00] Blair explains why she sees patterns as protective rather than defective.

[00:03:00] Sonia reflects on how alcohol once helped her survive severe depression and anxiety.

[00:04:00] Blair discusses why substances can work temporarily before they begin taking more than they give.

[00:05:00] Sonia and Blair talk about shame, blame, fear, and why shame is not motivating.

[00:06:00] Blair introduces the idea of pattern solving instead of problem solving.

[00:07:00] Sonia connects cultural expectations, self-care, and the pressure to push through pain.

[00:08:00] Blair explains how alcohol can maintain a disconnect between the head and the heart.

[00:09:00] Blair discusses the disease model of addiction and why she does not approach people as “sick.”

[00:10:00] Sonia asks why addiction and mood disorders so often go hand in hand.

[00:11:00] Blair shares the phrase “magical, medicinal, then miserable” to describe the progression of alcohol use.

[00:12:00] Blair explains why she prefers “problematic” and “non-problematic” substance use over “healthy” alcohol use.

[00:13:00] Sonia and Blair discuss psychedelics, ketamine, and the risks for people who tend to reach for substances.

[00:16:00] Blair validates Sonia’s self-awareness around knowing what is risky for her sobriety.

[00:17:00] Blair shares her view of AA, community, interpretation, and why connection matters.

[00:18:00] Sonia asks how addiction shows up differently in high-functioning people.

[00:20:00] Sonia shares her experience as a high-functioning alcoholic with a professional license.

[00:23:00] Sonia reflects on losing her identities as wife, orthodontist, and business owner.

[00:29:00] Blair explains the difference between external motivation and internal motivation in long-term sobriety.

[00:43:00] Blair offers a first step for anyone feeling stuck: set a small, short-term, attainable goal and get honest about what happens.

Dr. Blair's Links

Instagram

SIS LINKS

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack– where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s WebsiteKathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

Feeling flat, burned out, or disconnected after doing everything “right” can be confusing—especially for high-achieving women who are used to setting goals, checking boxes, and pushing through. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia speaks with Danielle McGeough, a professor, speaker, transformation strategist, host of the Plan Goal Plan podcast, and creator of the RISE Ritual Method. Danielle helps high-performing women and teams reconnect with their core identities, navigate transitions, and create intentional plans that support sustainable growth.

Sonia and Danielle explore what happens when ambition starts to feel empty, why burnout and demoralization are not the same thing, and how women can begin redefining success after a major life shift. They look at the difference between productivity and purpose, how planning can become a tool for self-discovery, and why so many people turn rest, wellness, sobriety, or even creativity into another pressure-filled checklist. The conversation also asks: How do goals change when identity changes? How can ritual help with habit change? And what does it mean to build a life that feels aligned instead of simply impressive?

Danielle breaks down the difference between habits, routines, and rituals, explaining why habits are meant to become automatic while rituals are designed to bring people back into presence and meaning. She shares how rituals can help shift someone from one state to another, whether that is from work mode into home mode, from reactive parenting into calm connection, or from “gap thinking” into recognizing the gains already made. The episode also touches on consistency, flexibility, all-or-nothing thinking, moderation, replacement rituals, early sobriety, and the power of adding a little “ish” to the places where perfectionism has taken over.

In the personal story segment, Sonia opens up about redefining success after selling her orthodontic practice, writing her book, and noticing how easily her own ambition can turn hobbies, healing, and self-growth into another metric to master. Danielle shares how her own experience of burnout, motherhood, demoralization, and identity loss led her to rethink planning as something deeper than time management. Together, they explore how alcohol can function as a transition ritual, why letting go of that ritual can involve grief, and how new rituals can help support identity change in sobriety and beyond.

Highlights

[00:01:00] Danielle introduces herself as a mom, professor, and “ritual nerd.”

[00:02:00] Danielle shares how achievement, habits, and hard work helped her earn a PhD and tenure—but left her feeling flat.

[00:03:00] The conversation turns to burnout, anxiety, rumination, and realizing something needed to shift.

[00:05:00] Danielle explains how decorative planning and stickers unexpectedly helped her slow down and reflect.

[00:07:00] Danielle defines the difference between burnout and demoralization.

[00:08:00] Sonia asks how demoralization changed Danielle’s relationship with goals and ambition.

[00:09:00] Danielle describes bitterness, numbness, resentment, and the desire to disconnect.

[00:11:00] Danielle reflects on using novels, Netflix, and over-exercising as ways to avoid her own feelings.

[00:12:00] Sonia asks how Danielle’s identity had to evolve beyond career, wife, and mother roles.

[00:14:00] Danielle reframes planning as a way to collect data about values, priorities, and self-connection.

[00:15:00] Danielle explains the difference between habits and rituals.

[00:16:00] Danielle shares why rituals are powerful tools for identity change.

[00:17:00] Danielle explains the RISE Ritual Method through the story of “Safe Place Sarah.”

[00:20:00] Danielle describes how her research on collective rituals helped shape her personal ritual framework.

[00:22:00] Danielle explains why traditional goal-setting can feel too abrupt for women who are disconnected from their desires.

[00:24:00] Sonia opens up about redefining success after selling her orthodontic practice.

[00:29:00] Sonia and Danielle discuss turning sobriety, wellness, rest, and hobbies into productivity projects.

[00:32:00] Danielle introduces the idea that change may begin with intensity but is maintained by consistency.

[00:36:00] Danielle reframes consistency as shortening the gap between “oops” and starting again.

[00:44:00] Sonia and Danielle explore how alcohol can become a transition ritual, and how replacement rituals can support early sobriety.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Danielle's Links

SIS LINKS

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack– where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s WebsiteKathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Riana Malia explore how old relationship patterns, identity shifts, and unconscious beliefs can keep women stuck in cycles that no longer match the lives they are trying to build. Riana is a board-certified neuro-somatic practitioner whose work helps women break long-standing relational patterns and create deeper, more authentic connection. They look at what happens when women have done the inner work, moved through sobriety, divorce, reinvention, or major life transitions, and are ready for relationships that reflect who they are now — not who they used to be.

The conversation opens up big questions about why high-achieving women can be so successful, strategic, and clear in their careers, yet still feel confused or stuck in love, dating, friendships, family dynamics, or partnership. Why do the same patterns keep repeating? What is the difference between knowing a pattern intellectually and actually releasing it from the body? How do childhood beliefs, unconscious programming, and old identities shape the way women choose, attach, perform, shrink, over-function, or settle in relationships?

Riana explains how neuroscience, somatic awareness, identity work, and emotional release come together in her Clear to Create method. She talks about clearing old stories, cycles, resentment, loss, limiting beliefs, and emotional charge so that women can create confidence, partnership, love, and a life that feels aligned. The episode also explores why “I don’t want this anymore” can still keep attention fixed on the very thing someone is trying to avoid, how the unconscious mind drives so many relationship patterns, and why replacing old neurology matters just as much as understanding it. Riana also shares practical tools, including her “Magnet for Miracles” exercise and a 72-hour rubber-band practice designed to interrupt negative thought loops and redirect attention toward what is actually desired.

Riana shares the life experiences that shaped her work — growing up with a distant father, being forced to become resourceful at 18, entering a lonely young marriage, navigating a painful divorce, moving across the country, losing financial security, and eventually finding herself in a relationship that became her line-in-the-sand moment. Her story traces the path from survival and self-abandonment to clarity, self-trust, and becoming available for a different kind of love. She also shares how doing this work changed her own life and helped her become ready for the healthy partnership she once thought would never happen for her.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

[00:01:00] Riana Malia is introduced as a board-certified neuro-somatic practitioner helping women break old relationship patterns.

[00:02:00] Riana shares the early experience of being left without college housing support and learning how to become resourceful.

[00:03:00] She describes getting three jobs, renting a house, and staying in school despite having no clear path forward.

[00:04:00] Riana talks about marrying young, feeling lonely in marriage, and becoming a mother.

[00:05:00] She opens up about the fear, anger, and volatility that followed her divorce.

[00:06:00] Riana explains the decision to move to California despite every instinct telling her not to.

[00:08:00] She recounts the DEA investigation that upended her life and froze the assets she was relying on.

[00:09:00] Riana describes choosing to stay in California to keep her promise to her daughter.

[00:10:00] She shares the “never again” moment that led her to stop shrinking, performing, and abandoning herself in relationships.

[00:11:00] Riana introduces her Clear to Create method and explains why people have to clear old stories before creating a new life.

[00:12:00] She explains how unconscious patterns keep people repeating the same relationships, jobs, money patterns, or family dynamics.

[00:14:00] Riana talks about becoming ready to receive healthy love after clearing old toxic patterns.

[00:16:00] She uses a dinner order metaphor to explain why clarity, specificity, values, desires, and non-negotiables matter.

[00:18:00] Riana explains why high-achieving women can feel confident at work but stuck in relationships.

[00:19:00] She breaks down the conscious and unconscious mind using the 10% and 90% framework.

[00:22:00] Riana compares old identities and beliefs to expired pantry items that need to be cleared out.

[00:24:00] She explains the difference between becoming aware of a pattern and actually replacing the neurology behind it.

[00:31:00] Riana shares the bridge metaphor for stepping into a new identity that matches who someone is becoming.

[00:39:00] Sonia asks about manifestation, and Riana reframes it through neuroscience, frequency, and attention.

[00:43:00] Riana walks through the “Magnet for Miracles” exercise using the away wall, toward wall, and 72-hour rubber band practice.

Riana's Links

🌐 Website https://rianamalia.com/

SIS LINKS

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack– where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s WebsiteKathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen continue the 12-step series with Arlina Allen for a real, funny, and deeply honest conversation about Step Three: making a decision to turn will and life over to a higher power. Arlina helps unpack the language that can feel intimidating, especially the “God” part, and reframes Step Three as a practice of willingness, surrender, and learning to stop doing recovery alone.

The conversation explores what it means to move from willpower to willingness, why “trying harder” often keeps people stuck, and how dependence on a higher power can actually create more freedom. Sonia and Arlina talk about abstinence, moderation, self-will, fear, control, family triggers, difficult conversations, and the emotional gymnastics of wondering whether there is an “easier, softer way” to stay sober.

Along the way, they make Step Three feel practical and human. They discuss the difference between surrender and giving up, how intuition can show up as peace, why self-care is part of spiritual practice, and how resentment becomes a bridge into Step Four. The episode also touches on the Serenity Prayer, direct communication, emotional responsibility, and the inventory process: naming resentments, identifying how they affect self-esteem, security, relationships, and fear, and beginning to see one’s own patterns without collapsing into shame.

In the personal story segment, Sonia reflects on the relief and grief of realizing that full abstinence is the easier, softer way for her, even when part of her wishes she could use substances differently. Arlina shares how old family patterns, friendship endings, people-pleasing, and “everybody hates me” thinking still show up after decades of sobriety—and how connection, gratitude, honest conversations, and returning to practice help bring her back to peace.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

[00:01:00] Sonia explains why Step Two felt like a mental hurdle.

[00:03:00] Arlina reads Step Three and reframes it through willingness.

[00:04:00] The set-aside prayer opens the door to new information.

[00:05:00] Sonia shares when she finally became willing to consider abstinence.

[00:06:00] Dependence on a higher power becomes independence of spirit.

[00:08:00] Step Three is not abdicating responsibility.

[00:09:00] Arlina explains ego, intuition, and the quiet voice of peace.

[00:12:00] Outside perspective helps interrupt the silo of self-will.

[00:14:00] Family triggers reveal old default settings.

[00:16:00] Arlina checks self-care when “nobody likes me” thinking returns.

[00:18:00] Sonia reflects on learning to treat herself like a precious object.

[00:21:00] Recovery as a practice, not a one-time achievement.

[00:23:00] “Ish” and dimmer switches offer a gentler view of consistency.

[00:24:00] Arlina defines self-will as fear, control, and self-centeredness.

[00:27:00] Love versus fear becomes a simple spiritual gut check.

[00:30:00] Letting go of a friendship becomes an act of self-respect.

[00:33:00] Sonia connects with “no easier, softer way.”

[00:36:00] Running the experiment again is no longer necessary.

[00:39:00] Resentments become the bridge into Step Four.

[00:48:00] The Serenity Prayer becomes a tool for emotional disturbance and indecision.

Arlina's Links

🌐 www.soberlifeschool.com 📸 Instagram: @arlinaallen | @odaatpodcast

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia takes on something she has circled for years: the 12 steps. After years of attending meetings here and there, interviewing addiction experts, and seeing the way the steps have changed people’s lives, she is finally stepping in. Joined by recovery coach, One Day at a Time podcast host, and The 12 Steps for Skeptics author Arlina Allen, Sonia explores Step Two through the lens of skepticism, spirituality, language, and lived recovery.

The conversation opens with Sonia’s honest reaction to Step Two: “Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” Together, Sonia and Arlina unpack why words like sanity, insanity, God, and character defects can feel outdated or loaded, especially for people who understand addiction through trauma, mental health, coping mechanisms, and neuroscience. They also explore how to “take what you like and leave the rest,” why looking for similarities matters, and how a higher power can be understood in a way that feels personal, flexible, and grounded.

Arlina helps reframe Step Two as less about dogma and more about willingness, support, outside perspective, and access to something beyond one’s own fear-based thinking. The episode touches on spirituality versus religion, the pause between impulse and reaction, emotional triggers, “first thought wrong,” and why the hard choice is often the right one. Sonia and Arlina also talk about synchronicity, awe, honesty, music, emotional avoidance, and how sobriety can make room for deeper joy, grief, intuition, and connection.

In the personal story segment, Sonia shares how she is beginning to recognize her higher power in real life: in moments of synchronicity, in sober awe, and in choosing honesty. Arlina offers a beautiful reflection on how witnessing someone else heal can soften and heal something inside us, too. The conversation becomes both practical and deeply human—a bridge for anyone who has wanted the wisdom of the steps, but needed a way in that actually feels possible.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

[00:00:00] Sonia introduces the episode and shares why doing the 12 steps feels like a big deal.

[00:02:00] Arlina Allen joins Sonia to begin exploring Step Two.

[00:03:00] Sonia explains why the word “sanity” immediately brings up resistance.

[00:05:00] Arlina reframes insanity as repeating the same pattern and expecting a different result.

[00:06:00] Arlina explains Step Two as the beginning of needing help and outside perspective.

[00:08:00] Sonia and Arlina discuss trauma, coping mechanisms, guilt, shame, and neuroscience.

[00:10:00] Arlina talks about looking for similarities instead of differences in recovery literature.

[00:12:00] Sonia shares the “Fred drinking whiskey in milk” moment that took her out of the Big Book.

[00:14:00] Sonia explains how the 12 and 12 and Arlina’s homework softened her resistance.

[00:16:00] Sonia describes her current concept of spirituality and a higher power.

[00:18:00] Sonia reflects on reliance versus defiance and asking for guidance instead of control.

[00:20:00] Arlina explains why surrender is not abdicating responsibility.

[00:21:00] Sonia and Arlina explore the difference between impulse, instinct, and inner guidance.

[00:23:00] Arlina discusses triggers, condescension, and the power of pausing before reacting.

[00:30:00] Sonia shares the qualities she wants in a higher power.

[00:32:00] Arlina tells a powerful story about synchronicity, grief, and a sobriety date.

[00:40:00] Sonia describes sober awe, inspiration, and the return of her inner life.

[00:43:00] Sonia connects higher power to the pause between impulse and reaction.

[00:49:00] Sonia shares an emotional story about grief, love, and witnessing healing.

[00:54:00] Arlina explains why avoiding pain also blocks joy, awe, and wonder.

Arlina's Links

🌐 www.soberlifeschool.com 📸 Instagram: @arlinaallen | @odaatpodcast

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

In this deeply personal first episode of a new Sisters in Sobriety series, Sonia begins something she has circled for years: working the 12 steps. Joined by Arlina Allen, recovery coach, host of the One Day at a Time podcast, and author of The 12 Steps for Skeptics, Sonia explores why she has always respected AA while still feeling hesitant to fully commit. Together, Sonia and Arlina open the door to Step One with honesty, curiosity, humor, and a modern lens for anyone who has ever wondered whether the steps could work for them.

The conversation explores what it means to admit powerlessness over alcohol without collapsing into shame, why “unmanageable” does not always look like losing everything, and how women with high-functioning lives can still hit an emotional bottom. Sonia and Arlina talk about raising the bottom, separating the 12-step program from meeting culture, finding the right sponsor or guide, and why old recovery language can sometimes create resistance before people even get to the deeper wisdom underneath it.

This episode breaks down Step One in a practical, accessible way: defining powerlessness and unmanageability, identifying patterns around moderation, understanding denial, and recognizing the difference between being sober and being emotionally sober. Arlina also explains why the steps are not just about quitting alcohol, but about self-honesty, accountability, nervous system regulation, recovery habits, and learning to meet the parts of ourselves we would rather avoid.

Sonia also shares her own story of having what looked from the outside like a “silk sheet bottom”: a stable marriage, career success, financial security, and no dramatic external consequences. But inside, she was emotionally exhausted, self-loathing, and unable to keep the daily promise not to drink. Through Step One, she begins to see how alcohol had made her life unmanageable in quieter but powerful ways—and why this series may be less about joining a program perfectly and more about finally stepping inside the work.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

00:00 Sonia introduces the new series and why she is finally choosing to work the 12 steps.

02:00 Arlina explains how she will guide Sonia through the steps using The 12 Steps for Skeptics.

03:00 Sonia shares why she has always “danced around” AA without fully committing.

04:00 The moment Sonia realized she could separate the 12-step program from meeting culture.

05:00 Arlina explains why the steps are an experience, not just words on a page.

07:00 Sonia opens up about the awkwardness of seeking a sponsor after years of sobriety.

08:00 Arlina explains why Sonia’s approach will be modified because she already has long-term sobriety.

09:00 Sonia reflects on being surprised by how much Step One had to offer.

10:00 The concept of “raising the bottom” helps Sonia reframe what recovery can look like.

11:00 Sonia describes having an emotional bottom even though her outside life looked stable.

12:00 Sonia shares how her brother’s AA experience planted the first seed that alcohol might be a problem.

14:00 Arlina clarifies that Step One means powerless over alcohol, not powerless over everything.

16:00 Sonia revisits Bill’s story with a more open mind than she had in the past.

18:00 Arlina introduces HOW: honest, open-minded, and willing.

21:00 Sonia and Arlina discuss finding similarities instead of differences in recovery stories.

23:00 Sonia defines powerlessness and unmanageability in her Step One homework.

24:00 Sonia shares the daily cycle of promising not to drink and drinking anyway.

26:00 Sonia connects deeply with the idea that when she enjoyed drinking, she could not control it.

28:00 Sonia questions whether rehashing old drinking stories is always helpful.

32:00 Arlina explains the difference between sobriety and recovery.

35:00 Sonia defines emotional sobriety as the ability to self-regulate without substances.

39:00 Sonia reflects on how drinking kept her from living in alignment with her values.

42:00 Sonia shares how sobriety helped her rediscover books, creativity, and her real personality.

45:00 Arlina explains how recovery asks people to love the parts of themselves they usually reject.

47:00 Sonia considers trying a women’s step study meeting as part of her homework.

48:00 Arlina gives Sonia the reading assignment for Step Two and they close the episode

Arlina's Links

🌐 www.soberlifeschool.com 📸 Instagram: @arlinaallen | @odaatpodcast

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

In this episode, Sonia sits down with Richard Taite to talk about addiction, trauma, treatment, emotional sobriety, self-love, and what it really takes to build a life that feels worth staying present for. They explore Richard’s decades of experience as an addiction treatment entrepreneur, recovery advocate, founder of Cliffside Malibu and Carrera Treatment, and host of the mental health podcast We’re Out of Time. Richard also opens up about his own history with addiction, childhood trauma, homelessness, long-term recovery, and his controversial view that some people can transcend addiction after doing deep, sustained work.

The conversation moves through some big questions: Is addiction always a lifelong identity? What does it mean to truly recover versus simply stop using? How does childhood trauma become the emotional engine behind substance use disorder? Sonia and Richard also discuss AA, therapy, treatment centers, the fentanyl crisis, emotional sobriety, reparenting, and why “getting sober” is only one part of the work. Richard challenges familiar recovery language while still crediting AA as a foundation in his own life, making space for a more nuanced conversation about addiction recovery, identity, and healing.

Richard explains why therapy has been central to his recovery, how shame forms in childhood, and why so many people carry a “bad kid” narrative into adulthood. He shares his belief that self-care can become self-esteem, and self-esteem can become self-love—especially when recovery expands beyond abstinence into purpose, parenting, relationships, physical health, and joy. The episode also looks at what effective addiction treatment should include today, why therapeutic fit matters, and how families may need to think differently about drugs, alcohol, opioids, and fentanyl in the current recovery landscape.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

[00:01:00] Richard corrects the record about his sobriety and explains why he no longer identifies as sober.

[00:02:00] Richard describes what he means by “transcending addiction.”

[00:03:00] He shares the Michelin-star wine-pairing moment that showed him his relationship with alcohol had changed.

[00:04:00] Sonia asks whether his shift happened suddenly or slowly over time.

[00:05:00] Richard explains why thriving matters after getting sober.

[00:07:00] Sonia asks how his current relationship with alcohol differs from active addiction.

[00:08:00] Richard opens up about becoming a father and losing the fantasy of eventually getting loaded again.

[00:10:00] Sonia asks whether fatherhood pushed him into deeper emotional sobriety work.

[00:11:00] Richard talks about being in therapy for much of his recovery.

[00:12:00] Richard shares the therapy moment that helped him understand he was never “a bad kid.”

[00:14:00] He explains how childhood shame can keep running the adult life.

[00:16:00] Sonia and Richard discuss childhood trauma as a root driver of addiction.

[00:18:00] Richard challenges the idea that one first drink automatically explains addiction.

[00:19:00] He talks about AA as a foundation while also questioning rigid recovery identities.

[00:21:00] Richard explains why he sees AA as support, not treatment.

[00:23:00] He connects self-care, self-esteem, and self-love.

[00:27:00] Richard explains why treatment should feel like care, not punishment.

[00:32:00] Sonia asks how fentanyl changed the addiction treatment landscape.

[00:34:00] Richard shares the overdose death that brought him back into treatment work.

[00:40:00] Richard describes how he talks to his son about pills, powders, fentanyl, and peer pressure.

[00:45:00] Sonia asks what families should look for in a recovery center today.

[00:50:00] Richard closes with a message of hope for anyone afraid to ask for help.

Richard's Links

https://www.instagram.com/richardtaiteofficial/

https://carraratreatment.com/author/richard/ 

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Creativity isn’t just a hobby—it can be a sobriety tool, a self-care practice, and a way back to the parts of ourselves we forgot. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen explore how play, journaling, memory keeping, and hands-on creativity can help women rebuild identity and joy after alcohol. Sonia is joined by Amy Tangerine, a designer, author, creative director, memory keeper, and founder of a colorful creative brand that has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to reconnect with imagination, craft, and permission to play.

The conversation opens up the question of what happens when drinking used to be the “play hard” part of life—and what it means to redefine fun in sobriety. Sonia and Amy talk about childhood creativity, cozy hobbies, scrapbooking, junk journaling, reading, Legos, collecting, and why many adults dismiss the very activities that once made them feel alive. They also explore how high-achieving women can struggle to do something without measuring it, monetizing it, or turning it into another task.

Amy shares how creative flow can become a grounding practice, especially for people who feel anxious, overworked, disconnected, or unsure of who they are without alcohol. The episode covers memory keeping, analog journaling, vision boards, tactile creativity, pen-to-paper reflection, creative self-care, inner child work, and the difference between creating for an outcome versus creating for the process. Amy also talks about “taking your rage out on the page,” using journaling to process emotions, and building small systems that make creativity possible in 10- to 15-minute pockets.

In the personal story segment, Amy opens up about being raised by immigrant parents, her early love of stickers, crayons, journals, and magazines, her transition from fashion into scrapbooking, and the burnout that pushed her to rethink success. She also shares the deeply personal role vision boards played during her miscarriages, how creativity helped her imagine and accept a different version of family, and how manifesting, aligned action, and self-belief shaped her life.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:00 Welcome to Sisters in Sobriety with Amy Tangerine 01:00 Amy’s earliest creative sparks: crayons, stickers, journals, and crafts 02:00 From fashion design to scrapbooking and memory keeping 03:00 The Hello Kitty journal that started Amy’s diary practice 04:00 Why Amy blended memoir and guidance in Craft a Life You Love 05:00 Why hobbies matter more than people think 06:00 Taking 15 minutes for creativity without explaining it to anyone 07:00 Amy’s immigrant parents and the freedom to follow what made her happy 09:00 Creativity as a way to design a more intentional life 10:00 Creative flow, harmony, and coming back to yourself 11:00 Collage as comfort during family stress and grief 13:00 Redefining play when drinking used to be the recreational hobby 14:00 Returning to the activities that brought joy in childhood 15:00 Sonia on rediscovering reading in sobriety 16:00 Legos, collecting, and childhood hobbies as adult comfort 18:00 Junk journaling and the return to analog creativity 20:00 What happens emotionally when people enter a playful state 21:00 Giving yourself permission to create in small pockets of time 23:00 Letting go of metrics, productivity, and the pressure of an end product 25:00 Pen-to-paper journaling versus digital memory keeping 27:00 Balancing AI tools, metrics, and the need for handwriting 30:00 What memory keeping really means 31:00 “Take your rage out on the page” as emotional release 34:00 Pickleball, anger, and accessing different parts of the self 35:00 Simple ways to incorporate photos, planners, and everyday memories 37:00 Why memory keeping does not have to be chronological 39:00 Vision boards, self-belief, and “what I desire is what I deserve” 42:00 Manifesting, higher power, and aligned action 47:00 Amy’s products, printables, stickers, and ways to get started creatively

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Sonia sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Hochman for a candid, nuanced conversation on addiction, recovery, and what actually works in the real world in this episode of Sisters in Sobriety. Daniel Hochman, is a board-certified psychiatrist and creator of Self Recovery, an online program helping people address substance and behavioral addictions through a science-based, psychologically informed approach that prioritizes privacy, agency, and emotional understanding.

The conversation explores the limits of traditional recovery models, including where 12-step programs can feel outdated or incomplete, and why concepts like “powerlessness” may actually undermine long-term change. Sonia and Dr. Hochman dig into questions around agency vs. external control, whether addiction is a disease or learned behavior, and how approaches like urge surfing, emotional regulation, and behavioral strategies fit into recovery. They also examine the role of medication like Antabuse and naltrexone, the rise of alternative recovery models, and how high-achieving individuals experience addiction differently.

Dr. Hochman reframes addiction as a response to “intolerable emotions,” highlighting how anxiety, dissatisfaction, and internal conflict can quietly drive addictive behaviors. He introduces a practical framework—moving from underlying distress to cravings to action—and explains how different “points of attack” can interrupt that cycle. 

As the conversation unfolds, Sonia shares her own experience navigating sobriety outside of traditional systems, including her curiosity about the 12 steps and her journey into emotional sobriety.

The episode shifts into a more personal exploration of identity—especially for high achievers whose self-worth is tied to performance—and what it looks like to rebuild a sense of self without alcohol. Through this lens, recovery becomes less about restriction and more about rediscovery, experimentation, and learning how to sit with discomfort rather than escape it.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

[00:00] Introduction to Dr. Daniel Hochman and Self Recovery [01:00] Why willpower isn’t enough in addiction recovery [02:00] What a psychiatrist actually does in addiction treatment [03:00] Early exposure to rehab systems and gaps in care [04:00] Problems within the addiction treatment industry [05:00] The role of untrained providers in recovery spaces [06:00] Sonia’s experience exploring the 12 steps [07:00] “Powerlessness” and the problem with vague frameworks [09:00] Locus of control and reclaiming agency in recovery [12:00] Why vague advice like “try harder” doesn’t work [14:00] What traditional recovery models get right—and wrong [16:00] Why addiction science hasn’t been fully integrated into AA [18:00] Addiction as a response to underlying emotional distress [20:00] Trauma, boredom, dissatisfaction, and hidden drivers [22:00] The “current” model: from pain to craving to action [24:00] Urge surfing and behavioral tools for early sobriety [26:00] Why deep emotional work shouldn’t come first [28:00] Limitations of CBT and surface-level therapy [30:00] Inside the Self Recovery program framework [33:00] Sobriety vs. moderation: choosing your own path [36:00] Medications in recovery: Antabuse vs. naltrexone [41:00] High achievers, identity, and addiction patterns [45:00] Rebuilding a sense of self beyond achievement [49:00] Rediscovering hobbies, curiosity, and joy in sobriety [51:00] One simple awareness practice to start changing behavior

Dr. Hochman's Links

Self Recovery's Website: https://www.selfrecovery.org/

Self Recovery's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selfrecoveryhealth/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Sonia sits down with Jeremy Lipkowitz to unpack addiction, dopamine, and the hidden patterns behind compulsive behaviors—from alcohol to everyday habits.

They dive into the questions most people avoid: What actually drives compulsive behavior? Why does dopamine keep us chasing more instead of feeling satisfied? How do perfectionism, shame, and high achievement intersect with addiction? And what happens when we swap one coping mechanism for another—alcohol for work, porn, social media, or even productivity? They also explore how habits quietly escalate and how identity becomes entangled in addiction.

Jeremy breaks down neuroplasticity and how repeated behaviors wire the brain, reinforcing cycles of craving and avoidance. He reframes dopamine as the chemical of wanting—not pleasure—and explains how this fuels the loop of desire. The conversation introduces tools like urge surfing, mindfulness, and creating space between stimulus and response, alongside a deeper look at emotional avoidance, shame, and the “hungry ghost” cycle of never feeling like enough. They also demystify meditation—what it actually is, and how to practice it without perfection.

The episode also traces Jeremy’s personal turning point—from a high-achieving student battling insecurity and compulsive behaviors to discovering meditation and a new definition of fulfillment. As Sonia reflects on her own patterns in real time, the conversation becomes a powerful example of what it looks like to pause, notice, and choose differently.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

TIME-STAMPED HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 – Introduction to Jeremy Lipkowitz and his work in addiction recovery 01:30 – Jeremy’s early struggles with insecurity and addiction 03:45 – Realizing the path he was on wasn’t leading to happiness 06:15 – Why success didn’t translate into fulfillment 08:00 – Neuroplasticity and how habits shape the brain 10:30 – Dopamine explained: wanting vs. liking 12:45 – How addiction escalates over time 14:30 – Addiction as emotional avoidance 16:10 – Why we struggle with boredom and discomfort 17:45 – Identity and shame in addiction 20:00 – Rationalizing harmful behaviors 21:30 – Addiction as a universal pattern 23:00 – The “dry drunk” concept and root causes 24:30 – Healthier vs. harmful coping mechanisms 26:00 – Recognizing subtle compulsions 28:15 – What urge surfing is 31:00 – Creating space before reacting 34:00 – Building mindfulness as a skill 37:00 – Meditation myths and perfectionism 41:30 – Different types of meditation 45:00 – Mindfulness in everyday life 49:00 – Perfectionism as addiction 52:00 – The “hungry ghost” mindset 55:30 – Sonia’s real-time habit awareness 58:30 – Learning to sit with boredom 01:02:00 – Why abstinence can help moderation 01:06:00 – How subtle habits take hold 01:09:00 – Finding freedom from external validation

Jeremy's Links

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Inflammation is at the root of so many modern health struggles—but what if the way we approach it is completely backwards? In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia sits down with Dr. Shivani Gupta—Ayurvedic practitioner, functional health expert, and author of The Inflammation Code—to explore a radically personalized approach to healing. Sonia guides listeners through how inflammation shows up in daily life, how stress and lifestyle habits quietly fuel it, and how Dr. Gupta’s “Elemental Design” framework helps decode each person’s unique health blueprint.

The conversation dives into how different body types respond to stress, food, and alcohol, and why a one-size-fits-all wellness plan often fails. Questions unfold around how mental inflammation contributes to physical disease, how gut health connects to energy and mood, and why sleep, circadian rhythm, and daily rituals may matter more than the latest health trend. The episode also explores the real impact of alcohol on gut permeability and inflammation, and how habits like late-night eating, blue light exposure, and chronic stress quietly disrupt the body’s natural healing processes.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Gupta introduces key concepts like chronic low-grade inflammation, bio-individuality, and the connection between the microbiome and overall health. She explains how ancient Ayurvedic principles align with modern science—from circadian rhythm optimization to the role of super spices like turmeric in reducing inflammation. The discussion weaves in practical insights on improving sleep hygiene, supporting the gut microbiome, managing cortisol, and using simple daily rituals—like tea, breathwork, or structured routines—to regulate the nervous system and reduce inflammation at its source.

As the conversation unfolds, Dr. Gupta shares her deeply personal journey—from growing up between Western medicine and Ayurvedic traditions to a turning point that led her to reject overmedication and seek root-cause healing. That experience sparked decades of study and ultimately shaped her mission to bring ancient healing wisdom into modern life in a practical, accessible way. The episode closes with a powerful reminder that healing doesn’t require perfection—it starts with small, intentional shifts that bring the body back into balance.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Shivani Gupta and The Inflammation Code 02:00 Growing up between Western medicine and Ayurveda 03:00 The breaking point with overmedication and antibiotics 04:30 Discovering Ayurveda and root-cause healing 06:00 Turmeric and the science behind super spices 08:00 What “Elemental Design” means for your health 10:00 Understanding Vata, Pitta, and Kapha body types 12:00 How different constitutions experience inflammation 14:00 Autoimmune conditions and personalized health patterns 17:00 Circadian rhythm and its role in inflammation 18:30 How sleep impacts detoxification and healing 20:00 Building a realistic sleep routine 22:00 Ideal sleep environment and temperature 23:30 Common mistakes with turmeric and anti-inflammatory diets 25:00 Chronic inflammation and modern lifestyle stressors 27:00 Supplements vs. whole foods: what actually works 31:00 What is “mental inflammation”? 33:00 Stress, burnout, and disease connection 35:00 Gut health, microbiome, and daily habits 37:00 Alcohol’s impact on gut health and inflammation 40:00 How different body types respond to alcohol 43:00 Tools for relaxation without alcohol 47:00 The most important first step: prioritizing sleep

Dr. Shivani's Links

www.shivanigupta.com IG: @dr.shivanigupta

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Addiction, astrology, and emotional healing take center stage in this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, as Sonia sits down with humanistic astrologer Jessica Lanyadoo. Together, they unpack how addiction isn’t just about substances—it’s about emotional patterns, coping mechanisms, and the ways we abandon ourselves. Jessica brings a grounded, no-nonsense approach to astrology, helping Sonia explore how tools like astrology, community, and self-awareness can support sobriety and long-term healing.

What role does emotional regulation play in addiction? Can astrology reveal patterns behind compulsive behaviors or anxiety? How do dopamine-driven habits like scrolling or shopping mirror substance use? Sonia and Kathleen guide the conversation through big questions around fate vs. free will, the psychology of addiction, and whether spiritual tools—like astrology—can become coping mechanisms themselves. The discussion also explores the complexities of recovery spaces, including the benefits and challenges of 12-step programs, shame, and accountability.

The conversation weaves together concepts like harm reduction, emotional processing, and the neuroscience of addiction. Jessica introduces the idea that addiction is often rooted in an inability to tolerate feelings, rather than a lack of willpower. She breaks down how different types of anxiety and coping behaviors can manifest, and how misdiagnosis—both psychologically and personally—can keep people stuck. The idea of “momentum” becomes a powerful framework: how addictive behaviors build quickly, while healing and self-connection require slower, intentional practice.

Through personal reflections, Sonia shares moments from her own sobriety journey—navigating divorce, resisting the urge to drink, and recognizing how other behaviors can mimic addiction. The episode shifts into a deeper, more vulnerable space as they explore recovery tools like AA, the concept of “dry drunk” vs. true sobriety, and the emotional weight of making amends. Jessica offers a nuanced take on “living amends,” boundaries, and why healing doesn’t always require direct reconciliation—sometimes it requires protecting yourself while still taking accountability.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:00 – Introduction to Jessica Lanyadoo and her humanistic approach 01:15 – What humanistic astrology actually means 03:00 – Addiction beyond substances: emotional and behavioral patterns 05:30 – Astrology’s perspective on different types of addiction 08:15 – Dopamine, escapism, and modern-day addictive behaviors 09:30 – Can astrology become a coping mechanism? 10:45 – Is addiction fate or free will? 12:30 – Physiological vs. emotional components of addiction 14:00 – Different types of anxiety and how they show up 16:30 – Misdiagnosis and why some treatments don’t work 17:45 – The concept of momentum in addiction vs. healing 19:00 – “Dry drunk” vs. true sobriety 20:00 – Why AA works (and why it doesn’t for everyone) 22:00 – Shame, community, and healing in recovery spaces 24:00 – The complexity of group dynamics in AA 26:30 – Boundaries, triggers, and navigating recovery communities 28:00 – The truth about making amends 29:30 – What are “living amends”? 31:30 – Trauma, safety, and when not to reconnect 34:00 – Self-abandonment and taking personal accountability

Jessica's Links

Ghost of a Podcast 

Access free horoscopes + other goodies and classes available for purchase at lovelanyadoo.com

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Sonia sits down with Dr. Emma Kay, professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing and a nationally recognized researcher focused on HIV care, substance use, harm reduction, and recovery. Together, they unpack the intersection of addiction, stigma, and healthcare systems, and explore how a more compassionate, whole-person approach can change outcomes. Sonia guides this conversation to help reframe how we think about recovery, disclosure, and what meaningful care actually looks like in practice.

The discussion moves beyond surface-level conversations about addiction and into the realities people face navigating HIV, substance use, and medical systems that often prioritize one condition over another. Questions emerge around why patients don’t disclose substance use, how stigma subtly shows up in healthcare settings, whether abstinence-only models are limiting recovery options, and what happens when providers assume noncompliance. It also touches on the gap between medical innovation and lived patient experience, especially when it comes to trust, access, and education.

The conversation highlights how recovery is often non-linear, why patient autonomy matters, and how small behavioral shifts can represent meaningful progress. It also sheds light on systemic barriers including cost, lack of education in medical training, and disparities tied to race, geography, and socioeconomic status. The contrast between rapid advancements in HIV treatment and the slower evolution of addiction care reveals where healthcare systems are still falling short.

Sonia and Dr. Kay also talk about—what it actually looks like when patients feel seen, heard, and respected versus judged or dismissed. From early moments in an HIV clinic filled with unexpected vulnerability to broader reflections on stigma and resilience, the episode brings forward the emotional and relational side of care that often gets overlooked in clinical conversations.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Emma Kay and her work

01:00 Dr. Kay’s non-traditional path into social work and research

02:30 First experiences in an HIV clinic and shifting perspectives

04:00 Understanding HIV as a chronic condition vs stigma

05:30 The overlap between HIV and substance use

06:30 Risk factors and misconceptions about HIV transmission

07:30 Early experiences with patient vulnerability and resilience

09:00 Abstinence-based models vs harm reduction realities

10:30 Lack of harm reduction resources in certain regions

11:30 Why patients don’t disclose substance use

12:30 Gaps in education around harm reduction

13:30 What relational harm reduction actually means

15:00 Key principles: autonomy, humanism, pragmatism

16:30 Incremental progress and redefining success in recovery

17:30 Why recovery is rarely linear

19:00 Whole-person care and addressing underlying needs

21:00 Subtle stigma in healthcare settings

22:30 Misconceptions about adherence and drug use

24:00 Harm reduction vs abstinence models

25:30 Aging population with HIV and comorbidities

27:00 Treating HIV like any other chronic condition

28:30 Innovation in HIV care vs addiction care

30:00 Disparities in overdose rates and access to care

32:00 Trust gaps in marginalized communities

34:00 The role of community-led solutions

35:00 Cost barriers and access to life-saving resources

Dr. Emma's Links

https://scholars.uab.edu/5926-emma-kay

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmasophiakay/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conflict avoidance and people-pleasing show up in so many women's stories around alcohol — yet they rarely get the airtime they deserve. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen sit down with Anna Lecat, intimacy and conflict consultant, global speaker, and author of Loving Conflict: Creating Collaboration Where Others See Division. Anna has spent decades across cultures, continents, and boardrooms persuading people that learning to conflict well is one of the most loving things we can offer each other.

What does it actually mean to fight kindly? Why do so many women reach for a drink before a hard conversation — or avoid it entirely? And what is it about anger that feels so unbearable to sit with?

Anna unpacks the tango metaphor at the heart of her work — conflict as tension plus connection, not threat plus danger. She walks through a practical spectrum for building conflict confidence, starting with low-stakes settings like restaurants and working up to the relationships that flood us most. The conversation explores emotional responsibility, nervous system regulation, and how early experiences with anger shape us as adults — often leading us to read conflict as rejection when it's really someone else's old wound surfacing.

Then things get personal. Sonia opens up about pouring a glass of wine before calling her mother — and how that glass became a bottle. Kathleen shares her own story of returning to her hairdresser with honest, gentle feedback and what that small act revealed about the difference between avoiding conflict and moving through it with care.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

Highlights

[00:01:00] Anna reframes conflict as a doorway rather than a threat

[00:02:00] Her mission: persuading people to fight kindly

[00:03:00] People who are deeply loved don't need to wage war

[00:05:00] Connection and uplift extend beyond romance to friends, parents, and coworkers

[00:06:00] Why women are socialized to avoid conflict

[00:07:00] Conflict as a tango — listening, suggesting, responding in turn

[00:08:00] Using nonverbal tango exercises in corporate workshops

[00:11:00] Men in Beijing end up in tears during a two-minute eye contact meditation

[00:13:00] Why sending food back at a restaurant is the perfect place to start

[00:14:00] "If you think you're enlightened, go spend a week with your parents"

[00:15:00] Kathleen's hairdresser story becomes a master class in kind conflict

[00:18:00] Sonia's glass of wine before calling her mother — and how it became a bottle

[00:20:00] Why anger is the most stigmatized emotion across every culture

[00:21:00] Anger reveals a person's deepest fears and values — slow down and listen

[00:22:00] How Anna navigates her own anger — consent first, then curiosity

[00:27:00] It only takes one person to shift the dynamic of a relationship

[00:29:00] People-pleasing as a conflict strategy — and how to tell it from self-protection

[00:33:00] Practice conflict in low-stakes settings before the ones that flood you

[00:37:00] Anna's nightly practice: revisiting hard moments and calming her nervous system

[00:43:00] Start small, start outside, get good at it. It becomes a superpower.

Links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966629974

https://annalecat.com/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia sits down with Chef Whitney Aronoff, founder of Starseed Kitchen and creator of High Vibration Living, to explore the powerful connection between food, energy, and emotional wellbeing. Together, they unpack how supportive nutrition goes far beyond what’s on your plate—and how small, intentional shifts can help women feel more aligned, energized, and connected in sobriety and everyday life.

The conversation weaves through questions many women quietly ask themselves: Why do cravings—especially for sugar or alcohol—feel so intense? How does what we eat impact our mood, clarity, and intuition? Is “clean eating” actually helping, or could it be contributing to digestive issues and burnout?

Whitney introduces the concept of “high vibration” foods—fresh, seasonal, whole ingredients that support both physical health and energetic balance. She challenges common wellness myths (like relying on raw foods or pre-packaged “healthy” meals) and emphasizes simple, traditional cooking methods like roasting, steaming, and slow cooking. The episode also explores how alcohol impacts blood sugar and cravings, why intuitive eating requires removing distractions and calming the nervous system, and how quality over quantity applies to everything from pantry staples to indulgences like chocolate or ice cream.

Whitney shares her personal journey of healing chronic digestive issues by becoming her own advocate—moving beyond conventional advice and learning to listen to her body. The discussion expands into emotional and energetic health, touching on how food choices can influence clarity, identity, and even spiritual awareness.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:00 – Introduction to Chef Whitney Aronoff and High Vibration Living

01:30 – Early relationship with food and chronic digestive issues

03:00 – Becoming your own advocate in health and nutrition

04:30 – The role of whole foods vs processed foods

05:30 – Why simplicity in cooking supports digestion

07:00 – The “fireplace” analogy for digestion and cold foods

08:30 – Eating seasonally and adjusting food to climate

10:00 – Why one hot meal a day matters

11:00 – Food as a gateway to emotional and spiritual awareness

12:30 – How diet changes can shift identity and intuition

13:30 – Understanding cravings through energy and environment

15:00 – What “high vibration” food actually means

16:30 – Grocery store vs farmers market choices

18:30 – Navigating food access and making better choices

19:30 – Reconnecting with hunger cues and intuitive eating

21:00 – How environment and stress affect digestion

22:30 – Alcohol, sugar cravings, and blood sugar cycles

24:00 – Rethinking sugar as “treats” instead of restriction

26:00 – Quality over quantity when it comes to indulgences

29:00 – Physical vs emotional cravings explained

31:00 – Essential pantry staples for supportive nutrition

34:00 – Adapting food philosophy to different lifestyles and cultures

36:00 – Perfectionism, control, and emotional imbalance

38:00 – Making cooking easier with planning and batch meals

41:00 – Practical shortcuts: frozen foods, curry pastes, and bone broth

44:00 – Carbs, rice, and personalized nutrition approaches

47:00 – Building community through food and shared meals

48:30 – Prioritizing joy and intentional living

Whitney's Links

https://starseedkitchen.com/

https://www.instagram.com/whitneyaronoff/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mental health routines don’t have to be complicated to make a real difference. In this episode, Sonia and Kathleen sit down with Cameron Rogers to talk about the small, realistic practices that help regulate anxiety, quiet racing thoughts, and support emotional wellbeing. Cameron Rogers is the founder and host of the Conversations with Cam podcast and uses her unfiltered voice and humor to create a safe space online for honest conversations about motherhood, mental health, and personal growth. As a mental health advocate, community curator, and mom, Cameron’s audience connects with her authentic approach to navigating life’s challenges. She is also the creator of Quiet Your Mind and Busy Your Hands, a product that blends journaling prompts, coloring affirmations, and reflection to help people reconnect with creativity and calm—an idea inspired by her recovery from a concussion that forced her to step away from screens and rediscover the power of simple, analog practices.

In this conversation, Sonia, Kathleen, and Cameron explore the realities of caring for mental health in a busy world. They discuss anxiety, ADHD, productivity culture, and how motherhood can reshape the way we think about self-care. The episode touches on questions many women are asking: how journaling can interrupt spiraling thoughts, why hydration and movement affect mood, and how creating small rituals—like journaling spaces or “calm corners”—can help regulate the nervous system during stressful moments.

The discussion also highlights practical tools Cameron uses regularly. Journaling becomes a central theme as a way to release thoughts onto paper and reduce anxiety. Cameron shares how simple prompts, gratitude practices, and even word-dump journaling can make the habit approachable. They also explore how environment affects emotional regulation through lighting, texture, and calming spaces, and how modern wellness culture can sometimes create unrealistic pressure to maintain the “perfect” routine.

Later in the episode, the conversation shifts to substance use and mindfulness. Cameron explains why she stepped away from alcohol after noticing it worsened her anxiety, and mindful cannabis use, dopamine-seeking behaviors linked to ADHD, and Cameron’s experience with microdosing and a guided psychedelic journey that helped her process lingering stress and identity shifts after leaving her corporate career.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Cameron Rogers and her work

01:40 The concussion that changed Cameron’s mental health practices

03:00 Growing up in a high-performance environment

05:00 When self-care becomes obsessive

07:10 How journaling became Cameron’s core practice

10:00 Using journaling to calm anxiety

12:15 Gratitude practices for shifting mindset

13:30 Creating “calm corners” for nervous system regulation

15:00 Sensory elements that create calm spaces

18:00 Hydration and mental clarity

22:30 Mindful cannabis use and creativity

24:00 Cameron’s decision to stop drinking alcohol

26:30 Addiction, dopamine, and ADHD

32:00 Cameron’s psychedelic therapy experience

39:30 Using affirmations to shift inner dialogue

43:00 Reframing exercise as mental health support

47:00 Letting go of the “perfect” wellness routine

Cameron's Links

Instagram: @cameronoaksrogers

Substack: Fill Your Cup

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Licensed clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Sherrie Campbell joins us for a powerful conversation about toxic family dynamics, emotional abuse, and the complicated path toward family estrangement. In this episode, Sonia and Kathleen explore how unhealthy family relationships can shape self-worth, boundaries, and coping mechanisms—including substance use—and how women can begin to reclaim their lives.

Dr. Campbell is a nationally recognized expert on family estrangement, author of Adult Survivors of Toxic Family Members, a TEDx speaker, and host of the top 1% podcast Sherapy Sessions: Cutting Toxic Family Ties. Together, they unpack the realities of emotionally abusive parenting, boundary setting, and the courage it takes to choose healing.

The conversation explores difficult but deeply relatable questions: What actually qualifies as emotional abuse in a family system? Why do so many adult children struggle to recognize toxic dynamics while they’re living inside them? How do manipulation, triangulation, guilt, and silent treatment shape a child’s development—and how do those patterns follow people into adulthood? The episode also examines how family trauma can intersect with coping behaviors like alcohol use, why estrangement is often misunderstood, and how protective distance can become an act of self-respect rather than rejection.

Dr. Campbell shares parts of her own story of growing up in a deeply dysfunctional family system and the decades-long process that ultimately led her to cut contact with her mother. She walks through the moment that finally broke the cycle, the years of boundary setting that preceded it, and the grief that often accompanies estrangement. The conversation closes with reflections on healing, journaling as a lifelong practice, and what it means to build a chosen life outside of family dysfunction.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Introducing Dr. Sherrie Campbell and the topic of toxic family relationships

02:30 – Why family estrangement is often misunderstood

04:10 – The difference between single-incident conflict and chronic family dysfunction

05:40 – Why parents are responsible for repairing relationships with their children

07:20 – How boundaries are meant to preserve relationships, not destroy them

08:10 – The common behaviors of emotionally abusive parents

10:15 – Why emotional abuse can be difficult to recognize inside families

11:00 – A personal example of subtle emotional humiliation

12:30 – Emotional abuse vs. emotional neglect explained

14:00 – What “protective estrangement” really means

15:30 – The metaphor of the house, yard, and fence for setting boundaries

18:30 – Why estrangement usually follows decades of boundary violations

21:00 – How long many adult children try to repair relationships before cutting ties

24:00 – The intersection of childhood trauma and substance use

25:00 – Why people turn to alcohol or other coping behaviors

27:30 – Lessons learned from working with addiction recovery groups

29:30 – What changes internally when someone gets sober

31:00 – Why addiction recovery requires responsibility and self-respect

33:30 – The first steps toward healing from family trauma

36:30 – Rebuilding self-trust after toxic parenting

39:00 – Dr. Campbell’s personal healing practices and journaling ritual

41:00 – Breaking generational cycles through love and conscious parenting

Dr. Sherrie's Links

Link to TEDx talk: https://youtu.be/deyHwDkG7oc?si=vy7p-wD6MvgwCfR-

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sherrie/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sonia and Kathleen sit down with Heather Francis, host of the Midlife Moves Podcast. Heather is an entrepreneur and mom of four who brings a lived-experience perspective to conversations around identity, self-trust, and personal growth. She speaks as a woman who has learned, often through trial and error, what it means to evolve, recalibrate, and choose herself more intentionally.

Together, they explore what really happens in our forties and fifties: shifting identities, perimenopause, strength training, sleep disruption, protein intake, and the unexpected grief that can come when children grow up and roles change. Together, they unpack how to move through midlife with intention rather than fear—and how movement, community, and curiosity can help women feel strong, clear, and empowered in this next chapter.

The conversation weaves through questions many women are quietly asking: Why does anxiety spike in perimenopause? Why does sleep suddenly fall apart at 1:00 AM? Why does cardio stop working the way it used to? How much protein do women actually need in midlife? What role do magnesium, creatine, and recovery days play in hormonal health? How do friendships, identity, and self-definition evolve when the “mom” role begins to shift?

Heather shares practical insights around strength training versus excessive cardio, mobility work, rest days, over-exercising, wearable technology, alcohol’s impact on sleep, sugar spikes, and the importance of fueling the body with whole-food protein sources. The discussion touches on cognitive health in midlife, research around creatine for women, bloodwork-guided supplementation, anxiety management, and why connection is foundational for both brain health and emotional resilience. Rather than extreme reinvention, the theme becomes small, intentional adjustments that support longevity, muscle preservation, sleep quality, and overall wellness.

Heather opens up about her identity crisis when her children began leaving home, the depression that followed, the isolation of rediscovering herself alone, and the courage it took to ask: Who am I beyond caretaker, wife, and mother? The conversation moves into friendship shifts, gym communities, saying yes to coffee dates, and redefining confidence outside of labels. In a powerful closing reflection, Heather offers a reframe for midlife: not as decline, but as possibility—a second act that doesn’t require blowing up your life, just choosing more intentionally within it.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Highlights

00:00 – Introduction to Heather Francis and Midlife Moves

02:00 – Identity crisis when children grow up

04:00 – Realizing midlife is a second act, not an ending

05:00 – Perimenopause conversations we wish existed

06:00 – Hormones, anxiety, and 1:00 AM wakeups

07:00 – Why movement helped anxiety more than medication

08:00 – Cardio vs. strength training in midlife

09:00 – What strength training actually looks like

13:00 – Yoga, mobility, and emotional release

15:00 – Signs you may be over-exercising

17:00 – Magnesium, meditation, and sleep hygiene

19:00 – Alcohol’s impact on sleep quality

20:00 – Wearables, tracking, and number obsession

21:00 – Sugar’s effect on sleep and recovery

23:00 – Nutrition, fueling, and hormone support

27:00 – Protein myths and whole-food sources

34:00 – Creatine, cognitive health, and supplements

38:00 – Friendship shifts and loneliness in midlife

44:00 – Redefining identity beyond “mom”

46:00 – The message of midlife: possibility and intentional change

Heather's Links

https://www.instagram.com/themidlifemovespodcast/

midlifemoves.co

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sonia sits down with Sean Dadashi, co-founder of Rosebud, an AI-guided journaling app built to deepen self-reflection, emotional awareness, and intentional healing. Together, they explore how journaling can move beyond venting and become a powerful tool for insight — helping you recognize emotional patterns, understand triggers, and reshape the internal narratives that shape sobriety and personal growth.

The conversation expands into the evolving role of AI in mental health and self-development. They discuss how guided prompts, voice journaling, emotional tagging, and pattern recognition can make reflection more accessible — especially for those intimidated by a blank page. At the same time, they examine the importance of keeping therapy, community, and real human connection at the center of healing, while using technology as a supportive tool rather than a replacement.

Sonia and Sean also walk through specific journaling practices, including Rose-Bud-Thorn reflections, somatic journaling, gratitude work, boundary-setting exercises, and intention setting. They explore how Rosebud can support therapy preparation, unsent letters, difficult conversations, and voice-based emotional processing.

Throughout the episode, they highlight how digital journaling can help expand emotional vocabulary, identify recurring behavioral patterns, and deepen therapeutic work between sessions.

On a more personal note, Sonia shares her love of pen-to-paper journaling — the colored pens, the bedside rituals — and reflects on what it means to shift from analog habits to digital tools in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, the reflective experience.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

00:00 — Introduction to Sean Dadashi and the mission behind Rosebud

01:45 — Sean’s early relationship with journaling during family divorce

04:10 — Moving from handwritten journals to digital reflection

06:20 — Recognizing emotional and behavioral patterns over time

08:05 — The “blank page problem” and barriers to starting journaling

09:40 — How the “Go Deeper” function guides layered reflection

11:30 — AI summaries, emotional tagging, and weekly reports

13:05 — Metrics, character tracking, and narrative insights

14:10 — Naming emotions and therapist-informed AI design

15:20 — How Rosebud differs from generic chatbots

16:40 — AI memory and long-term pattern recognition

17:25 — Asking big-picture life questions through journal history

18:50 — Year-end reflection archetypes and narrative mapping

20:10 — AI personas: nurturing vs. direct reflection styles

21:05 — Preventing AI from replacing human connection

22:30 — Platform limits and ethical guardrails

24:00 — Crisis response and safety considerations

28:40 — Using journaling alongside therapy and coaching

31:10 — Preparing for therapy sessions through reflection insights

32:15 — Pen-and-paper vs. digital journaling debate

34:05 — Voice journaling and emotional expression

36:10 — Importing handwritten journals via photo transcription

38:15 — Rose-Bud-Thorn framework and evening reflections

40:20 — Somatic journaling and body-based awareness

41:10 — Letter writing, boundary setting, and hard conversations

43:00 — Facilitating real-life conversations using AI support

44:05 — Intention setting and future-self visualization

45:50 — Creating mantras and symbolic yearly totems

46:40 — Building sustainable daily reflection practices

47:30 — Closing thoughts and episode wrap-up

Rosebud https://my.rosebud.app/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sonia sits down with TV personality, recovery advocate, and author Marci Hopkins to unpack the layered journey from trauma and addiction to emotional sobriety and self-trust. As the host of the award-winning talk show Wake Up with Marci and author of Chaos to Clarity, Marci brings both lived experience and professional insight to the conversation. Together, they explore healing, resilience, and what it really takes to rebuild a life after alcohol.

The discussion moves through the experiences that shaped Marci’s relationship with alcohol, from early childhood trauma and family addiction to high-functioning drinking in adulthood. Themes of generational cycles, emotional suppression, validation-seeking relationships, and the normalization of alcohol surface throughout the conversation. The episode also examines the slippery slope from social drinking to dependence, how denial shows up, and the internal bargaining that often delays change.

Marci shares how practices like affirmations, forgiveness work, boundary setting, and cognitive “interrupters” can begin to rewire negative thought patterns.

Marci walks through the defining moments that led to her final surrender — including the DUI that forced her to confront the reality of her drinking. She reflects on motherhood, marriage, career pressure, and the emotional reckoning that followed. The conversation closes on her path to advocacy, her commitment to breaking stigma, and how turning pain into purpose became central to her healing.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Episode Highlights

00:01:00 – Marci’s introduction and recovery advocacy work

00:03:00 – Childhood trauma and the first experiences of abuse

00:05:00 – Living with her grandparents and early instability

00:08:00 – Abuse and lack of maternal protection

00:10:00 – Perfectionism and controlling the external image

00:12:00 – Teen drinking, validation, and blackout weekends

00:14:00 – Escaping home life through relationships

00:16:00 – Party culture, drugs, and early adulthood

00:17:00 – DUIs and hitting early warning signs

00:20:00 – Using appearance and relationships for power

00:23:00 – Career rise in television and media

00:25:00 – Motherhood, ambition, and mounting pressure

00:26:00 – Alcohol as “liquid courage” for auditions

00:27:00 – Hiding drinking and increasing dependence

00:28:00 – The failed attempt to moderate

00:29:00 – The day of her final drink

00:31:00 – DUI arrest and confrontation with reality

00:33:00 – Surrender and return to AA

00:38:00 – Emotional sobriety and healing trauma

00:55:00 – Breaking stigma and normalizing recovery conversations

Marci's Links

Instagram

YouTube

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia is joined by Amber Trejo, a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified clinical trauma professional who specializes in complex childhood trauma and the family system. Amber is also a wife and mom of three on her own healing journey, and today she helps Sonia unpack how childhood wounds quietly shape adult life — and what it looks like to move from survival mode into safety, self-regulation, and connection.

Sonia and Amber explore the ways complex trauma can show up long after childhood — through hypervigilance, perfectionism, emotional shutdown, and repeating relationship patterns. They discuss why so many people struggle to even name what happened to them, especially when emotional neglect, invalidation, or silent treatment were normalized.

Amber shares a nervous-system-centered approach to healing, weaving in polyvagal theory, cues of safety versus danger, parts work, somatic grounding, and EMDR. The conversation touches on how trauma lives in both the brain and the body, and why healing requires more than simply intellectualizing the past — it’s about building real capacity for regulation, curiosity, and connection in the present.

In the personal story thread, Sonia opens up about having very few childhood memories, the fear of “making it up,” and the complicated ways trauma can surface later in adulthood, especially in relationships and family dynamics. Together, they connect trauma work to sobriety — exploring addiction as a form of nervous system coping, why white-knuckling often isn’t enough, and how early recovery sometimes means doing whatever it takes to get through the hardest moments with compassion.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

00:00 — Amber Trejo joins Sonia to discuss trauma healing

01:00 — Amber shares her own childhood trauma and path to therapy

03:00 — Trauma resurfacing through marriage and motherhood

04:00 — Complex trauma vs single-event PTSD

05:00 — Emotional neglect as an overlooked trauma wound

07:00 — Why complex trauma shows up most in relationships

08:00 — Sonia’s “grimy breaker” metaphor for trauma patterns

10:00 — Minimizing pain: “but it could be worse”

12:00 — Shame, invalidation, and not trusting emotions

14:00 — Perfectionism as a survival strategy

15:00 — Parts work and inner child healing

17:00 — Intellectualizing vs healing in the body

18:00 — Sonia on missing childhood memories

20:00 — “What if I’m making it up?” as a trauma hallmark

22:00 — Safety and resourcing before deeper trauma work

25:00 — Cues of danger, passive aggression, and hypervigilance

31:00 — Ventral vagal state: curiosity as a sign of safety

33:00 — Addiction as nervous system regulation

38:00 — Alcohol as relief before it becomes the problem

45:00 — Early sobriety: small realistic coping tools

49:00 — Creativity, aliveness, and building daily regulation practices

Amber's Links:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist?igsh=MWpvdTI5emVyZzU4aA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Course for parents with trauma:

https://stan.store/Integrativetraumatherapist/p/-sjwt4r2x

Website:

https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sonia sits down with Dr. Maria Sophocles, an internationally respected gynecologist and leader in menopause and female sexual health, to explore what really happens to intimacy, desire, and connection in midlife. The conversation challenges the often-unspoken realities of perimenopause, menopause, and sexuality—offering women reassurance, clarity, and a sense of possibility in a season that is too often misunderstood.

Sonia and Dr. Sophocles open up a wide-ranging discussion about the cultural pressure women carry around sex, the emotional weight of obligation, and how expectations in long-term relationships can quietly create distance over time. They explore themes like libido changes, communication, pleasure, dating after divorce, and the ways women can begin rewriting outdated scripts around intimacy as bodies and hormones evolve.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Sophocles breaks down the physiology of menopause beyond hot flashes—touching on vaginal dryness, arousal shifts, clitoral health, and the role of estrogen deficiency in sexual function. She also clarifies common misconceptions around hormone therapy, explains why hormone testing often adds confusion, and shares evidence-based options including vaginal estrogen and newer treatments.

Alongside the medical insight, Sonia also reflects on the personal side of this conversation—what it means to move from performance toward connection, from silence toward honesty, and from shame toward self-trust. Dr. Sophocles offers compassionate language for couples navigating change, and gentle encouragement for women stepping into this chapter with curiosity instead of fear.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

00:01 — Introducing Dr. Maria Sophocles and her new book The Bedroom Gap

00:02 — Why menopause training is still missing in women’s healthcare

00:03 — The most overlooked symptom: sexual shame and silence

00:05 — What the “Bedroom Gap” really means in relationships

00:07 — How gender roles set couples up for disconnection

00:09 — Why sex education is still fear-based, not pleasure-based

00:11 — Dating after divorce in midlife: a whole new world

00:13 — Sonia opens up about “duty sex” and long-term marriage patterns

00:15 — Responsive desire: why arousal can come before libido

00:16 — The power of G-rated intimacy and skin-to-skin connection

00:18 — When a hug feels like pressure: navigating partner expectations

00:20 — How to communicate needs without triggering defensiveness

00:23 — Reframing lube, toys, and support as sex-positive tools

00:25 — Menopause changes in the brain, vulva, vagina, and clitoris

00:28 — Why vaginal estrogen is one of the most underused solutions

00:32 — Breast cancer survivors and the truth about local estrogen safety

00:33 — Other treatments: Intrarosa and Osphena

00:36 — Why hormone blood tests rarely give useful answers

00:41 — Fantasy, erotic content, and “bibliotherapy” for desire

00:45 — Dr. Sophocles’ hope: grace, permission, and rewriting the rules

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariasophoclesmd/

TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/maria_sophocles_what_happens_to_sex_in_midlife_a_look_at_the_bedroom_gap

The Bedroom Gap: https://www.amazon.com/Bedroom-Gap-Rewrite-Rules-Roles/dp/0306837404

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sonia and Kathleen sit down with Melanie Gulde to explore what truly supportive, humane recovery can look like—especially for women. Melanie is the Co-Founder of the Divided Sky Foundation and Program Director of the Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program in Ludlow. With more than 25 years in the field, Melanie has dedicated her life to helping people rediscover their worth and build sustainable sobriety. Her work includes founding Divided Sky in partnership with Trey Anastasio — the co-founding guitarist and lead vocalist of the jam band Phish - and launching a Women’s Scholarship Fund to reduce barriers to treatment for women.

You'll hear what actually helps people stay sober, how emotional sobriety supports long-term healing, and how joy, music, nature, and community can reshape the recovery experience. The episode also explores women-specific challenges like stigma, childcare, financial barriers, vulnerability in mixed-gender treatment settings, and why communal, women-centered environments can significantly improve outcomes.

Melanie explains how concepts like emotional regulation, unmet expectations, family systems, accountability, and values-based recovery show up in real life, and how programs like Divided Sky integrate mindfulness, music therapy, spirituality, forest bathing, and peer support to support sustainable change.

The episode also weaves in Melanie’s personal story—from getting sober in 1995 to her early work in outpatient counseling and drug court to the pivotal relationship with Trey, which led to the creation of Divided Sky. Sonia and Kathleen guide listeners through Melanie’s reflections on mentorship, mistakes, growth, and the “aha” moments that shaped her philosophy: that people don’t need punishment to heal—they need dignity, safety, and belief in their own potential.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

Episode Highlights (Time-Stamped)

00:01 — Introducing Melanie Gould and the mission behind Divided Sky

00:02 — Growing up on Long Island and early influences on empathy and service

00:03 — Getting sober in 1995 and finding a calling in recovery work

00:04 — Early mentorship lessons and learning not to take relapse personally

00:06 — What drug court teaches that traditional clinical settings don’t

00:07 — Reframing “mandated treatment” and removing judgment from recovery

00:08 — Melanie’s first interactions with Trey Anastasio in drug court

00:09 — Fear, structure, and accountability in early recovery

00:11 — How a professional relationship evolved into collaboration and friendship

00:13 — Why Divided Sky was created to treat people as individuals

00:16 — What emotional sobriety really means and why it’s transformative

00:18 — Connecting emotional sobriety with the 12 Steps

00:21 — The role of music, joy, and creativity in recovery

00:24 — Joy-based recovery and the healing power of nature

00:26 — A day in the life at Divided Sky

00:28 — Community, volunteers, and connection as recovery tools

00:30 — Why the Women’s Scholarship Fund matters

00:33 — Why women recover differently and need women-centered spaces

00:35 — Changing family dynamics and their impact on recovery

00:38 — A message of hope for anyone afraid to ask for help

Divided Sky Foundation

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia sits down with veteran broadcaster, journalist, and advocate Catt Sadler for a deeply honest conversation about identity, ambition, and choosing an alcohol-free life without hitting rock bottom. Best known for her more than decade-long career at E! Entertainment—Catt has long been a familiar face on red carpets and awards-season coverage. Today, she is the host and executive producer of her weekly podcast CATT SADLER Now and a leading voice in conversations about women, power, and authenticity.

Throughout the conversation, Catt reflects on pivotal questions many women quietly ask themselves: What role has alcohol played in my stress, success, and social life? What happens when I stop numbing and start listening? Can I change my relationship with alcohol even if everything “looks fine” on the outside? Together, they unpack themes of high-functioning drinking, midlife reflection, identity shifts, nervous system regulation, and how wellness, meditation, and journaling can open the door to clarity and self-trust.

You'll walk away with practical and educational insights around mindful sobriety, habit change, and emotional regulation. Catt shares how meditation, breathwork, journaling, and intentional morning routines supported her decision to stop drinking—and why removing alcohol created more energy, better sleep, deeper presence, and emotional resilience. The episode also explores the role of shame in keeping women stuck, how cravings and discomfort actually pass, and why modeling alcohol-free coping skills matters—especially for our children and communities.

In a powerful personal segment, Catt opens up about the spiritual nudges that ultimately led her to quit drinking, the internal resistance she felt despite “not having a problem,” and the moment she realized that alcohol no longer aligned with the highest version of herself. She shares what it was like navigating social situations, holidays, college football weekends, and emotional lows without alcohol—and how staying with herself, rather than escaping, changed everything. Her story offers a compassionate roadmap for women who sense a quiet inner knowing that it might be time to turn the page.

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Welcome and introduction to Catt Sadler

01:15 – Growing up around alcohol and early beliefs about drinking

03:45 – College, ambition, and “normal” social drinking

05:30 – Life at E!, pressure, motherhood, and survival mode

07:10 – When healing began before alcohol changed

08:40 – Reading Quit Like a Woman and early nudges

09:55 – Dating someone who could take alcohol or leave it

11:20 – Spiritual moments that clarified her decision

13:10 – Choosing to stop drinking at 51

14:45 – Alcohol not being “the problem,” but no longer fitting

16:10 – Meditation as a gateway to self-trust

18:05 – How to start meditating without overwhelm

20:40 – Early benefits of going alcohol-free

22:30 – Handling cravings, discomfort, and emotional waves

24:50 – Ice cream, Netflix, and self-compassion

26:10 – Morning routines and sacred mornings

28:20 – Gratitude journaling and manifestation

30:40 – Different journaling styles and creative play

33:15 – Letter writing, boundaries, and emotional processing

36:00 – Writing a memoir and revisiting the past

38:40 – Holidays, NA drinks, and social pressure

41:00 – Being sober around kids and modeling behavior

43:30 – Navigating parties, work events, and college campuses

46:10 – Sharing her sobriety publicly and community response

48:20 – Advice for women who haven’t hit “rock bottom”

50:00 – Closing reflections on staying with yourself

Catt's Links

Catt's IG and Substack

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sonia and Kathleen sit down with Oona Metz, a therapist with 30 years of clinical experience and a leading expert in helping women navigate divorce. For the past 15 years, Oona has specialized in supporting women through the realities of divorce. She is the author of Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women.

Dr. Metz frames divorce not as a failure, but as a profound life transition—one that often reshapes identity, relationships, and sobriety. They'll explore questions many women quietly carry: What actually happens emotionally during divorce? Why does it feel so disorienting—even when you’re the one who initiated it? How do grief, anger, relief, fear, and hope coexist at the same time? And why can divorce feel so lonely even when you’re surrounded by support? They talk about the deeper layers of healing, touching on community, shame, self-trust, boundaries, and the ways alcohol can quietly become a coping mechanism during this chapter.

You'll will walk away with practical takeaways about the divorce process from a mental health perspective, including how divorce impacts the nervous system, why women often internalize blame, and how group support can accelerate healing. Dr. Metz explains the psychological stages of divorce, common emotional patterns women experience, and why validation, regulation, and connection are essential tools for recovery. The conversation also weaves in themes of sobriety, emotional regulation, self-worth, and rebuilding identity after major life upheaval.

Sonia and Kathleen reflect on how divorce can surface old coping strategies, challenge existing support systems, and force radical honesty with oneself.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

Episode Highlights

00:01 – Why divorce is more than a legal process—it’s an identity shift

03:12 – Oona’s 30-year clinical journey and why she focused on divorce work

06:45 – The emotional stages women experience during divorce

09:30 – Why divorce grief is often misunderstood and minimized

12:18 – How shame and self-blame show up for women

15:02 – The role of community and group support in healing

18:40 – Why divorce can trigger or intensify unhealthy coping behaviors

21:55 – Divorce, loneliness, and the myth of “strong women should handle it alone”

25:10 – How alcohol can quietly become emotional anesthesia during transitions

28:34 – Nervous system regulation during high-conflict or prolonged divorce

31:50 – What healing actually looks like in the first year post-divorce

35:15 – Letting go of the story you thought your life would follow

38:42 – Rebuilding self-trust after major relational loss

41:20 – Why validation matters more than advice in early healing

44:05 – Dating, boundaries, and identity after divorce

47:30 – How group work accelerates recovery and reduces isolation

50:18 – What Oona wishes every woman knew before starting divorce

53:00 – Turning divorce into a catalyst for clarity and growth

56:10 – Choosing sobriety as an act of self-protection and self-respect

59:00 – Final reflections on grief, freedom, and rebuilding a life on your terms

Dr. Metz's Links

https://www.instagram.com/oonametz/

https://www.oonametz.com/book-unhitched

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manifestation doesn’t have to be woo-woo, unrealistic, or disconnected from real life. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia sits down with Yvonne Tchrakian — corporate lawyer turned entrepreneur, manifestation teacher, founder of Pause.Penny, and host of The Manifest Movement podcast — to explore how manifestation can become a grounded, practical tool for women in recovery. Sonia helps listeners understand how manifestation can support self-trust, accountability, and healing without bypassing emotions or responsibility.

Together, they unpack why manifestation can feel like it “isn’t working,” even when you’re doing all the right things. The conversation explores alignment versus hustle, fear-based desires versus intuitive ones, and how thoughts, beliefs, and actions must work together. Sonia and Yvonne touch on common blocks like scarcity thinking, misalignment, people-pleasing, and unrealistic timelines — and how those patterns quietly sabotage progress.

You'll will gain clear, actionable insights into how manifestation intersects with neuroscience, habit formation, intuition, and sobriety. Yvonne explains why gratitude, affirmations, aligned action, and accountability matter more than vision boards alone, and how substances can disconnect intuition and erode self-trust. The episode also addresses spiritual bypassing, emotional processing, and why manifestation works best when paired with honesty and responsibility.

In the personal story segment, Yvonne shares how grief, pregnancy loss, health challenges, and family addiction shaped her philosophy around manifestation and self-worth. Sonia reflects on sobriety, rebuilding intuition, and how letting go of old identities can unlock real change. The episode closes with a look inside Yvonne’s 21-Day Manifestation Challenge and why structure, community, and consistency help transformation stick.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

[00:01:00] Yvonne’s transition from law to manifestation

[00:03:00] Grief as a turning point

[00:05:30] Gratitude as a grounding practice

[00:07:00] Belief vs. wishful thinking

[00:09:30] Why alignment matters

[00:12:00] Unrealistic manifestation goals

[00:14:00] Actions vs. intentions

[00:16:00] Scarcity thinking and money

[00:18:00] Receiving support and abundance

[00:20:30] Manifesting identity

[00:22:00] Boundaries and self-worth

[00:24:00] Family dynamics and triggers

[00:27:00] Letting go of resentment

[00:29:30] Fear-based desires

[00:32:00] Sobriety and intuition

[00:35:00] Self-trust and consistency

[00:37:00] Accountability in recovery

[00:39:00] Emotional processing vs. bypassing

[00:42:00] Shame and forgiveness

[00:47:00] Inside the 21-Day Manifestation Challenge

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new year is upon us, and it’s the perfect time to check in with yourself and your habits. Whether you’re feeling the post-holiday burnout or just curious about how alcohol impacts your life, Dry January offers a chance to hit pause and reset. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen are here to guide you through the highs, lows, and everything in between, offering tips and real talk to help you make the most of your Dry January journey—whether it's your first time or your fifth.

Ever wonder why Dry January seems to be everywhere? Sonia and Kathleen dive into questions like: What makes it so popular? What physical and mental benefits can you really expect? What if you slip up mid-month? With honest reflections and practical advice, this episode will leave you feeling ready to take it one day at a time.

You’ll come away with simple, effective ways to succeed—like setting realistic goals, building a support system, and swapping old habits for new ones that actually feel good. Sonia and Kathleen also dig into strategies for overcoming cravings, reframing challenges, and creating routines you’ll look forward to. Plus, ways to replace your go-to drink with something delicious, because it’s not just about taking something away—it’s about adding wellness, joy, and calm back into your life.

Sonia shares how her tea bar (complete with hot chocolate mix!) became her nighttime favorite, while Kathleen talks about how even the strongest cravings can be a chance to show yourself some love. It’s a reminder that small wins—like finding joy in a cozy drink or celebrating with a letter to yourself—can make a big difference.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:00:00] Introduction to Dry January and its purpose
• [00:01:16] Sonia and Kathleen discuss the origins and rise in popularity
• [00:02:29] Research spotlight: the link between alcohol and health risks
• [00:03:34] Health Canada’s new guidelines on alcohol consumption
• [00:05:15] The role of the sober-curious movement and influencers
• [00:07:26] Benefits of Dry January: improved sleep, clear skin, mental clarity
• [00:10:29] How to set a personal “why” for motivation
• [00:12:10] The importance of planning for social triggers
• [00:13:36] Kathleen’s breakdown of SMART goals
• [00:16:25] Strategies for those feeling overwhelmed by a 31-day challenge
• [00:19:35] Managing cravings and identifying unexpected triggers
• [00:22:31] Mocktail recommendations and the joy of experimenting with alternative drinks
• [00:25:48] New evening rituals: small ways to relax and unwind
• [00:27:04] Celebrating progress without alcohol: creative reward ideas
• [00:29:59] Kathleen shares her “urge surfing” technique for dealing with cravings
• [00:32:25] Explanation of the RAIN mindfulness method
• [00:36:12] What to do if you slip up during Dry January
• [00:39:00] How to reflect on your Dry January experience
• [00:41:17] Deciding your next steps after January ends
• [00:43:40] Sonia’s insights on using Dry January as a springboard for personal growth
• [00:46:17] Final reflections and key takeaways from Sonia and Kathleen

Links:

• Sisters In Sobriety Substack – find more tips, tricks, resources, and community
• 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email
• Sisters In Sobriety Instagram
• Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast
• Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features Randy Hall on Buddhist-inspired recovery, mindfulness, and why healing addiction often starts with self-compassion—not judgment.

Randy Hall, is a Program Coordinator with the Addiction Prevention Coalition in Birmingham, Alabama, a person in long-term recovery, a Certified Peer Support Specialist, a SMART Recovery Facilitator, and the former President of the Recovery Dharma Global community. Randy is deeply committed to building peer support spaces and advocating for multiple pathways to recovery that meet people where they are.

Throughout the conversation, Sonia, Kathleen, and Randy explore what happens when someone wants recovery but doesn’t quite fit into a single prescribed model. They dig into questions around craving, identity, trauma, relapse, self-judgment, and why curiosity can be a powerful starting point for change. The episode touches on mindfulness, Buddhist-inspired recovery, peer-led support, and evidence-based tools — all through the lens of real life rather than theory.

Randy breaks down Buddhist principles in an accessible, grounded way, explaining how ideas like impermanence, compassion, and mindful awareness can be used day-to-day in recovery. He shares how practices like meditation, naming emotions, and interrupting judgment helped him learn to sit with discomfort instead of escaping it. Listeners will also hear how SMART Recovery’s rational, skills-based approach complemented these practices — showing how recovery doesn’t have to be either/or, but can be built from multiple supports working together.

At the heart of the episode is Randy’s story — one marked by achievement, addiction, and a dramatic turning point. He shares how years of high-functioning substance use eventually led to a life-altering diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome that left him temporarily paralyzed. What followed wasn’t a neat or linear recovery, but a painful, human process that included relapse, fear, and ultimately a deep internal shift. Randy reflects on how real change didn’t come from punishment or fear, but from learning self-compassion, finding community, and allowing himself to be honest about his suffering. His story underscores how transformation often comes not from avoiding pain, but from finally meeting it with care and support.

Episode Highlights

00:01 — Randy shares how alcohol first felt like social “magic” — and how quickly it turned into something darker

00:03 — What high-functioning addiction really looks like behind the scenes

00:05 — Using substances to cope with professional pressure and internal conflict

00:06 — The shocking moment Randy’s body shut down during a kids’ soccer game

00:08 — Being paralyzed, hospitalized, and forced to confront mortality

00:10 — Why detox and physical recovery weren’t enough

00:12 — Returning home and relapsing despite everything he’d been through

00:15 — The quiet role of shame and self-loathing in addiction

00:17 — Hitting a point where change was no longer optional

00:18 — Feeling disconnected from recovery spaces that didn’t resonate

00:19 — Discovering Recovery Dharma and Buddhist-inspired recovery

00:21 — How mindfulness and rational tools can work together

00:23 — The Four Noble Truths explained in plain language

00:26 — Understanding craving as part of the human condition

00:28 — How mindfulness helps interrupt urges in real time

00:34 — The difference between awareness and judgment

00:38 — “Having tea with your demons” and learning to work with urges

00:44 — Riding urges like waves instead of fighting them

00:48 — Why community matters more than willpower

00:51 — Practical advice for anyone who feels stuck right now

Randy's Links https://recoverydharma.org/

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen dive into the science of cravings, anxiety, and habit change—and explore what really keeps us stuck. They’re joined by Judson Brewer, MD, PhD (“Dr. Jud”), New York Times best-selling author, neuroscientist, addiction psychiatrist, and one of the world’s leading experts on mindfulness-based behavior change. As the Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center, Dr. Jud has spent decades decoding how habits form in the brain and developing accessible tools that help people unwind anxiety, disrupt addictive loops, and build healthier patterns.

Today, Sonia and Kathleen help listeners understand the mechanics of their own minds while Dr. Jud offers lived insight, science-backed strategies, and surprising clarity about why we repeat behaviors that don’t serve us—and how to finally change them.

In the conversation, they unpack some of the biggest questions surrounding anxiety, cravings, and self-sabotage: Why does worry function like a habit? Why do some behaviors feel good in the moment but terrible later? How does the brain’s reward system trick us into repeating patterns we’ve outgrown? And what role does curiosity play in breaking addiction cycles—from alcohol to overeating to doom-scrolling? You'll hear how habit loops get encoded, why “willpower” is not the tool we've been taught to rely on, and how mindfulness becomes a practical—not mystical—interruption strategy.

Dr. Jud also breaks down essential educational concepts, including reinforcement learning, negative and positive reward loops, the illusion of control in anxiety, the mechanics of disenchantment, and his three-step framework for unwinding addictive patterns. He explains how curiosity and kindness work neurologically to override craving cycles, why awareness alone can interrupt an unconscious behavior, and how updating the brain’s reward database makes change not only possible but inevitable. Along the way, listeners gain language, tools, and frameworks they can start applying immediately to their own sobriety and emotional regulation.

Dr. Jud does a real-life demonstration of his method as Kathleen explores her own habit loop around stress- and boredom-eating. The conversation gets personal, relatable, and surprisingly funny as the trio walks through how discomfort, dopamine, self-soothing, and long-term values collide inside the brain. The episode closes with a reflective discussion on AI, mental health, and the future of behavior-change technology, highlighting what excites—and concerns—Dr. Jud in this rapidly shifting landscape.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

Episode Highlights

[00:01:00] Sonia and Kathleen introduce Dr. Jud and his work on anxiety, addiction, and the brain.

[00:02:00] Dr. Jud shares how his own anxiety and panic attacks led him into neuroscience and meditation.

[00:03:30] The early research connecting anxiety, addiction, and habit loops.

[00:05:00] How a breakup and “Full Catastrophe Living” started his lifelong meditation practice.

[00:07:00] Childhood curiosity, chemistry, and why humans get stuck in repetitive patterns.

[00:08:30] How shame and self-blame reinforce habit loops.

[00:09:00] Plain-language explanation of reinforcement learning and the habit loop.

[00:11:30] Anxiety as a learned behavior: the illusion of control through worry.

[00:12:30] Clinical trial results showing mindfulness reduces anxiety by 67 percent.

[00:14:00] Awareness vs. identification: shifting from “I am anxious” to “I’m noticing anxiety.”

[00:15:00] Why we return to habits that hurt us, even when we know better.

[00:17:00] Disenchantment and updating the brain’s reward system.

[00:19:30] Why willpower fails: the neuroscience behind “stop it” not working.

[00:20:00] Smoking cessation examples—patients realizing cigarettes taste terrible.

[00:22:00] How paying attention changes overeating behaviors within 10–15 repetitions.

[00:24:00] A patient’s breakthrough using morning reflection to break alcohol dependency.

[00:26:00] How the same loop applies across addictions: food, alcohol, sex, gambling, digital habits.

[00:28:00] Introducing the “pleasure plateau” and learning when a reward stops rewarding.

[00:31:00] How curiosity interrupts craving cycles and builds distress tolerance.

[00:33:30] Dr. Jud’s three-step method for behavior change.

[00:37:00] What to say when someone insists “mindfulness doesn’t work for me.”

[00:38:00] Live demo: Kathleen and Dr. Jud map her stress-eating habit loop.

[00:44:00] The intersection of AI, reinforcement learning, and mental health.

[00:47:00] Expanding access with AI-supported learning assistants in Going Beyond Anxiety.

[00:49:00] The risks of relying on AI for companionship and therapy advice.

[00:52:00] Where listeners struggling with addiction can start with Mindshift Recovery.

Dr. Jud Links www.goingbeyondanxiety.comwww.drjud.comJudbrewer.substack.comSIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen explore one of the most universal yet misunderstood parts of human life: grief. They’re joined by Melanie Wilson—grief advocate, creative ritual designer, event curator, and founder of Life and Soul—who brings a deeply grounded and accessible perspective on navigating loss, building community, and supporting others with compassion.

Sonia and Kathleen chat with Melanie about topics that sit at the core of grief work: Why is it so hard to talk about death? How do we show up for grieving friends without saying the wrong thing? What does real, ongoing support look like beyond the first week of casseroles? Why do people feel so alone when loss is universal? And what does it mean to create rituals—personal or communal—that help us stay connected to the people we’ve lost? These themes draw directly from Melanie’s work supporting grievers through community, storytelling, creativity, and continued bonds.

You'll understand key concepts such as grief as a continuing relationship, collective grieving, grief allyship, the limits of numbing through alcohol, and why authentic presence is more powerful than perfect words. Melanie offers practical takeaways about holding space, asking better questions, supporting ritual-building, understanding grief “waves,” and replacing isolating narratives with compassionate ones. She also shares insights about how grief affects cognition, emotions, and relationships—grounded in her professional grief-ally framework and her work as a celebrant and community organizer.

This episode also dives deep into Melanie’s personal story: the three consecutive years of profound loss that shaped her calling; the awkward moments of being “the death of the party”; creating New York grief mixers and art-centered memorial experiences; her five-year commemoration project for her father; and why people cry at her events even when they “didn’t expect to.” Sonia and Kathleen also reflect candidly on their own grief missteps, the complexities of supporting partners who are grieving, and the vulnerability of learning how to be a better ally over time.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

00:01 — Sonia and Kathleen introduce Melanie Wilson and her work at the intersection of grief, art, and community. 00:02 — Melanie shares her earliest encounters with loss and how three consecutive years of death reshaped her path. 00:04 — What it means to be a “griever creating community” and why people need connection outside their family. 00:05 — Challenging the belief that “everyone grieves differently” and reframing grief as a collective experience. 00:06 — How public, creative expressions of grief revealed new ways people can heal together. 00:07 — Joining The Dinner Party and realizing the role of in-person community in grief support. 00:09 — Launching her first New York City grief mixers and discovering that people want to talk about grief. 00:10 — The origin story of being “the death of the party” and embracing authenticity in social spaces. 00:11 — Reframing grief as a continued relationship rather than something to move on from. 00:13 — Kathleen shares her own grief experience and discusses the discomfort of others avoiding the topic. 00:15 — Why grievers feel burdened asking to talk about their person—and why invitations matter. 00:16 — Challenging the cultural pressure to “find closure” or “move on.” 00:17 — Overview of Death of the Party events and how art, performance, and community rituals support expression. 00:21 — Grief, numbing, and the role of alcohol—why people seek escape and what healthier alternatives can offer. 00:24 — Melanie’s reframing of rituals and the idea of creating new, personal traditions. 00:26 — Examples of personal rituals: candles, gardening, art, shawls, favorite meals, and remembrance objects. 00:29 — Balancing grief with joy, and how certain rituals bring comfort rather than sadness. 00:30 — Music as both a trigger and a tool for connection in grief. 00:33 — Why grief events become “brave spaces,” not “safe spaces,” and the value of emotional discomfort. 00:34 — Melanie’s five-year commemoration ceremony for her father and reconnecting with his community. 00:36 — What it means to be a grief ally and how to hold space without fixing. 00:38 — Common mistakes people make when trying to comfort someone grieving—and language to avoid. 00:40 — How storytelling helps grievers integrate loss and strengthen continued bonds. 00:42 — Melanie’s advice for those afraid to face their grief: start small, stay intentional, and find community. 00:44 — Closing reflections and gratitude for Melanie’s wisdom.

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode of Sisters in Sobriety, we explore recovery and identity with Arlina Allen, who uses neuroscience principles to help people heal, regulate stress and rewrite their patterns. What happens when alcohol is no longer our coping strategy — and how do we rebuild our nervous system, our patterns, and our sense of self?

With over 30 years of sobriety, Arlina has become a trusted voice in recovery, neuroscience, self-leadership, and sustainable change. She’s also the bestselling author of The 12-Step Guide for Skeptics and host of The One Day at a Time Recovery Podcast, ranked in the top 1% of all self-help shows.

This episode explores questions many women face in recovery: What if 12-step programs didn’t feel like your path—can they still work for you? How does identity, trauma, or high-functioning behavior shape addiction? Can we pursue ambition and protect our emotional health? Sonia and Arlina unpack how language—sober curious, gray area drinking, substance use disorder—can both define us and limit us, and how neuroscience can help explain cravings, coping strategies, and our repeated patterns.

You'll hear practical strategies grounded in neuroscience, mindfulness, emotional resilience, and stress regulation—core principles in Arlina’s coaching programs and workshops. She breaks down how the default mode network shapes identity, the difference between spirituality and religion in recovery, and how self-regulation tools, time audits, somatic practices, and boundaries help reduce burnout without losing ambition. Recovery isn’t about adding more to your life—it’s often about subtracting what drains you.

Arlina also opens up about drinking at age 10, surviving trauma, navigating intimacy, marriage, envy, perfectionism, and burnout—and how the emotional work of sobriety continues even after 31 years.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

[00:02:10] Drinking at age 10 — “relief before I understood pain” [00:04:35] High-functioning but spiraling — identity vs. consequences [00:07:00] The 12 steps as tools, even for skeptics [00:09:30] Spirituality vs religious trauma — redefining a higher power [00:11:20] Why “alcoholic” doesn’t have to be a shame label [00:13:15] Sober curious, gray area drinkers & language [00:15:10] Can AA work if you’re not fully abstinent? [00:19:00] Neuroscience 101 — the default mode network explained [00:21:50] Cortisol, sleep, neuroplasticity & emotional regulation [00:24:30] Childhood wiring and belief systems [00:27:40] Perfectionism, intimacy, and emotional avoidance [00:29:30] Working the steps inside marriage [00:33:25] Character defects vs character assets—reframing [00:36:40] Burnout in recovery — sneaky signs [00:39:45] Resentment, envy & high-performing women [00:44:00] “If you spot it, you’ve got it” — mirror theory [00:47:00] Time audits, priorities & time drunkenness [00:50:10] The Kool-Aid metaphor — why morning practices matter [00:54:05] Cultivating joy & experimenting with hobbies [00:56:20] “Recovery is about recovering your whole self”

Connect With Arlina

🌐 www.soberlifeschool.com 📸 Instagram: @arlinaallen | @odaatpodcast

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode dives into the hidden patterns that drive our behavior—the subconscious loops that keep us repeating choices we don’t even realize we’re making. Helping unpack it all is Bizzie Gold, tech founder, behavior futurist, and inventor of Brain Pattern Mapping, a groundbreaking system that predicts behavior and thought patterns with 98.3% accuracy. Through Break Method and her bestselling book Your Brain Is a Filthy Liar, Bizzie is redefining healing beyond coping—guiding people toward real personal agency. 

The discussion explores powerful questions: How do early experiences shape how we see the world? Why do we repeat cycles even when we know they’re hurting us? Is self-awareness enough—or is something deeper running the show? Bizzie breaks down perception, decision-making, emotional responses, trauma, addiction cycles, anxiety, and childhood conditioning. Sonia invites listeners to consider how distorted narratives, triggers, and brain patterns influence choices, relationships, substance use, and behavior—and how those patterns can actually be interrupted.

You'll learn about subconscious programming, self-deception, childhood patterning, addictive cycles, and how the neurocognitive funnel predicts emotional and behavioral responses. Bizzie shares actionable insights on language architecture, pattern recognition, emotional regulation, brain mapping, and how neuroscience and data can create sustainable rewiring—not temporary fixes or codependent therapy patterns. It’s an eye-opening look at how behavior truly works—and how to start shifting out of survival mode.

Later in the episode, Bizzie opens up about her own story—growing up as the young mediator in a chaotic home, living with panic attacks for a decade, and the spiritual moment at age 19 that changed her trajectory completely. Her journey moves from anxiety to agency, from curiosity to innovation—and from a napkin sketch to a powerful global behavior technology. 

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

[00:01:00] Introducing Break Method and how it began [00:02:20] Childhood environment and hyper-awareness [00:03:15] Anxiety and insomnia shaping her worldview [00:05:00] Fight Club and the spark behind self-deception research [00:07:45] The moment panic attacks ended at age 19 [00:10:00] Controlled surrender vs. relying on willpower [00:12:30] Mapping faith and neuroscience together [00:14:00] The napkin moment: the birth of Break Method [00:17:20] Teaching thousands and tracking results [00:20:00] Efficacy rates and peer-reviewed research [00:21:45] Evolving Break into behavioral tech [00:22:10] What is a subconscious pattern? [00:23:00] Childhood cues and perception of safety [00:25:00] How reality becomes distorted [00:28:00] Addiction as downstream behavior [00:31:00] Seeing why someone uses—not just that they use [00:33:30] The prison experiment—transformation in two days [00:38:00] Uncovering abuse through behavior mapping [00:45:00] Language architecture and emotional loops [00:50:00] Why the brain prefers familiar pain [00:51:30] Where someone stuck in addiction should begin [00:54:00] Scaling the modality—training providers [00:55:00] The mission to bring this into schools

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anxiety, emotional regulation, intrusive thoughts, sobriety, and nervous system regulation—this Sisters in Sobriety episode gives you tools to cope and heal. This week, Sonia and Kathleen guide listeners through a grounded, compassionate conversation designed to help them understand anxiety, regulate intense emotions, and shift long-standing mental loops. Their guest is Emma McAdam, licensed marriage and family therapist and creator of the hugely popular YouTube channel Therapy in a Nutshell. Together, they unpack how anxiety works—and offer practical steps toward emotional resilience.

Throughout the episode, they explore what fuels the anxiety cycle, why avoidance strengthens fear, and what it means to approach discomfort instead of escape it. You'll hear discussions on alcohol as a coping mechanism, early sobriety triggers, hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, parenting anxious kids, and learning to make choices based on values instead of fear. These conversations tease out big themes around behavior change, emotional processing, and building self-trust.

You'll walk away with a deep understanding of the anxiety cycle, avoidance behaviors, somatic grounding, diffusion techniques, exposure hierarchies, polyvagal-based calming strategies, intrusive thought interruptions, and morning light therapy. Emma explains why the brain is built for survival—not happiness—and how simple, consistent regulation practices retrain the nervous system. 

The episode also has personal storytelling—from Emma’s wilderness therapy beginnings and viral video journey to parenting anxious children and learning to separate identity from emotion. Sonia shares what it felt like to confront raw feelings after quitting alcohol, while Kathleen reflects on helping her daughter build emotional resilience. Together, they show how healing happens in real life: messy, imperfect, and full of slow, meaningful growth.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sobriety, midlife purpose, and finding your spark again. Sonia sits down with activist and author Shannon Watts. Shannon is the founder of Moms Demand Action, the nation’s largest grassroots group fighting gun violence. She led the organization to pass over 500 gun-safety laws and mobilize millions of supporters. She’s been named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, a Forbes 50 Over 50 Changemaker, and a Glamour Woman of the Year. In 2025 she published her book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age.

Together, they talk about what it really looks like to rebuild your life when the old one stops fitting. Shannon shares the story of her own “wake-up moment,” and Sonia brings her lived experience of starting over, making hard pivots, and learning to own her sobriety without apology. This episode is all about finding your spark again, even if you haven’t felt it in years.

Sonia and Shannon dive into the big questions so many women wrestle with in midlife: How do you know when you’re meant for something more? What if you’ve spent decades doing what you were supposed to do instead of what you actually want? How do you handle people’s opinions when you finally step into your power? And what happens when drinking, dating, parenting, obligations, burnout, and old roles start to clash with the woman you’re becoming?

Listeners will walk away with practical guidance and clarity around what lights them up. Shannon shares her simple framework for figuring out your next chapter, how to deal with criticism without shrinking, and why rest, boundaries, community, and honesty matter more than perfection. This episode also looks at signs you might be ready for a change, the myths about “purpose,” the pressure women carry in midlife, and the surprising freedom that comes with not caring what everyone else thinks.

Sonia opens up about dating in sobriety, making herself small for years, and the moment she realized she didn’t need to apologize for the life she’s building. Shannon shares the realities of starting a national movement while raising five kids, navigating co-parenting, dealing with internet trolls, and knowing when it was finally time to step back. It’s heartfelt, real, and filled with the kind of “me too” moments that make women feel less alone.

Episode Highlights 

01:00 Shannon shares the moment she realized her life wasn’t aligned anymore 03:12 The emergency room visit that became her turning point 04:10 How journaling helped her map out a completely different future 06:02 Shannon explains her “values, abilities, desires” formula 07:15 Why so many women put obligations before what they actually want 09:20 The guilt and shame that show up when women start changing their lives 11:05 Sonia talks about the date that made her second-guess her sobriety identity 12:14 Shannon’s advice for handling criticism without shrinking 16:08 What launching Moms Demand Action looked like behind the scenes 18:02 The fear moms have about pursuing desires “at the expense of their kids” 20:40 How to know it’s time for a pivot even without a dramatic crisis 23:05 Discovering abilities you don’t realize you have 25:00 Sonia shares how nightly drinking revealed deeper misalignment 26:15 Shannon on her “controlled burn” approach to clearing space for change 28:20 The difference between true urgency and pressure we put on ourselves 30:12 Why Gen X women have more freedom in midlife than we realize 33:00 Shannon redefines success after years of burnout and martyrdom 35:18 How female friendships became the backbone of her second chapter 37:05 Sonia talks about intentionally rebuilding her community 40:22 The hardest “no” Shannon ever had to make in her career 46:04 The early “failure” that ended up shaping her entire movement 47:18 What Shannon hopes her next decade looks like

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Infidelity, emotional sobriety, and recovery collide in this raw and honest continuation of the Sisters in Sobriety infidelity chat. In today’s episode, Sonia and Kathleen explore what happens when betrayal shows up in a relationship — and how to navigate it without abandoning yourself or your sobriety. They dig into the emotional rollercoaster, the shame that can surface on both sides, and the surprising ways infidelity can mimic relapse patterns even without alcohol involved.

We'll unpack: what does emotional sobriety look like when your heart just got shattered? Can cheating happen as a form of emotional escape? How do you stay grounded when your nervous system is on fire and every coping mechanism is calling your name? And why does early recovery sometimes make people more vulnerable to risky behavior and emotional impulsivity?

You'll hear strategies for repairing trust, protecting your recovery, and reconnecting with your values — even when life feels like it’s exploded.

Sonia also opens up about her own experience with infidelity in her marriage, the fight to stay sober through heartbreak, and the fierce determination to not let someone else's choices take away the life she worked so hard to build. Together, she and Kathleen explore what healing can look like — and what they wish they knew back then about boundaries, self-trust, and choosing yourself in the aftermath.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

00:00 – The story starts with cruise-chaos and questionable onboard sushi 01:55 – A pivot from food poisoning to infidelity and emotional sobriety 02:58 – Emotional sobriety explained — steadiness when life gets messy 04:03 – Cheating as misalignment with values, not a “good vs bad person” label 05:26 – Emotional relapse vs physical relapse, and where infidelity fits in 06:41 – Dishonesty, avoidance, and numbing behaviors as warning signs 07:34 – What staying sober through betrayal actually feels like 08:17 – Accountability as the foundation for emotional recovery 09:08 – How betrayal can trigger old coping urges and emotional spiraling 10:03 – The difference between staying sober and staying emotionally regulated 11:12 – “You won’t take my sobriety too” — sobriety as rebellion and self-protection 12:17 – The dopamine hit of infidelity and temptation in early recovery 13:12 – Pause, play the tape forward, ruin the fantasy (and save yourself) 14:19 – Stumbling doesn't end your recovery — denial does 15:37 – Hyper-vigilance vs healing — and why control isn’t safety 17:45 – Avoiding conflict vs actually repairing the relationship 19:40 – The messy reality of sexual communication after betrayal 20:53 – Sonia reflects on self-blame and impossible expectations 23:40 – Letting go of “if I do everything right, they won’t cheat” 26:22 – A grounding tool for the day after everything falls apart 28:10 – Closing gratitude + a reminder that healing is possible

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Infidelity can be one of the most painful experiences in any relationship—and for many, it can also become a turning point. In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, hosts Sonia and Kathleen unpack what it really means to stay emotionally sober through betrayal, heartbreak, and healing. Drawing on their own lived experiences and Kathleen’s clinical expertise, they’ll help you understand not only why infidelity happens, but how to navigate the emotional fallout with clarity, self-compassion, and growth.

Together, they explore questions many of us have struggled with in silence: What counts as cheating? Is emotional infidelity just as damaging as physical betrayal? Can a relationship ever truly recover from deceit? And how do alcohol, secrecy, and unmet needs complicate our choices—and our healing? From defining betrayal to understanding why it feels so personal, this conversation offers both insight and empathy for anyone who’s been on either side of infidelity.

Listeners will learn how infidelity impacts emotional sobriety, the difference between emotional and physical affairs, and how alcohol can blur—but never justify—boundaries. Kathleen breaks down the psychology of betrayal, explaining the roles of trust, attachment, and validation, while Sonia opens up about her own experience of infidelity and what it taught her about resilience, self-worth, and the power of sitting with discomfort. You’ll walk away with practical insights about rebuilding trust, recognizing red flags, and understanding when it’s time to rebuild—or let go.

Finally, Sonia shares a deeply personal story about the aftermath of her own betrayal—the shock, the anger, and the white-knuckled early days of staying sober through grief—while Kathleen reflects on what it takes to heal, whether together or apart. Their raw honesty and humor make space for reflection, laughter, and growth, even in the messy middle of heartbreak.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Sonia and Kathleen kick off with humor and a “dating disaster” red flag story 01:30 – Introducing the topic: why infidelity brings even the strongest to their knees 03:00 – Defining what “infidelity” really means—beyond just sex 04:15 – Kathleen explains deception and secrecy as the real breach of trust 05:45 – Emotional cheating vs. friendship—where’s the line? 07:00 – The danger of fantasy and emotional displacement 08:00 – A lighthearted detour into Jason Momoa and fantasy boundaries 09:00 – Alcohol and infidelity—how lowered inhibitions aren’t the same as lost morals 10:30 – Sonia recalls the difference between blackouts and passing out 11:15 – Why betrayal feels like a personal rejection (and why it’s not about you) 12:00 – The “roommate syndrome” and what makes relationships vulnerable 13:30 – Kathleen explains how discomfort avoidance fuels betrayal 14:30 – Sobriety and infidelity—why staying sober makes you feel more, not less 16:00 – Can good relationships survive cheating? 17:00 – When infidelity isn’t about love, but about lost identity 18:30 – Rebuilding after betrayal—what it really takes 19:30 – The long road back to trust and why it’s often harder than people realize 20:30 – “Punishment mode” after infidelity and the death-by-a-thousand-cuts dynamic 22:00 – Is it ever just about sex? Desire discrepancy and longing for aliveness 23:15 – Esther Perel’s perspective on why people cheat 24:30 – Navigating the recovery process: disclosure, accountability, and trust rebuilding 25:45 – Setting communication boundaries when discussing betrayal 27:00 – Why triggers can reappear years later—and how to respond with empathy 28:00 – When it’s time to walk away with love and clarity 29:00 – The importance of remorse, accountability, and emotional safety 30:00 – Closing reflections and the promise of a follow-up episode on emotional sobriety

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bicultural identity, authenticity, boundaries, and belonging — this week on Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia sits down with award-winning therapist, author, and Washington Post columnist Sahaj Kaur Kohli, founder of Brown Girl Therapy (@browngirltherapy). Sahaj is the author of But What Will People Say: Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures and host of So We’ve Been Told. Together, Sonia and Sahaj explore how culture shapes our emotional lives and what it really means to honor your identity while protecting your mental health.

This conversation unpacks what happens when cultural expectations collide with personal truth. Sonia and Sahaj discuss why “just be yourself” can be harmful advice for children of immigrants, how boundaries sound different across cultures, and why guilt and shame can linger even in healing. They dive into the nuances of bicultural identity, family dynamics, and how recovery and self-discovery intersect when you grow up between worlds.

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of bicultural identity, intergenerational trauma, authenticity, and decolonizing mental health. Sahaj explains how Western therapy often misses cultural context and why redefining concepts like boundaries, self-care, and recovery through a collectivist lens can change everything. She shares practical frameworks for discernment, emotional safety, and reclaiming ancestral wisdom in modern mental-health practices.

Sonia also shares her personal story of navigating no contact, cultural shame, and the grief that comes with estrangement. Together, she and Sahaj reflect on how to hold compassion for parents shaped by survival, while creating space for your own healing. It’s a candid and heartfelt conversation about identity, duty, and the freedom to choose what wholeness means to you.

This is Sisters in Sobriety — the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.

[00:00:00] Introduction to Sahaj Kaur Kohli and her work bridging mental health and culture [00:02:00] The origins of Brown Girl Therapy and how identity crises inspired it [00:04:00] Why “boundaries” can feel unnatural in collectivist families [00:05:30] Reframing boundaries as compromise, connection, and care [00:06:30] The myth of authenticity when you live between cultures [00:08:00] Adapting between cultural spaces without losing yourself [00:09:30] The difference between hiding and lying in family systems [00:12:00] When immigrant parents surprise you with growth and empathy [00:13:30] Narrative therapy and rewriting generational family stories [00:16:00] “What will people say?” and the survival logic behind shame [00:18:00] Intergenerational trauma and assimilation through an immigrant lens [00:20:00] Drinking culture, gender, and coping in Punjabi families [00:23:30] How recovery language often excludes cultural context [00:26:00] What culturally responsive recovery could look like [00:29:00] The role of shame across cultures and its impact on healing [00:31:00] What it means to decolonize mental-health practices [00:33:00] When duty is love — and when it becomes control [00:36:00] Setting boundaries and practicing discernment with family [00:39:00] Grieving family estrangement and re-parenting yourself [00:44:00] Redefining self-care as collective and cultural care [00:47:00] What’s next for Sahaj and Brown Girl Therapy

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen

📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email

📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast

📸 Kathleen’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.