On October 18, 2015, I woke up with a slight hangover and a mountain of guilt. I had let myself down, again, but I had also let other people down. I felt like a horrible person, someone I didn't recognize. I had finally had enough - enough of letting alcohol be the most important relationship in my life. After that one decision almost 9 years ago, my life has unfolded in ways I could only have imagined. While I felt in my gut that I was meant for more, I had spent so long tamping down my dreams and ideas that I had no idea what might lie ahead. I have always been a 'personal growth j ..read more

If you have ever wondered if other people talk to themselves, the answer is yes. In one form or another, everyone has a voice in their head. This voice has a lot to say, and we listen. According to Ethan Kross, author of 'Chatter', if you have ever replayed a conversation in your mind, or coached yourself through a problem or skill, you've used your inner voice. Most people rely on and benefit from theirs every day. But what happens when our inner coach turns into the inner critic?    The clients I work with often find themselves stuck in negative self-talk and turning ..read more

  My friend and colleague Kristen Horstman is a certified Gray Area Drinking Coach with a specialty in helping clients learn how to nourish their nervous system.    We also touch on: Perfectionism Polyvagal Theory Focusing on the body brings us into the present Focusing on our thoughts leads us to the past or future How to recognize when we are regulated or deregulated Kristen also has a passion for a non-profit organization, CMC, Foundation For Change. This organization helps support family members whose loved ones are dealing with substance use. She shares the philosophy of ..read more

What if, instead of health, we decide to seek wellness? What if, beyond health, there is a beautiful place called 'wellness'? In our culture today we are often bombarded with wellness products and wellness lifestyles, but what does that really mean?  My guest on the podcast today, Megan Swan, has her own spin on wellness, and we talked about her modern approach to wellness that takes us beyond health (health has been defined as the opposite of disease) to a 360 degree approach. Megan Swan Wellness is her brand, and she teaches the foundation of wellness to include strategic practices that ..read more

This is an extra special episode of The Sober Edge Podcast - we are inviting ALL of you to meet author Laura Cathcart Robbins.   First, you will meet Laura in this special podcast episode. Robbins is the author of Stash: My Life In Hiding. This powerful book takes us on the emotional journey of Laura's addiction to sleeping medication and alcohol. I must share that I was riveted as I read her account of navigating being a Hollywood wife and mother and board president of the private school her children attended WITH sourcing extra refills of Ambien.    I know that many of us had ..read more

Do you believe that 'with sobriety anything is possible'? When you hear the story of Todd Crandell, you will. Todd is the founder of Racing for Recovery, a  non-profit center to help people move away from addiction and towards recovery. Todd is the Original Sober Ironman and is also known as Sober Ultra Man on Instagram. Todd is a living, breathing example of a sober life and lifestyle. He believes that exercise can be a big component of healing from addiction and, while some may consider his devotion to running (113 Ironman competitions on 6 different continents) to b ..read more

Sometimes, everything falls apart. We can be fraying at the edges for a long time, using alcohol as the 'duct tape' to hold everything together and one day, it's not enough. My guest on the podcast today, Allison Barber, shares her story, which includes a debilitating injury, a crumbling marriage and a rocky relationship happening all at once. To find her way out, Allison chose one brave step. From this place, she began the work of healing from 'the inside out'. And today, she shares her message with others who are struggling with taking that first step toward healing. Highlights from this epi ..read more

I am celebrating my 8 years AF TODAY! In today’s podcast episode I share eight things I have learned in my eight years. Most of them will not be a surprise - I think we all recognize that a lot changes when we choose to remove alcohol from our day to day.  I do find new delights that are part of the 'trickle down' effect of not drinking: Trusting my intuition has helped me taking more risks Seeing things without the veil of shame and guilt has allowed me to speak up for myself Setting boundaries, with myself and others, is a skill I am honing Connection - I am delighted to be finding so ..read more

What if we focused on what we are doing RIGHT on this alcohol free journey? This is the question that my guest, Sally Magee and I explore on this podcast. Arthur Brooks created the framework for Clifton Strengths coaching and Sally is among the first to apply it to this alcohol-free journey. We talk about: How to move from Self-Awarenss to Self-Appreciation How your top 5 Strengths differentiate you from others How Clifton Stengths can help you stop drinking with a custom approach Which stengths lend themselves to 'overdrinking' Understanding that our strengths are also our weaknesses   ..read more

Bonus Episode: Ignite Your Sober Spark is a live mini-series I shared with my audience last week. Because it was so well received, I wanted to share it with you in this special podcast episode. The idea for Ignite Your Sober Spark came from my desire to share some new concepts around how we grow in our after alcohol life. When we stop drinking, everything changes. And, at first, it can feel uncomfortable, there are so many new emotions, new opportunities and changes to navigate. But, after a while, it can start to feel flat; the novelty is gone and life is just ho-hum. This can be a time where ..read more