Why do we keep drinking even when we know it’s hurting us? For Sammie, the answer lay beneath the surface—in the pain she hadn’t faced. Her story shows how unresolved trauma leads to drinking and how ignoring what hurts often feels safer than healing. Until it doesn’t. In this episode, she opens up about what it took to stop numbing and start living fully.

In this raw and real conversation, Annie and Sammie unpack how unresolved trauma leads to drinking and what it means to finally feel your feelings without fear. From parenting through grief to starting over at 49, Sammie’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to break old cycles.

In this episode, Annie and Sammie discuss:

Early alcohol exposure and teen drinking
Losing both parents in 19 days
Why drinking became her emotional escape
What grief looked like in real life
What made her stop for good
The power of The PATH and the community
Experiencing her first alcohol-free festivals
Using nursing experience to help others detox safely
Finding meaning in coaching and service
How unresolved trauma shows up in everyday choices
Why it’s never too late to change
And other topics…

Episode links:

Sammie’s Sober Heroes - https://www.sammiessoberheroes.com/Start reading This Naked Mind - https://thisnakedmind.com/bookJoin The Path - https://go.tnmprograms.com/the-path-from-this-naked-mind

How Unresolved Trauma Leads To Drinking | Sammie’s Naked Life | E802