The Sober Mom Life

Gillian shares her journey from a chaotic childhood surrounded by alcohol to realizing its grip on her identity as an adult. She reflects on her first drink at 13 and the years spent underestimating her drinking habits. Personal stories reveal the emotional struggles tied to alcohol, including the wake-up call she experienced during pregnancy. Embracing sobriety opened her eyes to transformation and the strength found in shared narratives, particularly among women. This journey highlights the empowerment that comes from acknowledging and overcoming the challenges of alcohol.

Discover Claire's journey from casual drinking to embracing sobriety. She reflects on her struggle with alcohol and the pressures that led to unintentional overindulgence. Humorous anecdotes about physical affection and introversion add depth to her experiences. Claire shares crucial moments, including a heartfelt goodbye to alcohol, and emphasizes the importance of self-compassion in overcoming shame. With six months of sobriety under her belt, she highlights how community support and shared experiences can foster a positive outlook on this transformative path.

I love taking a look back at the end of each year, so today I’ve compiled some of my favorite moments from this year’s episodes to share with you! Get ready to hear some standout moments from all of our fantastic guests in 2024.If you’d like to go deeper into any of these conversations, be sure to visit the full episodes! In this episode you'll hear from:5:55 - Casey Davidson (Episode 129)6:45 - Stefanie Wilder-Taylor (Episode 131)7:40 -  Jenna Dillulio (Episode 133)9:25 - Michaela Horvathova (Episode 139)10:20 - Mallory Irvin (Episode 141)11:20 - Hailey Conroy (Episode 143)12:20 - Dr. Kara Pepper (Episode 145)15:25 - Susan Knower (Episode 147)16:35 - Rachel Paula Abrahamson (Episode 151)17:40 - Erinn O’Neill (Episode 153)19:05 - Morgan Matkovic (Episode 155)20:40 - Emily Ley (Episode 159)21:45 - Annie Grace (Episode 163)23:15 - Madeline Campbell (Episode 165)24:15 - Kristen Beckett (Episode 169)26:00 - Julia Dzafic (Episode 173)27:30 - Suzanne & Audrey (Episode 175)28:25 - Emily (Belden) Bond (Episode 179)29:45 - Gill Tietz (Episode 181)31:00 - Suzanne & Audrey (Episode 183)32:20 - My husband, Russell Wayre (Episode 187)33:20 - Kate Taylor (Episode 191)34:20 - Rehab with Jen (Episode 195)36:15 - Katy Rexing (Episode 197)38:00 - Susan Knower (Episode 211)39:45 - Jaana of @thismomsgonnasnap (Episode 213)41:35 - Hilary Phelps (Episode 215)43:15 - Suzanne & Audrey (Episode 217)44:15 - Laura Wiese (Episode 221)If you’re ready to start your new year off with Dry January and a support sober community, join us in the Fresh 30! Enrollment for the next Sober Mom Retreat is now live, and you’re invited! We’ll be gathering at the Mountain Shadows Resort in Arizona from Feb 27-Mar 2, 2025. If you’re looking for community and self care in sobriety, this retreat is for you! Book your spot here. Are you looking for community in sobriety? Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For $40/month, you’ll get access to 12 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed, our monthly book club and happy hour, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and even a monthly Bravo chat! For a limited time, get one week free! We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed, the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting. Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colleen had what seemed like a ‘perfect’ childhood - with a sober mom and a dad who rarely drank. Such an idyllic upbringing, however, didn’t guarantee smooth sailing for her. High expectations and perfectionism had begun to weigh on her by the time she left for college, and her newfound college freedom quickly led her to a life of heavy partying. Colleen’s new lifestyle was rife with alcohol and other substances, and it resulted in some challenging experiences. First, she was kicked out of her dorms, and then she was kicked out of her college entirely. As she moved into adulthood, she knew that her drug use was problematic, but despite attempts to begin a new chapter, substances stayed in her life. After marriage, her drug challenges became so clear that she ended up in rehab. It’s now been 10 years since Colleen has touched drugs, but she saw no reason at the time to give up alcohol. As a person with a high tolerance and no hangovers, drinking didn’t seem as though it was negatively affecting her life. Plus, she’d found it easy to quit during pregnancy or during times when she was working toward major fitness goals. However, it eventually became clear that while alcohol didn’t feel like it had negative effects on her physically, it did have negative effects on her choices. After a series of destructive decisions put her marriage in jeopardy, Colleen started to question if alcohol actually was a problem. It was then that she found The Sober Mom Life podcast and community! Colleen is now 90 days sober and she’s become deeply committed to doing the hard work through therapy. For Colleen, it feels good to say ‘forever’. She is never going back!  Enrollment for the next Sober Mom Retreat is now live, and you’re invited! We’ll be gathering at the Mountain Shadows Resort in Arizona from Feb 27-Mar 2, 2025. If you’re looking for community and self care in sobriety, this retreat is for you! Book your spot here. Are you looking for community in sobriety? Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For $40/month, you’ll get access to 12 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed, our monthly book club and happy hour, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and even a monthly Bravo chat! For a limited time, get one week free! We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed, the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting. Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie and I are here for another installment of SobrieTEA, where we spill the tea about our favorite escape: Bravo and Reality TV! And oh boy, is there a lot to talk about in this installment. We’ll jump right into our thoughts about the amazing new season of Southern Charm, including JT’s ill conceived gift, Shep’s moderation game, and Whitney’s odd role on the show. Then we’ll tackle The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with thoughts about Dorit’s new F-it energy, Kathy and Kyle’s emotionally toxic family, and Jennifer Tilly’s debut. And finally, we’ll get to the cream of the crop, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake! We’ll breakdown Meredith’s incredible Bat Mitzvah episode, Angie’s ‘high body count hair’ comment, how well Bronwyn is fitting into the show, and Mary and her son’s meaningful connection over his addiction.Plus: Katie’s review of Sonja Morgan’s live cabaret show, how Potomac dredged up Suzanne’s religious trauma, the evolution of alcohol on reality shows, the home stretch of Katie’s pregnancy, and the end of an era on Vanderpump! Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For $40/month, you get access to 12 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed, our monthly book club and happy hour, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and even a monthly Bravo chat! For a limited time, get one week free! We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting. My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a meta moment - The Sober Mom Life podcast’s editor, Laura Wiese, is on the show. Today, the woman behind the curtain who shines up the podcast is here to tell her own sobriety story, with the centerpiece being that she herself was raised by a sober mom. Laura will share how having a very vocal sober mom gave her clear guardrails once alcohol came into her life, why she has always felt a strong correlation between safety and sobriety, and the challenges she’s had navigating the social contract that so many of us feel around drinking. You can learn more about Laura at her website! Enrollment for the next Sober Mom Retreat is now live, and you’re invited! We’ll be gathering at the Mountain Shadows Resort in Arizona from Feb 27-Mar 2, 2025. If you’re looking for community and self care in sobriety, this retreat is for you! Book your spot here. Are you looking for community in sobriety? Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For $40/month, you’ll get access to 12 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed, our monthly book club and happy hour, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and even a monthly Bravo chat! For a limited time, get one week free! We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed, the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting. Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alcohol was a normalized part of Renee’s early life. Going back and forth between her mom’s and dad’s homes, she was regularly around drinking in ways that never felt dangerous at the time. So, it seemed natural to start drinking in her teens. As an adult, alcohol continued its regular place in her life, but she slowly began to experience its dark side. Her husband’s drinking had gotten out of control. After two hospitalizations for acute pancreatitis, her husband’s doctor was clear: he had to quit drinking for his health. While he wasn’t happy about the news, he did get sober. He’s now been so for nine years. From there, Renee’s drinking felt well contained, but she still saw beer as a reward at the end of the day. After her father’s death in 2022, which was hastened by a lifetime of heavy drinking, her own drinking began to ramp up until she was often drinking a 12-pack a night. The escalation felt worrisome and her peace of mind and body were suffering. It took a bit of time, but something began to click: she was ready to quit. Renee committed herself to a big perspective shift. She was no longer going to see alcohol as a ‘reward’. Instead, she learned about rock bottoms and interventions in order to help her visualize the rock bottom that she was trying to avoid for herself. Renee feels so much more calm and inner peace in sobriety! Within six months she was able to get off of her anxiety meds. She now commits herself to sharing her story in hopes that it helps others find the courage to quit. Enrollment for the next Sober Mom Retreat is now live, and you’re invited! We’ll be gathering at the Mountain Shadows Resort in Arizona from Feb 27-Mar 2, 2025. If you’re looking for community and self care in sobriety, this retreat is for you! Book your spot here. Are you looking for community in sobriety? Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For $40/month, you’ll get access to 12 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed, our monthly book club and happy hour, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and even a monthly Bravo chat! For a limited time, get one week free! We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed, the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting. Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cristina shares her personal journey with alcohol, revealing how it intertwined with her experiences in high school and college. She highlights the importance of family support and the challenges faced when confronting her addiction. The discussion includes transformative moments that led to her commitment to sobriety, emphasizing the profound growth that comes from helping others. Insights into the role of occupational therapy in addiction recovery show the significance of community in healing. It's a heartfelt exploration of identity and reconnecting with one's roots.

Discover clever and humorous responses to the question, "Why aren’t you drinking?" with over 50 insightful reasons that empower personal choices. Delve into the challenges of sobriety in a drinking culture, especially during the holiday season, while fostering community through a retreat for women. Explore the negative effects of alcohol on digestion and health, using relatable anecdotes and humor to highlight the journey of self-discovery in sobriety. Prioritize mental well-being and redefine social interactions without alcohol.

Katie and I are here for another installment of SobrieTEA, where we spill the tea about our favorite escape: Bravo and Reality TV! Today’s show is all about the Real Housewives! First, we’ll talk about the great (and too short!) season of Real Housewives of Orange County that just wrapped, the big storylines on Real Housewives of Salt Lake, why both The Real Housewives of Potomoc and The Real Housewives of New York are falling flat this season, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills trailer. Plus - the best hot mic moments, What What Crappens, and the Southern Charm trailer Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For $40/month, you get access to 12 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed, our monthly book club and happy hour, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and even a monthly Bravo chat! For a limited time, get one week free! We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting. My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices