The Sober Mom Life

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. I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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! I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cristina never gave a single thought to alcohol before her first drink during her junior year of highschool, but from the moment it entered her life, she welcomed the feeling it brought her. Alcohol became something to lean on as she entered college in order to make friends, feel ‘normal’, and block out her confusion regarding her sexuality.Later, as an occupational therapist, Cristina worked with many patients who struggled with alcoholism. These stark cases, though, only reassured her that her own relationship with alcohol wasn’t that bad in comparison. Her wife, though, was worried, and urged Cristina to address her relationship with alcohol. In 2010, Cristina began a decade+ long cycle of taking breaks from alcohol, but it would always creep back in until she found herself in blackout territory yet again. In 2022, with a new baby at home, Cristina experienced a blackout that resulted in her wife giving her an ultimatum: if Cristina didn’t get her drinking under control, her wife was going to leave. This spurred Cristina to commit to the change. Her first year of sobriety was a big challenge, but as she looks back, now almost three years sober, she can’t help but be so incredibly grateful for the hard work she put in to find her own path and motivation for sobriety. These days, Cristina feels more authentic and she likes herself so much more. She’s found deep meaning in helping other women make the change to sobriety in their lives! Connect with Cristina on Instagram here and on Facebook here.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. I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Audrey and I are here to help you answer the dreaded question: “Why aren’t you drinking?” Right in time for the holidays, we’re supplying you with 50+ answers to this question. No matter who asks you or what your reasons are, you’ll walk away from this episode with clear options to confidently tackle this question. 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. I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 AI started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I recently asked on Instagram “What is better sober?” and SO many of you said sex. So, light the candles ladies, because we’re going there. Hilary Phelps is back on the pod today for a chat all about the beauty of sober sex! We’ll talk about the ways in which sobriety leads to intimacy, how greater self-awareness can lead to connection, how to approach sober sex and handle feelings of awkwardness if the experience is new for you, and why you deserve to feel empowered about your sexual wants and needs. For more about Hilary’s story, check out her first episode on the Sober Mom Life. Learn more about Hilary Phelps here! I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Exciting changes are coming to the Cafe and the podcast, starting November 1st! Today, I’ll share with you why I’ll only be releasing new episodes on Mondays starting in November, and what that means for the Real Sober Moms series (Don’t worry! They’re not going away!). I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlifeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.