After Alcohol

It's the last episode of Season 1 (yes we know it's been a long season!) and Leanne and Leisa are chatting about all the changes that are happening in their life currently and getting excited about a new chapter. We discuss how things have fallen away from their lives since they got sober, getting out of toxic relationships, and how they have dug deep to cope with crazy life changes in 2020. We also talk a little about what's coming up for Rise and how excited we are to share this with our community. Enjoy this episode and we will see you in Season 2!

This week we’re chatting to Hannah Crerar a soul psychologist. Hannah blends modern psychology with ancient wisdom to bring her clients into deeper alignment with their true nature. I was super excited for this weeks chat as we got to delve deep into my latest obsession - Human Design. It has been hands down the most enlightening tool for me in sobriety and my journey towards self love and acceptance. As Hannah says, self-love begins with self-awareness and she’s on a mission to bring a greater sense of awareness to as many people as possible.  If you’re intrigued about what Human Design actually is then you’re going to love this episode….all will be revealed! *Side note - apologies for the sound quality from Leisa and I in this episode, had a few technical issues - although Hannah is clear as crystal and really that's all that matters ;)* You can find Hannah here: Instagram - @hannahcrerar website: https://hannahsoulpsychology.com/ If you want to access your Human Design body graph: https://www.mybodygraph.com/

This week we talk to Amy C Willis from Hol + Well, a Sobriety and Mindset Coach based in Toronto Canada. After starting a wellness business it wasn’t until after her father sadly passed away that she really started to address her problematic relationship with alcohol and dove headfirst into self care. After overcoming years of disordered eating, unhealthy relationships and alcohol use disorder, she now uses her own lived experience to support women in making powerful, positive change in their lives and to step fully into their power so that they can also lead lives of purpose and passion. We discuss her journey to where she is today, the tools she uses in sobriety and her coaching practise and do a deep dive into EFT (otherwise known as tapping) to show what powerful tool it is in releasing old habits and behaviours. You can find Amy on: Instagram @msamycwillis Her website is holandwell.com You can grab a copy of The 5 Step Guide to Kickstart Your Sobriety Workbook on the site. After Alcohol Listeners can take advantage of 10% off 1:1 coaching packages with the code “AFTERALCOHOL10” Amy also offers 1:1 tapping sessions which you can learn more about on her website.

Maz Compton has lived a life. Landing a job as a VJ with MTV in her early 20s , Maz travelled the globe interviewing everyone from Lady Gaga to Kanye West. In 2010 she moved into radio eventually winning a Cosmopolitan Women of the Year award in 2014. After a decade of working hard and paying even harder Maz started to question her relationship with alcohol and decided to set herself a challenge of going alcohol free for a while. A while turned into 5 years later, a new career in health and wellness and a book that sparked a movement inviting others to do their own alcohol free experiment. We discuss why there needs to be a social rebellion around drinking culture in Australia and how her sobriety became her foundation for getting through whatever life threw at her. Maz speaks so eloquently around this topic and you can see how much she cares about empowering her community to redefine their relationship with alcohol. Find Maz online here: www.thesocialrebellion.com Instagram: @thesocialrebellion

This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Khadi from Sober Black Girls Club. Khadi lives in New York and in 2018, after slipping into alcohol addiction, decided to get sober. She struggled to identify with any of the recovery communities out there and felt underrepresented as a sober black woman. So she went ahead and created her own community and has been on a mission to help and support black girls, women and non binary folks ever since. As a lawyer she also supports these women by giving legal advice and raising funds in order to provide specific resources to them. We talk about the issue of inclusivity in the recovery space, how important it is to have these safe spaces that are specific to and talk to the trauma black women experience and how everybody has the right to recover. We hope you enjoy this chat with such an inspiring woman! Here's some links to SBGC: website: www.soberblackgirlsclub.com IfundWomen Campaign:  ifundwomen.com/projects/sober-black-girls-club Instagram: @soberblackgirlsclub facebook: @SoberBlackGirlsClub twitter: soberblackgirls -------- Visit our website to RSVP to our online October Womxn's Circle 21st October - this months theme is ACCEPTANCE. Hope to see you there!

This week we’re talking to sober BFFs Annie and Bianka. Hosts of the hilarious yet always inspiring podcast ‘We Want to Be Better’, Annie and Bianka talk big serious topics and challenge themselves to be better (even though they are already pretty fabulous!). Their balance of humour and honesty has allowed them to shine a light on the often dark and unspoken things people are dying to talk about but are too afraid to. Earlier in the year they tackled the subject of sobriety after Bianka decided to kick the booze. Being the amazing supportive friend that she is Annie decided to go alcohol free too. We talk about the beauty of female friendship - especially in sobriety and how quitting alcohol was ‘the thing’ that led to so many other awesome things. These girls are hilarious and more than a few times we peed ourselves a little from laughing so much! We hope you enjoy this chat as much as we did. You can listen to the ‘We Want to Be Better Podcast’ on iTunes and Spotify and visit https://annieandbianka.com.au/ to keep up to date with what the girls are up to. They are also on the ‘gram as @wewanttobebetter, @biankaismailovski & @uncannyannieblog

This week we take the poddy global and speak to Ashley James in the UK. Ashley is a tv presenter, social commentator, model, DJ, empowerment coach and has appeared on shows such as Made in Chelsea and Celebrity Big Brother:Year of the Woman’. This is one woman with many strings to her bow! A campaigner for mental health, body positivity and social media honesty, Ashley has appeared on both BBC News and Sky News to discuss topical issues and draw on her own past battles with self-harm, bullying and body dysmorphia. Ashley has been a journey from people pleasing to self love to become the femme de force that she is today. We discuss single positivity, changing your relationship with alcohol in a society that doesn’t want you to and how to strive for happiness. We hope you enjoy!

This week we discuss the topic of identity. How do we define who we are and what we stand for in this world? Identity is something that both Leanne and Leisa have experienced a shift in post drinking career. When you take away alcohol you wave goodbye to your drunk persona and changes the way you interact with people in a social capacity. We'll discuss ways of working through a sober identity crisis and how you can learn to love the new you. Enjoy!

On this episode we talk to Shanna Whan - the CEO, founder, and force behind national charity Sober in the Country. She's a self-described ''garden variety recovered alcoholic'' who was fortunate enough to make it back from the brink of death - and chooses to use her very imperfect life and story to pay it forward and offer hope for those still in the fight. She risked it all when going public after rebuilding her life from ground zero at the age of forty and going on to spend 15,000 volunteer hours in the 'trenches' to start a conversation around making it okay to say no thanks to beers in the bush. We talk about speaking your truth in sobriety, how insidious booze culture is in the bush and how the lack of anonymity in the bush drove her to create her platform the helps folks be ok with saying no to booze. We hope you enjoy! As always please remember to rate, review and subscribe if you enjoy our little poddy!

This week we discuss the highs and lows of our first 365 days of sobriety. Everybody's journey is different but this may be valuable to those early on in theirs. Buckle up, you're in for a hell of a ride! As usual please remember to rate review and subscribe - thank you!

This week we tackle the subject of mental health. We share our personal experiences around mental health and how it’s intrinsically linked with our sobriety. We discuss expectations around mental health when we stop drinking and the stigma around asking for help. Oh and there’s a little bit of Yeezy thrown in there for good measure. Please remember to rate and review and subscribe my darlings!

*TRIGGER WARNING* This week we discuss a recent event in Leisa’s life - a bad break up - and how she has got through whilst staying sober. Life certainly has thrown some tests our way since quitting the booze but we want to talk about how keeping that clarity throughout the ups and downs has built resilience and given us the strength to confront and work through a crisis. We discuss some sensitive topics in this episode, especially around emotional abuse but please be warned that this may be triggering. But we hope this conversation helps to show how we can work through the hard parts of life without having to numb out. A few links to things that we discuss in this episode: If you are struggling with your mental health or feel unsafe in any way contact Lifeline 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/ If you think you may be in an abusive relationship call 1800 RESPECT - https://www.1800respect.org.au/ A great meditation - https://insighttimer.com/manojdias/guided-meditations/metta-loving-kindness-meditation-3 ‘BE the bad bitch’ playlist courtesy of Leisa! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/01w4e4e9O3iN1suuJwdNw9?si=oGthkZaVTvebrtJBa6kJNg

After a short mid season hiatus we’re back with a new episode! Ever been to your GP and had to do one of those surveys about how much alcohol you drink? Did you ever lie? And more importantly did that doctor tell you that the amount you drink was ‘no big deal’? Well I certainly have many times over so i was chomping at the bit to talk to a doctor about what they really think about alcohol. This week we talk to Dr. Megan Young - a GP and medical doctor who’s currently working in the area of HIV treatment. Megan stopped drinking a few years ago after realising how integral sobriety was to her overall health and wellbeing. We discuss how alcohol often gets a ‘free pass’ in the medical profession, the effects of alcohol on mental and physical health and the benefits of giving it up. Thanks for sharing your story Megan! You can find Megan @healthy_megan and https://www.dryoung.com.au/

This week we’re so excited to share with you this interview with Jill Stark. Jill is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and passionate mental health advocate. Her first book, High Sobriety: My Year Without Booze, charted her year off the sauce and highlighted Australia’s obsession with alcohol. The book catapulted her into a life of media attention and parties - she was living the dream. And then it all fell apart. This led Jill to question the narrative on what it means to be successful and she wrote the book ‘Happy Never After’ in which Jill turns the happiness fairytale on it’s head and swaps the ‘quick fix’ approach to mental ill health for the long road back to herself. Part of that journey for Jill was to question her relationship once again with alcohol and last year she decided to cut it out of her life for the foreseeable future. The link between her anxiety and her drinking was just too much to ignore. We talk to Jill about her journey to where she is now, how booze is implicated in mental health and the state of booze culture in our society. We hope you enjoy! If you are struggling you can contact the following organisations: Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ They have a dedicated Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service - https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au/ You can find Jill on the socials: Instagram: @jillstark__ and on her website: https://jillstark.com.au/ Here is a link to an incredible piece she wrote for Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/personal-best/pillar/in-focus/am-i-normal-hangover-anxiety

This week our guest is the NRL player Joel Thompson. Joel grew up in a remote community in NSW around domestic violence, unstable housing, and drug and alcohol abuse. This led to self-destructive behaviour in adulthood which threatened to destroy his professional rugby career and personal relationship. After struggling for years with his mental health and seeking professional help in 2011, it wasn’t until 2019 that Joel started to question his relationship with alcohol. Last November an accident at a party left Joel in hospital in intensive care - and it was there that he vowed to stop drinking for a year. In this chat we talk about Joel's difficult upbringing and how it’s given him resilience, strength and a passion to help inspire a new generation of Indigenous men to reach their potential. He talks about the effect that removing alcohol has had on his life, how he’s approached sobriety surrounded by a macho drinking culture and what he hopes for the future. Joel’s story is powerful, honest and inspirational. We really hope you enjoy listening to Joel and take away some of his resilient spirit. You can find Joel on the socials and through his work with The Mindset Project. Instagram: @_joel.thompson_ @the_mindset_project https://themindsetproject.com.au/

This week we talk to the one and only Samantha X. Samantha worked as a tabloid journalist for years before swapping a high rise office for high class escorting and became Australia's most well know escort. She's written two best selling books, shares advice on intimacy and sex in the media and also works as a coach. Fifteen months ago Samantha decided to get sober. In this episode she opens up about her journey from party girl to living with presence and clarity. We discuss the highs and lows of sobriety, how sex has changed since ditching the booze and why she thinks it's the best thing she's ever done for herself. Chatting to Samantha was like hanging out with a girlfriend - she's so down to earth, honest and authentic. We hope you enjoy this chat as much as we did! You can find Samantha on the socials and her website: https://samanthax.com.au/ Instagram - @samanthaxreal As always please remember to rate, review and share if you like what you hear :)

This week Leisa and Leanne chat with Manoj Dias - Father, Writer, Meditation Teacher and Founder of A—SPACE Meditation Studio. He is also a lululemon ambassador, a role he uses to champion more accessible and inclusive wellness experiences for the under privileged and marginalised. We loved having this chat with Manoj - he was so open, friendly and inspirational. We talked how he went from the corporate world to being a renowned meditation teacher, representation within the wellness industry, why he's recently reassessed his relationship with alcohol and how we can all practise applying compassion to be kinder to ourselves and one another. Manoj can be found on all the socials - as well as his studio A-SPACE (make sure you check that out!) www.manojdias.com.au a-space.com.au Instagram: @manojdias Facebook: /hellomanojdias

Leisa and Leanne talk to William Porter, the author of Alcohol Explained - an in depth at alcohol as a substance and what it does to our body. Ever wondered why alcohol helps you 'wind down', why you wake up with that 4am dread after a night on the town? Well we did and William's book made us feel a little more sane about it all. We talk anxiety, addiction and disease theory in this eye opening episode. Enjoy! William Porter can be found online, on socials and his book 'Alcohol Explained' and 'Alcohol Explained 2' are out now: https://www.alcoholexplained.com/ Instagram - @alcoholexplained Facebook - @alcoholexplained

Leisa and Leanne talk to Jason and Andy Quin from Etch Sparkling - a range of AF drinks made with Australian native fruits, herbs & honey. Jason bravely opens up about his struggle with alcohol and how he made the journey from booze to health. After working in the alcohol industry for 23 years Jason and his wife Andy started ETCH as a brand that would align more with their values and spread the beautiful mantra 'Every Time Choose Health'. We discuss what going alcohol-free has meant to the both of them and what they hope for the future of the AF industry in Australia. So excited to share this with you - these guys really are inspirational! You can find Etch Sparkling (and order their delicious beverages) here: https://www.etchsparkling.com.au/ Intstagram & Facebook - @etchsparkling

Leisa and Leanne sit down in front of their respective screens and discuss life under lockdown. We talk about the issues that many of those may be facing right now - increased anxiety and uncertainty - and how that could lead to increased drinking and problem behaviour. We share some tips and tricks on how you can work through this difficult time and be kind to yourself. As we believe there is no right way to recover below are a few links to support resources that can help: Lifeline: www.lifeline.org.au or call 13 11 14 Beyond Blue: www.beyondblue.org.au Tempest: www.jointempest.com AA: aa.org.au Smart Recovery: smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au Or join our FB private group (@theriserevolution) for close to home support. We're all in this together. As always remember to rate and review folks :)

Leisa and Leanne share the story of their journeys to becoming alcohol free. We introduce ourselves and our new podcast in this episode. We talk about how and why we quit the booze and what's compelled us to start this conversation about the role it plays in Australian society.

‘After Alcohol’ will be taking a look at what it’s like to live an alcohol-free life and breaking down the stigma surrounding this. We want to normalise the alcohol-free lifestyle and believe alternatives to our booze-centric society should promoted and celebrated! We’ll be interviewing those pioneering the sober movement, celebrating homegrown AF drinks brands, grilling health and wellness professionals on the benefits of the AF lifestyle and challenging the role that alcohol plays in Australian society.