Podcasts about naked life

Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 917 What happens when you finally want to stop using alcohol to cope, but the idea of facing everything without it feels almost impossible? In this episode, Kim and Liv bravely step into that very question. They open up about just how easily alcohol became a source of comfort — soothing a nervous system wrecked by family crisis and serving as the one reliable, familiar thing in the uncertainty of life. Astonishingly, what comes next isn't a battle of willpower. Learning how to cope without alcohol becomes something else entirely - permission to feel, to choose your next step on your own terms, and to discover the strength that's been with you all along.  Kim discusses: Giving alcohol the "job" of soothing her nervous system through trauma and crises Why all-or-nothing thinking and shame from a previous recovery program made it harder to move forward The shift from feeling like she needed to "let it all go" to learning to live with her experiences differently Building real confidence through action — vulnerability, community, and showing up before the confidence was there Liv discusses: Drinking for her entire adult life (30 years) and why "familiar" is the one word she'd use to describe alcohol's role Noticing gradual mind shifts that are both exciting and frightening as the Path material starts to work A pattern of making goals only to rebel against them — and why that rebellion disappears when the choice is truly her own Learning to sit with discomfort for an hour, and replacing white-knuckling with curiosity Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Drawing from personal experiences, Hayley understands how tough change can be and provides a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. She believes that with the right mindset, anyone can change their life at any time. Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/ Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. For years, he felt lost and used alcohol as a way to cope, until he decided to go alcohol-free and focus on finding his purpose. Through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure, he transformed his life. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps young men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning. Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/ Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related episodes: How To Stop Drinking To Avoid Emotions | Alcohol Freedom Coaching https://thisnakedmind.com/drinking-to-avoid-emotions-afc-e845/ Alcohol Addiction and Shame | Hayley's Naked Life https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-679-naked-life-story-hayley-s/ Trusting Yourself Again | Alcohol Freedom Coaching https://thisnakedmind.com/trusting-yourself-again-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e760/  CTA Follow on Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, Quince, Shopify, Zazzle, and OSEA. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind ⁠Green Chef: Get 50% off your first month, then 20% percent off for 2 month at ⁠greenchef.com/NAKEDMIND ⁠Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠ Zazzle: Save 25% on your first order at ⁠zazzle.com⁠ OSEA: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at ⁠OSEAMalibu.com⁠

Sabrina's Naked Life | EP 916 Trigger Warning: This episode includes mentions of an eating disorder. What does it really take to stop drinking when every warning sign you've been handed just isn't enough? Sabrina grew up watching her father drive drunk, got her own DUI at 17, and spent years treating pregnancy as her only real break from alcohol. It wasn't a rock bottom that finally did it; it was her husband standing at the door with packed bags on Halloween, and four daughters she wasn't willing to lose. Now 18 months alcohol-free, Sabrina is here because she remembers exactly how lonely day one felt, and she wants the next woman to know she doesn't have to feel that way. Sabrina shares what she discovered about how to stop drinking as a mom. Sabrina and Coach Cole discuss: Growing up surrounded by alcohol and no example of what moderate drinking looks like Why DUIs and close calls weren't enough to make her stop Discovering that pregnancy was the only "free pass" she felt she had to be alcohol-free, and how beautiful those windows were Her husband packing his bags on Halloween and why that ultimatum changed everything Finding Annie Grace's podcast on her commute to work and what it finally felt like to understand that it wasn't her fault And more on communication after alcohol, sharing this gift with others and how to stop drinking as a mom Episode links: thisnakedmind.com/podcasts Related episodes: Healing Through Self-Love: Cole's Naked Life | E737 — https://thisnakedmind.com/healing-through-self-love-coles-naked-life-e737/ Facing the Dark Side of Alcohol: Shannon's Naked Life — https://thisnakedmind.com/the-dark-side-of-alcohol-shannons-naked-life Quitting Drinking to Be a Better Mother: Alicia's Naked Life — https://thisnakedmind.com/quitting-drinking-to-be-a-better-mother-alicias-naked-life/ CTA Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, Quince, Shopify, Zazzle, and OSEA. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind ⁠Green Chef: Get 50% off your first month, then 20% percent off for 2 month at ⁠greenchef.com/NAKEDMIND ⁠Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠ Zazzle: Save 25% on your first order at ⁠zazzle.com⁠ OSEA: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at ⁠OSEAMalibu.com⁠

Is your life mostly intact — job fine, marriage okay, responsibilities covered — and yet you're drinking every single night and can't quite picture stopping? That's exactly where Tim Knapp was for years, and he was also, at the same time, one of the people other people called in a crisis. He spent over a decade working inside addiction recovery programs, walking men out of homelessness and incarceration, understanding the neuroscience of dependency from the inside out. High-functioning doesn't mean fine, and Tim's story is one of the most honest, clear-eyed accounts of what it actually looks like when the two things are true at once.  Tim and Coach Cole discuss: Growing up in small-town Oklahoma and discovering the buzz at age 12 — including a homemade raisin wine operation that launched a decade-long love affair with the altered state Why Tim loved the buzz itself more than the taste, and how that distinction became the key to his freedom Working at the Bowery Mission in New York City while his own drinking quietly escalated in the background The painful intersection of conscious and subconscious mind: knowing something is hurting you and still wanting it anyway How reading This Naked Mind led to an afternoon of rereading, a conversation at the kitchen bar, and the first honest talk he'd ever had with his wife about his drinking Why you don't have to lose everything before you're allowed to ask for help — and why high-functioning drinkers are often the least likely to reach out The photo of his childhood self on the fridge, and what it means to welcome that person back Tim's coaching style: asking questions that get to the why, not just the what, and his conviction that you already have everything you need to change Episode links: https://thisnakedmind.com/bookhttps://www.timknappcoaching.com/ Related Episodes: Healing Through Self-Love: Cole's Naked Life | EP 737 — https://thisnakedmind.com/healing-through-self-love-coles-naked-life-e737/  Find the Courage to Choose Yourself: Patrick's Naked Life | EP 735 — https://thisnakedmind.com/find-the-courage-to-choose-yourself-patricks-naked-life-e735/ EP 20: Reader Question – What do You do about Missing the “High” from Drinking? -  https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-20-reader-question-what-do-you-do-about-missing-the-high-from-drinking/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, Quince, Shopify, Zazzle, and OSEA. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind ⁠Green Chef: Get 50% off your first month, then 20% percent off for 2 month at ⁠greenchef.com/NAKEDMIND ⁠Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠ Zazzle: Save 25% on your first order at ⁠zazzle.com⁠ OSEA: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at ⁠OSEAMalibu.com⁠

Ever used drinking to cope with grief and felt like it wasn't even a conscious choice but rather a reflex? Jonathan knows that feeling exactly. He'd been living alcohol-free for two and a half years when he lost his father-in-law and then his dad, just months apart, during the pandemic. On the drive home from the funeral, he stopped at a Mexican restaurant and ordered a margarita. He thought he'd have one and go back to his life. Instead, the door that had been closed swung open, and the whole cycle started over. This conversation with Coach Cole is about grief, identity, and what it really takes to find your way back to yourself. Jonathan and Coach Cole discuss: How a scuba trip at sixteen taught Jonathan that alcohol was the price of admission for real connection, and how that belief quietly ran the show for twenty-five years Building his identity around being the life of the party through the service industry years, and the first time he realized he had no off switch Spending an entire Renaissance Festival doing alcohol math in his head, calculating drinks instead of making memories with his wife The fight, the blackout, and the tearful run in the rain that brought him to the This Naked Mind audiobook How reading This Naked Mind produced what felt like an overnight shift, and the anger he felt at never having been told what alcohol actually was Going two and a half years alcohol-free during the pandemic, then losing his father-in-law and his dad within months of each other The single margarita at a Mexican restaurant that cracked the door back open, and how the whole cycle restarted without a single conscious choice Going through the TNM Institute as his own first client, uncovering twenty-five years of people-pleasing, and finally stepping into who he actually is And more on IFS parts work, somatic experiencing, rebuilding self-trust, and what it means to show up in your own truth... Episode Links: Start your journey at nakedmindpath.com  https://www.thisnakedmindinstitute.com/tnmi-home Related Episodes: How Do I Deal With Death and Grief Without Alcohol | Reader Question | EP 262 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-262-reader-question-grief-without-alcohol/ How Quitting Drinking Saved My Life | Kay B.'s Naked Life | EP 717 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-717-naked-life-story-kay-b/ Alcohol and Grief | Coaching Questions with Pam McRae | EP 382 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-382-coaching-questions-with-scott-pinyard/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, Quince, Shopify, Zazzle, and OSEA. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind ⁠Green Chef: Get 50% off your first month, then 20% percent off for 2 month at ⁠greenchef.com/NAKEDMIND ⁠Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠ Zazzle: Save 25% on your first order at ⁠zazzle.com⁠ OSEA: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at ⁠OSEAMalibu.com⁠

What does it take to finally break the alcohol shame spiral when it's been running your life for decades? Krista knows the cycle well: a data point, the crushing shame that followed, a vow to do better, and then the slow, sneaky creep back to hiding bottles and pulling over on the side of the road to drink before going home. In this episode, she sits down with Coach Cole Harvey to share the full arc of her journey, from a childhood in the American South to bartending in New York City, to raising two kids in rural Ireland with no family nearby, to the night something finally, irreversibly shifted. A year into her alcohol-free life, Krista is clear: the work was hard, and she has never once looked back. In this episode, Krista and Coach Cole discuss: Growing up with alcohol woven into every family gathering, and starting drinking at 12 or 13 as a way to finally feel like she belonged Bartending in New York City in her twenties, closing bars with no memory of getting home, and knowing even then that something was wrong Moving to Ireland, losing her father while pregnant with her first child, and leaning harder on alcohol to cope with grief and isolation Years of trying — and failing — to moderate, from "only on weekends" to hiding bottles, and the shame spiral that followed every data point The rock bottom moment her husband came home and there was no hiding it anymore, and why that night became the turning point she couldn't explain Returning to counseling, reconnecting with her Path community, and doing the inner work of learning she was worthy of her own care Building a morning practice of meditation, journaling, and yoga, and recognizing that self-care wasn't a luxury but a necessity for her freedom The daffodil metaphor: planting seeds at the beginning of her journey, and finally learning to cut the flowers and bring the beauty inside And more on self-compassion, the stop-start cycle, and what it actually means to believe you are enough… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Stopping The Shame Spiral | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E883 — https://thisnakedmind.com/stopping-the-shame-spiral-afc-e883/ Overcoming Shame and Embarrassment After Drinking | Reader's Question | EP 722 — https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-722-readers-question-overcoming-shame-and-embarrassment-after-drinking/ Naked Life Story: Angela | EP 147 — https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-147-naked-life-story-angela/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

Wondering how I stopped drinking after trying to moderate for years? "Have I got a story for you!" says Michele. She ran a business, raised her daughter, kept things moving — and drank every night in a relationship where no one questioned it. Then the pandemic stripped away her structure, her purpose, and everything that had kept things manageable. She tried cutting back. She tried understanding it. Nothing stuck — until This Naked Mind gave her something willpower alone never could: a real understanding of what alcohol was doing to her, and the freedom to simply stop wanting it. Michele and Coach Cole discuss: How a functional habit quietly grew through a painful breakup, pandemic isolation, and lost purpose Why Michele spent her first year using This Naked Mind while still trying to moderate — and what finally changed The hospitalization that became her line in the sand How This Naked Mind helped her understand what alcohol was actually doing to her body and brain How shame became the thing that made drinking impossible to continue Reframing her hardest moments as the reason her daughter now has a fully present mom ADHD, generational patterns, and why "why can I stop sometimes but not others?" finally has an answer And more on identity, community, and what it means to find your own path to alcohol freedom… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Is Drinking In Moderation Possible? | Reader Question | EP 08 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-08-reader-question-moderation-possible/ Using Alcohol To Treat Adult ADHD | Amy's Naked Life | EP800 - https://thisnakedmind.com/using-alcohol-to-treat-adult-adhd-amys-naked-life-e800/ I use alcohol to be a better wife and mother | Reader Question | EP 238 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-238-reader-question-i-use-alcohol-to-be-a-better-wife-and-mother/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

What if the thing you thought was holding your life together was actually pulling you under? JiAna spent years reaching for alcohol not because she wanted to drink but because she was living in relentless pain and nobody had anything better to offer her. Between a chronic illness that left her on the floor and a culture that pushed wine at baby showers and playgroups, it made a terrible kind of sense. But slowly, joy started disappearing. The glimmers faded. That's when she knew something had to change. JiAna describes how coaching helped her change her drinking not through shame or rigid rules, but through curiosity, community, and the kind of compassion she'd never been shown — or shown herself. In this episode, JiAna and Coach Cole discuss: Familial drinking culture and alcohol being normalized from childhood Endometriosis, chronic pain, and why alcohol felt like the only option Losing the ability to find joy — the quiet signal that something was wrong Why shame-free support felt strange at first and transformative over time The ACT technique: awareness, clarity, and turnaround in practice Community in The Path and the bonds that lasted beyond the program Becoming a certified Women's Health Coach and being named one of the Most Influential Women of 2025  And more on self-love, hope, and turning pain into purpose… Episode links: endo-ease.comnakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Overcoming Using Alcohol as a Pain Reliever | Reader Question | EP 656 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-656-readers-question-overcoming-using-alcohol-as-a-pain-reliever/ How can I break free from Mommy Wine Culture? | Reader Question | EP 430 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-430-reader-question-how-can-i-break-free-from-mommy-wine-culture/ Learning To Love Yourself Unconditionally | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E875 - https://thisnakedmind.com/learning-to-love-yourself-unconditionally-afc-e875/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

What happens when the thing you're most afraid to lose is also the thing quietly costing you everything? Anne grew up in a home where five o'clock cocktails were as reliable as the sunset. Drinking was culture, celebration, and comfort, and for a long time, it felt completely earned. But through two pregnancies, her parents' declining health, and eventually losing both of them, a bottle a night became two. A blackout fight with her husband, one she has zero memory of, became the moment she couldn't look away anymore. She found This Naked Mind, joined The Path in October 2023, and started doing the unglamorous daily work. "Looking back, I can see how I rewired my mindset around drinking," Anne says. "It was subtle. It just got a little easier and a little easier." Two and a half years later, she's present, she's lucid at 11:30 PM when her kids need her, and she's collecting memories she actually gets to keep. In this episode, Anne and Coach Cole talk about: The family culture that made drinking feel normal, necessary, and completely deserved Losing both parents, leaning harder on wine, and the night a blackout broke through the denial Why Anne chose The Path over rehab — and what drew her to TNM's nonjudgmental approach How journaling and questioning her own thoughts slowly dismantled beliefs she'd never examined Being the parent who's awake and present at 11:30 PM — and why that changed everything Open, honest conversations with her teenage sons about alcohol and family history Natural highs from tennis wins, ski trips, and family dinners that beat any buzz she remembers And more on trading old problems for ones she's genuinely glad to have... Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: How To Rewire Your Brain To Stop Drinking| Meet Our Coaches | E827 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-rewire-your-brain-to-stop-drinking-e827/  How To Talk To Your Kids About Alcohol | Interview | EP523 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-523-how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-alcohol-with-scott-pinyard-and-tnm-parents/  What Do You Do About Missing the “High” from Drinking? | Reader Question | EP 20 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-20-reader-question-what-do-you-do-about-missing-the-high-from-drinking/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

What made me question my drinking?  “It wasn't a rock bottom — it was a barstool, a mirror, and a quiet voice asking where this road was headed,” says Kelly. Kelly grew up in a drinking household, spent years drinking daily, and was smart enough to see the writing on the wall before things got worse. Five years later, she joins Coach Cole to share the health wake-up call, the book that changed everything, and how The Path gave her the tools to finally walk away for good. Kelly and Cole discuss: How drinking became the unquestioned norm The decade of daily drinking that crept in through stress, social life, and relationship habits What made me question my drinking: health symptoms, a telling look around the bar, and a sister's timely recommendation Reading This Naked Mind and feeling like Annie Grace had written her exact story Why giving herself one year felt safer than forever The vacation experiment that showed her exactly what alcohol was still costing her How stopping drinking didn't just clear her head but handed her back her time, her focus, and her professional edge Trading the bar stool for the yoga mat and becoming the person she used to watch from the other side of the street And more on self-compassion, community, five years of freedom, and why she will never go back... Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Escaping The Hamster Wheel of Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E847 - https://thisnakedmind.com/why-cant-i-quit-drinking-after-so-many-tries-afc-e847/  How to Stop Daily Drinking: Finding Happiness and Healing After 35 Years | Pierre's Naked Life | E790 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-stop-daily-drinking-e790-pierre/ How Can I Not Forget All the Reasons I Quit Drinking? | Reader Question | EP 54 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-54-reader-question-how-can-i-not-forget-all-the-reasons-i-quit-drinking/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

What does it take to finally walk away from drinking when you love the party, love your people, and have never once thought of yourself as someone with a problem? Brooke was a high-functioning extrovert running a business and raising a family when a quiet voice in her head kept telling her something was off. Once she found The Path and started doing the real work, she discovered how alcohol-free living improved her anxiety in ways she never anticipated, and two and a half years later she has not looked back once. Brooke discusses: The brain scan that first linked her alcohol use to her health and sparked a decade-long journey toward change Taking 10 months alcohol-free, returning to drinking after a family trip, and why she never judged herself for it How COVID neighborhood happy hours quietly accelerated her relationship with alcohol Joining The Path in August 2023 and the hungover weekend trip that became her last Discovering she was an extrovert living with social anxiety and how that reframed everything she thought she knew about her drinking How alcohol-free living improved her anxiety by removing the daily double whammy of hangxiety and giving her space to actually feel and respond The shift from "I can't have it" to "I don't want it" and what real alcohol freedom looks and feels like Morning Pages, journaling, therapy, books, and other low-barrier tools that helped her most in the early days Why self-awareness and willingness are the two things that make every other tool actually work And more on identity, belonging, and building a life that feels the same on the inside as it looks on the outside... Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: What is the correlation between alcohol and anxiety? - Reader Question - EP 480 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-480-reader-question-what-is-the-correlation-between-alcohol-and-anxiety/  Anxiety, Overwhelm, and Alcohol: Tools to Find Calm and Confidence - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - EP 877- https://thisnakedmind.com/daily-practices-to-stay-alcohol-free-afc-e877/ Have I done permanent damage to my brain? - Reader Question - EP 350 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-350-reader-question-have-i-done-permanent-damage-to-my-brain/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

Trigger warning: This episode contains references to domestic violence, sexual assault, self-harm, disordered eating, substance use, and mental health crises. What does an alcohol-free life transformation actually look like from the inside? For Valerie, it looks like CrossFit at 4:30 AM, a flourishing marriage, a challenging career, and a self she genuinely loves for the first time at 36. But getting here meant surviving an abusive relationship, years of drinking as a survival tool, and a long search for belonging that took her to martial arts competitions in Korea, AA meetings, and finally a bookstore where Annie Grace's book changed everything. This is her story. Valerie and Coach Cole discuss: Growing up without consistent support and turning to alcohol as a survival tool from age 18 How a deeply abusive relationship pushed her drinking to its darkest point and left her searching for a way out The moment she put down her last drink without a plan and never looked back Why AA gave her community but not the alcohol-free life transformation she was truly looking for How Annie Grace's book found her in a bookstore and rewired the way she understood herself and alcohol Building her CrossFit community as the foundation of belonging, she had been searching for her whole life What spontaneous alcohol freedom feels like and why she has not had a single craving in 14 months Letting go of the need for family approval and turning compassion inward for the first time And more on healing, self-love, and the extraordinary life that opened up when she stopped drinking... Episode links: https://go.tnmprograms.com/start-here-quiz Related Episodes: Emotional Trauma Recovery with Dr. Melissa Kalt - Interview - EP 689 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-689-interview-with-dr-melissa-kalt/ Does Annie Grace think AA is wrong? - Reader Question - EP 324 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-324-reader-question-does-annie-grace-think-aa-is-wrong/ Overcoming Drinking Culture in Fitness - Where Are They Now? Molly - EP 695 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-695-naked-life-story-hayley-where-are-they-now-molly/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

Breaking the nightly drinking habit can feel impossible when alcohol has been “normal” your whole life—so what happens when you finally decide to choose you? Shannon grew up with alcohol in the background, avoided drinking for years, and then slowly found herself becoming the “drinking buddy” in a marriage where beer was everywhere. When the boys moved out and her drinking escalated, she hit a gut-check moment that made her realize she felt trapped—and she wanted out. In this episode, Shannon shares how a TNM masterclass sparked hope, how she signed up for support on a day she truly didn't want to go home, and what it looked like to rebuild her evenings without white-knuckling. She also opens up about the quiet kind of pride that comes from learning you can count on yourself again—and how she's navigating boundaries and communication with a partner who still drinks. Shannon discusses: What it's like to grow up around alcohol—and not realize how much it shaped you Why Shannon didn't drink much early on, and what changed later in life When “just beer” turns into a nightly routine you can't ignore Breaking the nightly drinking habit when cravings feel automatic after work How shame keeps people stuck—and how awareness helps you get free What surprised Shannon after she stopped drinking Building self-trust one choice at a time—without needing a dramatic moment Holding boundaries at home while staying connected in a relationship Why worry can feel like love—and what it costs you Learning to approach hard conversations with more safety and less panic And other topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Overcoming Shame and Embarrassment After Drinking - Reader's Question - EP 722 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-722-readers-question-overcoming-shame-and-embarrassment-after-drinking/  Using Alcohol for Stress Relief - Naked Life Story – Allison B. - EP 715 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-715-naked-life-story-allison-b/ Learning to Trust Yourself Again - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E746 - https://thisnakedmind.com/learning-to-trust-yourself-again-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e746/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of substance use, parental substance abuse, blackouts, and trauma-related behaviors. Letting go of wine culture—what if it's not about losing something… but getting you back? Sherri grew up in a world where partying was normal, alcohol was everywhere, and being “the fun one” felt like her role. Over time, that same “fun” turned into nightly wine autopilot, constant bargaining (“just one,” “only certain days”), and the kind of loneliness that sneaks up on you when drinking starts shrinking your life. Then one Saturday, Sherri wandered into a library and found The Alcohol Experiment—and the experiment mindset finally gave her a way to step out of the shame spiral and into curiosity. Today, Sherri has become an integral part of The Alcohol Experiment Facebook group—her honest, funny, real posts continue to encourage people on day one, day thirty, or year six. Honestly? She's the unofficial TAE mascot. In this episode, Coach Cole and Sherri talk about what changes when you stop fighting yourself and start choosing yourself. Sherri and Coach Cole discuss: Sherri's early years: when partying was “normal” and alcohol was everywhere How wine turned into identity (“I can't imagine me without it”) The exhausting moderation loop: rules, resets, bargaining, repeat Why drinking slowly shifted from social to isolating Blackouts, staying home to “be safe,” and the loneliness that followed The library moment that introduced Sherri to The Alcohol Experiment Letting go of wine culture without shame—using curiosity instead The power of community + accountability inside the TAE Facebook group Why Sherri has become an integral part of the group (and the unofficial TAE mascot!) What changes over time: cravings as passing thoughts, confidence as a new normal And more… Episode links: alcoholexperiment.com Related Episodes: Should I Try Moderation - Reader Question - EP 370 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-370-reader-question-should-i-try-moderation/ How do I go back to normal life after The Alcohol Experiment?- Reader Question - EP 508 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-508-reader-question-how-do-i-go-back-to-normal-life-after-the-alcohol-experiment/ Who Am I Without Wine?: Identity & Sophistication - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - EP 801 - https://thisnakedmind.com/creating-a-new-identity-after-quitting-drinking-alcohol-freedom-freedom-coaching-e801/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind⁠ . Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠ . Shopify: Sign up for a $1 month trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠

Picking health over alcohol—what if that choice could feel less like deprivation and more like relief? Monica grew up in a culture where drinking wasn't just normal, it was identity: being the fun one, staying late, shining at happy hour, making alcohol the “reward” for workdays, celebrations, stress, and everything in between. Even when the downsides started showing up (worse anxiety, feeling run-down, the exhausting mental math of “when's my next drink?”), not drinking didn't feel like a real option—just something you powered through until you “earned” going back. After reading This Naked Mind, Monica finally had language for what she'd been living: cognitive dissonance. She could see alcohol clearly…and still want it. She tried breaks, challenges, and milestones, but it kept feeling like white-knuckling. Then she joined The Path and something shifted. Instead of forcing a forever decision, she learned how to pause, observe, and stack up real-life evidence—what actually happened when she didn't drink at a birthday, during the holidays, in hard relationship moments. In this episode, Coach Cole and Monica talk about how rewiring happens one data point at a time—and how choosing self-compassion over self-judgment helped alcohol become small and insignificant. Monica also shares a powerful realization from pregnancy, and a moment of fear that made her see just how badly she wanted freedom. Coach Cole and Monica discuss: Growing up with alcohol as identity: “life of the party” and the go-to reward Why “just drink less” kept feeling impossible (even with motivation) How The Path helped Monica start observing instead of battling herself Stacking evidence: first alcohol-free “firsts” that built confidence Anxiety dropping when alcohol left the equation—and what surprised her mostPregnancy, “it's not an option,” and what that revealed about her true preferences A health scare thought that exposed the depth of the pattern—and the breakthrough it sparkedPicking health over alcohol through curiosity, compassion, and real-life proof And more topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: I see no benefit to alcohol, why can't I just quit? – Reader Question – E60 – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-60-reader-question-see-no-benefit-alcohol-cant-just-quit/ Why Do I Drink When I Know It's Bad For Me? - Reader Question - E660 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-660-readers-question-why-do-i-drink-when-i-know-its-bad-for-me/ Learning to Trust Yourself Again – Alcohol Freedom Coaching – E746 – https://thisnakedmind.com/learning-to-trust-yourself-again-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e746/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Trigger Warning: This episode contains a reference to sexual assault. Choosing freedom over fitting in. What if that one decision changed everything? Maxine grew up in an Irish culture where drinking was considered a vital piece of celebration, identity, and belonging, and for years she rode the exhausting cycle of stopping, starting, and negotiating with alcohol. Then she took on 75 Hard for her health, realized people were waiting for her to “be a drinker” again, and found herself craving something deeper than social approval: stability, clarity, and real joy. A sunrise on New Year's Day became the moment she knew she was done for good. In this episode, Maxine joins Coach Cole to share how she stepped off the rollercoaster, stopped explaining herself, and built a life she genuinely loves—without alcohol. In this episode, Coach Cole and Maxine discuss: The cultural messages about alcohol that shaped Maxine's early relationship with drinking What it felt like to be able to “pause,” but not truly feel free Why the mental load of alcohol was the most exhausting part How 75 Hard became a socially acceptable “pass” to stop drinking Choosing freedom over fitting in when people push back on your decision The New Year's Day sunrise moment that made her say, “I'm done” Why she identifies as a “zero consumption” person and doesn't romanticize moderation How she handles parties now: honesty, boundaries, and bringing her own options Playing it forward to dissolve cravings and protect her peace And other topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Do other countries have as much of a problem with alcohol as we do in the U.S.? - Reader Question - EP 244 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-244-reader-question-do-other-countries-have-as-much-of-a-problem-with-alcohol-as-we-do-in-the-u-s/  The Cost of Fitting In - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - EP 785 - https://thisnakedmind.com/the-cost-of-fitting-in-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e785/ Is it better to drink in moderation or not at all? - Reader Question - EP 574 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-574-readers-questions-is-it-better-to-drink-in-moderation-or-not-at-all/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind⁠ . Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠ . Shopify: Sign up for a $1 month trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠

Can you really have more fun, deeper connections, and better adventures without alcohol? Elise wasn't sure. She'd spent her whole life watching alcohol take center stage at every party, every milestone, every celebration. Her mom always said it helped her relax. Her dad marked achievements with champagne. As a kid, Elise mixed the perfect gin and tonic every night. Fast forward to her high-powered corporate career, and alcohol had become her coping mechanism for the pressure, the travel, the constant performance in male-dominated spaces. The problem? She'd lost that magical off button other people seemed to have. Approaching 50, she felt anxious about where this was all heading. Would her dependency just keep growing? After joining The Path at 54, she stopped drinking within weeks and hasn't looked back. Over a year later, Elise realizes she's not missing out; she's gaining a life that feels fuller, brighter, and more peaceful. She even finds herself saying, with genuine surprise, why I don't miss alcohol anymore. She's got more energy, sleeps better, shows up fully in her relationships, and is genuinely excited about turning 60. Life isn't just manageable without alcohol. It's actually more joyful. Coach Cole and Elise discuss: Growing up as the family peacekeeper in a chaotic, alcohol-centered household Learning that being the "good girl" brought rewards but losing yourself in the process How alcohol became the crutch for surviving high-pressure corporate life Losing the ability to find your "off button" with drinking as you get older Understanding why I don't miss alcohol anymore after breaking the dependency cycle Discovering that the science behind alcohol's effects changes everything Navigating a five-week adventure with a drinking friend while staying joyfully alcohol free Why taking back your power from alcohol opens up possibilities you never imagined Finding genuine relaxation and stress relief without needing a drink Approaching 60 with excitement instead of anxiety about the future And more topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Why can some people stop at 1 or 2 drinks and others can't? Reader Question - EP 538 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-538-reader-question-why-can-some-people-stop-at-1-or-2-drinks-and-others-cant/ How to avoid drinking at a boozy sales meeting? - Reader Question - EP 200 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-200-reader-question-how-to-avoid-drinking-at-a-boozy-sales-meeting/ Happy Days with Gabby Bernstein - Interview - EP 485 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-485-happy-days-with-gabby-bernstein/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind . Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked . Shopify: Sign up for a $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of divorce and loss of a loved one to cancer. Have you ever wondered why life changes can make old habits suddenly feel louder? Jan never imagined retirement would lead her here. She had done everything “right”—worked hard, raised her kids, showed up for everyone else. Alcohol had always felt manageable. Until it didn't. When retirement, relocation, and COVID collided, Jan found herself drinking more to fill the long afternoons and quiet evenings. Drinking more after retirement felt normal at first, even expected. What she didn't expect was how disconnected, anxious, and unlike herself she began to feel. In this warm, honest conversation with Coach Cole, Jan shares how she began questioning not just her drinking, but the lifelong pattern of putting herself last. Through This Naked Mind and The Path, she learned that nothing was wrong with her—and that alcohol had simply become a stand-in for rest, relief, and emotional safety. Coach Cole and Jan discuss: Growing up in a dysfunctional home with two alcohol dependent parents and learning to shut down emotionally Moving to Colorado during COVID and experiencing the perfect storm of retirement, isolation, and empty nest syndrome Drinking more after retirement and how it escalated from afternoon drinking to morning drinking The terrifying fall down the stairs that led to hospitalization and overwhelming shame Why AA meetings didn't feel like the right fit and how finding Annie's book changed everything Joining The Path in April 2024 and celebrating 20 months alcohol-free Navigating divorce after 35 years of marriage and her sister's death from cancer—all without alcohol Learning to put herself first after a lifetime of taking care of everyone else Starting over at nearly 70 and believing the best is yet to come And more topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Alcohol & Older Adults, What We Need To Know - Reader Question - E152 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-152-reader-question-alcohol-and-older-adults-2/ Alcohol Over 60 - Coaching Questions - E418 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-418-coaching-questions-with-scott-pinyard/ Alcohol Free at 83 - Barbara's Naked Life - E307 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-307-naked-life-story-barbara/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince: Go to⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns  Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠⁠⁠ with code mind BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at ⁠⁠BetterHelp.com/nakedmind⁠⁠ Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind⁠⁠

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of severe alcohol use disorder, blackout drinking, hospitalization, family trauma, and parental death. Using alcohol to calm down—does it actually work, or does it quietly make everything harder? Monnica didn't start drinking to escape her life. She drank to manage it. What began as a way to settle postpartum nerves slowly turned into a cycle of binge drinking, blackouts, and fear. For years, Monnica believed alcohol was helping her cope with anxiety, stress, and overwhelm—until it stopped working altogether. In this episode, Monnica shares how undiagnosed anxiety shaped her relationship with alcohol, the wake-up calls that forced her to look closer, and how learning to regulate her nervous system helped her finally break free. In this episode, Monnica discusses: Starting to drink postpartum and using alcohol to calm down during stressful days as a stay-at-home mom Saving wine bottles and not recognizing the signs of alcohol addiction escalating Blackout drinking episodes leading to dangerous situations and memory loss The devastating night police were called after a confrontation with her son Waking up in the ER on her daughter's birthday after being found unconscious outside Walmart Finding This Naked Mind on Instagram and winning free access to The Path Learning about cognitive dissonance, giving alcohol a job, and the short chemical window of relief Understanding how childhood trauma and hidden material held her back The power of vulnerability, curiosity, and compassion in the recovery journey Receiving an Alive stone in June 2024 and experiencing a profound shift in her relationship with alcohol And more topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Why do I have so much anxiety the day after drinking? - Reader Question - E02 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-02-reader-question-much-anxiety-day-drinking/ Overcoming Alcohol-induced Anxiety - Marcus' Naked Life - E607 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-607-naked-life-story-marcus-widblom/ Overcoming Drinking To Cope with Depression and Anxiety - Susan's Naked Life - E681 https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-681-naked-life-story-susan-h/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince: Go to⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns  Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠⁠⁠ with code mind BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at ⁠⁠BetterHelp.com/nakedmind⁠⁠ Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind⁠⁠

What if the connection you think you're creating while drinking together is actually pulling you apart? Sheela spent decades as a heavy drinker, immersed in Australian culture where alcohol was everywhere—from Schoolies Week celebrations to working as a musician in bars. Wine o'clock became her daily escape, a numbing ritual she believed helped her relax, until health problems and 3am anxiety wake-ups forced her to pay attention. After 75 days without alcohol, she expected to feel free but instead felt deprived and jealous of others drinking. Through The Path and her own solo Alcohol Experiment—drinking alone to assess what it actually did for her—Sheela began unpacking the truth. She discovered that relationships changing after quitting drinking meant recognizing that wine and movies with her partner wasn't creating intimacy. It was creating a haze that prevented real connection. Now in her second year alcohol-free, she's rebuilding her life around genuine common ground, quality sleep, and the kind of freedom that doesn't require willpower—just honest self-reflection and community support. Coach Cole and Sheela discuss: Sheela's journey from decades of heavy drinking to a new sense of freedom How relationships changing after quitting drinking surfaced unexpected challenges and opportunities The difference between willpower and genuine internal transformation Navigating social situations and connection without alcohol Redefining intimacy, community, and identity after alcohol Sheela's experience with The Path and emotional self-reflection And more topics including purpose, self-compassion, and real connection Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: What if my marriage is dependent on alcohol? - Reader Question - E222 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-222-reader-question-what-if-my-marriage-is-dependent-on-alcohol/ Can Your Marriage Survive Change? - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E758 - https://thisnakedmind.com/can-your-marriage-survive-change-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e758/ Exploring Willpower with Dr. Amy Johnson - Expert Interview - E05 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-05-exploring-willpower-dr-amy-johnson/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince: Go to ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns  Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠ with code mind BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind

Do you find yourself wondering how to shut your brain off without alcohol when social situations feel overwhelming? Glenn spent decades believing alcohol was essential—from watching his parents' basement bar parties to using beer as a social crutch in college. By COVID, weekend-only drinking had become daily drinking, and he was hiding bottles from his wife. Traditional counseling focused on willpower and substitution didn't work. The therapists hadn't experienced what he was going through, and Glenn felt like they were silently judging him: "Why can't you just stop?" When he discovered The Path, everything shifted. Instead of demanding he quit immediately, the program invited him to experiment, gather feedback instead of facing failure, and explore his emotional relationship with alcohol. It took a full year, but three weeks before his membership ended, Glenn had his aha moment. Glenn joins Coach Cole to share his journey from childhood exposure to genuine freedom, proving that awareness and curiosity can accomplish what willpower never could. In this episode, Glenn and Cole discuss: Learning that alcohol equals fun from parents who met working at a brewery Being the shy introvert who always held a beer to avoid conversation Boundaries that worked until COVID turned the house into a bar Why therapists who never drank couldn't relate to the struggle Skipping the book and joining The Path for coaching and community support Reframing drinking as data points and feedback instead of failures Discovering how to shut your brain off without alcohol through journaling and awareness The aha moment that came three weeks before his year-long Path ended Building real social confidence without pre-drinking or hiding bottles And more breakthroughs on the journey to freedom... Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Calming the Type A Mind Without Alcohol - Jennifer's Naked Life - E804 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-turn-your-brain-off-without-drinking-e804/ The Path to Inner Clarity - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E748 - https://thisnakedmind.com/the-path-to-inner-clarity-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e748/ Why Willpower Fails: Cracking the Code to Emotion-Driven Behavior Change - Reader Question - E668 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-668-readers-question-why-willpower-fails-cracking-the-code-to-emotion-driven-behavior-change/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠https://www.hungryroot.com/mind Shopify:Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind⁠⁠  Quince:Go to ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns  BetterHelp:BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses childhood trauma, parental abandonment, domestic abuse, substance use, and mental health topics. Have you ever realized you're doing to someone you love exactly what hurt you most as a child? That gut-wrenching moment hit Heather hard when she recognized she was neglecting her son the same way her alcohol dependent father neglected her. Growing up, she watched her dad drink every night, becoming hostile and unavailable while she desperately needed connection. Her mother had already left, and the bullying at school made her feel even more alone. By her twenties, Heather was chasing belonging through party drugs and alcohol, convinced that being the life of the party meant she'd finally be accepted. Fast forward to her divorce, and she was drinking two bottles of wine alone every night, passing out in front of Netflix, unable to be present for her son. But the real wake-up call came when her child witnessed her having a trauma response while intoxicated. That's when Heather joined The Path and discovered what finding connection without alcohol actually means. Through coaching calls, self-compassion, and community support, she learned that genuine connection starts with being safe within yourself—not performing for others or numbing your pain. Heather and Coach Cole discuss: Heather's early memories of an unpredictable, drinking parent and the “Sunday blues” that still linger How childhood bullying and self-sabotage formed a template for chasing approval and bracing for criticism Becoming the designated driver, then later stepping into party culture, drugs, and chasing acceptance at any cost Motherhood, isolation, and week-on/week-off parenting that turned wine into a nightly coping strategy The breaking point meltdown that led Heather to seek real help instead of trying to “just stop” on her own How The Path showed her that finding connection without alcohol is possible through safety, shared stories, and unconditional support Rewriting generational patterns by parenting her son with emotional language, nervous-system tools, and open conversations about alcohol Feeling “me is okay, me is cool” and stepping into a new season of confidence, self-trust, and genuine belonging How Heather now seeks out like-minded people, creates connections from the inside out, and has more insights, reflections, and ah-ha moments Episode links:nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: One Year No Beer – Andy's Naked Life – E57 – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-57-naked-life-story-andy-ramage/ Can I Just Take a Break From Alcohol? – Reader Question – E378 – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-378-reader-question-can-i-just-take-a-break-from-alcohol/ Finding Your True Self and Building Genuine Connections Without Alcohol – Alcohol Freedom Coaching – E821 – https://thisnakedmind.com/building-genuine-connections-without-alcohol-e821/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/nakedmind⁠⁠ with code nakedmind Shopify:Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind⁠⁠  Quince:Go to ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns  BetterHelp:BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind

Losing the fear of not drinking can feel impossible, can't it? For Lindsey, alcohol was woven into every milestone: sixth-grade sleepovers, college weekends, early marriage, and long workweeks that ended with “just one more” drink on the couch. Drinking wasn't just a habit; it was how she fit in, turned off the noise, and chased that first rush of feeling totally okay for a moment. Over time, the hangovers became brutal, and the mental fallout was even worse—fights with her husband, Sunday dread, and memories she didn't always want to remember. One morning, after a night that ended with a chipped tooth and dry heaving on the kitchen floor while her daughter watched, something inside her shifted. Lindsey found This Naked Mind and, for the first time, felt like someone was telling her she wasn't broken—this is simply what alcohol does. The book became a permission slip to step off the hamster wheel and experiment with not drinking at all. In this episode, Lindsey joins Coach Cole to talk about rebuilding self-trust, reshaping a marriage that was once built on drinks, and becoming the kind of mom whose daughters see her saying “no” with confidence instead of needing a glass to cope. Lindsey and Coach Cole discuss: Lindsey describes the first drink in middle school and how quickly alcohol became tied to identity, popularity, and feeling “okay” for a moment. The progression from curiosity to dependence: chasing euphoria, ignoring red flags, and waking up in emotional and physical pain. How “I'll just drink less” experiments and endless rules kept her stuck in the same cycle of regret, self-doubt, and harsh inner dialogue. The breaking point: a trip that ended with a chipped tooth, a morning spent on the bathroom floor, and her daughter seeing a version of mom Lindsey never wanted to be. Finding This Naked Mind and reframing her story—from “I'm the problem” to “this is what alcohol does,” opening space to question everything. What changed when she began losing the fear of not drinking: more stable moods, clearer health goals as a trainer, and deeper presence with her family. The new foundation of her marriage and parenting—less reactivity, more responsibility for her own choices, and a commitment not to be someone else's story of what they had to overcome. How losing the fear of not drinking allowed Lindsey to feel “light as a feather” and more. Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: How To Stop Using Alcohol As A Crutch - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E811 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-stop-using-alcohol-as-a-crutch-e811/ What Is the Pink Cloud? - Reader's Question - E320 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-320-reader-question-what-is-the-pink-cloud/ How To Feel Good Without Alcohol - Reader's Question - E702 - https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/ep-702-readers-question-how-to-feel-good-without-alcohol/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “If you felt what I feel, you'd drink too”? Chuck gets that. For years, a combination of work stress, long commutes, and intense back pain had him pouring more than he ever planned. Drinks became his “off switch” at the end of the day and then his go-to whenever his body flared. Eventually, the pain calmed down and the stressful job shifted, but the habit of drinking stuck around—which was the wake-up call he couldn't ignore. In this episode, Chuck and Coach Cole talk through the messy, human side of quitting alcohol when you have chronic pain, including what happened when his back suddenly “went out” again after months alcohol-free. Chuck shares how appropriate medical care, a short course of prescribed meds, and a strong internal “I am not starting over” helped him stay off the bottle. You'll hear how he rebuilt his routine around daily stretching, core strength, and even a zero-gravity nap, plus why music and creative hobbies feel better than any buzz. They also dig into boundaries—leaving family gatherings early, pushing back (diplomatically) at work, and deciding he no longer has to sit and absorb other people's behavior to be polite. If you've ever wondered whether you can rebuild your life around what you love instead of avoiding what hurts, this conversation is for you. Coach Cole and Chuck discuss: Slipping from teenage partying into midlife self-medication with alcohol Realizing the job and pain changed, but the drinking stayed Navigating quitting alcohol when you have chronic pain Facing a second major back episode alcohol-free and nearly getting derailed Why alcohol never truly solves stress, family conflict, or health issues Using “walk away” as a valid backup plan at triggering gatherings And more… Episode links: www.alcoholexperiment.com Related Episodes: I've Used Wine to Numb Physical Pain | Reader Question | E196 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-196-i-used-wine-to-numb-physical-pain-now-without-it-my-quality-of-life-is-way-down-what-can-i-do/  Overcoming Using Alcohol as a Pain Reliever | Reader Question | E656 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-656-readers-question-overcoming-using-alcohol-as-a-pain-reliever/ Alcohol Doesn't Relieve My Pain, It Steals My Joy | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E732 - https://thisnakedmind.com/alcohol-freedom-coaching-alcohol-doesnt-relieve-my-pain-it-steals-my-joy-ep-732/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

How do you learn how to get over drunken mistakes when the same patterns keep repeating? Jennifer spent years convincing herself that each catastrophic night was just an isolated incident—until she couldn't ignore the data points anymore. Raised to suppress her emotions in a predominantly white neighborhood as a Salvadorian, she developed an identity crisis early on that followed her into adulthood. From blackouts at age 21 to nights in jail, from ruined relationships to a devastating trip to Cabo that nearly cost her everything, Jennifer's story reveals the brutal honesty required for change. In this episode, Jennifer joins Coach Cole to explore how childhood trauma shapes adult coping mechanisms, why shame keeps us stuck in destructive cycles, and how journaling and compassion can illuminate the path forward. Jennifer and Coach Cole discuss: Seeing “slip-ups” as compassionate data points instead of proof you've failed. Jennifer's “nine fine, one catastrophic” pattern that exposes the truth about moderation. How insecurity, FOMO, and feeling out of place quietly drove her drinking choices. Hearing “You cannot drink” from family as loving clarity and necessary boundaries. Using honest journaling to remember the full impact of drinking when cravings show up. How to get over drunken mistakes by softening shame and meeting yourself with curiosity and grace. And more… Related Episodes: What Are The Signs of Relapse? | Reader Question | E708 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-708-readers-question-what-are-the-signs-of-relapse/ How Do You Deal With Feeling Ashamed or Embarrassed About Drinking? | Reader Question | E406 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-406-reader-question-how-do-you-deal-with-feeling-ashamed-or-embarrassed-about-drinking/ How To Explore Drinking Without Judgment | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E813 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-explore-drinking-without-judgment-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e813/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/naked for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Hungryroot Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at Hungryroot.com/nakedmind with code nakedmind Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/mind Cozy Earth Black Friday came early at Cozy Earth! Stack my code NAKEDMIND with their sitewide sale for up to 40% off.

Why does alcohol feel like the only way to quiet your mind? Drinking to deal with sensory overload and overwhelming 'white noise' was a daily necessity for Scot. After growing up surrounded by generational alcohol use, he turned to alcohol early in life, finding it was the only thing that allowed him to overcome shyness and function socially. It wasn't until later in life, after receiving a diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, that Scot finally understood the true battle he was fighting—a fight against his own neurodivergent needs that led him to a devastating cycle of returns to old patterns and regret. Scot and Coach Cole discuss: Scot's early years in a family shaped by heavy drinking and loss How local drinking culture and “always up for it” expectations influenced his choices Using alcohol as “Dutch courage” to socialize as a shy, neurodivergent teen Discovering autism and ADHD as a lens for self-understanding instead of self-blame Nightly wine, hidden bottles, blackouts, and the impact on his partner and kids His vivid description of mental “noise” and drinking to deal with sensory overload The moment with his daughter that sparked a clear decision to quit for good Embracing neurodivergent strengths and navigating social events alcohol-free And more… Related Episodes: I drink to f*ck my brain up, just for a little while. Can you help? | Reader Question | E80 | https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-80-reader-question-drink-fck-brain-just-little-can-help/ I Drink To Fit In | Nat's Naked Life | E439 | https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-439-naked-life-story-nat-x/ Highly Sensitive People and Alcohol Use | Halima - Where Are They Now? | E703 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-703-naked-life-story-hayley-where-are-they-now-halima/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

What does it really mean to be the life of the party when you can't remember the conversations you had? Tiffany grew up in a family where alcohol was as normal as water, present at every meal. Working on cruise ships and yachts, she became the person who never wanted to go home, always chasing the next bar until sunrise. Many people wonder do I need to give up partying when considering change, and Tiffany faced this exact question. After discovering This Naked Mind, she realized she could create a vibrant, connected life without ethanol controlling her every move. In this episode, Tiffany joins Coach Cole to discuss breaking generational patterns and discovering that the best parties don't require alcohol. Coach Cole and Tiffany discuss: Being known as the party animal who never wanted to go home Losing a job due to drinking and the wake-up calls that followed The question many face: do I need to give up partying? How her boyfriend supported her through a year of transformation Going from closing down bars to closing down coffee shops And other topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Partying and Parenthood - Payal's Naked Life - E461 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-461-naked-life-story-payal/  How do I lose the desire to drink on special occasions? - Reader Question - E440 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-440-reader-question-how-do-i-lose-the-desire-to-drink-on-special-occasions/ Letting Go of A Party Girl Identity - Maggie's Naked Life - E429 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-429-naked-life-story-maggie/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/naked for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Hungryroot Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at Hungryroot.com/nakedmind with code nakedmind Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/mind Cozy Earth Black Friday came early at Cozy Earth! Stack my code NAKEDMIND with their sitewide sale for up to 40% off.

What if the thing holding you back from feeling better was so normal you couldn't even see it? Michael spent years as a weekend drinker—never missing work, rarely getting truly hungover, and thinking his Friday-Saturday routine was just part of life. But beneath the surface, he was gaining weight, feeling disconnected, and living in a fog he didn't know existed. When he finally calculated the calories and realized he was binge drinking, quitting weekend binge drinking became the decision that changed everything. In this episode, Michael joins Coach Cole to talk about how one ordinary moment—pouring a drink down the drain—became the catalyst for extraordinary transformation in his health, marriage, and spiritual life. In this episode, Coach Cole and Michael discuss: The quiet turning point: a watered-down vodka and a Sunday sink Doing the math: 4–5k “weekend” calories, late-night pizza, and weight creep One Year No Beer → Annie's book → community support that clicked “Low-level lousy”: why feeling meh all week became the wake-up call Early mornings, meditation, and walks as keystone habits Dreams about drinking and why they freaked him out Quitting weekend binge drinking as the simplest path to feeling better Handling “I deserve a drink” thoughts without white-knuckling Labels vs. behavior: dropping the identity fight and choosing presence Modeling change for kids and being the midnight ride they can count on And more topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: One Year No Beer - Andy's Naked Life - E57 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-57-naked-life-story-andy-ramage/ What is the difference in binge drinking vs. daily drinking? - Reader Question - E156 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-156-what-is-the-difference-in-binge-drinking-vs-daily-drinking/ Drinking in Full Control with Ruari Fairbairns - Interview - E73 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-73-drinking-full-control-ruari-fairbairns/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

What happens when quitting drinking saves your life but ruins your marriage? Samuel thought stopping drinking would fix everything, but it actually revealed that his relationship couldn't survive the person he was becoming. His drinking story is terrifying—regular blackouts, waking up in strangers' beds, traumatic incidents that destroyed his wife's trust. But when he finally found freedom using This Naked Mind, he made an unexpected discovery: quitting alcohol unlocks creativity and triggers a cascade of positive changes. Now he meditates daily, journals constantly, and uses writing as his primary coping mechanism. In this episode, Samuel joins Cole to explore how the most painful decisions can lead to the most profound personal growth. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of alcohol blackouts, relationship trauma, and divorce that some listeners may find triggering. In this episode, Samuel and Coach Cole discuss: Growing up in a family and culture where drinking was the norm. The scary reality of blacking out and the fear of a "demon inside." Ditching alcohol for the first time out of shame, and then falling back into the pattern of drinking The surprise of how quitting drinking unlocked creativity and a love for writing. How This Naked Mind's teachings on the subconscious mind sparked a cascade of habit changes. The unexpected challenge of a marriage ending after stopping drinking The power of journaling and the written word as a coping mechanism and a tool for self-discovery. Finding new passions like writing short stories, reading philosophy, and meditating. Using James Clear's Atomic Habits to create lasting change. How not drinking allowed Samuel to confront his inner world and grow as a person. And more… Episode links:Related Episodes: Does alcohol really make you more creative?- Reader Question - E310 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-310-reader-question-does-alcohol-really-make-you-more-creative/  What is the deal with blackouts? - Reader Question - E304 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-304-what-is-the-deal-with-blackouts/ What If Your Biggest Regrets Are Actually Your Greatest Teachers? - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E817 - https://thisnakedmind.com/finding-purpose-and-direction-after-quitting-alcohol-e817/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince- Find your fall staples at Quince. Go to Quince.com/naked for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Hungryroot- Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at Hungryroot.com/ nakedmind with code nakedmind Shopify- Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/mind BetterHelp- Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind

Have you ever felt guilty about missing precious memories because of alcohol? Amy's journey began in sixth grade in a family where alcohol was simply part of every gathering. Years later, when her kids confronted her about her drinking, she realized she was missing out on being truly present for the moments that mattered most. After reading This Naked Mind and experiencing one terrifying night where she got so sick she thought she might die, Amy finally quit drinking for good. Now she describes feeling like she's not the same person without alcohol—and she's learned to see this complete transformation as a beautiful thing, even though it can feel a little scary discovering who she truly is. Trigger Warning: This episode contains a mention of suicide. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode, Amy and Coach Cole discuss : Growing up in a family culture centered around drinking Beginning her drinking journey in sixth grade Years of questioning whether she had a drinking problem The confrontation when her children called out her drinking Failed attempts at moderation and temporary sobriety Why she got sick every single time she drank The final terrifying night that changed everything How This Naked Mind helped her find lasting change Embracing the reality that she is not the same person without alcohol Wanting to be fully present for precious family moments Rediscovering her authentic self and core values Moving forward without regret but with intention And other topics… Episode links: Related Episodes: Are vacations and holidays more fun without drinking?- Reader Question - EP 164 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-164-are-vacations-and-holidays-more-fun-without-drinking/  Who Am I Without Wine? - Identity & Sophistication - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E801 - https://thisnakedmind.com/creating-a-new-identity-after-quitting-drinking-alcohol-freedom-freedom-coaching-e801/ Uncoupling Alcohol and Identity - Andrew's Naked Life - E549 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-549-naked-life-story-andrew/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince- Find your fall staples at Quince. Go to Quince.com/naked for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Hungryroot- Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at Hungryroot.com/ nakedmind with code nakedmind Shopify- Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/mind BetterHelp- Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide, grief, loss, and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs immediate support, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) in the US or visit your local emergency room. Listen with care. What if the very thing you swore you'd never do became your biggest crutch? Gavin spent his childhood hating alcohol, watching it tear his family apart and promising he'd never touch it. But by his teens, he was drinking until sunrise, following the exact patterns he'd despised. Years later, married and successful, Gavin realized his wife deserved better—not because she complained, but because he knew deep down he wasn't showing up as his best self. When he began questioning how quitting drinking can improve a relationship, everything shifted. Through This Naked Mind, Gavin discovered he'd built an entire personality around alcohol, hiding his true introverted nature behind the need to be the "life of the party." In this episode, Gavin joins Annie to share how breaking generational drinking patterns allowed him to become the husband he always wanted to be. In this episode, Coach Cole and Gavin discuss: Growing up in a family where generational drinking was normalized Hating alcohol as a child but following the same patterns as a teen Building a people-pleasing personality that only existed with alcohol Discovering he was actually an introvert hiding behind drinking The moment he asked himself if he was being the best husband he could be How quitting drinking can improve a relationship and marriage Using 75 Hard as motivation to try sobriety How This Naked Mind equipped him with knowledge, not just conviction Wrestling with the question "What place does alcohol have in my life?" Learning that alcohol was contributing nothing positive The difference between feeling convicted and feeling equipped to change How supportive spouses can help without criticism or nagging Breaking family patterns to show up authentically in marriage And other topics… Episode links:Related Episodes: Breaking Family Alcohol Patterns - Janine's Naked Life - E 701 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-701-naked-life-story-janine-m/ Quitting Alcohol with 75 Hard- Michelle's Naked Life - E 671 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-671-naked-life-story-michelle-s/ Alcohol's Impact on Relationships- Coaching Questions - E 775 - https://thisnakedmind.com/the-missing-piece-with-paul-stacey-martino-e775/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Quince- Find your fall staples at Quince. Go to Quince.com/naked for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Hungryroot- Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at Hungryroot.com/ nakedmind with code nakedmind Shopify- Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/mind BetterHelp- Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind

How do you socialize without alcohol? If this question has ever crossed your mind, you're not alone. Nisha spent years using alcohol to cope with life's challenges, from fitting in socially to relaxing after a long day. It was always there for her, a crutch in moments of loneliness and stress. But just two days into The Alcohol Experiment, something shifted. The internal tug of war she'd struggled with for years—between wanting to quit and the comfort alcohol provided—came to an end. In this episode, Nisha shares her journey to alcohol freedom, the identity struggles she faced, and how she learned to find joy and meaningful connections without alcohol. Her story is proof that sometimes the hardest part is just taking that first step—and how everything can change once you do. In this episode, Coach Cole and Nisha discuss : Nisha's 25-year relationship with alcohol as a coping mechanism The emotional and social struggles of drinking to fit in and relieve stress The internal tug of war: wanting to quit but feeling stuck with alcohol How alcohol became a crutch during tough times like loneliness, depression, and work stress The pivotal moment two days into The Alcohol Experiment when everything shifted Overcoming the fear of socializing without alcohol The role of identity and how alcohol affected Nisha's sense of self How The Alcohol Experiment helped Nisha realize the physical toll alcohol was taking on her body Learning to enjoy social events without the pressure to drink Nisha's advice for anyone struggling with the idea of living without alcohol How she now enjoys socializing with non-alcoholic optionsChoosing the "harder" immediate path for long-term benefits. Her message to her past self: "You don't need it, and you're not alone."And much more… Episode links:The Alcohol Experiment - alcoholexperiment.com Related Episodes: Alcohol & Older Adults, What We Need To Know - Reader Question -  E152 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-152-reader-question-alcohol-and-older-adults-2/  How Do I Become Socially Confident Without Alcohol? - Reader Question - E582 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-582-readers-question-how-do-i-become-socially-confident-without-alcohol Beyond the Bottle: Finding a Fulfilling Life Using The Alcohol Experiment - Lisa's Naked Life - E812 - https://thisnakedmind.com/using-the-alcohol-experiment-to-quit-drinking-e812/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Turning Relapse Into Redemption | Kerry's Naked Life | E834 Trigger Warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, overdose, and physical abuse, which may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care. "Alcohol is ruining my life." If you've ever felt like Kerry, trapped in a cycle of binge drinking and blackouts, you might have said these words yourself. No matter how hard she tried, Kerry kept going back to alcohol, believing she could moderate, but always falling into destructive patterns. In this episode, Kerry joins Annie to share her journey—from growing up with alcohol as a familiar presence in her life to facing the painful reality that alcohol had taken control. After years of struggling to stop drinking, Kerry found hope and a path to lasting freedom through The Path. If you're asking yourself, "Can I ever escape alcohol's control?"—this episode is for you. In this episode, Annie and Kerry discuss: The emotional weight of binge drinking and blackouts Kerry's complicated relationship with alcohol, from fun to destructive patterns How alcohol was deeply ingrained in her life, and the fear that came with letting go Why Kerry believed she could moderate her drinking but struggled to maintain control Kerry's decision to join The Path and break free from alcohol Learning to stop feeling afraid of alcohol and taking back control The power of shifting from fear to self-compassion and choosing healthier habits Kerry's personal growth through the coaching and support of The Path How Kerry finally learned that she could live without alcohol The joy of discovering life beyond alcohol and the newfound freedom it brings And more… Episode links:The PATH - nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: I'm trying to moderate and I'm wondering why does the day after drinking feel so bad? - Reader Questions - E66 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-66-reader-question-im-trying-moderate-im-wondering-day-drinking-feel-bad/ Progress Over Perfection, Learn to Embrace Self-Compassion - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-730-coaches-podcast-coach-ellie-with-lauri-m-tina-m/ How Drinking Again After a Break Helped Angela Find Clarity | Where Are They Now – Angela | E808 - https://thisnakedmind.com/drinking-again-after-a-break-e808/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Am I too young to stop drinking? It's the question Alicia couldn't get out of her head when she started wondering if alcohol was doing more harm than good. She hadn't hit rock bottom, wasn't getting in trouble, and still loved going out with friends. But when alcohol began interfering with her ability to show up for her son—and echoing the same red flags she'd seen growing up—everything changed. In this raw and deeply relatable episode, Alicia joins Coach Cole to unpack what led her to say goodbye to alcohol in her 30s and how that decision reshaped her life as a mom, boss, and friend. In this episode, Alicia and Cole discuss: Growing up with generational alcoholism—and the impact it had on her mindset Asking the hard question: am I too young to stop drinking? Seeing the signs in her own life and choosing to break the cycle Why she stopped drinking even though she “didn't have a problem” The moment she couldn't drive to get her son—and what that revealed How her five-year-old's words helped seal the deal Navigating alcohol culture in the restaurant industry Realizing moderation was taking up too much brain space Feeling isolated at first, but eventually regaining her social life The emotional wave that hit when someone spilled beer on her Why it's okay to not feel okay sometimes—and what helped her through it The surprising joy of NA beer, football nights, and still having fun How posting about sobriety on Instagram sparked unexpected support Celebrating milestones and shifting relationships for the better Why sober culture is finally getting cooler—and how she's part of that change And so much more… Related Episodes: Can someone in the service industry stay sober? - Reader Questions - E560 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-560-reader-question-can-someone-in-the-service-industry-stay-sober/ Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Are they okay? - Reader Questions - E64 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-64-reader-question-non-alcoholic-drinks-okay/ The Impact of Adult Drinking on Children - Emma's Naked Life - E359 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-359-naked-life-story-emma/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month at ⁠⁠http://BetterHelp.com/NAKEDMIND|BetterHelp.com/NAKEDMIND⁠⁠ Quince: For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to ⁠⁠http://Quince.com/naked|Quince.com/naked⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠http://Hungryroot.com/mind|Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠ with code mind Shopify: Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠http://Shopify.com/mind|Shopify.com/mind⁠

What does it take to stop ignoring red flags about drinking—especially when no one else notices them but you?  Tammy spent years managing life like a pro: raising kids, surviving the recession, and building a beautiful new chapter with her blended family. From the outside, everything looked fine. But inside, the hangovers got worse, the joy disappeared, and a voice inside kept whispering, “You need to do something.” In this episode, Tammy joins Annie to talk about what finally made her listen to that voice—and why the red flags don't always have to be loud to matter. In this episode, Annie and Tammy discuss: Growing up as the “perfect” daughter who internalized anxiety Using alcohol to fit in and quiet emotions from an early age Drinking through job loss, financial stress, and a divorce Why running was her first mental health tool—and how she returned to it The moment she realized she didn't want to be a “drunk Nana” Why COVID intensified her drinking and disguised her red flags The subtle signs her body and mind were giving her that no one else saw How she decided to stop ignoring red flags about drinking before things got worse Finding connection through podcasts, books, and her own writing How her decision created a ripple effect for her daughters and friends And so much more… Episode links:Related Episodes: Drinking After Divorce - Brian's Naked Life - E609 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-609-naked-life-story-brian-c/ What is the correlation between alcohol and anxiety? - Reader Questions - E480 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-480-reader-question-what-is-the-correlation-between-alcohol-and-anxiety/ How do I talk to my kids about alcohol? - Reader's Questions - E442 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-442-reader-question-how-do-i-talk-to-my-kids-about-alcohol/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind Quince: For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/naked for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at Hungryroot.com/nakedmind with code nakedmind Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/mind

You've been a bartender for years, and alcohol has been a constant in your social life, your travels, and career—so how do you stop drinking when you work in a bar? For Gina, the turning point came when she realized that alcohol no longer added value to her life, in fact, it almost seemed mundane to drink. After reading This Naked Mind by Annie Grace, Gina unlocked a new way of thinking about alcohol and began to see how much freedom there was without it. In this episode, Gina shares her journey and the strategies that helped her break free from a life dictated by alcohol. In this episode, Gina and Cole discuss: How alcohol became an "annoying albatross" after being a constant part of her life. Her unique experience as a lifelong bartender and solo traveler, with alcohol as a companion. Pondering the question - how do you stop drinking when you work in a bar The profound impact of Annie Grace's "This Naked Mind" and how it confirmed everything she thought. Why she didn't tell a single soul about her journey for a year. Rediscovering her creative potential and finishing a novel started 15 years ago in a "drunken stupor." The financial benefits of sobriety – saving $10,000 in a year and two months! How she manages to still interview bartenders and write about spirits without craving a drink. Gina's powerful message to her past self: "You do not have to be drunk to have fun." And so much more… Episode links: Gina's podcast - https://lakeandsumterstyle.com/healthy-living-podcast/ Gina's article - https://lakeandsumterstyle.com/repurposing-a-beloved-glass-for-a-more-purposeful-life/ Related Episodes: Can someone in the service industry stay sober? - Reader Questions - E560 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-560-reader-question-can-someone-in-the-service-industry-stay-sober/ The Sober Experiment - Alex and Lisa's Naked Life - E259 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-259-naked-life-story-alex-and-lisa/ How To Plan an Alcohol-Free Vacation - Reader's Questions - E652 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-652-readers-question-how-to-plan-an-alcohol-free-vacation/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind Quince: For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/naked for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at Hungryroot.com/nakedmind with code nakedmind Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/mind

Can you truly quit drinking and never feel deprived?  It's a question many of us ponder, and Helen's story offers a powerful, resounding "yes." Surprisingly, Helen grew up in an alcohol-free household, yet found herself, by her mid-twenties, fully immersed in a daily drinking culture that felt completely normal. This habit quietly escalated until, at 50, she was passing out almost every night. Despite her ambition and past ability to control her drinking, she grappled with a deep sense of powerlessness. Join Annie and Helen as they discuss how she navigated this profound shift, breaking free from the struggle and discovering an unexpected, joyful infatuation with her truly alcohol-free life. It's a testament to finding genuine happiness without compromise. In this episode, Annie and Helen discuss: Growing up without alcohol, then starting a daily wine habit in her mid-twenties. Helen's attempts to stop drinking, including the Anthony Robbins' Dickens process, and why fear-based motivation didn't stick. The pivotal moment when Helen realized she could quit drinking and never feel deprived The profound realization that alcohol offers no real value. The impact of alcohol marketing and her aversion to being "taken for a fool." Applying the principles of her alcohol-free journey to other areas of life. Why Helen no longer feels powerless or tempted by alcohol The surprising benefits of quitting drinking that Helen never expected And other topics…

Trigger Warning: This episode includes mentions of grief and loss. Is it truly possible to learn how to stop drinking when depression gets worse?  Jacki's journey began at a point of deep despair, consuming up to 12 beers a day as her depression spiraled. After trying everything from apps to drops with no lasting success, a profound wake-up call led her to discover a different path to alcohol freedom. In this inspiring episode, Jacki shares her emotionally charged story of escaping the grip of alcohol, rebuilding her life from shame and anxiety, and finding a deep connection to herself in a "safe space" she created. Discover how she transformed from a bartender trapped by alcohol to a beacon of hope, showing others that a life of true freedom is not just possible, but joyful. In this episode, Coach Cole and Jacki discuss: How depression worsened Jacki's alcohol use and mental health The moment of realization at a celebration of life that changed everything How behavioral tools like apps and drops failed Jacki in her journey Why seeking support and understanding your emotions is crucial How Jacki rewired negative self-talk and rebuilt her self-worth Living alcohol-free after two years: the mental and emotional shifts How to stay alcohol-free when depression still lingers Why you don't need to give up even when it feels impossible Embracing the freedom to live alcohol-free without guilt or shame The importance of finding a safe space for emotional healing And other topics… Episode links: Jacki's Coaching Page - https://www.coachingbyjacki.com/ Jacki's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jackifleniken Related Episodes: What's the link between alcohol and depression? - Reader Questions - E698 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-698-readers-question-whats-the-link-between-alcohol-and-depression/ What is the correlation between alcohol and anxiety? - Reader Questions - E480 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-480-reader-question-what-is-the-correlation-between-alcohol-and-anxiety/ Beating Blackout Drinking - Naked Life Story – Shirley - E575 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-575-naked-life-story-shirley/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Have you ever felt shame after drinking? Linda spent years trying to align her desire for authenticity with her ongoing battle with alcohol. Despite practicing yoga, meditation, and promoting holistic health, alcohol continued to be her way of coping, even though she felt deep cognitive dissonance. On the outside, she helped others find balance; on the inside, she struggled with shame after drinking. Her people-pleasing nature kept her in this tug-of-war. It wasn't until she embraced The PATH that she found clarity, hope, and the courage to stop hiding. In this episode, Linda shares how she stopped feeling shame after drinking and began to embrace her true self. In this episode, Annie and Linda discuss : Struggling with authenticity while practicing yoga and holistic health, yet secretly battling alcohol Parenting her parents and siblings—Linda felt responsible for holding her family together Being encouraged to drink by her father, who believed alcohol was essential for connection People-pleasing tendencies that kept Linda stuck in unhealthy cycles, including her reliance on alcohol Drinking to fit in—how alcohol became a way to mask feelings of insecurity and inadequacy Feeling shame after drinking—how Linda struggled with self-judgment and guilt Joining The PATH and finding clarity, hope, and self-compassion as she shifted her mindset The shift from people-pleasing to setting boundaries, and how it helped her regain control Rediscovering her true self after years of using alcohol to cope Embracing emotional connection over numbing with alcohol, and how it deepened her relationships And much more... Episode links: This Naked Mind Institute - jointnmi.com Good Vibration Coaching - https://www.goodvibrationcoaching.com/ Related Episodes: How do I handle cravings and people pleasing? - Reader Question - E 272 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-272-reader-question-how-do-i-handle-cravings-and-people-pleasing/  Naked Life Story – Where are they now? – Halima - E 703 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-703-naked-life-story-hayley-where-are-they-now-halima/ The Cost of Fitting In - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E785 - https://thisnakedmind.com/the-cost-of-fitting-in-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e785/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

What if alcohol wasn't the solution to feeling at peace with yourself? For Isabella, alcohol became a way to mask self-doubt and emotional turbulence, especially when balancing a demanding legal career and complex family dynamics. But through the process of exploring her emotions and connecting with her inner self, Isabella found that the path to finding internal validation and peace doesn't require alcohol—it requires self-compassion and deep emotional healing. Join Annie as she talks with Isabella about her incredible journey to finding her internal strength and letting go of old coping mechanisms. In this episode, Annie and Isabella discuss: The early reliance on sugar for self-soothing and anxietyAlcohol as a "miracle cure" for self-doubt in adolescenceNavigating the "work hard, play hard" culture of law school and corporate lawThe unique stresses of being a stepmom and mother to four young childrenThe pivotal hospital experience and subsequent relief of seeking helpFinding internal validation and peace through challenging limiting beliefsOvercoming the shame and blame associated with seeking treatmentAdapting social life and recognizing comfortable social environmentsThe importance of internal strength and moving beyond external valueThe lasting impact of the This Naked Mind methodologyAnd other topics… Episode links: jointnmi.comisabellaferguson.com.au Related Episodes: Breaking Up with Sugar with Molly Carmel - Reader Questions - E269 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-269-breaking-up-with-sugar-with-molly-carmel/ Why is Alcohol In My Life - Meredith's Naked Life - E29 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-29-naked-life-story-meredith/ Learning to Trust Yourself Again - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E746 - https://thisnakedmind.com/learning-to-trust-yourself-again-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e746/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month at ⁠⁠http://BetterHelp.com/NAKEDMIND|BetterHelp.com/NAKEDMIND⁠⁠ Quince: For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to ⁠⁠http://Quince.com/naked|Quince.com/naked⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠http://Hungryroot.com/mind|Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠ with code mind Shopify: Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠http://Shopify.com/mind|Shopify.com/mind⁠

What happens when the thing you think is helping you cope is actually making everything worse?  Dusty thought she had found the perfect solution to the stress of military life—wine with girlfriends during deployments, vodka to manage the constant moves, and alcohol to numb the loss of control that came with being a military spouse. Her drinking escalated from social occasions to daily solo consumption, and she began to realize she needed to learn how to stop using alcohol to cope with military life before it destroyed everything she cared about. As a licensed professional counselor and former D1 soccer player, Dusty understood high performance, but alcohol was undermining every area where she wanted to excel. In this episode, she shares with Coach Pam how discovering the alcohol-free community opened her eyes to what she was really losing and how The Path helped her reclaim her life. In this episode, Pam and Dusty discuss: Growing up around alcohol and early social drinking in college Using alcohol to cope with social anxiety during D1 soccer career Marriage as a stabilizing force and reduced drinking periods Military life challenges: deployments, moves, and spouse community drinking COVID-19 impact on control issues and drinking patterns Learning how to stop using alcohol to cope with military life Discovering the alcohol-free movement and community online Working as a counselor while struggling with personal alcohol use Joining The Path program and doing the inner work What she gained by giving up alcohol: better relationships and health And other topics… Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: EP 758: Can Your Marriage Survive Change? Alcohol Freedom Coaching - https://thisnakedmind.com/can-your-marriage-survive-change-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e758/ EP 794: Life After Service, Life Without Alcohol | Peggy's Naked Life - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-stop-drinking-as-a-female-veteran-peggys-naked-life-e794/ EP 636: Reader's Question – The Art of Balancing Your Needs in a Relationship - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-636-readers-question-the-art-of-balancing-your-needs-in-a-relationship/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

What if you feel sad about giving up wine, even when you know it's time? That's exactly how Kay felt when she realized that alcohol had taken over her life. After years of struggling with guilt, social pressure, and a growing dependence on wine to cope, Kay's turning point came when she found the courage to confront her relationship with alcohol. In this episode, Kay shares her powerful journey of grief, self-doubt, and eventual healing. Through The Path and Annie's guidance, Kay discovered that while the road to quitting drinking was tough, the freedom on the other side was worth it. In this episode, Annie and Kay discuss: Kay's early memories of sherry with her parents and feeling included Alcohol becoming a coping mechanism during marriage struggles and divorce Moving to a remote village and the challenge of hiding her drinking Her partner's concerns and Kay's feeling of being stuck Discovering This Naked Mind's 5-day course and the initial reluctance to quit Feeling sad about giving up wine and the internal "temper tantrum" Understanding cognitive dissonance as a key to her breakthrough The relief of waking up without the mental "noise" and guilt Navigating social situations and big events alcohol-free with ease And other topics…

What if you could enjoy socializing without alcohol and actually feel more connected? Regina's story is a powerful reminder that alcohol doesn't have to be part of the equation. From her early days of using alcohol to fit in, to the realization that alcohol was no longer serving her, Regina shares how her relationship with alcohol shifted. Through challenges and growth, she learned how to enjoy socializing without alcohol and found deeper, more authentic connections. Join Regina and Coach Cole as they dive into her journey and explore how breaking free from alcohol can unlock real social joy. In this episode, Cole and Regina discuss: Growing up with family mental health and addiction challenges First drinking experience at 12 and using alcohol for emotional release How to enjoy socializing without alcohol when it's been your connection tool Understanding the difference between social drinking and problem drinking Family patterns of addiction and mental health struggles Using alcohol as a coping mechanism for anxiety and trauma Postpartum psychosis and the wake-up call to change The power of "This Naked Mind" and cognitive dissonance concepts Finding empowerment through alcohol-free experiences Learning how to enjoy socializing without alcohol at concerts and events Practical strategies for maintaining alcohol freedom and other topics…

Can losing everything actually help you come back to yourself? For Lisa, it did. In the middle of pandemic chaos, she realized that using The Alcohol Experiment to quit drinking wasn't just about removing alcohol—it was about reclaiming her life. As she began to unearth long-buried truths and emotional wounds, she found clarity, courage, and a new path forward. In this episode, she shares how releasing alcohol helped her find the tools to rebuild from the inside out. In this episode Annie and Lisa discuss: Why social drinking felt harmless until it wasn't The moment pandemic lockdowns forced her to confront reality How cognitive dissonance revealed the truth about alcohol What changed when she stopped trying to please everyone Letting go of a marriage, career, and identity that no longer fit How using The Alcohol Experiment to quit drinking sparked a personal awakening Tools she leaned on, including somatic healing and journaling Exploring plant medicine and how microdosing helped her rewire patterns Losing over 50 pounds by applying the same awareness to food How creativity, nature, and solo adventures became her new way to connect Finding freedom in choosing emotional wellness over temporary relief and other topics Episode Links: Lisa's Book - A New Way Back - https://amzn.to/436eFze When you buy something we recommend, we may get an affiliate commission — but it never affects your price or what we pick.

Why do I need wine every night now when I used to be able to control my drinking? Ronna faced this exact question during the pandemic when her occasional wine with dinner transformed into a nightly necessity for coping with grief and stress. As a musician and pastor's wife, she grew up in a family where alcohol was normalized, but a series of devastating losses—including her sister-in-law's suicide and her mother's death just ten days apart—pushed her daily drinking from social habit to survival tool. After discovering This Naked Mind and learning the science behind alcohol addiction, Ronna realized she wasn't weak or destined to repeat family patterns—she was simply human, responding to an addictive substance during unimaginable pain. In this episode, Ronna joins Coach Cole to share her 448-day journey from shame and hiding to freedom and self-compassion. Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and family loss. Coach Cole and Ronna discuss: Growing up in a family where alcohol was normalized and expected Starting drinking as a teenager and touring musician lifestyle The slow progression from wine with dinner to daily necessity How pandemic stress amplified existing drinking patterns Dealing with devastating family losses including suicide and death Using alcohol as a tool to cope with grief and stop overthinking The shame of hiding drinking while in a visible church position Discovering This Naked Mind and learning addiction science Realizing "why do I need wine every night now" had scientific answers Finding freedom in "I drink as much as I want, I just don't want to" Choosing self-compassion over shame about past drinking And other topics…

What would you do if your child told you that you loved alcohol more than them?  For Kate, this devastating moment was just one of many wake-up calls in her journey with alcohol. Growing up in a home where emotions weren't openly expressed, Kate developed patterns of using alcohol to navigate social situations and ultimately to escape feeling uncomfortable emotions. As her tolerance increased, her drinking became more secretive, hidden from her family in elaborate ways that mirrored behaviors she had observed in her own mother. Her story is a vulnerable, honest look at how alcohol keeps you from feeling emotions—grief, guilt, shame, and even love—and what it took to stop hiding and start healing.  In this eye-opening conversation, Kate shares with Annie how finding This Naked Mind helped her understand the science behind her drinking, empowering her to not just change her behavior but transform her entire relationship with alcohol and emotions. In this episode, Annie and Kate discuss: Kate's childhood experiences with alcohol and her mother's secret drinking The progression from social drinking to daily consumption and hiding Creative methods for obtaining alcohol during COVID restrictions The growing disconnect with her daughter due to prioritizing drinking How alcohol keeps you from feeling emotions while hijacking brain chemistry The final day of drinking and the 3 AM moment of decision to change Discovering This Naked Mind and the failed attempt at moderation The transformative experience of The Path program and health improvements Rebuilding trust with family and becoming a certified coach to help others And other topics… Episode links: Connect with Kate - https://freedomaffect.com/ Start reading This Naked Mind - https://thisnakedmind.com/bookJoin The Path - https://go.tnmprograms.com/the-path-from-this-naked-mind Related Episodes: EP 616: Reader's Question – Getting Past Emotional Drinking Triggers – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-616-readers-question-getting-past-emotional-drinking-triggers/ EP 632: Reader's Question – How To Stop Running Away from Life and Emotions – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-630-readers-question-how-to-stop-running-away-from-life-and-emotions/ Dare to Feel: Agnes's Naked Life | E771 - https://thisnakedmind.com/dare-to-feel-agness-naked-life-e771/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Learning how to turn your brain off without drinking can feel impossible when your mind is constantly racing. Jennifer, a self-described control freak, discovered this firsthand as she navigated years of using alcohol to quiet the mental chatter. What happens when that coping mechanism is removed? Join us as Jennifer shares her powerful journey of realizing alcohol wasn't her friend and how she ultimately found a more fulfilling and peaceful existence without it. In this episode, Cole and Jennifer discuss: Drinking as a way to manage stress, loneliness, and the loss of control Using alcohol to feel connected and to quiet a constantly running mind How early sobriety revealed emotional triggers Jennifer didn't expect Navigating the fear of change and giving up the one “friend” that always showed up Her experience with the Alcohol Experiment Facebook group How she discovered how to turn your brain off without drinking New coping tools for stress, overthinking, and emotional discomfort Why ditching alcohol helped her show up more fully for her family Embracing self-trust, not self-judgment and more topics…

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

What if the anxiety you've lived with for years could disappear by changing just one habit? Lauren never questioned the drinking culture she grew up with in the UK, where pubs were central to every social occasion. When the pandemic hit shortly after her move to Canada, she began noticing how alcohol had shifted from enjoyment to an unsatisfying habit. Through research and repeatedly listening to This Naked Mind, Lauren began building an alcohol-free lifestyle that lasts, taking extended breaks from drinking that revealed surprising benefits—including the complete disappearance of her anxiety. In this episode, she shares her journey of ups and downs, the importance of self-compassion after slip-ups, and how she's found more genuine joy and connection without alcohol at the center of her life. In this episode, Annie and Lauren discuss: From British pub culture to questioning alcohol's role How the pandemic revealed problematic drinking patterns The process of building an alcohol-free lifestyle that lasts Why tracking "failures" can be counterproductive The complete disappearance of anxiety after reducing alcohol Discovering genuine joy without drinking The surprising impact on hormone health and overall wellness Finding alternatives to "chasing the high" after activities Recognizing the link between alcohol and emotional stability Creating new traditions beyond drinking culture And other topics… Episode links: Related Episodes: EP 445: Finding Joy with Catherine Gray - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-445-finding-joy-with-catherine-gray/ EP 448: What I Wish I Knew Before My First Drink – The Thief of Joy - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-448-what-i-wish-i-knew-before-my-first-drink-the-thief-of-joy/ EP 20: Reader Question – What do You do about Missing the “High” from Drinking? - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-20-reader-question-what-do-you-do-about-missing-the-high-from-drinking/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

How do you rebuild your identity when alcohol has been woven into every aspect of your personal and professional life? Growing up in a rural fishing community where “drinking was a pastime, to put it mildly,” Peggy couldn't even remember her first drink. Her 28-year military career reinforced these patterns in predominantly male trades where working hard and playing hard revolved around alcohol. Finding the courage to stop drinking as a female veteran wasn't straightforward, especially when seeking help could jeopardize her security clearance and career. In this heartfelt conversation with Annie Grace, Peggy shares her journey to freedom from alcohol after retirement, how she navigated the transition, and why she's now training to become a coach to help others find the answers that are already inside themselves. In this episode, Annie and Peggy will discuss: The normalization of alcohol in rural communities and the military. The challenges of questioning ingrained drinking habits. The moment Peggy realized her drinking was no longer serving her. The fear of seeking help for alcohol issues within the military context. The support and understanding found within the This Naked Mind community. The concept of “duck mode” as a powerful tool for maintaining sobriety. Changing social dynamics and navigating friendships without alcohol. The realization of internal strength and wisdom. Peggy's motivation to become a certified coach and guide others, particularly female veterans, on their journey to stop drinking as a female veteran. The transformative power of self-acceptance and kindness. And other topics… Episode links: Email Peggy - info@neaptidecoaching.com Connect with Peggy - neaptidecoaching.com Related Episodes: EP 745: How To Quit Drinking in Your 50s – https://thisnakedmind.com/breaking-through-alcohols-false-relief-joys-naked-life-e745/ EP 561: Naked Life Story – Ben – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-561-naked-life-story-ben/ EP 292: Duck Mode Explained – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-292-reader-question-how-do-i-stay-alcohol-free-at-a-bachelor-bachelorette-party-weekend/ Ready to take the next step on your journey?  Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!