Journey to the Sunnyside

You’re drinking less. You feel like you’ve turned a corner. And then one night something happens… you have more than you planned, or the old routine sneaks back in. The next morning a thought appears: “I thought I was past this.” In this episode, Mike explains why that moment is actually a normal part of behavior change. Drawing from neuroscience and habit research, he breaks down why progress with alcohol rarely happens in a straight line—and why those waves of challenge don’t mean you’re starting over. Understanding what’s really happening in the brain can help you move forward with more clarity, confidence, and self-trust.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Today I’m talking with Jenny Williamson, Executive Director of Options Save Lives, one of the leading organizations focused on medication-based approaches to reducing alcohol use. We dive into how naltrexone actually works, why people often misunderstand the medication, and the important difference between cravings and habits when it comes to alcohol. Jenny also explains what the medication can — and can’t — do on its own, and why behavior change still plays such an important role.EDITOR'S NOTE:In this episode, naltrexone is discussed primarily in the context of the Sinclair Method (targeted dosing before drinking), which is the focus of Jenny Williamson’s work with Options Save Lives. Naltrexone is also commonly prescribed using other evidence-based protocols.At Sunnyside Med, clinicians prescribe daily oral naltrexone, which has been studied extensively and shown in multiple clinical trials to help reduce heavy drinking and alcohol cravings. The approach used can vary depending on clinical guidance, individual goals, and drinking patterns. Anyone considering medication to change their relationship with alcohol should consult a qualified medical professional to determine the most appropriate treatment plan.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

At some point, a lot of people assume their drinking is just part of their personality. In this episode, we unpack the myth of the “addictive personality,” explain how habits get automated in the brain, and explore why reinforced behavior can start to feel like identity. What if this isn’t who you are — but just what your brain learned?CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

You don’t identify as an alcoholic.You’re functioning.You’re successful.But something still feels off.In part two of my conversation with Jennifer Kautsch, founder of Sober Sis, we explore why the gray area can feel harder to leave than rock bottom. We talk about identity, why labels create resistance, how high-achieving women quietly manage drinking, and what sober-minded living actually means.If you’ve ever felt stuck between fine and not fine, this episode will help you think differently about what comes next.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

You wake up with regret.You promise yourself tonight will be different.And somehow, by 5 pm, you’re negotiating again.In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Kautsch, founder of Sober Sis, one of the largest communities in the country for women questioning their relationship with alcohol. We break down what she calls the detox to retox loop, the mental tug-of-war of gray area drinking, and why so many high-performing people feel stuck between fine and not fine. If you’ve ever felt like you’re managing alcohol more than enjoying it, this one will feel familiar.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Morning-you makes promises. Evening-you breaks them. There’s a biological reason for that. When stress rises and energy drops, the salience network starts prioritizing immediate relief over long-term goals. Learn how to shift which version of you is in charge — without fighting yourself.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Most alcohol advice feels contradictory. One drink a day is “moderate.” Two per week is “low risk.” Zero is “optimal.” So what actually happens inside your body at 1 drink, 2 drinks, 3–4 drinks, or 5+? In this episode, I break down the real biology — including what acetaldehyde is, why stacking nights compounds stress, and how dose and frequency affect sleep, hormones, inflammation, and recovery. Then I walk through what patterns carry less biological load and how to build smarter recovery windows into your routine. No shame. No scare tactics. Just clarity so you can make informed decisions about your health.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

By the time you’re standing in the kitchen at 7 PM, your brain may have already decided. In today’s episode, we look at why the hardest part of drinking habits often happens before you ever pour a drink. Understanding that early window can help you step out of autopilot and back into real choice. It’s a small shift that makes a big difference.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

What if the things you hide from yourself—even small traumas—are keeping you stuck on autopilot? In this conversation, performance intelligence expert Marcy Axelrod shares her journey from childhood stuttering to developing the "Show Up System™" used by thousands to break free from just going through the motions. A two-time TEDx speaker and former KPMG Consulting leader, Marcy explains why we're all bouncing between three levels of showing up throughout the day, and how disconnection from yourself creates everything from that extra drink to feeling like life is stale. We explore her 3-role framework for understanding behavior, why addiction is actually an adaptive response to pain, and a simple 2-minute "soften your gaze" technique for shifting out of autopilot mode. If you've ever wondered why you can't seem to change despite knowing better, this framework might help you understand why. CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

In this episode, I break down the psychology behind what you watched yesterday. Not the game. Not the halftime show. The thing happening in the background that your brain registered without you realizing it. This isn't about whether drinking is good or bad. It's about understanding how perception gets created—and why that matters more than you think. Once you see this, you won't be able to watch commercials the same way again.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Knowing what to do usually isn’t the problem. Most people already know what would help them feel better, whether that’s drinking less, sleeping more, taking better care of themselves, or managing stress. And yet, they don’t. In this episode, I’m joined again by Arlina Allen to talk about why knowledge alone rarely leads to change and what’s actually getting in the way. We explore why habit strategies often fall apart, how anxiety and emotional avoidance drive behavior, and why resistance isn’t a lack of willpower but a protective response. If you’ve ever felt frustrated with yourself for not following through, or wondered why alcohol, distraction, or old patterns still feel necessary even when you don’t want them to, this conversation will give you a new lens. Let’s get into it.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Today’s episode is about flexibility. And more specifically, what happens when the one-size-fits-all approach to alcohol stops working. My guest today is Arlina Allen. Arlina has been sober for over 30 years. She’s the author of The 12-Step Guide for Skeptics, host of the One Day at a Time Recovery Podcast, and she’s spent decades working with high-functioning professionals who want to change their relationship with alcohol without blowing up their lives. What makes this conversation different is that Arlina didn’t start out open-minded about flexibility. For most of her recovery, she believed abstinence was the only real answer. But over time, through her work with clients, her podcast, and her own willingness to question what she thought she knew, her perspective evolved. In this episode, we talk about what actually helped her quit drinking, what the 12 steps still get right even if you don’t resonate with the whole program, and how to think about moderation, medication, and experimentation without shame or labels.If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to drink like this anymore, but I’m not ready to say I’m done forever,” this episode is for you. Let’s get into it.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

It often looks like other people can drink without thinking about it. One drink. No drama. No second-guessing. In this episode, we look at why that comparison is so convincing—and why it usually breaks down on closer inspection. From the way alcohol shifts attention to the information you never actually see when watching others drink, this conversation explores how comparison quietly turns every decision into something you’re evaluating. Not to tell you how to drink, but to help you stop measuring yourself against an incomplete picture.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

In this episode, I sit down with Billy Grady, co-founder and CEO of Kava Haven, one of the fastest-growing alcohol alternatives in the country. We break down what kava actually is, how it’s been used for thousands of years, and why more people are turning to it as a way to relax, socialize, and mark the end of the day without alcohol. Billy shares how a personal health experiment turned into a brand now carried in over 1,000 retailers and bars nationwide, clears up common misconceptions around liver health and addiction, and explains what kava really feels like compared to alcohol or cannabis. If you’re curious about drinking less but still want something that helps you unwind, this conversation gives you a clear, grounded look at whether kava might fit into your life.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

I’ve talked to a lot of people who cut back on drinking, hit their goals, and still feel like something’s off. In this episode, I share why moderation can start to feel like something you manage instead of a real shift in how you live. I walk through what alcohol is often doing beneath the surface, why removing it isn’t always enough on its own, and how building what’s missing can make drinking naturally feel less necessary.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Many people feel exhausted but unable to truly rest. Sleep feels shallow, stress lingers, and the body stays on edge even when life looks “fine” on the outside. In this episode, functional wellness practitioner Zoa Conner, PhD brings a systems-based lens to what’s happening underneath that wired-but-tired state. Drawing on her background in physics, she explains how depletion, nervous system dysregulation, and environmental stress quietly shape how we feel long before we try to change our behavior.We talk about how mineral balance and liver support affect energy and resilience, why cravings can be signals rather than failures, and how changes in environment or travel can either restore regulation or amplify stress. This conversation isn’t about fixing yourself or following a rigid protocol. It’s about understanding what the body is asking for and learning how support, not force, often creates the relief people are looking for.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

We’re a few weeks into January — past the excitement of starting, but still early enough to choose again. In this episode, I share how I’m structuring a personal experiment this year, not as a rule or resolution, but as a way to support what I want more of: energy, clarity, consistency, and presence. Using examples straight from my journal, I walk through a simple framework you can use at any point in the year:Clarifying your “why” by categoryTurning it into purpose statementsChoosing a meaningful container without forever languageWhether you’re right on track or already feeling off course, this episode isn’t about restriction or perfection. It’s about paying attention to what supports you, and what quietly takes from you, and choosing from there.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Marci Hopkins, host of Wake Up with Marci and author of the upcoming book Wake Up, You’re Not Broken, joins me again to talk about what actually happens after you make a big change. We unpack the first 30 days — including that first-month “I feel amazing” phase — and why things can feel harder once it fades. We talk about identity, spirituality, community, and how to move forward without shame when progress isn’t linear. This episode is about rediscovering yourself, not fixing something that was broken.--CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Marci Hopkins is the host of Wake Up with Marci, a speaker, and the author of Chaos to Clarity. But her work didn’t come from theory — it came from living through years of trauma, chaos, and using alcohol to cope. In part one, Marci shares what chaos actually looked like growing up, how drinking slowly became normalized, and the moment she realized that trying to “manage” alcohol wasn’t going to work for her. We talk about self-awareness, nervous system survival, and why real change starts when you stop pretending something is working when it isn’t.--CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

You’d think a hangover would be enough to stop drinking. For most people, it’s not. In this episode, we look at why delayed consequences don’t change behavior, how the brain prioritizes immediate relief, and what cravings are really responding to. Once you understand the timing problem at the center of drinking habits, a lot of things start to make sense.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.