The Sober New Yorker

Today I'm sitting down with one of the biggest badasses I know! Mary is a first generation woman born into a big Irish family that had plenty of drinking issues. In her late 50's, and sick of her own shit, she signed up for a Dry January. She started feeling the amazing benefits almost immediately and started to wonder "what if I kept going?" She did! and on New Years Day 2025 she will be celebrating two years sober. We both belong to an incredible sober women's empowerment group. If you're looking for group support, I highly recommend: https://www.instagram.com/sobahsistahs/ Be sure to give Mary some love if you enjoyed the episode: https://www.instagram.com/marleyreidy/

Bri is a sober mom from Indiana who’s here to flip the script: sobriety isn’t something to whisper about—it’s something to celebrate out loud. Living an active, healthy life with her husband and two sons, she’s learned that the secret sauce to staying sober is helping others along the way. Bri is all about honest, real-deal conversations that spark connection, confidence, and a whole lot of pride in living alcohol-free.Follow Bri's badass adventures!https://www.instagram.com/brimarshallll/https://www.tiktok.com/@briinsobriety

Patrick is the founder of Zero Proof Pass, Milwaukee’s first non-alcoholic passport program, launched in July 2025. Based in downtown Milwaukee, he created Zero Proof Pass to challenge the idea that alcohol is required to fully experience the city. Through partnerships with bars, cafés, breweries, cocktail lounges, and nightclubs, the program makes zero-proof options more visible, accessible, and celebrated across Milwaukee.Growing up in Wisconsin—where drinking culture runs deep—Patrick’s relationship with alcohol wasn’t linear. He experimented with being alcohol-free before it finally stuck. Without a business background, but with a sharp eye for what was missing, he recognized that people who don’t drink are craving real connection and social experiences that don’t revolve around alcohol. Zero Proof Pass was born from that gap, helping to reshape what community and nightlife can look like without booze at the center.Connect with Patrick:https://www.instagram.com/414_milwaukee/https://zeroproof.ventures/

Frank Scarso lost everything to alcohol and drug addiction—his marriage, his children, his home, and his career. After a 20-year run on Wall Street ended in collapse, he slowly crawled his way back.Now over eight years sober, Frank is the CEO and Founder of Avanza Capital Holdings, a funding platform that has deployed more than $250M to small businesses across 48 states. He’s also a leading voice on recovery, redemption, and responsible leadership. His upcoming book, The Hard Way Home, tells the story of losing it all—and rebuilding a life rooted in purpose.Get in touch with Frank:https://avanza.nyc/about-us/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-scarso-989894118/

Polly Lovell is a UK-based sober and life coach who stopped drinking at 57 and proved it’s never too late to change your life. Now, she supports others in building healthier, more intentional lives—without alcohol—and loves strength training, walking, yoga, and fashion.Follow Polly on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sobercoachpolly/Polly's Website:https://www.sobercoachpolly.com/

Erica is a chef, homesteader, and founder of Chaotic Canning Co.—a small-batch canning company and apothecary she built from the ground up after nearly losing her life to organ failure caused by years of alcohol abuse and burnout. Sobriety forced her to slow down and rebuild everything—her health, her purpose, and her identity. Today, she shares her story to show that healing doesn’t have to look perfect—sometimes it looks like chaos in a mason jar.Follow Erica:https://www.instagram.com/chaoticcanning.co/https://chaoticcanning.com/

In this episode of The Sober New Yorker, Melissa talks with Casey McGuire Davidson — Life & Sobriety Coach and host of the Top 100 mental health podcast The Hello Someday Podcast — about why Dry January is such a powerful reset.A former red wine–loving corporate climber who quit drinking over a decade ago, Casey breaks down the real benefits of taking 30 days off alcohol, how it builds clarity and self-trust, and why Dry January can open the door to longer-term change — without pressure or labels.If you’re sober-curious or craving a fresh start, this conversation will change how you think about taking a break from alcohol.Casey's website:https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/caseymdavidson/Hello Someday Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hello-someday-podcast-for-sober-curious-women/id1508913688

Colleen ___ is a commercial fisherwoman of more than 30 years, a writer, and a woman who rebuilt herself from the deepest kind of loss. After losing her husband to alcohol-related suicide and battling decades of binge drinking herself, Colleen chose a new path — one of clarity, sobriety, self-respect, and truth. Now over four and a half years sober, she’s writing her debut book, Life Beyond the Binge, a raw and hopeful story about surviving addiction, grief, the sea, and herself.Stay up to date on Colleen:Freebie on her website!https://purepotential.health/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base%3BzoknbUMkRVOt%2BnSyAAGQOw%3D%3DFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/people/Pure-Potential-Health/61567862578775/For more info on my group coaching "Happier Hour" please email me: melissa@thesobernewyorker.com

In this heartfelt conversation, Liz shares her journey from a chaotic life filled with addiction to finding sobriety and healing. She discusses her childhood struggles, the impact of alcohol in her adolescence, and the pivotal moments that led her to acknowledge her addiction. Liz emphasizes the importance of community support in recovery and shares her experiences of facing challenges along the way. Her story is one of resilience, transformation, and hope, inspiring others to seek help and embrace their own journeys to recovery.

Mitch — known as Mitch Motivates on Instagram — is the author of My Addiction My Superpower and a powerful voice in the recovery community. Though he grew up in a loving, supportive home, he was drawn to risk from an early age and fell into substance use young. With the help of his family and a transformative stay in rehab, Mitch turned his life around. Now, 20 years sober, he shares his story through his writing and podcast conversations, showing others how addiction became the catalyst for his greatest strength.Follow him on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mitchmotivates/Buy his book on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=my+addiction+my+superpower&crid=FXUI6FK84RV6&sprefix=my+addiction+my+superpower%2Caps%2C92&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Chester, a Montréal musician, spiraled into addiction through years of heartbreak, anxiety, and hard-partying tours. Alcohol and drugs nearly destroyed his life until he finally surrendered and got sober. Now he’s a full-time artist experiencing music with a clarity he never thought possible. His journey is a raw, honest look at resilience and rebirth.Follow him on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/chester_alarie/Our Sober Motivation Community. Sign up for a free 30 day trial:https://sobermotivation.mn.co/share/U8aWhgssczqJAikG?utm_source=manual

Nadine, known to many as The Sober Butterfly, is a proud New Yorker, educator, podcaster, and expert sober traveler who’s been living alcohol-free for over four years. Through her podcast and vibrant online presence, she inspires others to embrace sobriety as a path to freedom, exploration, and self-discovery.In this conversation, Nadine opens up with raw honesty about the realities of content creation, Instagram burnout, and a high-functioning depressive episode that reminded her—and all of us—that even in sobriety, mental health matters. Her vulnerability is a powerful reminder that taking breaks, slowing down, and honoring our well-being is not weakness—it’s self-respect.Folow Nadine on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/the.soberbutterfly/

Megan Wilcox is the founder of the SobahSistahs Empowerment Club, where she helps women embrace alcohol-free living with confidence, joy, and sisterhood. Coming up on five years of sobriety, she’s a powerhouse coach, retreat leader, and a featured voice in an upcoming documentary on the sober movement set to release later this year. Megan is also currently writing her first book, continuing her mission to make sobriety a true celebration of life.You can hear Megan and me together on the Sobriety Is the New Epic Virtual Speaker Series, launching November 10th — follow my registration link to save your spot!Sober is the New Epic - Speaker Series:speakerseries.soberadventurecollective.com/melissaFollow Megan and the Sobah Sistahs on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sobahsistahs/

Lisa is a women’s empowerment and running coach based in upstate New York. Through her coaching and her Ella Go Podcast, she inspires women to find strength, confidence, and community through movement—both on and off the pavement. Lisa leads both virtual and in-person running groups, helping women tap into their inner power and resilience.In this episode, Lisa opens up about the moment she realized a friend’s drinking had crossed a line—and the courage it took to speak up. What began as a difficult and emotional conversation led to unexpected healing and transformation, not only for her friend but for Lisa herself.Together, Melissa and Lisa explore what it takes to lovingly confront someone who may be struggling with alcohol, why so many people avoid these conversations, and how compassion and courage can change everything.Lisa's Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ellagocoaching/Ella Go Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ella-go-podcast/id1508916576

In this episode, Melissa sits down with playwright and director Sean Daniels, the creative force behind The White Chip and Executive Director of the Recovery Arts Project. Sean shares how his own journey through addiction and sobriety inspired his groundbreaking play and how he’s using the arts to challenge stigma and spark new conversations about recovery. It’s an honest, funny, and deeply human conversation about storytelling, healing, and the power of turning pain into purpose.Follow Sean on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/seanddaniels/Donate to Recovery Arts Project:https://www.bigvision.nyc/recovery-arts-projectRecovery Horror Film Reading:https://www.bigvision.nyc/calendar/horror-film-reading

In this episode, Melissa and Brad share the magic of the very first Sober Motivation Community in-person meetup in Toronto, Canada. After years of connecting only through screens and social posts, the community finally gathered face-to-face, forging bonds that felt both immediate and deeply familiar. Together, Melissa and Brad swap stories from the weekend, reflect on the power of shared alcohol-free living, and explore how these meetups open the door to honest conversations we don’t always have in everyday life. It’s a celebration of connection, courage, and the freedom of choosing sobriety—together.Follow Sober Motivation and Brad on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sobermotivation/

This week I’m celebrating two milestones: my 50th episode and my 54th birthday. I’m reflecting on three birthdays—my "crashing" 19th, my shaky first sober one at six weeks alcohol-free, and today’s milestone fresh off an unforgettable sober meetup in Toronto.I’m beyond grateful to everyone who’s helped me get here—especially you, my listeners. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for tuning in, for sharing space with my stories and interviews, and for reminding me that sober storytelling matters. My hope is that these episodes inspire you to make bold choices and become the badass you already are.Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesobernewyorker/Sober Motivation - FREE 30 Day Trial:https://sobermotivation.mn.co/share/U8aWhgssczqJAikG?utm_source=manual

Melanie Curtis is a world-record skydiver turned keynote speaker and peak performance coach with over 12,000 jumps and 30 years of experience leading and coaching worldwide. Eight years sober, she shares openly about her journey and how psychedelic medicines played a powerful role in her healing. Today, she uses her platform to shift the narrative around their potential and to inspire transformation. With heart, humor, and real tools for growth, Melanie empowers audiences to rise into their untapped potential and take bold leaps—in life, in leadership, and in themselves.Follow Melanie on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/melaniecurtis11/Book her to speak!https://melaniecurtis.com/

Kim Bellas is the inspiring founder of Sober Is the New Cool, a global movement redefining what it means to live alcohol-free. Her journey began when her teenage son was diagnosed with epilepsy and told he would never be able to drink. Determined to support him, Kim promised to go alcohol-free herself—ironically while holding a glass of wine. What started as a 30-day challenge turned into 60 days, and eventually 12 years. Today, Kim stands as one of the leading voices in the sobriety space.Through Sober Is the New Cool, Kim has become a beacon of positivity, resilience, and empowerment, showing the world that living sober isn’t just healthy—it’s powerful, stylish, and, yes, the new cool. She’s a beautiful ray of sunshine who inspires countless people to embrace sobriety with pride, and it was truly an honor to sit down with her for this conversation.Be sure to follow her on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sober.is.the.new.cool/The beautiful book Kim mentioned in the podcast:https://www.amylizharrison.com/mybooks

Rachel Hechtman is a certified life coach, content creator, and founder of Sober in Central Park—a vibrant community redefining what it means to live alcohol-free.Since beginning her sobriety journey on January 3, 2021, Rachel has become a leading voice in the sober movement, using storytelling, mindset work, and social media to help others break free from limiting beliefs and create lives they love.She consults for non-alcoholic brands, hosts wellness events across NYC and The Hamptons, and is building Soft Bar—a non-alcoholic bar and event space designed to reshape how we connect, celebrate, and socialize.Follow her on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/soberincentralpark/Next time you're in Brooklyn, check out SoftBar:https://www.instagram.com/softbarcafe/