The Wine O'clock Woman

In this guest conversation, I’m joined by Caroline Woolley, a menopause expert, who supports women through perimenopause and menopause by working with hormones, the nervous system, and real midlife pressures.We talk about why alcohol suddenly feels harder to tolerate in your 40s and 50s, how hormonal shifts affect sleep, anxiety, and mood, and why so many women blame themselves instead of seeing their drinking as a signal that something needs attention.This is an honest conversation about alcohol as self-soothing and the midlife squeeze. Click here to email Caroline directlyClick here to visit her website directly Where you can complete her free Midlife & Menopause MOT quiz and book a complimentary one-to-one. She’s also on Instagram and Facebook as The Peacock Retreat – Natural Wellbeing for Midlife and Menopause.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

You’re drinking more than you want to — but you’re not sure you want to go sober forever.AA doesn’t feel like a good fit.And Dry January usually fails. So now what? In this episode, I talk about the stuck place so many women find themselves in.What’s often called grey area drinking — I call the Wine O’Clock Cycle:When drinking becomes automatic.It can feel like you only have two choices:Keep drinking and pretend it’s fine — or go sober and build your life around that.Dry January, for all its good intentions, often reinforces that false choice.I unpack:Why alcohol is rarely the root issue — it’s a symptomHow the Wine O’Clock Cycle keeps smart, capable women stuckWhat happens when we start asking better questionsIf you’ve ever said “never again” in the morning and poured a glass by 6pm — this one’s for you. There’s a deeper reason you’re reaching for the glass.And there’s a better way to face it — without shame, labels, or all-or-nothing thinking.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

What if this was your year?In this special New Year’s Eve episode, I guide you through a reflective visualisation to help you imagine life on the other side of drinking.This isn’t a hypnotherapy session—but it is a quiet, powerful pause to ask:What do I really need? You’ll take a gentle look ahead, explore what freedom could feel like, and start to connect with the small actions that could change everything. 🎧 Important: This visualisation involves eyes-closed reflection.Please don’t listen while driving or operating machinery.Take a breath, find somewhere quiet, and let yourself picture what’s possible.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

What’s really behind self-sabotage, and why rebellion wins when we ignore our real needs.Plus, 3 ways to step out of the Dry January myth.Dry January starts strong, then somewhere around week two… the “fuck it” moment hits.In this episode, I unpack why self-sabotage isn’t failure, it’s rebellion.The rebel in you pushing back against the good girl trying to hold it all together.This could be what’s really driving the collapse, and why so many of us burn our efforts to the ground just as they start to stick.You’ll hear how to reframe Dry January into something that actually helps you understand what you're really trying to change.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

This is a gritty, honest conversation about the quiet mental exhaustion of over-drinking, the relief of being heard, and why change doesn’t require a breakdown, just the courage to speak your truth.  Donna Elliott, a virtual assistant specialist supporting neurodiverse clients and co-founder of Ebb & Flow Brecon, shares the moment she stopped performing, hiding, and negotiating with herself, and what happened when she finally decided to stop drinking.   —   About Ebb & Flow Brecon:A space for women to connect, share, and grow.  Ebb & Flow Brecon exists to connect women in the community by creating safe, supportive spaces where we can share our personal health and wellbeing journeys.  They believe in the power of storytelling, honest conversation, and mutual support.Whether you're navigating life changes, celebrating growth, or simply seeking connection, you are welcome here.  Their work includes:  Hosting uplifting, local events for women  Offering a platform to share lived experience  Creating spaces rooted in authenticity, safety, and inclusion  Supporting personal growth through collective wisdom  At the heart of Ebb & Flow are three voluntary co-directors — local women working together to build a space that celebrates community, empowerment, and belonging.  Click here to follow Ebb & Flow on IG SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

You might say you're ready to change your relationship with alcohol, but your energy, thoughts, and behaviours might tell a different story.In this episode, I break down 3 signs you’re not actually ready to change, even if you think you are, and 3 indicators that real change is within reach. We’ll talk about the silent cost of maintaining the status quo, the mental gymnastics of bargaining, the trap of comparison, and the powerful stories we tell ourselves to delay what we already know.If you’re stuck in the space between “I don’t want this” and “I’m not sure I can do this,” this one’s for you.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

In this episode, we name the invisible labour, the unsaid expectations, and the quiet martyrdom that women carry every day.The resentment we swallow, and the silence we mistake for strength.And we end with the real question:What part of me is complicit in my own exhaustion?SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

What if “later” is the lie that keeps you stuck?In this episode, I explore the familiar line so many women turn to when they do not want to face something head-on...“I’ll sort it out later.”It feels like relief in the moment because it sounds like a plan.But it is not a plan at all. It is avoidance dressed up as intention, and the relief it gives you is short-lived. All it really does is push the same problem further down the road.I look at why this pattern feels sensible at the time, yet quietly keeps you in the same loop for far longer than you realise. SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

In this episode, I’m taking you on a journey through the decades of a woman’s life and how her relationship with alcohol quietly evolves along the way.From the social drinking of our 20s, to the coping mechanisms of our 30s and 40s, to the isolating rituals of our 50s and beyond.Because it doesn’t start as a problem.It starts as fun.A glass with friends.A way to feel confident.To belong.But somewhere along the way, it becomes something else.This is an episode about the quiet slide. The slow fade. The moment you look in the mirror and wonder, “Where the hell did I go?”SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

This is where it begins.In this first episode, I share the moment that cracked everything open: a quiet question from my daughter that hit harder than any hangover ever could.“Does the wine make you sad, Mummy?”It stopped me cold.And it forced me to face what I’d been numbing, avoiding, denying.This isn’t a story about rock bottom.It’s about reckoning. About what happens when the coping stops working, and the truth is too loud to ignore.If you’ve ever looked at your wine glass and thought, something isn’t right—this is for you.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

Welcome to The Wine O’Clock Woman.This short episode is your invitation.To stop pretending.To stop coping.To start listening to what’s really going on underneath the wine.If that voice inside has been whispering that something needs to change, you’re in the right place.Let’s begin.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.

This is the trailer for The Wine O’Clock Woman—a podcast for midlife women who are done pretending everything’s fine.You don’t drink because you love the taste.You drink because life feels unliveable without it.This is about what lies beneath the drinking—the loneliness, the pressure, the disappearing.No sugar-coating. No moderation tips. Just truth.If that strikes a chord, you’re in the right place.SUPPORT BEYOND THE PODCASTWhen you're ready to change the way you drink and understand the reasons why, you can:Watch the video - WHAT IF DRINKING ISN'T THE PROBLEM?Get access to the video here📧 Email Rebecca at info@rebeccathomson.co.uk🌐 Visit Rebecca's websiteDISCLAIMER:This podcast shares personal experience and professional insight. It is not medical advice and is not meant as a substitute for individual therapeutic support.DID SOMETHING HIT HOME?Leave a message- share the line that stopped you, the win that matters, or name the thing that no one says out loud. Say, "VOICE OKAY" if I can share your voice on the show, or "WORDS ONLY" if you'd prefer I read it.No need to leave your name or email.When you speak your truth, you give other women permission to do the same.🎤 Leave your message here The more women who find this space, the fewer remain stuck in silence.