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After 38 years of sobriety and 5 years of podcasting, I finally had the good sense to put the two together. Unbottled is where we crack open all things sobriety—without the shame, the whispering, or the “I’m fine” face we all perfected in the 90s.
This is a space for honest conversations, practical tools, laugh-so-you-don’t-cry stories, and the kind of truth that only comes after decades of doing the work and living to tell about it. Whether you’re sober-curious, long-time sober, or somewhere in the messy middle, we’re going to talk about the habits, people, boundaries, victories, and ridiculous moments that shape a sober life.
Think of Unbolted as the place where we unhook the armor, loosen the bolts, and talk real sobriety—candid, witty, a little sassy, and full of hope because life gets a whole lot lighter when you stop tightening everything down and start opening up.
15 Episodes
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Send us Fan Mail Day 31 can feel calmer on the outside while your mind quietly starts negotiating in the background. I talk about why the space after the first 30 days can be uncomfortable, and how support and structure help you stop surviving and start building. • why the first 30 days feel intense and why that matters • what changes after day 30 and why “space” can feel scary • how the brain turns relapse into “reasonable” logic • why doing sobriety alone can be hard...
Send a text We break down what the first 30 days without alcohol actually feel like, from your body recalibrating to your emotions coming back online. We share why the early month can feel like a roller coaster and how patience, support, and simple tools help you keep moving forward. • how sleep, stress hormones, and energy shift after you stop drinking • why early sobriety can bring fatigue, headaches, and mood swings • how alcohol numbs feelings and why emotions can surge when you quit • us...
Send a text Fear has a way of getting loud the moment change becomes real. We name that fear without flinching and walk through the questions that slam your mind when you picture life without alcohol: how will I relax, who will I be, will my friends still feel like home. Instead of treating those questions as proof you can’t, we unpack why your brain clings to the familiar and how to move anyway—one ordinary day at a time. We get honest about identity. Alcohol often sneaks into how we descri...
Send a text We explore the quiet turning point when discomfort becomes enough to change, and how honesty can start sobriety long before catastrophe. Marcy shares her Monday-morning decision, the reality of mental gymnastics, the role of fear, and why one private step can open a wider future. • sobriety as a choice before bottom • the quiet moment that signals change • personal story of the first meeting and early days • mental negotiations and the courtroom in your head • the myth that you m...
Send a text We explore how sobriety grows beyond not drinking and into daily emotional work, honest self-reflection, and real freedom. Marcy shares tools for handling control, resentment, identity shifts, and non-linear growth, grounded in 38 years of experience. • alcohol as symptom, not root • emotional sobriety and the power of the pause • control as a sneaky substitute for drinking • resentment as slow poison and how to release it • identity after alcohol and choosing who to be • growth ...
Send a text We share practical tools for early sobriety that replace chaos with calm and make nights safer. Meetings, routine, connection, HALT, and a progress mindset turn empty space into steady ground. • meetings as rhythm, accountability, and social support • 90-in-90 and online options across time zones • building a weekly meeting mix for different needs • routine to reduce evening risk and decision fatigue • phone list as real invitation to connect • HALT to meet basic needs before cra...
Send a text We break down the real purpose of AA sponsorship and why connection gives you a better chance at lasting sobriety. Practical tips, plain language, and zero pressure on how to choose, ask, and change sponsors if you need to. • why isolation fuels drinking and connection supports recovery • what a sponsor is and how they help • what a sponsor is not and common misconceptions • how to spot steady sobriety and red flags • simple scripts for asking someone to sponsor you • why it’s ok...
Send a text We slow down the phrase “one day at a time” and turn it from a cliché into a practical tool for real-life sobriety. Fear of “forever” gives way to daily choices, flexible plans, and honest connection. • why forever thinking fuels anxiety and stalls progress • how one day at a time lowers pressure and restores control • what the phrase does not mean and what it actually means • practical containment tactics for hard moments • using hours, meetings, and calls when a day is too long...
Send a text Fear loves the unknown, which is why a first AA meeting can feel like a leap into the dark. We open the door and let you look around before you walk in: the simple format, the rhythms of a typical room, and the many ways you can participate without pressure. I share why open and closed meetings exist, what happens at speaker and discussion formats, and how online meetings can be a low-friction starting point if walking into a physical room feels like too much right now. Together ...
Send a text We lay out what AA is, what it isn’t, and how to try it without pressure or labels. The goal is to trade fear for facts and open a path to support that actually fits your life. • why AA shows up early when you explore sobriety • how fellowship works: sharing, not advice or policing • availability of in‑person and 24/7 online meetings • what AA is: self‑supporting, peer‑led, accessible • what AA is not: religious, a cult, or mandatory • finding fit: women‑only, men‑only, LGBTQ, at...
Send a text The turning point isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s the quiet morning you wake up done with broken promises, tired of negotiating with yourself, and ready to see what life looks like without alcohol calling the shots. We open up about the subtle signs that drinking takes too much space—mental loops, “I’ll stop tomorrow” bargains, and that feeling of relief when you imagine not having to manage it anymore. From there, we break down the biggest blockers: comparison that keeps you s...
Send a text What if sobriety isn’t about quitting a substance but about noticing the patterns that keep you numb, busy, or seeking approval? We open the door to a wider view of recovery that includes alcohol, yes, but also food, shopping, work, and the endless chase for gold stars. Instead of shaming, we get practical: simple tools that create awareness, repair what’s frayed, and bring real relief when life turns up the pressure. We break down how an honest inventory can locate the small rup...
Send a text We reflect on what 38 years of sobriety actually looks like: not a perfect life, but a practiced one rooted in awareness, service, and community. We share how AA provided structure, why emotional sobriety matters most, and how these tools apply to any “too loud” habit. • who this podcast is for and why belonging matters • why one day at a time still works • differences between getting sober in 1988 and today • many paths to sober without judgment • the role of service, structure ...
Send a text The noise gets loud—on our phones, at the bar, in our heads. We kicked off Unbottled to cut through that noise and talk about sobriety the way it actually feels: messy, honest, and full of second chances. Marcy shares why she started this show, how 38 years of sobriety have shaped her life, and why she refuses to make recovery a punishment. If you’re sober curious, newly sober, or simply tired of waking up thinking “I did it again,” this conversation meets you where you are. We e...
Send a text Hi friends, I’m Marcy Backhus, and this is Unbottled — a podcast where we talk about sobriety in real life, without shame, secrecy, or pretending we’ve got it all figured out. I’ve been sober since January 11, 1988, and over the years I’ve learned that sobriety isn’t just about what you stop drinking — it’s about what you start noticing. Whether you’re sober-curious, newly sober, long-time sober, or just wondering why something in your life feels a little too loud… you’re we...
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