I Have 12 Questions Podcast - Conversations About the Sober Life

Hey sober family and our entire listener community! Thanks as always for being here to share and to receive our recovery stories. It means a lot.  Our next guest was referred to me by our last guest, actually a friend named Julie out of Denver.  So, we do not know each other which I think always opens the conversation to a different flavor.  She’s an interventionist, which alone is wild to me to think about.  You can find her online at https://adrunkwhisperer.com/ to learn more about her personally as well as the services she offers.  There’s a great video about the process on her site which I found very informative, and she shares her own personal story by way of her speaker tape which can be accessed there as well.  She’s got a ton of successes and credentials under her belt and she herself is also in recovery for over 25 years! Started private practice in 2015                     Keith Bradley's Intervention workshop in the Love First model also using a Spiritual Perspective 2016 Spends much of her free time mentoring women in recovery in all walks of life Regularly taught relapse prevention at Excelsior girls’ facility for 13–19-year-old adolescents prior to the school closure in 2017 Inspirational and motivational speaker worldwide Peer Coach training through PCA and CCAR. NCPRSS National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist through NAADAC NCIP Nationally Certified Intervention Professional  Her episode will be available on Valentine’s Day wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always! A reminder that links to all platforms are available at the podcast's website:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #coach #sobrietycoach #recoverycoach #sobermom #soberparenting #intervention #interventionist

I can’t think of a more joyful way to wrap up Season 3 and the year 2024 than with this amazing woman.  Our guest this episode is someone I adore for many reasons.  I met her as the Yoga teacher at my studio and was immediately drawn to her energy.  To be fair I don’t know a whole lot about her outside of her being my favorite yoga teacher, but that’s why we’re here today to hear about her recovery story and learn new things together.  Her name is Alaska Barnes and she has a lot of wisdom, love and laid-back energy to share.     Her episode will be available wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always! Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #religiosity #findamentalist #dogma #inclusion #secularism #agnosticism #tolerance #allarewelcome #freethinkers #secularAA #secularrecovery #yoga #selflove #healing #sobercurious #soberish #mentalhealth #lifecoach #sobriety #goals #selflove #mentalhealthawareness #health #fitness #mentalclarity #physicalhealth #longevity #harmreduction #alcoholicsanonymous #womeninrecovery #selfcare #therapyconsciousness #aca #yoga

Hey sober family and our entire listener community. Our next guest is someone I met when I lived in Denver.  She’s one of those women who you just know isn’t messing around...she’s serious about recovery and helping other women.  Period.  My kinda people.  I nicknamed her Bling soon after meeting her because she’s always sparkling with jewels and bedazzles but also her spirit is full of light and the kind of joy you can't fake.  She’s a tough love type and it comes from a place of knowing how deadly addiction can be for some of us.  She always said work this program like your life depends on….because it does.  I learned so much from her and in a new city only a couple of years into recovery at the time she made me feel safe and like I had a friend in my new sober community in Colorado.  She’s a joy and I can’t wait to share her with y’all! Her episode is available December 20, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always! Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #coach #sobrietycoach #recoverycoach #sobermom #soberparenting

Hey sober family and our entire listener community. Our next guest is someone I met when I lived in Denver.  She’s one of the funniest and most unassuming people ever.  I nicknamed her Handler soon after being around her because she’s so funny and doesn’t even try to be.  She’s sober, a Mom, a wife, a woman just doing the deal.  One of my favorite things about her is her honesty.  I detest fake people and so when I meet someone who is just real it makes me feel at ease.  Not to mention our obsessive love of "Gangsta Rap" and filthy lyrics bonds us forever. Her episode is available November 15, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always! Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #coach #sobrietycoach #recoverycoach #sobermom #soberparenting #counseling #trauma

Hey sober family and our entire listener community. Today’s guest is someone I don’t know personally but do follow and learn from.  Anna is a Coach who helps others reframe their mindset around drinking.  For 20 years, she drank daily, thinking nothing of finishing a bottle of wine in the evening. At the time, she believed the alcohol was helping her cope with the stresses of everyday life, but her drinking left her feeling exhausted, ashamed and unhappy.  She said “I just knew I couldn't carry on. I knew I was addicted but I didn't know what to do about it, and I felt an enormous amount of shame.” One night, during one of the daily panic attacks she would experience because of her drinking, she typed ‘Am I an alcoholic?’ into Google and the results included a book called This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Reading the book, which focuses on finding freedom through alcohol control rather than total sobriety, was a lightbulb moment for Anna. By spending time understanding WHY she was drinking, she was eventually able to give up alcohol completely and her journey inspired her to become an alcohol mindset coach. The 53-year-old from Gloucestershire has now launched her own podcast called The Big Drink Rethink to get people talking openly and honestly about alcohol.  Please check her offerings out at https://www.thebeliefscoach.com/ I learned SO much from this conversation and will be using her guidance moving forward in my day to day.  One such nugget was it’s not about asking how “bad” is my relationship with alcohol but instead is my life as good as it could be right now given the nature of that relationship?  This is an evolved view to me.  Rock bottom isn’t the price of admission like some people believe.  It’s more about what limitations could it be putting on my potential or happiness and let’s get into the why behind why it’s that way.  Her episode is available October 18, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always! Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #coach #sobrietycoach #recoverycoach

Hey sober family and our entire listener community! Our guest today has so much to offer and from yet another unique perspective and experience which is what this show is all about.  Her name is Sally Magee and she’s an engineer, a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach, management leadership consultant and an accredited sobriety coach as well.  Her sobriety coaching business is called Magee Coaching Solutions and you can learn more about that at https://www.mageecoaching.com/ where she offers a judgment-free zone to transform your relationship with alcohol.  She offers assistance and tools whether you’re sober-curious or sober-serious no matter where you are on your path.  If you’re interested in her other coaching services in the professional realm check out http://www.mageeleadership.com/ to build peak-performance teams and develop high-impact leaders Her episode is available this Friday, September 13, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always!  Links to all podcast platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #consulting #coach #sobrietycoach

Happy day to our loyal listener community and thanks as always for joining!  Our guest today is John Durham and he's known for his intellect, positivity, love and respect for everyone and a wild enthusiasm for recovery, nature and lifting others up.  We've known each other via text thread with our close and mutual friend, Mel.  On this episode we get to know him better and melt some of the mystique this unicorn of a man oozes all day every day! His episode is available wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube on August 10, 2024. Thanks for your support as always!  Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #religiosity #dogma #inclusion #secularism #agnosticism #tolerance #allarewelcome #freethinkers #secularAA #secularrecovery #yoga #selflove #mentalhealth #lifecoach #goals #mentalhealthawareness #health #fitness #mentalclarity #physicalhealth #longevity #harmreduction #alcoholicsanonymous #womeninrecovery #selfcare #therapyconsciousness #aca

Happy day sober family and our entire listener community and thanks as always for joining!  Our guest for this episode is someone I have gotten to see from Day 1 in the rooms.  I love her for so many reasons.  I met her at an Austin Women’s Group back in the day and watched her walk through some gnarly life stuff as if getting sober isn’t hard enough already.  I always loved her direct way of being herself, her red hair and her signature bright red lipstick, her Louisiana roots, her love of her family and food and life in general.  She also set a great example for me and others of how to walk through tragedy without running or numbing like we used to.  I am honored and excited to get to explore her experience together today.  Her episode is available July 19, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always!  Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #religiosity #dogma #inclusion #secularism #agnosticism #tolerance #allarewelcome #freethinkers #secularAA #secularrecovery #yoga #selflove #mentalhealth #lifecoach #goals #mentalhealthawareness #health #fitness #mentalclarity #physicalhealth #longevity #harmreduction #alcoholicsanonymous #womeninrecovery #selfcare #therapyconsciousness #aca

Happy day sober family and our entire listener community and thanks as always for joining!  Our guest for this episode is someone I met in Austin meetings years ago.  I respect and appreciate her for so many reasons.  Her intelligence and free-thinking approach to life intrigued me and every time she shares, I learn something very cool.  I’ve always wanted to know more about her journey, so I am honored and excited to get to explore that here today.  Her name is Kathy West. Her episode is available wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always!  Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/

Hey sober family and our entire listener community. Today’s guest is someone I don’t know personally which always makes for a different kind of interview.  Anyone who hangs out in the rooms inevitably hears people’s stories because we have speaker meetings often.  They remind us of what it was like, what happened and what it’s like now.  I love exploring people with fresh eyes, it is such a gift.  No internet research or history of hearing them share over the years in the rooms.  A new experience for me and for you.  Her episode will be available on Friday, April 12 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always! Links to all platforms available at show site:  https://www.ihave12questions.com/ #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #grief #loss #isolation #community #grouptherapy #support

Hey sober family and our entire listener community!  I am so excited for this conversation.  Do you ever just ask the Universe for something, and it says “yes” without even challenging you to a duel or anything?  Well that’s how this played out.  I’ve been pushing myself to open my mind and my heart to what my spiritual life looks like beyond recovery.  One of the ways I’ve done that is watching a series called “The Chosen” which is a modern depiction of the life of Jesus.  There was then a documentary about the actor’s experience playing Jesus called “Jonathan and Jesus” which features Jonathan Roumie talking with different people about their experiences, their viewpoints on who Jesus was, how he works in their lives, etc.  One of those people was a woman named Danielle Strickland and every time she spoke, I thought wow if someone spoke to the masses like this about Jesus it would be a great PR move for Christianity!  You can sense my contrarian cynicism there so a quick disclaimer – anyone who knows me knows that I struggle with organized religion, monotheism, what some of them teach, their politics and treatment of marginalized groups.  BUT I’ve never doubted criticized the life of the man Jesus Christ.  He loved and forgave and helped and healed and did it all in humility.  Similar to Ghandi, Buddha, Mother Theresa, and so many others.  Being raised around Southern Baptist doctrine and later Catholicism I had little use for either, but always keep a warm and fuzzy place in my heart for aspiring to be more like Jesus and others who lived selfless lives of service.  Danielle embodies this so she really moves me when she speaks and I understand how she thinks.  Let me toot her horn real quick.  You can check out all of her work at her website:  https://www.daniellestrickland.com/ Danielle lets Love lead her to inspire, challenge, provoke and disrupt the present, and to live in the future now. Having lived in different cultures and contexts around the world she celebrates diversity and deeply longs for wrong things to be made right. Danielle practices following Jesus daily. This pursuit has led to exciting entrepreneurial exploits (like co-founding multiple charities and non-profits) and a whole host of failures (that we don’t as often talk about). All of this has convinced her of the deep need we all have for hope, faith, and love. Her deepest longing is to demonstrate what living that boundless life looks like. Danielle has written six books (the latest is The Other Side of Hope), has a podcast called The Right Side Up (which recently celebrated half-a-million downloads), and speaks to people at events all over the world. Danielle leads Boundless Communications Inc. which launches creative exploits like Women Speakers Collective (liberating voices of women around the globe), IMBY (a tiny home movement IN MY BACKYARD), Brave Global (preventing human trafficking), Infinitum (a way of living deeply), and Hagar’s Voice (support and advocacy for survivors of abuse). She lives in Vancouver, Canada with her three sons and husband Steve. Danielle loves getting outside, doing new things, physical adventures, and she can’t seem to turn down a free lunch. Her episode will be available on March 15, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts or from the show site https://www.ihave12questions.com/ Thanks for your support as always! #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #christianity #volunteerism #advocacy #feminism #givingback #jesus #love #legacy #podcast #genderequality #genderinequality #parity #activism #advocate

Oooooh ladies and gents buckle up we’ve got a fun one!  Our guest today is Liz Svatek.  She has been leading groups and teams of Warrior Women for over 10 years. Her online community of over 100K women support each other in their healing, growth, and expansion. Liz believes women aren’t born Warriors, they become them, through radical shifts in perspective and owning their choices and voices! She inspires women to RECLAIM their inner Warriors through curated Masterminds, coaching, and workshops.  Get out your feminist agenda membership cards and let’s get into it.  Her episode will be available on February 23, 2024 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always!   You can find more about her and her work on Instagram @liz.svatek or at her website which is https://www.lizsvatek.com/  This is all in the show notes for your reference by the way.  #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui #christianity #volunteerism #advocacy #feminism #givingback #jesus #love #legacy #podcast #genderequality #genderinequality #parity #activism #advocate #lifecoach #thefutureisfemale #womanwarrior #podcasts #podcasting

Hey sober family and our entire listener community. I’ve picked a really fun one to round out the end of our first year and second season!  Ruth Lawson has a crazy good story around her struggles with booze, the law, health stuff, etc.  Meeting her in the rooms was and remains one of the very best gifts the Universe has ever sent me.  Get your popcorn folks…you are about to be entertained and inspired!  She's a love and positivity riot and it's contagious. Her episode will be available on Friday, January 5 wherever you get your podcasts and/or YouTube. Thanks for your support as always! #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #therapy #habits #healing #trauma #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #sobriety #goals #selflove #alcoholicsanonymous #12stepprograms #recoverysupport #dwi #dui

Hey sober/sober curious/sober-ish/sober-adjacent family and our entire listener community!  I’m starting to feel like Steve Harvey on Celebrity Family Feud because I always say this, but man have we got a good one for you today!  Dr. Robb Kelly has an incredible story regarding his struggles with alcohol and a wealth of knowledge and education as well about the inner chemistry behind addiction.  He’s a renowned neuroscience coach with four practices spanning the globe, a musician, and a family man.  He has earned all the degrees and letters behind his name but the fact that he’s experienced it all firsthand makes it that much more valuable for those still trying to find a way out.  He uses his experiences to help others find their way to recovery and provides financial, housing and other forms of assistance to those who need it.  He’s also a fellow Texas which never hurts. You can find his work and offerings at https://therobbkellyfoundation.org/ https://robbkelly.com/ Instagram @drrobbkelly #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety  #recovery #neuroscience #biomarkers #addictiontreatment #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #coach #homelessness #therapy #habits #neuralpathways #drugaddiction #alcoholdependency #reprogramming #healing #trauma

Hey sober family and our entire listener community! I’m over the moon about this episode’s guest. She’s a great friend, fellow woman in recovery and just an all-around badass. She recently got engaged to her person and is experiencing all the gifts, and challenges, of the program. She’s also a successful customer experience guru in her work life and fun with a capital F! Her name is Alexis and we met years ago at our old Austin Women’s home group. I remember thinking this girl is serious about getting well and she sure was…and still is. She’s been through a lot of very hard things in sobriety and emerged from every one of them with her head held high and her crown on straight. She’s also just a super supportive person to those in her life and I love that about her. She is an absolute gem of a human and being in her presence just makes you feel good. Her episode will be available on Apple, Spotify, Google, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts! #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #mentalhealth #lifecoach #sobriety #goals #selflove #mentalhealthawareness #health #fitness #mentalclarity #physicalhealth #longevity #harmreduction #alcoholicsanonymous #womeninrecovery #selfcare #therapyconsciousness #shame #healing 

Hey sober family and our entire listener community!  Today we’re talking to Tony Thomas who owns Kilter Fitness and does a lot of other brainy things regarding fitness and how it touches all areas of life.  Tony is sober adjacent, and we always love getting perspectives outside of our little siloes.  We met on a plane heading back from Amsterdam to Austin and talked for so long that I’m sure our neighbors were annoyed.  His passion for fitness and teaching others how to take care of their bodies fascinate and inspired me and, as it turns out, he’s got a story to share about how alcohol impacted his life as well. You can find him on Instagram at kilter_fitness. He’s also connected to UT certifying folks and doing all kinds of innovative things in the fitness world.  Check him out for lots of great tips! His episode will be available on Friday, November 3 and we hope you'll join us! #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #mentalhealth #lifecoach #sobriety #goals #selflove #mentalhealthawareness #kinesiology #physicalfitness #personaltrainer #health #fitness #cpt #athlete #athletictraining #athleticconditioning #mentalclarity #focus #prehab #rehab #mobility #injuryprevention #physicalhealth #physicaltherapy #longevity

Hey sober family and our entire listener community!  We have another great conversation about sobriety or in this case sobriety-ish!  Like I said from the start, the flavor of this show is curiosity, open-mindedness, learning and sharing stories in hopes we can help ourselves and others.  On that note, I’d like to introduce you to Holly Krivo.  She's a woman of many talents including her Podcast called Soberish Uprising which you can check out on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.  And you can find Holly on Instagram at @hollykrivo and @soberishuprising  Holly offers her show/website/brand as a space where we share all versions of sobriety. She believes labeling sobriety as black and white is a limitation to those who know they want to do things differently and complete sobriety doesn’t work for them. In the sober·ish uprising they share sober·ish stories and the freedom that comes when we say no to booze. Holly is a former heavy drinker who started a sober·ish journey in 2021 and her world has never been the same. She believes like in all things in life we have to choose a path that works for us and is dedicated to sharing her sober·ish story so that others can see it doesn't have to be a certain way. She is leading the charge to make sober·ish the new norm.  And to that I say cheers! (with my bubbly water of course). #recovery #sobercurious #soberish #mentalhealth #lifecoach #sobriety #goals #selflove #mentalhealthawareness 

Hey listeners!  Our guest on this episode is a close friend and someone I've seen "grow up in public" as we often say in the rooms.  Her transformation has been incredible to see and be a part of.  She inspires me on many levels and is also just a funny, interesting and talented woman. Her name is Monica Fogelquist and a few cool things about her is that she's a Mariachi musician and has taught music to kids K-12 up through university level.  Her story is honest, touching and worth listening to.  We both lost parents to cancer within the past year and were able to show up for one another through that process which is yet another gift of the program.  Real friendships on the good days of course, but especially during the darkest of days too.  They say the opposite of addiction is connection and let me tell you that sober women show up for each other.   Excited for this conversation with Monica and we hope you'll join us!  Available 10/6/23 wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube as well.  Thanks as always for your support! #addiction #recovery #sobriety #twelvestepprogram #alcoholicsanonymous #mariachi #therapy #grieving #grief #grievingsober #alcoholfree #sober #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #supportgroup      

Hey listeners!  I am excited to welcome and introduce our guest.  Her name is Dr. Evelyn Higgins.  Her work is absolutely fascinating to me!  She’s the Founder and CEO of Wired For Addiction®, She’s a recognized international expert in the epidemiology of addiction and other mental health complexities.   As a Certified Addictionologist, Diplomate of the American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders, and Diplomate of the American Board of Disability Analysts specializing in pain management, Dr. Higgins has had the honor of advising the U.S. Surgeon General, producing and hosting a Gracie Award winning nationally syndicated health and wellness terrestrial radio program, and serving as a 1996 Olympic Team Doctor and Olympic torch bearer.   With 35 years in clinical practice, Dr. Higgins has designated over 16 years to Research and Development in the science of mental health and addiction recovery. A TEDx Speaker (her TEDx Talk can be found https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XNk8tNsaco ), panelist at the 2022 International Society of Substance Use Professionals Annual Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the 2022 International Gambling Conference in Auckland, New Zealand, and a 2021 Nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Innovators in Healthcare, Dr. Higgins finds herself at the nexus of epigenetics, neuroscience, and mental health.  You can find out more about her work and connect at   https://www.wiredforaddiction.com/ and @wiredforaddiction on Instagram  Her episode drops on September 22, 2023! #addictionrecovery #addiction #alcoholfree #alcoholism #sobriety #recovery #neuroscience #biomarkers #addictiontreatment #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #criminaljusticereform