Soberful

Veronica Valli and Chip Somers are experts on recovery. Chip Somers was most recently described by Russell Brand in his book 'Recovery' as a 'right social liability.' Together they have been sober for almost 50 years and have a LOT of stories, messes, experience and occasionally helpful advice to share on living in sobriety. They bring all of that (and more) to the Soberful podcast. This podcast is for anyone who wants to live an alcohol-free life, is struggling to get sober or who is in long-term recovery.

270 Complacency

What happens when we get complacent about our sobriety? Chip and Veronica discuss the times they had got complacent about their recovery. When they stopped going to meetings and stopped doing all the work they did to remain emotionally sober, Veronica shared her tool of 'when I'm ok with me, I don't have to make you wrong.' And how she uses that as a guide. When she notices that she is picking at or criticising other people, it's usually an indication that she is not ok and needs to do something to take care of her mental and emotional health. No matter how long we have been sober, we still need to connect with other sober people. Whatever sobriety program we work in, we need its principles to guide us for the rest of our lives. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

06-12
38:40

269: How to Become a Sobriety Warrior with Cammie Wolf Rice

What do you do when the worst thing in the world happens? Cammie Wolf Rice lost her son to opioid addiction. He was a gifted student who was prescribed oxycontin for an operation and started a 14-year battle with opioids. After his death, Cammie used her pain as power. Learn how she is creating real change so nothing like this happens to another family. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

06-05
34:17

268: Dealing with Boredom in Sobriety with Angela Pugh

After bartending her way across Hollywood and Beverly Hills, Angela was in over her head with a drinking problem that was relentless. She got sober in 2006 and dedicated her life to helping others do the same. She joins Veronica to discuss how to deal with boredom in sobriety and how we need to take responsibility for our lives and experiences. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

05-29
31:44

267: Trauma and Addiction with Dr. Christy Gibson

Veronica interviews Dr. Christine Gibson about the link between trauma and addiction. how trauma impacts our physical health and how the brain responds to trauma. They discuss EFT and how effective matrix reimprinting is in healing trauma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

05-22
39:28

266: Selling and Drinking with Emily Lynn Paulson

Emily Lynn Paulson is the founder of Sober Mom's Club. She joins Veronica to discuss her new book 'Hey Hun' and her role in predatory Multi-Level-Marketing. Emily explains how the MLM fuelled her drinking and nothing on the outside matched what was really going on. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

05-15
36:01

265: Think you are too old to get sober?

Veronica is joined by Cathy who got sober when she was 76. When Cathy met Veronica last year she told her she had two choices; she was either going to drink herself to death or, get sober. Thankfully she chose sobriety and she shares her story and dismisses any limiting beliefs you may have that you are too old or it's too late to stop drinking. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

05-08
32:41

264: When Other People Sabotage Our Sobriety

Chip and Veronica explore how other people can try and sabotage our sobriety. This is an experience most people have in early sobriety. Whether it is from family, friends, colleagues we may have people in our lives who don't like the fact that we want to be sober. One of the most hurtful ways is when people tell us we aren't 'fun' anymore. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

05-01
44:42

263: Anything is Possible with Paul Churchill

Veronica interviews Paul Churchill from the Recovery Elevator podcast. We discuss how anything is possible in sobriety and how Paul went from blowing up his life and living in his parent's basement to living his dream life. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

04-24
44:13

262: Imposter Syndrome

Chip and Veronica discuss how imposter syndrome can manifest and sabotage our lives and sobriety. It creates fear and anxiety that have to be managed as we judge our insides by other peoples outsides. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

04-17
41:38

261: Life Enhancing Anxiety with Dr. Kirk J. Schneider

Veronica talks to Dr. Schneider about the human experience of anxiety. How can we deal with anxiety and understand it as part of our human functioning? Dr. Schneider is past editor of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, adjunct faculty at Saybrook University and Teachers College, Columbia University, and president of the Existential-Humanistic Institute (EHI). He is also a Fellow of five divisions of the American Psychological Association (Humanistic, Psychotherapy, Clinical, Theoretical and Philosophical, and Independent Practice) as well as a frequent speaker at conferences and in the media. Dr. Schneider is also the recipient of Honorary Diplomas and Memberships from The Society for Existential Analysis, UK; The East European Association for Existential Therapy; and the Living Institute, Toronto, Canada, whose diploma in “Existential-Integrative” Therapy is based on Dr. Schneider’s original model of this approach. He has authored or coauthored twelve books, including The Paradoxical Self, Horror and the Holy, Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy, Awakening to Awe and the forthcoming Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy. Several of these works have been translated into Chinese, German, Russian, Greek, Turkish, Portuguese, Slovakian, and Korean languages.   To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

04-10
38:41

260: Ask Us Anything 6 Years

Veronica and Chip celebrate 6-years with the Soberful podcast. Questions answered: what was your first impression of each other? How have you changed over 20 years? Should you leave your partner if they don't support your sobriety? How to deal with stress and crabings? And can you get sober without God? To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

04-03
47:24

259: The Alcohol Free Market With Dr. Emily Nicholls

Veronica meets Dr. Emily Nicholls to discuss the No and Low alcohol market. The deliberate blurring of marketing by alcohol companies and whether the alcohol-free market is a good or bad thing. Dr Emily Nicholls is a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of York, UK. Her research interests include gender, identity and alcohol consumption. Emily’s research has spanned different areas of drinking and non-drinking over the last ten years, from the ‘girls’ night out’ to drinking patterns and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also undertaken research into women’s experiences of early sobriety and, more recently, the ways in which ‘No and Low’ alcohol drinks are marketed and used by both drinkers and non-drinkers.   To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

03-27
33:16

258: Parenting as Prevention With Dr. Camilo Ortiz and Four D’s

As part of our parenting as Prevention series, Dr. Ortiz joins Veronica to discuss the four D's: Discomfort, distress, disappointment, and (mild) danger and how our kids need to manage these feelings in order to learn vital life skills as adults. Director of clinical training and associate professor of psychology, Dr. Ortiz conducts research on parenting, disruptive behavior problems in children, and child anxiety. Dr. Ortiz received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, before joining the faculty at Long Island University-Post. Dr. Ortiz is a licensed psychologist in and runs a private psychology practice in NY. He has made a number of media appearances to bring evidence-based clinical psychology to a broader audience. His latest work, Independence Therapy for child anxiety was recently described in an op-ed piece he wrote for the NY Times. You can follow him on X @DrCamiloOrtiz.   To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

03-20
43:03

257: Finding Joy in Sobriety

Chip and Veronica believe if sobriety wasn't joyful, fun and interesting, we wouldn't want to do it. Finding joy in sobriety is what underpins long-term sobriety. They discuss how to find your joy in sobriety. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

03-13
40:37

256: The Four Tasks of Mourning

In the second part, Veronica and Chip take you through the four tasks of mourning and how these actions can help us move through this important process of letting go. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

03-06
38:34

255: The Cycle of Grief

In this two-part episode, Chip and Veronica talk about the very necessary process of going through the grief cycle whenever we lose something. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

02-28
41:51

254: How to Make Amends to People You Have Hurt

In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss the tricky but important process of making amends. How to approach people, why it's important to think it through and why it matters so much to your sobriety. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

02-21
40:59

253: The Sober Sexpert Cindi Roberts

Veronica interviews THE sober sexpert about women, sexuality and sobriety. What are the 'hot topics' for women when they get sober? Cindi Roberts, M.Ed., Certified Professional Coach (CPC), Certified Professional Recovery Coach (CPRC). Cindi is a professional recovery coach that supports women who want to focus on finding and recovering intimate connections to self and others. Often referred to as the SoberSexpert™, Cindi holds a Master’s degree in Sexual Health Education and is currently studying to be a Clinical Sexologist. She has over 25 years of professional experience as a sexual health and wellness educator. Being in recovery from alcohol use disorder for over 7 years, she knows first-hand the intimacy issues that can arise for women in recovery. Cindi is passionate about helping women discover tools and develop inner strength and confidence to navigate intimate relationships. She is known for her compassion, candidness and authenticity when holding space for an honest dialogue about a variety of sensitive subjects. Cindi lives in Colorado, where she focuses on coaching, teaching and speaking about topics including recovery, sobriety, sexual wellness and intimacy. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

02-14
45:21

252: Overcoming Negative Thinking with Shelby John

Shelby John is a sobriety coach who shares her wisdom about parenting teens whilst dealing with your own negative thinking. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

02-07
36:45

251: Eating Disorders, Body Image, Perfectionism With Rory Brown

Rory brown is a behaviour change coach who helps people find freedom from food. Rory experienced an eating disorder and body dysmorphia as a young man; convinced that he would be happy if he achieved the perfect body, he eventually became suicidal. He shares his story of recovery and how he helps his clients overcome their issues with food. To learn more, visit the show notes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

01-31
34:02

R. Morrison

confused,in your bio it doesn't say that it has a female slant, listened to a few episodes and browsed a few of your later episodes and it's all female guests with podcast headings like motherhood,or being woman etc . think I'll look elsewhere for a more balanced perspective .

02-18 Reply

R. Morrison

I Know your talking about drinking mother's ,but saying men have it easier re being a drink parent is not true,let's not make it a gender issue..men vs women.

04-16 Reply

Jessica Schley

The topic is anonymity, but I don't think you covered the most crucial part of anonymity: AA members are bound to hold one another in confidence, which should mean that you should be able to attend AA without worrying that the entire rest of your community will find out. It's supposed to be anonymous? yeah?. And if you run into someone from AA that you met once, in your normal life, it's not ok for them to shout out "are you still sober or no?" I'm from a very small town and have heard horror stories , from nonrecovered as well as recovered alcoholics, saying that AA in my town is not a healthy choice to make ... I'm sure this is not the only small town that has had this issue.

03-29 Reply

Marisa Bottolfson

Wow- this interview is a gem 😀 I feel like I gleaned some of her strength/resolve just from listening to her share her story. Thank you

03-05 Reply

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