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The Not Drinking Alcohol Today Podcast
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The Not Drinking Alcohol Today Podcast

Author: Isabella Ferguson and Meg Webb

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Meg and Bella discuss the ups and downs of navigating an alcohol free life in Australia's alcohol centric culture. This highly rated podcast, featuring in Australia's top 100 self improvement podcasts, is a must for those that are trying to drink less alcohol but need some motivation, are curious about sober life or who are sober but are looking for some extra reinforcement. The Not Drinking Alcohol Today pod provides an invaluable resource to keep you motivated and on track today and beyond. Meg and Bella's guests include neuroscientists, quit-lit authors, journalists, health experts, alcohol coaches and everyday people who have struggled with alcohol but have triumphed over it.  Our aim is to support and inspire you to reach your goals to drink less or none at all! Meg and Bella are This Naked Mind Certified Coaches (plus nutritionists and counsellors respectively) who live in Sydney and love their alcohol free life. 

112 Episodes
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Have you ever felt the weight of a wine glass tug not just at your hand but your entire life? Susan, our incredible guest and This Naked Mind certified coach, bravely opens up about her transition from stress-induced drinking to a vibrant alcohol-free existence, offering an intimate look at the liberation that comes with breaking free from the bottle. Through her narrative, Susan paints a vivid picture of her past - from her acting days to touring Australia - and how she came to the profound ...
Today we talk to Jen Hirst! Jen is an open book when it comes to her experience with alcohol addiction. She says it like it is and discusses how she recovered with transparency. This is what drew me to Jen. Her honesty about how dark it got has been such an inspiration for many who can relate and say 'yep me too!". Jen now dedicates her time to helping others do the same. She is awesome! This is what attracts her almost 70,000 instagram followers. Jen's vibrant Instagram presence exemplifies ...
Imagine waking up to a life where the haze of alcohol no longer clouds your clarity, a life where wellness and sobriety walk hand in hand. That's the transformative journey Trish Tucker May, nutritionist and founder of Passion4Juice, shares with us in a revealing conversation about the complexities of alcohol addiction and the pursuit of health. Trish lays bare her own struggles, from the grip of 'mummy's little helper' to a powerful rebirth into sobriety, offering a treasure trove of wisdom ...
Justine Whitchurch was on our TVs in the 90's, thriving on the surface, but drinking to soothe anxiety and OCD underneath. In this episode, Justine's story reveals the harsh realities of addiction—how it can lead us to isolation, shame, near death — and turn us into someone we hardly recognise. As with many of us, Justine's dependence on alcohol slowly grew and eventually took over. Following a family intervention, after nearly dying from alcohol poisoning, Justine surrendered to ...
Alcohol and Depression

Alcohol and Depression

2024-03-0915:43

Have you ever reached for a glass of wine to wash away the blues, only to find the weight of the world heavier on your shoulders? It's a story many of us know all too well. In our latest chat, Meg unravels the intricate ties between alcohol and depression, making sense of how this coping mechanism can backfire and deepen our struggles with mental health. We don't just skim the surface; our conversation dives into the physiological disruptions caused by alcohol, how it shifts the body's equili...
Have you ever found yourself trapped in the cycle of binge drinking, wondering if there's a way out? Colleen Clifford, a health and alcohol recovery coach, joins us to share her harrowing yet hopeful journey from the depths of alcohol dependency to the freedom of sobriety. Her raw account delves into the social seduction of binge drinking, the denial that blankets it, and the pivotal moments that spurred her transformation. We also navigate the post-alcohol challenges of eating habits, offeri...
Today we welcome Natalie West, a high-performance psychotherapist whose innovative work is forging new paths in treating alcohol dependency. This episode promises to redefine your perspective on the role of nutrition in habit change and offers a fresh understanding of how our earliest experiences and value systems shape our subconscious and our habits. Discover the often-ignored impact of alcohol on your gut health and energy levels, and why aligning your actions with your personal value...
Meg hadn't realised how her drinking at social events to ease her anxiety, was going to eventually turn into a secretive habit. In a heartfelt conversation, Meg opens up about how her drinking evolved into a coping mechanism for social anxiety. What started as a way to ease into social situations gradually became a reliance on alcohol for solitude, revealing the often-hidden story of concealed drinking. Her journey sheds light on the slippery slope into isolation and dependency, address...
It’s underground. It’s shameful. It’s dangerous and it is happening in households all around us. Many hiding their drinking look great on the outside (for a while, for years even) and many do not know why they are doing it. They want out, but it’s a really hard behaviour to fess up to. It’s very personal, runs deep and very confusing.In this episode, we delve into the often-overlooked issue of secret drinking. We chat about the reasons behind this behaviour and its potential consequences. Fro...
Embarking on an introspective expedition, we're joined by the insightful Health and Wellbeing Coach, Sarah Rustbatch, who shares a candid narrative of her personal evolution from the grips of teenage drinking to the liberation of sobriety. Her story is set against the backdrop of Northern England's culture where alcohol is woven into the fabric of social bonding, from school years to the professional world. As we traverse Sarah's experiences, you're invited to contemplate the profound impact ...
Have you ever raised a glass, seeking pleasure, only to find yourself in a less-than-sunny place once the buzz fades? That's the deceptive dance of alcohol that Annie Grace of "This Naked Mind" illuminates so well. The short-lived pleasure of alcohol only leads to more discomfort, a truth that's both harsh and liberating. By understanding the science of these alcohol-induced dysphorias, and how our bodies build defence mechanisms against this artificial euphoria, we can extinguish our desire ...
Reflecting on the reckless abandon of our youths, we never imagined the nights of heavy drinking would evolve into a lifestyle fraught with risks and regrets. Join Meg and Bella as we peel away the layers of Australia's binge drinking culture, sharing raw and honest tales from our past. We take you through the high-risk initiation rites of youth, the pressure to maintain this hazardous habit, and the urgent need for new, healthier traditions of celebration. In this candid conversation, we als...
As the clock struck midnight this New Year's Eve, Bella and Meg celebrated not with clinking glasses, but with a toast to clarity and vitality. We're kicking off the podcast with a heart-to-heart about the serenity of our alcohol-free festivities and the uplifting start to another year of sobriety. We open up about the empowering decision to share this journey publicly – a move that's reinforced our commitment and chipped away at the stigma sometimes tied to sobriety. It's not just a personal...
In this episode, we explore the transformative power of mindfulness and meditation to support drinking less alcohol with Simonette Vaja, a trauma-informed psychologist and mindfulness teacher. Simonette introduces her ABCD model—Attention, Breathing, Compassion, and Detox—a practical framework for fostering emotional resilience and supporting an alcohol-free lifestyle. From enhancing decision-making to cultivating inner peace, her approach offers profound insights into how mindfulness can be ...
Meg and Bella wish all of our dear listeners and podcast guests a huge Merry Christmas! Are you celebrating your Christmas at a Bowling Club? Probably not! We are! Meg and Bell discover they are each heading off to Manly and Balmain Bowling Club for a family game of bare foot bowls for Christmas. It's cheap, it's outdoors, it's fun and what's more, you get to delegate everything! Yes!As the festive season unfolds, we're thrilled to announce our upcoming podcast plans, featuring curated episod...
Ange Chappel, the inspiring founder of Mind The Sip, returns to the Not Drinking Alcohol Today podcast to celebrate her incredible milestone of nearly a year alcohol-free. She shares her top tips for enjoying a fabulous festive season without alcohol holding you back. Ange also contributed invaluable insights to Bella’s November Alcohol Freedom Challenge, offering practical strategies to overcome common hurdles like managing cravings, navigating social pressures, and creating meaningful new t...
Ever wondered why the notion of being a "normal drinker" weighs heavily on so many of us? Join me, Meg, as I share my personal journey through the maze of societal expectations and personal realisations around alcohol consumption. From questioning my own drinking habits to the pivotal moment of embracing a sober lifestyle, this episode unpacks the unrealistic aspirations many harbour about drinking without consequences. Through heartfelt introspection, I reveal how alcohol impacted my persona...
Dr. Gina Cleo, one of Australia's leading habit change experts, shares her expertise on creating healthier, alcohol-free habit loops. In this recording of Dr Cleo's talk to my (Bella) November Alcohol Freedom Challenge, Dr Cleo discusses the science behind dopamine, a neurotransmitter that drives our reward and pleasure systems. On this note, alcohol provides a significant dopamine surge—sometimes up to 360% above baseline—creating a powerful association with relief and pleasure. However, ove...
In this episode we interview one of Australia's leading lights in managinganxiety. An educational leader, Dr Jodi Richardson supportsparents and teachers to change their relationship with anxiety,dial it right down and light the way for their children and studentsto do the same.Jodi is professional speaker supporting whole school communitiesaround Australia, the best-selling author of the books 'AnxiousKids' and 'Anxious Mums', hosts the popular podcast 'Well, helloanxiety' and is a mum of tw...
In this transformative episode, I’m thrilled to share insights from Natalie E. West, high-performance integrative psychotherapist and guest speaker during Week 2 of my (Bella's) November Alcohol Freedom Challenge. Natalie captivated our group with her profound understanding of how attachments—to substances like alcohol, food, and drugs—are often rooted in unmet emotional needs and external validation. Sharing her personal journey with alcohol, Natalie delved into the emotional and psychologic...
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