The Sober Mom Life

Katie and I are back for the second installment of SobieTEA where we spill the tea about our favorite escape: Bravo TV! This week we’ll deep dive into The Valley, and Katie will explain why the pool party gave her ‘the ick’. Then, we’ll share our thoughts on Carl and Lindsay’s impending breakup on Summer House.  Plus, Lala’s insemination party, the power of Craig and Shep’s friendship, and Katie brings us a brand new segment: Gone in 60 Seconds!  Do you have feedback or topics you’d like to cover on the next SobieTEA? Send Katie a note at @soberlivingct on Instagram!  Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Society has done such an effective job of teaching us to restrict our emotions that it can feel hard to believe that emotions are a completely natural human experience. So many of us learned to reach for a drink when we started to feel an uncomfortable emotion, and we lost touch with how to feel anything at all.  Learning how to feel your emotions is often one of the biggest parts of a sobriety journey. So today, I ask my therapist mom: How do you feel emotions in an effective way?  We’ll talk about how to recognize and process emotions, the dangers of emotional numbing, understanding shame, and even how to model effective emotional awareness for our children.  Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s real sober mom, Ashlee, made a pledge to herself when she was young: she would never drink. Ashlee had experienced first hand the damage caused by a parent who drank, and she never wanted to be that mom. Yet, when she turned 21 and had her first drink, things got complicated. For her, it was ‘love at first sip’.  Today, Ashlee tells the story of how the ‘attention seeking party girl lifestyle’ upended her life almost immediately. She details the intense drinking culture she experienced in the military, and shares how alcohol seeped into every corner of her life until it affected her ability to show up for her husband, her work, and her children.  Ashlee experienced deep healing and recovery in AA, and she shares her opinions on the strengths and limitations of the program.  Ashlee wants you to know: You can quit even when it feels like the world around you is centered around alcohol. Those who love you can adapt!  Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s an exciting day on the pod - The incredible Emily Ley is finally here, and she is telling her sobriety story publicly for the very first time!  In today’s episode, Emily will share about how she began to self medicate with alcohol to manage undiagnosed ADD, her silent sober curious journey, the doctor that completely invalidated her urge to quit drinking, how she feels like she discovered a ‘secret to life’ in sobriety, and so much more!  Emily wants you to know: you do not have to have a ‘Capital P’ Problem to quit drinking!  If you were as moved and inspired by Emily as I was, then you need to follow her on Instagram at @emilyley and check out her books and organizational products at www.emilyley.com Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this flashback from May 2023, I’ll share my approach to sobriety, and how I found myself at the place I am now with alcohol.  When I began my sober journey, I only knew what I didn’t want: I didn’t want alcohol to take one more day away from me. Now I know what I do want: a full, expansive and beautiful sober life.  Your sober journey gets to look the way YOU want it to. It doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s guidelines.  If you’re looking for a community of wonderful sober moms to support you while you build your own sober life, join us inside The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Audrey and I are tackling a big topic: Why we believe pregnancy does not count as a true sober experience. We know that might sound harsh, but stick with us! Because our goal in today’s episode is to empower you to see all that sobriety has to offer you that you didn’t experience during pregnancy. We lay out how sobriety differs from pregnancy, the ways in which pregnancy makes it easy to abstain, how society pressures us to pick a drink back up immediately after giving birth, and so much more.  If you’re a mom who quit during pregnancy and is wondering if alcohol might be making motherhood harder - this episode is for you.  Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly is a mid-40’s mom of three, on again/off again stay at home mom who is working on figuring how to navigate a new ADHD diagnosis and sobriety. She began her drinking career in high school like many of us. It wasn’t her favorite, due to the lack of control she felt when drunk. Between joining the military at 20 and then being a mom not wanting to find a new pot dealer in her 30’s, she shifted to alcohol. First it was for fun partying, then it became a helpful way to shut down her brain to sleep, and finally a way to wash away the overwhelm of parenthood. A few decades later, she recognized it had become problematic and had no idea how to manage life without it. While she is less then thrilled about all the work a sober life entails, she absolutely knows that it is worth it. She just reserves the right to grumble about it.  Alcohol Explained by William Porter and Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker were instrumental in opening Kelly’s eyes to realize the truth: She wasn’t the problem. Alcohol was the problem.  After a few stops and starts, in March of 2023 she quit for good! She has found the community she craved in The Sober Mom Life Cafe and she leans on podcasts and self care in order to stay sober. It has felt like a hard road, and she is so proud of herself for what she has accomplished!  Join us in the The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If anyone can make sobriety look glamorous, it’s Morgan Matkovic. Morgan is a lifestyle blogger, special needs advocate, mother, and author. On top of all that, she is almost three months sober! Morgan and I have been blogging buddies for nine years, and I am so happy that our paths have crossed in this wonderful way!  Today Morgan talks about the role alcohol played on her social feed when she was drinking, why she felt so ready to try Dry January this year, how her daughter’s ASD diagnosis made her realize that alcohol was not making motherhood easier, and so much more!  Morgan’s lifestyle blog is so beautiful and aspirational. Check her out on Instagram at @morganmatkovic or at www.morganmatkovic.com.  Would you like to join us for the next Sober Mom Life retreat on Oct 10-13 in Asheville, NC? Step one is to join The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie joins me today for the first episode in a new series: SobrieTEA!  Like so many sober moms in our community, Katie and I are both obsessed with Bravo. Plus, Katie is plugged into the reality world professionally! So today we're here to spill all the tea from the Bravo world, with a special lens on how alcohol plays a role. In this episode we tackle the latest seasons of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Summer House and Vanderpump Rules, sharing our thoughts on the drama, the relationships, and (especially) the sobriety and drinking. If you haven’t checked out Katie’s episode of The Real Sober Moms, check it out here!  Would you like to join us for the next Sober Mom Life retreat on Oct 10-13 in Asheville, NC? Step one is to join The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erinn O’Neill of the 2 Sober Girls Podcast joins me today!  Erinn is a big proponent of AA, and she should absolutely be in charge of the organization's rebrand. She was so kind to answer all of my burning questions about AA, and her approach to sobriety is so soulful, light and non-judgmental!  In this episode Erinn shares her sobriety journey, how reconnecting with her faith led her to sobriety, why she finds power in the term ‘alcoholic’ and why she believes so deeply in the mission of AA.  Learn more about Erinn’s coaching at @recoverwitherinn Check out the 2 Sober Girls Podcast!  Announcing the all new Sober Mom Life Community! Starting February 1st, we’re launching a brand new community option for just $5.95/month! In this Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community feed (like Facebook, but better!) the exclusive community chat, and one free weekly meeting.  If you’d like to go deeper, join us in The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 6 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Growing up, Kara felt like her father had chosen alcohol over his family. He was in and out of rehab for alcohol addiction when she was young, which ultimately led to her parents divorce.  Kara’s mom remarried when she was four and Kara grew up in a blended family of six kids. Though it was a great family life, with so many kids in the house there was no space for her parents to support her emotional needs. Kara had social anxiety, and she began to lean on alcohol to support her in social situations. Then, as she became an adult, alcohol became the go to coping mechanism she reached for at the end of a long day.  Once Kara became a mom, though, the shame began to mount. It didn’t matter how much she drank… the simple act of drinking made her feel like she was choosing alcohol over her kids. This was not a cycle that she was willing to repeat.  Yet, no one seemed to understand the reasons why she wanted to quit. She didn’t have a physical addiction… Why did she need to quit drinking? It took some time for her to push the opinions of others out of her mind, but as she neared 40 she realized that giving up alcohol could help her reach everything she hoped to achieve. She was going to quit for herself. Other people’s opinions did not matter.  Kara is now one year sober and she is not looking back! She wants you to know: It’s okay to quit drinking, even if you don’t have a ‘problem’.  Would you like to join us for the next Sober Mom Life retreat on Oct 10-13 in Asheville, NC? Step one is to join The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lifestyle reporter Rachel Paula Abrahamson recently penned the article Sober Moms are challenging wine mom culture one playdate at a time for Today.com, and I am honored to welcome her to the show for her first podcast conversation about her own sobriety. We’ll talk about how drinking became central to her life, the reasons she ultimately chose to quit, how we talk to our kids about alcohol, and the need for society to abandon the idea that a ‘rock bottom’ is required for sobriety.  Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelpaula Would you like to join us for the next Sober Mom Life retreat on Oct 10-13 in Asheville, NC? Step one is to join The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s real sober mom, Aimee, is a dietician who spent years educating others on the dangers of alcohol… all while struggling to find her own way to sobriety.  Alcohol became Aimee’s primary way to cope after she became a mom. She leaned on it to get her through sleepless nights, a job she despised, and the fear and stress of working in healthcare during Covid. Due to her expertise as a dietician, Aimee knew that her relationship with alcohol was problematic, but she couldn’t envision what a path to sobriety could look like for her.  In the summer of 2023, Aimee decided to give it a try. Between a vacation, fitness goals, and a surgery, she quit for months. Yet, when she let alcohol back into her life… she went right back to drinking a bottle of wine a night. She knew then that what she needed was support. Aimee joined the Sober Mom Life Cafe and began coming to peer support meetings while she was still drinking. She saw through the stories of other women that sobriety could actually stick!  With the support of a community, Aimee tried again. She has been sober since last fall, and she feels like she has so much more time in life! Her trust in herself has also skyrocketed to the point that she left her job and began her own business.  Aimee wants you to know that sobriety has so many benefits - Give yourself a chance to experience them!  Connect with Aimee here - www.aimeedempsey.com And on IG @aimeedempsey.rd Would you like to join us for the next Sober Mom Life retreat on Oct 10-13 in Asheville, NC? Step one is to join The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We just returned from the AMAZING Sober Mom Life retreat! The laughter, the tears, the hugs (!!!) and the connection with other IRL sober moms in our community was so much more meaningful than we could have ever imagined. We left elated, renewed, exhausted, and full of stories.  Join me, Audrey and my mom Susan as we recap our personal highlights from this incredible weekend!  This whole experience truly made us realize: alcohol was never the magic… We are the magic.  Would you like to join us for the next Sober Mom Life retreat on Oct 10-13 in Asheville, NC? Step one is to join The Sober Mom Life Cafe! For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the ability to join the retreat, and the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  We also have The Sober Mom Life Community for just $5.95/month - In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, our monthly book club, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most of Emily's life, she only knew one way to drink: ‘Wisconsin-style binge drinking’. (I can relate. We grew up in the same town!) After becoming a nutritionist, however, a subtle sense of guilt about her drinking began to bubble beneath the surface. She didn’t think much of it, though, because she had no idea how toxic alcohol was - they never addressed it in her nutrition classes!  After becoming a mom, Emily’s weekend binges became 5pm glasses of wine, and year over year her guilt grew. Still, quitting never crossed her mind. In fact, in 2019 she was mindblown to learn that a friend was trying Sober January. The concept didn’t even make sense to her!  Emily now realizes that that conversation planted the seed for her sobriety journey. By the end of 2020, Emily was seeking sober curious content. Her curiosity got the better of her when she tried a 21-day sober challenge. It was then that she experienced a terrifying wake up call - alcohol withdrawal symptoms. From there, she began to pay attention. When she returned to drinking, she could taste the ethanol and see the effect her hangovers had on her life.  Six months later she took her next break, and this one ended up sticking. She is still sober to this day! She is now starting to learn what she enjoys outside of drinking, and is working to fill her life with fulfilling self care. While she doesn’t say ‘forever’, she cannot think of a single thing that would make drinking worth it again.  Check out Emily’s nutrition and food blog at www.myeverydaytable.com!  You now have two ways to connect with other sober moms in the sober mom life world!  The Sober Mom Life Cafe: For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  The Sober Mom Life Community: for just $5.95/month! In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ If you’re looking for a community of wonderful sober moms to support you while you build your own sober life, join us inside The Sober Mom Life Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1542852942745657 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You made it! 365 Days have been marked off the calendar. You are officially one year sober!  …Now what?  Today my mom & our resident therapist, Susan Knower, is here to talk about this unique point in the sobriety journey. We’ll chat about the thoughts that arise when the novelty of sobriety wears off, how to deal with the emotions that lie beneath your drinking, the importance of community in all stages of sobriety, and even what you can learn from the ‘gift’ of boredom.  Resources from today’s episode:  Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepoln The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller  You now have two ways to connect with other sober moms in the sober mom life world!  The Sober Mom Life Cafe: For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  The Sober Mom Life Community: for just $5.95/month! In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, and one free weekly meeting.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here:  https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ If you’re looking for a community of wonderful sober moms to support you while you build your own sober life, join us inside The Sober Mom Life Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1542852942745657 We have merch!!!!  Check it out here! Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Real Sober Mom, Erin, is here with a story that is so relatable.  In high school, alcohol gave Erin her first taste of ‘fitting in’. She leaned on it to socialize on the weekends throughout her teens and early 20s, and she never gave it much thought. Her drinking always seemed ‘normal’ when compared with those around her! Once she began having children, though, alcohol slowly started to seep into her weekday life, as wine became a ‘reward’ for making it through the intense days being a working mom.  In 2016, things took a turn. Erin experienced a devastating pregnancy loss at around 20 weeks. In the aftermath, therapy and community support did not feel like enough. She began to lean on alcohol to cope. The progression of her drinking was slow, but she eventually found herself often drinking a bottle a night, and something within her began to whisper… was she an alcoholic? But the term didn’t quite seem to fit.  Erin felt stuck in a pattern of questioning and moderation. Then, last fall, she found the Sober Mom Life community. This space helped her see a path forward! She has now been sober since January 1st, and in that time she has experienced so many big sober milestones. Erin is slated to run The Boston Marathon on her 100th day of sobriety, and she can’t wait to experience how good she will feel on that day!  Erin wants to share words of wisdom that a longtime sober friend told her:  The elevator stops at every floor, and you can get off at any floor.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ You now have two ways to connect with other sober moms in the sober mom life world!  The Sober Mom Life Cafe: For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  The Sober Mom Life Community: for just $5.95/month! In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, and one free weekly meeting.  If you’re looking for a community of wonderful sober moms to support you while you build your own sober life, join us inside The Sober Mom Life Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1542852942745657 We have merch!!!! Check it out here! Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a massive blind spot within the medical community when it comes to the dangers of alcohol. Dr. Kara Pepper is on the podcast today to help us understand why. Dr. Pepper is an Atlanta-based Internist who has been practicing for over 16 years. Before sobriety, her own biases and internalized shame led her to often avoid the topic of alcohol with her patients. She is now two years sober, and it has completely changed her approach to patient care! Today, she shares her sobriety journey, how sobriety has changed the way she speaks to patients regarding alcohol, what can be done to better educate the medical community on the dangers of alcohol, and how to manage disordered eating in the wake of fresh sobriety.  Dr. Kara Pepper is licensed in 17 states and specializes in eating disorder care. She is also a certified life coach who supports medical professionals! Learn more about her offerings at www.karapeppermd.com or on Instagram at @karapeppermd  Resources:  Are You a Gray Area Drinker? with Jolene Park  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ You now have two ways to connect with other sober moms in the sober mom life world!  The Sober Mom Life Cafe: For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  The Sober Mom Life Community: for just $5.95/month! In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, and one free weekly meeting.  If you’re looking for a community of wonderful sober moms to support you while you build your own sober life, join us inside The Sober Mom Life Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1542852942745657 We have merch!!!! Check it out here! Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this replay from last February, we're talking a big first: Your first sober vacation. It's a big milestone! You might be wondering: can a vacation be fun without alcohol? I'm here to assure you that the answer is yes. Honestly, vacations can be even more enjoyable when you leave alcohol out of the equation.  If you’re gearing up for your first sober vacation, I’m here to help. Today I’m sharing steps to help you discover what a vacation without alcohol can be like.  You can do this!  Resources:  My How to Take Your First Sober Vacation blog post: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/02/how-to-take-your-first-sober-vacation/ My How to Enjoy Disney World Without Drinking blog post: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/02/how-to-enjoy-disney-world-without-drinking/ My Kind of Sweet - What I learned in two years of sobriety: https://mykindofsweet.com/2022/01/what-ive-learned-in-2-years-of-sobriety/#/ Huberman Lab Podcast - What alcohol does to your body: https://hubermanlab.com/what-alcohol-does-to-your-body-brain-health/ The sober drinks I had on vacation!  https://www.instagram.com/reel/Co78Ikusb1C/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= The 4th of July episode:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sober-mom-life/id1631208632?i=1000568719357 The Witching Hour episode:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sober-mom-life/id1631208632?i=1000583666938 The Dry January episode:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sober-mom-life/id1631208632?i=1000591884992 Books to support you (affiliated links):  This Naked Mind:  https://amzn.to/3PaCM7V Quit Like a Woman:  https://amzn.to/3Qnk6lS My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ You now have two ways to connect with other sober moms in the sober mom life world!  The Sober Mom Life Cafe: For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  The Sober Mom Life Community: for just $5.95/month! In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, and one free weekly meeting.  If you’re looking for a community of wonderful sober moms to support you while you build your own sober life, join us inside The Sober Mom Life Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1542852942745657 We have merch!!!! Check it out here! Love this show? Let me know by rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bookstagrammer Hailey Conroy is on the pod today!  Hailey had been a weekend binge drinker through high school, college, and even law school, despite her Irish family history of alcohol abuse. She quit during pregnancy, but when her twins were born at 23 weeks, the bottom fell out. Her son passed after 3 days, and her daughter fought to live in the NICU for 9 months. Her 2 glass habit was also born. Alcohol was no longer a social tool for the weekend. It became a daily tool to bludgeon away the feelings so they didn’t swallow her up. Several years and several kids later, Hailey still had her daily mommy wine. She regularly swore off of it, and then caved in the Target alcohol aisle because “two drinks isn’t really a problem.” It was.  Hailey quit the day after finishing Holly Whitaker’s book, Quit Like a Woman, and soon noticed that her anxiety decreased, her nightly insomnia disappeared, and the redness around her nose vanished. Now 7 months sober, Hailey wants to bust the myths around “healthy” alcohol moderation.  Hailey is a book blogger who shares quit lit recommendations, sober firsts, and fun reels! Check her out on Instagram @hconroybooks.  My mocktail recipe book, ‘No Ethanol Needed’ is finally here! Grab your copy here: https://mykindofsweet.com/2024/01/the-no-ethanol-needed-mocktail-ebook-is-here/ You now have two ways to connect with other sober moms in the sober mom life world!  The Sober Mom Life Cafe: For just $25/month, you get access to 8 weekly peer support meetings, the exclusive Cafe social feed (like Facebook, but better!), our monthly book club, the monthly Q+A, the chance to share your story on The Real Sober Moms, and merch discounts!  The Sober Mom Life Community: for just $5.95/month! In the Community, you’ll receive access to the exclusive Community social feed (like Facebook, but better!), the exclusive community chat, and one free weekly meeting. If you’re looking for a community of wonderful sober moms to support you while you build your own sober life, join us inside The Sober Mom Life Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1542852942745657 We have merch!!!!  Check it out here! Click here to follow The Sober Mom Life on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices