This bonus episode is a truth-telling moment — the conversation I wish someone had given me during the 20 years I wanted to quit drinking but didn’t know where to turn. If you’ve been stuck between two awful options — white-knuckle sobriety forever or resigning yourself to drinking because nothing else feels right — this is your sign that a third option exists.

I share the real mindset shifts I learned outside of AA, how I finally made alcohol irrelevant, and why most women stay stuck bargaining for years. We talk about the gap you avoid, the mental noise you've normalized, and why “just not drinking” never creates the freedom you want. This is the foundation of the Permission Protocol — the feminine, embodied path to shifting your relationship with alcohol on your own terms.

In this episode, I walk you through:

• the real reason quitting feels impossible (hint: you’re only trying to not drink)
• the third option between AA and white-knuckling
• how alcohol becomes the center of change — and how to shift the focus back to you
• why you keep bargaining, moderating, and negotiating with yourself
• the truth about the “gap” (and why being alone with yourself feels hard)
• how alcohol dulls your authentic expression + steals your presence
• the mindset I used to make alcohol irrelevant after 20 years
• why the Permission Protocol works when “trying harder” doesn’t

If this resonates, download The Permission Protocol — my free 5-part mini-course — and start practicing the skills that make alcohol irrelevant on your terms. 

The 90 Day Life Renewal is a Private Holistic Coaching Program to gracefully help you move through the resistance of change, stay accountable and honor the version of you that is done waiting. What if this year, you didn’t just set a goal…but created a living plan that actually fits your energy, your values, and your season of life?  Apply & schedule your clarity call with Mary here.

Join The 90 Day Life Renewal!

A Private Holistic Coaching Program to gracefully help you move through the resistance of change, stay accountable and honor the version of you that is done waiting. What if this year, you didn’t just set a goal…but created a living plan that actually fits your energy, your values, and your season of life? Apply & schedule your clarity call with Mary here.

Download The Permission Protocol — my free 5-part mini-course — and start practicing the skills that make alcohol irrelevant on your terms.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast and its contents are not a substitute for rehabilitation, medical treatment or advice. It is for educational and inspirational purposes. I am not a therapist or doctor. The views here are expressed a personal opinion and based on first hand experience. Please consult a doctor if your mental or physical health is at risk.