Sober & Lit Podcast

You're eating better. Exercising more. Maybe you've even had bariatric surgery... so why is the scale still moving in the wrong direction? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan uncover one of the most overlooked contributors to midlife weight gain... alcohol. Together, they explore how alcohol affects your metabolism, hormones, sleep, cravings, and recovery, and why it can q...

What if the hardest part about becoming alcohol-free isn't giving up alcohol... ...it's letting go of the identity that came with it? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Susan and Ruby answer a listener question that so many women quietly struggle with: "Why do I feel embarrassed to call myself alcohol-free?" Together they explore why our brains worry so much about fitting in,...

You have the career. The family. The responsibilities. So why does that glass of wine feel harder to say no to? In this episode of Sober & Lit, we're exploring the hidden connection between alcohol, anxiety, and women. You'll discover: Why anxiety can quietly increase drinking How alcohol becomes a coping habit The surprising science behind "telescoping" Why this isn't...

Midlife. Menopause. Alcohol cravings. Coincidence... or connected? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Susan and Ruby welcome Kathleen McDermott, registered nurse and menopause coach , for a conversation every woman deserves to hear. You'll discover: Why hormones can amplify alcohol cravings How menopause impacts your brain and nervous system Why willpower isn't the answer The role of se...

You quit drinking expecting to feel amazing... but what if you're feeling worse before you feel better? So now you're wondering: "Shouldn't I feel better by now?" In this episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan unpack a little-known part of the alcohol-free journey: PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome). You'll discover: • Why recovery can feel harder than expected...

What if sobriety gave you MORE... not less? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Susan and Ruby sit down with Deborah C. Smith... business coach, entrepreneur, and powerful example of what can happen when you stop using alcohol to cope and start reconnecting with yourself. Inside this conversation: • Deborah’s story • Alcohol, ambition + high stress entrepreneurship • The wake-up call that changed...

What if summer isn’t the problem... but actually the BEST time to explore alcohol free living? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Coach Susan and Coach Ruby unpack: Why summer drinking feels so automatic How concerts, patios, vacations, and BBQs retrain your brain Building your alcohol-free “muscles” one event at a time Why nature can calm your nervous system naturally The mindset shift that chan...

What if you didn’t have to give up the wine ritual... to change your relationship with alcohol? In this episode of Sober & Lit, we sit down with Tracy Sweeney... longtime wine industry insider and co-founder of Tomorrow Cellars ... to talk about the rise of sophisticated alcohol-free wine and why so many women are rethinking what’s in their glass. We talk about: • Can alcohol-free wine actuall...

What if this summer didn’t have to end the same way it always does? You start June saying, “I’m going to cut back.” Then come the vacations… the patio drinks… the girls trips… the BBQs… and suddenly it’s September and you’re exhausted, anxious, inflamed, and promising yourself you’ll “start again Monday.” But what if this summer became the one where you finally tried something different? In this e...

Are you stuck in the loop of stress, wine, and starting over tomorrow? In this guest episode, with Lauren Baptiste, we’re getting real about burnout, alcohol, and the pressure high-achieving women carry … We explore: • Why “doing it all” feels so exhausting • The hidden link between burnout + drinking • The moment your body says… enough • How alcohol keeps the cycle going • Small shifts that actua...

Thinking about your first alcohol-free vacation and already feeling nervous? What if your next vacation became the trip where you felt the most free... not the one that pulled you back into the drinking cycle?   Because let’s be honest… vacation can sound like:  • airport wine   • beach cocktails   • girls’ trip pressure   • “I deserve it” thoughts  In this episode, Susan and Ruby unpack: ✨ The b...

What if the thing making you feel awkward at events… isn’t you… it’s the alcohol? • Ever grabbed a drink just to feel normal? • Ever thought… “my drinking isn’t that bad”? • Ever wondered what real connection would feel like without it? This episode is that conversation. We sit down with Laura Nelson of Sober Rocks… and her story will hit home. From gray area drinking to creating a movement around...

✨ Discover The Ultimate Alcohol-Free Decision Tool ✨ Ever notice how fast cravings happen? That moment… “I need a glass of wine”… and suddenly you’re already pouring it. What if you could catch it… right there ? In this episode, we break it down: • what’s really happening in your brain during a craving • why it feels automatic (it’s not just you) • how to interrupt it in seconds with the SNAP to...

Okay… quick real talk, friend: What if burnout isn’t the problem… it’s the wake-up call? In this episode of Sober & Lit, we sit down with Sue Willoughby… equus coach, entrepreneur, and total midlife badass … who shares how she went from burnout, overachieving, and emotional exhaustion… to a life that actually feels aligned, powerful, and free. We talk about: • “normal” drinking that isn’t work...

What if the thought keeping you stuck… sounds totally normal? “My drinking isn’t that bad.” We hear this all the time. Maybe you’ve said it too. But what if that one thought is the thing quietly keeping you… • tired • stuck • not quite living at your full potential In this episode of Sober & Lit, we go there...gently, honestly, no shame. We talk about: • the gray area most women live in • the...

Cold water. Big feelings. Real joy. In this episode of Sober & Lit, we sit down with Libby DeLana, author of Cold Joy , who shares how something as simple as stepping into cold water helped her move through loss, rebuild herself, and feel truly alive again. We talk about the surprising parallels between cold plunging and sobriety…   why community changes everything…     and what happens when y...

Have you ever caught yourself thinking… “ Maybe my brain chemistry is just messed up. ” You’re not alone. Many women who struggle with alcohol believe their brain is broken. But what if that’s not true? What if the real story is that alcohol has been quietly hijacking your brain’s reward system all along? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan take a deep dive into dopamine, the brain...

Question:   What if you could relax, socialize, and unwind… without alcohol? No hangover. No brain fog. No regret. So what are people drinking instead? 👉 Kava. In this episode, Ruby and Susan sit down with Morgan Smith, founder of Kalm with Kava , to explore the ancient South Pacific drink that’s quietly becoming a modern alcohol-free ritual. Inside this conversation: What kava actually is (and w...

Let’s name it. You stopped drinking.  You felt amazing.  Then somehow… you started again. Why? Today we’re pulling back the curtain on the stop-start cycle — and it’s not about weakness. Here’s what we unpack: -- Why your brain romanticizes “just one” -- The neural pathway + fading effect bias trap -- The “drinking train” effect (why it gets harder each time) -- How stress hijacks your nervous sys...

This episode is for you if you’ve ever asked:   How do I sit with pain without pouring a glass?   What comes after sobriety?   Can I feel whole again? Today’s episode is a gentle, powerful invitation to feel—without numbing. We’re joined by Brandi Babb, certified coach + somatic experiencing practitioner , in a real conversation with hosts Susan Larkin and Ruby Williams about grief, sobriety, and...

Ever freeze when someone offers you a drink?  Wonder how to stay alcohol-free and feel connected? In this Sober & Lit episode, Ruby and Susan get real about what’s actually happening in those moments — and how to move through them with confidence instead of white-knuckling it. Inside this conversation: Why saying no isn’t about willpower (it’s about wiring + people-pleasing) Simple ways to pre...

Have you ever wondered... How do you date without liquid courage? What happens when you stop numbing and start feeling? Could connection actually be easier alcohol-free? In this episode, Ruby and Susan sit down with Lily Shanks — life + relationship coach with 7+ years of sobriety , who went from high-achieving attorney quietly struggling with alcohol… to deeply connected, emotionally sober, and h...

Ever wake up determined not to drink… only to find yourself pouring a glass by evening? You’re not broken. You’re human. And this episode explains why. In today’s conversation, Susan and Ruby unpack the invisible habit loops behind drinking urges, and show you how to gently interrupt them. Inside this episode, you’ll discover: • Why urges feel automatic (hello, autopilot) • The real reason willpow...

What if connection didn’t come in a glass? What if community didn’t revolve around drinking? What if sobriety actually made life more fun? In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Marshall — • Founder of Sans Bar, North America’s first non-alcoholic bar • Mental health advocate • Author of Faster Than Light • And a powerful voice redefining sober social life Chris's story goes deep and together...

Have you ever felt like the story you’ve been told about alcohol is missing the most important truths? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Susan Larkin and Ruby Williams are joined by Mike Marshall, CEO of the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance , for a conversation that pulls alcohol out of the shadows and into the light—without shame, fear, or finger-pointing. This episode explores: Why alcohol’s real...