We're Sober, Now What?

Amanda and Melissa share updates from their lives, including exciting personal milestones and the challenges of maintaining sobriety amidst significant life events. Hear about Melissa's spring self-care challenge, designed to refresh and reinforce positive habits as the season changes. They discuss the importance of adapting self-care practices to fit personal needs and the benefits of moving away...

What to do when you just start feeling 'Meh' in Sobriety ? What happens when the "pink cloud" parts? Amanda & Melissa explore the challenges when life's excitement diminishes and how to cope with the mundane aspects of sober living They offer practical advice from their own experience of keeping sobriety engaging and fulfilling over the long term. As well as the importanc...

What happens when you replace drinking with a relentless pursuit of self-improvement ? In this episode, Amanda and Melissa explore the never-ending cycle of striving to be “better” in sobriety —and why it can be just as exhausting as drinking itself. They unpack the pressure to constantly optimise, hustle, and perform, especially in a world saturated with self-help and personal growth culture. Ama...

Amanda and Melissa respond to a listener request to talk about the misconceptions, challenges & sometimes the plain awkwardness of choosing a sober life . From navigating social situations to explaining their choice to others, they break down why sobriety is so much more than willpower or hitting “rock bottom.”  If you've ever felt misunderstood in sobriety—or struggled with how to explain...

What happens when your self-worth is tied to what other people think? In this episode, Amanda and Melissa unpack the downsides of criticism AND praise and the trap of thinking our work - whether it be personal or professional - only has value if it gets attention. It’s not uncommon that patterns of approval seeking still linger post-sobriety . The hosts share the ways the need for external validat...

What if the clarity you’re searching for isn’t something to find —but something to create ? In this episode of We’re Sober, Now What? , Amanda and Melissa explore the power of clarifying needs and expectations in sobriety and beyond. Amanda introduces a powerful journaling exercise designed to help listeners pinpoint what they truly need—not just in sobriety, but in life. This process helps break...

Sobriety stopped complicating life, but what happens when burnout takes over? In this episode , Amanda and Melissa highlight the unexpected parallels between alcohol recovery and burnout recovery —and why so many sober people find themselves chasing the next high through work, achievement, or external validation. They get real about: The misconceptions about burnout The addictive nature of workaho...

Sobriety isn’t just about quitting—it’s about what comes next. In this episode, Amanda and Melissa, dive into the difference between stark, raving abstinence (just quitting the substance) and actually doing the deeper work of recovery. Amanda shares a five-question daily journaling practice that’s helping her build self-respect, break free from external validation-seeking, and recover from burnout...

Amanda & Melissa, discuss Ireland’s deeply rooted drinking culture, the historical and societal factors that have contributed to the country’s long-standing association with alcohol, from generational trauma to the lack of alternative social outlets. They share candid personal stories about the normalization of underage drinking, the pressure to drink in social settings, and the challenges of...

What if the key to thriving in sobriety isn’t just quitting alcohol, but finding your people? In this episode of We’re Sober, Now What?, Amanda and Melissa Kelly, PhD, pull back the curtain on the game-changing power of community and belonging in sobriety. You’ll hear raw, real stories about how alcohol shaped their identities, the surprising struggles of navigating life sober, and how rediscoveri...

Amanda and Melissa get real about the identity shifts that come with sobriety. Amanda shares how she avoided an identity crisis in early sobriety and opens up about a moment of self-sabotage that revealed her deeper insecurities.  Melissa reflects on her former “party girl” persona and how sobriety brought her from chaos to control—and why that control wasn’t always healthy. They also tackle the p...

Amanda and Melissa Kelly, PhD, reveal their top tools for navigating the challenges of sober living. From managing triggers to sidestepping FOMO, they break down practical strategies that have kept them grounded and thriving. Wondering how to stay strong during a stressful holiday gathering or what’s inside Amanda’s emotional first-aid kit? Tune in for three life-changing tools to help you handle...

Welcome to We're Sober, now what. We are Melissa and Amanda and we are.... you guessed it, sober! But who are we? What made us decide to start this podcast? And why should you care? Great questions! Tune in to hear us share about pivotal moments in sobriety, why we quit drinking in the first place, how sobriety has changed us & how we manage the various stressors of day to day life, without re...