The Sober Creative

There’s a particular kind of courage required to strip away the masks we’ve worn for decades—the personas we built to survive, to please, to belong. For performer, teacher, and writer Deborah Jeanne Weitzman , that journey began not with alcohol, but with food, and evolved into a 40-year exploration of what it means to live authentically. In our conversation, Deborah shared her unconventional path...

“I learned that creativity doesn’t come in a vial of white powder.” This wisdom from record producer Keith Olson after getting sober at Betty Ford became a touchstone for Stephanie Raffelock—a reminder that authentic creative power emerges not from substances, but from facing “the raw chaos and mud that grows the lotus within you.” At seventy-something, Stephanie embodies “Ancora imparo”—still, I...

What happens when you stop waiting for permission to become who you already are? David Speed ’s conversation reveals a truth that challenges everything we’ve been told about creative breakthroughs: sometimes the most profound transformations happen not through dramatic moments, but through quiet, intentional choices that align your daily actions with your deepest values. David’s story dismantles t...

The fear haunts many creative professionals: What if sobriety kills my creative edge? Kate Baily ’s story demolishes this myth completely. Nine years sober, she's transformed from someone using alcohol to manage overwhelming sensitivity into a published author of two books, community builder, and creative force who describes her post-alcohol creativity as being " on steroids ." Kate's journey reve...

When Eric J Cunningham found himself hanging off his apartment lanai at the end of his rope—successful on paper but spiritually bankrupt—he couldn't have imagined that a windblown motorcycle tarp would become his gateway to divine presence. Eric, an ecological anthropologist turned UX researcher, discovered that his high-functioning alcoholism wasn't just numbing pain—it was severing his connectio...

What happens when your vision for better social spaces becomes the catalyst for your own transformation? That's exactly what happened to Sam at Third Place Bar —a groundbreaking series of alcohol-free pop-up events that have been redefining connection in NYC since 2022. Sam's story flips the traditional sobriety narrative. Instead of hitting rock bottom and then building back up, she simply asked...

Sometimes the most profound creative breakthroughs come not from what we add to our lives, but from what we courageously remove. Jules Cazedessus , author of "Sing the Body Politic," discovered this truth in her recent journey into sobriety—and the results speak for themselves. In this latest Clear Conversations episode, Jules shared how stepping away from alcohol didn't diminish her creative voic...

The most powerful creative transformations often begin in the darkest moments. For composer and arranger Matthew Goinz , that moment came staring at an empty whiskey glass in a bar, realizing his drinking had silenced the very voice that defined his identity—his ability to sing. What followed wasn't just recovery; it was a complete artistic rebirth. From failing out of college twice to performing...

When Kimberly Kearns woke up that November morning in 2020, hungover and filled with self-loathing after another night she couldn't fully remember, she made a decision that would change everything. After 20 years of drinking, countless attempts at moderation, and years of her husband asking her to slow down, she finally said the words out loud: "I need your help. I cannot do this anymore." What fo...

The Story Behind the Transformation Nick Neve's journey reads like a cautionary tale that transforms into a beacon of hope. In 2013, he was broke, burnt out, and working three jobs just to survive. But it was a single night—a night that ended with him unconscious behind the wheel, wrapped around a tree in Bel Air—that became the catalyst for a complete life transformation. What makes Nick's story...

In a world obsessed with productivity and endless achievement, Libby Walkup has discovered something revolutionary: the power of stopping time. As the creative force behind Unraveling, Unmoored , Libby's journey from burnout and generational trauma to what she calls "contemplative creativity" offers a profound roadmap for anyone seeking to heal through slowness and presence. What makes Libby's sto...

Five years ago, Ryan Conklin stood at the intersection of devastating loss and profound possibility. His dream job eliminated. His identity shattered. Everything he'd built carefully constructed around his career in the spirits industry—gone in a single day. But instead of numbing the pain, Ryan made a vow that would transform his life: "Stay awake for this." That same day he quit drinking, not be...

The conversation that changes everything often starts with admitting the one truth we've been running from. For Katie MacBride, that moment came at 23, in a hospital bed with a blood alcohol level that should have killed her—0.4, five times the legal limit. What followed wasn't just recovery, but a complete reimagining of what it means to create authentically. Katie, now a health science journalis...

What do you do when you have all the skills to create art, but can't bring yourself to pick up a brush? When success in your creative career feels hollow because you've lost touch with your personal artistic voice? In this episode of Clear Conversations, I sat down with Leeanne Brennan , a creative artist who spent two decades mastering technical skills in the fields of video games and motion grap...

This week, I sat down with Edward Zaydelman , who's spent over 20 years building intentional communities in Costa Rica while navigating his own journey with sobriety. What started as a conversation about alternative living quickly became something deeper—an exploration of how sobriety doesn't just change what we create, but how we experience the creative process itself. Edward's story challenged e...

In this episode of Clear Conversations: Creative Minds in Sobriety, I had the privilege of speaking with Ellie Nova , a sober coach, mentor, and writer whose journey from shame to liberation mirrors what so many of us experience in our relationship with alcohol. Ellie's story begins with a familiar struggle—using alcohol to escape emotional pain and feeling trapped in a cycle she couldn't break fr...

In my latest episode of Clear Conversations, I sat down with Kaitlyn Ramsay , whose journey from corporate burnout to spiritual guide exemplifies how sobriety transforms not just our health, but our entire creative expression. After quitting her corporate job and buying a one-way ticket to Australia following a devastating breakup, Kaitlyn found herself in Thailand where her relationship with alco...

In this powerful conversation with former Times picture editor Discover Still By Paul Sanders , we explore the profound connection between sobriety, mindfulness, and authentic creativity. Paul shares his journey from rock bottom to creative rebirth, revealing how eight years of sobriety transformed not just his photography, but his entire relationship with the world around him. Paul's story is a t...

In this first episode of Clear Conversations: Creative Minds in Sobriety (title was recently rebranded from Focal Points) , I spoke with Ula , a photographer and writer from Vancouver Island, about sustaining creative energy while running a business. The conversation explored: * Substack as a Creative Platform: We spoke about Substack's effectiveness for building creative community. Ula described...