Soberful

Religious abuse, as one of the roots of addictive behaviour, is explored in this episode. Chip and Veronica discuss how religious language and indoctrination sow the seeds for alcohol abuse; they read out stories from people who have grown up experiencing some kind of spiritual abuse.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

What is love addiction? In this episode, Veronica interviews Sherry Gaba psychotherapist and relationship expert. We explore why relationships in sobriety are so hard, why we can become addicted to a relationship and how to create a healthy, authentic partnership.     To learn more, visit the show notes .

We have been asked many times 'how do you work the 12-steps?' In this episode, Chip and Veronica explain how they apply the 12-steps to their own lives.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Resistance is going to show up any time we do something new. Veronica and Chip discuss how the ego sabotages us when we get sober.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Is there a right age to get sober? Whatever age we decide to stop drinking, we will face challenges and limiting beliefs. In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss the challenges of getting sober at a young age and getting sober when you are older.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Veronica and Chip have both experienced burn out in sobriety. Stress and burnout are danger zones for someone recovering from an alcohol problem. In this episode, we discuss the tools we have used to cope with stress.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

It's our 100th episode! To celebrate Chip and Veronica answer questions from the Soberful Life community. We answer questions about our sobriety and personal lives!   To learn more, visit the show notes .

In this episode, Veronica interviews Dr Jamie Marich about her new book, Trauma and the 12 Steps . We take a deep dive into working with people who have experienced trauma and how the 12-step programs can help and harm them.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Self-esteem is what we think about ourselves. Most people, when they get sober, have low self-esteem. In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss how to rebuild self-esteem and what it feels like to like yourself.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

How to you get sober when your partner drinks? This is a common challenge for many of our clients who really want to stop drinking but have an unsupportive partner. Chip and Veronica offer suggestions and advice. If you are single how do you start dating when you are sober? Having been there themselves Chip and Veronica help you navigate the sober dating world.   To learn more, visit the show note...

AJ Daulerio was only four months sober when the worst thing in the world happened to him. You may remember it; Hulk Hogan sued him (and won) for $115 million. AJ was the editor of Gawker magazine where he ran a story about Hulk Hogan's sex life. That story destroyed a lot of lives, including AJ's. In this honest and searching interview, Veronica asks him how he got through such a public shaming so...

How do you rebuild trust in your relationships after years of drinking? In this episode, Chip and Veronica lay out the steps to take to start rebuilding trust with your loved ones when you get sober.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Today we discuss how to deal with triggers. Triggers are a response to an outside stimulus that results in an automatic action. We have trained our brains to drink, and we have to untrain them. We look at how H.A.L.T.S (Hungry. Angry. Lonely. Tired. Stressed) can affect our sobriety.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

How do we change? Chip and Veronica talk about the cycle of change and the 'dance' we go through when we need to change something. We discuss the three phases of change, and how we sabotage ourselves and stay in this cycle until we get to the 'maintenance' phase and the 'change' becomes our normal life.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Veronica is celebrating twenty years of sobriety on May 2nd. In this special episode, Chip and Veronica discuss the twenty things she has learned during that time. She is also hosting a party (online) to celebrate (and you are invited).   To learn more, visit the show notes .

An engaging and enlightening conversation with Suzanne Najarian Goodson, who is a sacred and sober sexuality teacher and coach. We discussed the challenges of engaging with our sexuality once we are sober, how to talk to kids about sex and sexuality, and how authenticity in our sexual relationships will transform them.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Veronica interviews Elissa Altman the author of best-selling memoir Motherland - a memoir of love, loathing and longing'. They discuss what it's like growing up with a difficult parent, how that affected them and led to their drinking. They also talk about that due to the current uncertainty, many people are having to share spaces with family members that can be triggering and difficult. To learn...

Chip and Veronica take a deep dive into the true cost of drinking. They deconstruct how we lie to ourselves about alcohol so we can carry on drinking. They go through one of the first exercises they give to clients that helps them get free of FOMO and start living an alcohol-free life.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Chip and Veronica interview Melia Clapton, the wife of guitar legend Eric Clapton. She discusses 'Turn up for Recovery,' her charity that helps use music to raise money for addiction treatment. She also discusses her own journey with 12-step programs and how she 'lost herself' in relationships.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Veronica and Laura take a deep dive into what it means to be a drunk mother, how to deal with the shame and what 'the work' of sobriety really is.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

In this bonus episode Chip and Veronica go through the tools you need to stay sober during the unfolding crisis. We help listeners prioritise their mental health and sobriety so they can stay sober no matter what happens.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Former K-pop star Kiki Wong comes on the podcast to discuss her career in Nylon Pink, a successful girl band. Kiki could only get on stage if she had been drinking, which matched with the rock-star lifestyle she was living at the time. Now she is two years sober she has had some of the best creative experiences of her life and never wants to go back.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Our past shows up in our present every day. If we don't look at our past then we can't get the lessons we need to grow. Chip and Veronica look at childhood patterns and how they shape our present circumstances.   ***Please note that we recorded this episode back in January 2020, before we truly understood the impact of Covid-19, please forgive us for making light of this at the start of the episod...

****Warning**** graphic language and discussions of an adult nature. Amy Dresner is indestructible and probably the most cross-addicted person I have ever met. She is is also whip-smart, funny, kind and sensitive. She is a sober warrior. In this episode, we discuss her book 'My fair junkie.' The recent criticism of AA and the misunderstandings around the program and a whole bunch of other sobriety...

Codependency is an unbalanced relationship with other people. When we "people please" to the detriment of our own needs, we become reliant on other people for how we feel. We take too much responsibility for fixing their feelings above our own. Chip and Veronica discuss their challenges with codependency and how they have learned to manage their emotions.   To learn more, visit the show notes .