Alcohol Minimalist: Mindful Drinking & Behavior Change

This week on the podcast I'm speaking to Mary Hickey Reid, Executive Director of Moderation Management. We're busting some of the myths surrounding Moderation, as well as talking about some of the truths--including the tragic story of Moderation Management founder, Audrey Kishline.  Listen in to learn the truths about:  1) Is abstinence/sober living frowned upon at MM?  2) Are their clear limits f...

This week on the podcast I'm diving deep into the subconscious brain, with Loretta Bruening, PhD. Loretta is the author of "Habits of a Happy Brain". Learn how our brains evolved and how to use your conscious mind to manage your "inner mammal" which is focused on avoiding pain, seeking pleasure and conserving energy.  According to Breuning, "Many people have habits that are bad for survival. How d...

This week on the podcast: Sobriety or Moderation: Which One Will Work for You?  In our continued focus on emotional maturity and resilience, I'm going to share with you why that question is the wrong way to approach changing your relationship with alcohol.  Becoming sober or figuring out how to moderate is not going to achieve what you really want...happiness, feeling better.  You have to think be...

This week on the podcast I'm talking about drama.   Specifically, how drama might be driving your drinking.   Drama doesn’t have to mean big and exaggerated, overly emotional.  In our daily lives drama means something that is imagined, created or produced. It means the stories that you tell yourself about your life, about your own capabilities and about the world around you.  Resources mentioned: ...

This week on the podcast, I'm talking to Dr. George Koob, PhD, the Director of the NIAAA.  The NIAAA, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, is the nation's leading agency for research and education on alcohol and health. For more than 50 years, the NIAAA has conducted and supported research that has improved our understanding of the effects of alcohol on health and well-being, as wel...

This week on the podcast we begin a month-long focus on emotional maturity, resilience, or fluency.  Understanding the connection between your emotions and your drinking habit is key to changing your relationship with alcohol.  Becoming more emotionally mature is a learnable skill.  Here are some keys to becoming more emotionally mature: #1)You have to be willing and believe that your are capable...

This week on the podcast I'm talking about transitioning out of Dryuary and back to "normal life".  How can you take the momentum and confidence you gained from Dryuary and turn it into a peaceful relationship with alcohol for the long run? Or if your Dryuary, turned into Dampuary, and you're questioning your ability to change, how can you turn it around?  I also share why 30-Day challenges are so...

This week on the podcast, I'm talking all about Dryuary and how not to ruin it.  There are three dates that are statistically the most common for people to "fail" during Dryuary and we'll talk about them all. *First Fail Friday * The Last Saturday of January * Mid-Month Saturday Learn the thinking that leads to people drinking during a month that they planned to be alcohol-free and how you can avo...

This week on the podcast I'm talking with psychologist, author and podcast host Dr. Seth Gilihan all about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)  and how we can use it to help change our drinking habits. Learn: How CBT is like the Results Cycle How CBT tactics can help you manage your mind and take better actions. Why action might be the best place to start to help you feel better. How CBT can help a...

This week on the podcast I'm talking about alcohol and the immune system. How does alcohol impact our immune system? Sleep disruption Gut microbiome Respiratory Tract impact Lymphatic System Suppression of the immune system How much is too much and how much time is involved with our immune system recovering?  Resources mentioned: Episode #18 William Porter's Alcohol Explained Buy Breaking the Bott...

Today on the podcast I'm talking all about worry. I'm  talking about how it fits in the Results Cycle as an action and why our brains evolved to worry. I'll also show you why it's linked to your drinking habit and how we can work on changing our thoughts so that we reduce our worry and not turn to alcohol to feel less anxious.  I’m going to help you understand why worrying doesn’t: Worry is define...

Join Proof Positive for January! I'll be leading a small group of people looking to start off 2022 in a really healthy way.  To join there are two steps:  Step 1) Register for Dryuary through Dryuary.org This is program is totally FREE and you'll get 30 days of support and content for taking a 30-day break from alcohol.  Step 2) Register for the 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade. This easy-to-follow plan w...

In this year-end episode, we've launched the new name of the show and I'm sharing what it means to become an alcohol minimalist. Beyond sticking to low-risk drinking limits, being an alcohol minimalist means: Not using alcohol to change your emotions. Being willing to understand the connection between your thoughts, feelings and actions.  Getting educated on the science of alcohol and neuroscience...

This week's episode I'm catching up with William Porter, author of Alcohol Explained and Alcohol Explained 2.  Listen in as we discuss some of the opinions we share around alcohol and changing your relationship with alcohol. We talk science, we talk about changing your desire to drink, urges and cravings and whether or not it's truly possible to moderate alcohol.  Learn more about William and his...

This week on the podcast I'm talking about Alcohol & The Holidays.  Key points:  1) Most adults are not aware of low-risk drinking guidelines 2) Binge Drinking increases during the holidays 3) We can use the Behavior Map and Results Cycle to change how we feel about the holidays and how we include alcohol.  4) Learn what being an alcohol minimalist means. 5) How to visit Christmas Past, Presen...

This week on the podcast I'm talking about Alcohol & Our Kids. I'll be sharing my thoughts on how to have better conversations about alcohol with anyone who needs to hear it.  Key Points:  1) Talk conversationally and do it early and often.  2) Make sure that your kids know the facts about alcohol. Dispell myths and be clear about your own beliefs on alcohol. 3) Make sure children know that al...

This week on the podcast I'm reviewing Tools for the Trenches: Daily Practices for Resilience, Perspective and Progress  by Elizabeth Benton Thompson.  Resources mentioned: Dryuary.org Episode #7 Episode #32 Episode #29 Tools for the Trenches Buy Breaking the Bottle Legacy: How to Change Your Drinking Habits and Create A Peaceful Relationship with Alcohol on Amazon.  US Kindle US Paperback UK Kind...

Today on the podcast I'm talking to Beej Christie Karpen about alternative therapies for alcohol. Beej Christie Karpen is an intuitive mindfulness-based certified coach, clinical hypnotist & alternative therapist with a unique gift for transforming clients out of negative patterns into a less stressful way of living.  On this episode learn more about: Mindful Drinking  Self Hypnosis Urge Surfi...

This week on the podcast, another in the "Alcohol &" series.  Alcohol and Genetics  Here are some of the facts about the connection between alcohol abuse and genetics:  A genetic disposition to alcohol abuse does not mean a person will develop an alcohol use disorder. Less than half of the children of people with an alcohol use disorder will develop an alcohol use disorder. Individuals can dev...

This week on the episode I'm talking with Katie Lain all about the Sinclair Method. Katie is a coach and mentor for the Sinclair Method and our conversation covers: * Katie's own journey changing her relationship with alcohol using Naltrexone and the Sinclair Method *What is the Sinclair Method * Why it helps people cut back *The Sinclair Method Community Learn more about it at TSM Community Find...

  This week on the podcast I'm discussing This Naked Mind by Annie Grace.  The intention of this episode is not to cast This Naked Mind in a negative light, however I will be highlighting the points that I align with as well as where I disagree with Grace's conclusions.  This is a two part episode and in this second part we'll discuss: The issues with focusing on abstinence as opposed to why peopl...

This week on the podcast I'm discussing This Naked Mind by Annie Grace.  The intention of this episode is not to cast This Naked Mind in a negative light, however I will be highlighting the points that I align with as well as where I disagree with Grace's conclusions.  This is a two part episode and in the first part we'll establish: The Goal of This Naked Mind  What Liminal Thinking Is Liminal Po...

Buy Breaking the Bottle Legacy: How to Change Your Drinking Habits and Create A Peaceful Relationship with Alcohol on Amazon.  US Kindle US Paperback UK Kindle UK Paperback Join my private FB group Alcohol Minimalists here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/changeyouralcoholhabit Has this podcast helped you?  How about leaving a review: Itunes Follow me on Instagram: @AlcoholMinimalist  You can grab...

Buy Breaking the Bottle Legacy: How to Change Your Drinking Habits and Create A Peaceful Relationship with Alcohol on Amazon.  US Kindle US Paperback UK Kindle UK Paperback Join my private FB group Alcohol Minimalists here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/changeyouralcoholhabit Has this podcast helped you?  How about leaving a review: Itunes Follow me on Instagram: @AlcoholMinimalist  You can grab...

Buy Breaking the Bottle Legacy: How to Change Your Drinking Habits and Create A Peaceful Relationship with Alcohol on Amazon.  US Kindle US Paperback UK Kindle UK Paperback Join my private FB group Alcohol Minimalists here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/changeyouralcoholhabit Has this podcast helped you?  How about leaving a review: Itunes Follow me on Instagram: @AlcoholMinimalist  You can grab...