How to Drink Less

What if focusing on what you’re “giving up” is the very thing making it harder to change your drinking? In this episode, I’ll help you shift out of deprivation and into possibility by asking one powerful question: What are you saying yes to when you say no to alcohol? We’ll talk about:  • why your brain fixates on alcohol as a “loss”;  • the psychology behind FOMO and deprivation;  • how drinking...

Is the word “addiction” keeping you stuck? In this  episode, I’m challenging a belief that many people take for granted—and that might be making it harder to change your drinking. Because labels like addict and addiction can create shame, reinforce powerlessness, and make the problem feel bigger than it is.  In this episode, we explore:  why “addiction” isn’t a clear-cut diagnosis;   how labels li...

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “I don’t even want to drink... so why do I still crave alcohol?” — this episode will give you a clear answer. Because the desire for alcohol isn’t random, and it’s not a sign that something is wrong with you. In this episode, I break down exactly where the desire for alcohol comes from and why it can feel so automatic—especially in certain situations, at cer...

Do you feel like you need a drink to relax, feel confident, or get in the mood for sex? You’re not alone. For many people, alcohol and sex are deeply linked. It’s the thing that takes the edge off, quiets the inner critic, and makes it easier to stop overthinking. But what if alcohol isn’t actually improving the experience the way you think it is? In this episode, I break down what alcohol is real...

If you’re trying to eat well, exercise regularly, or feel better in your body—but you’re still drinking alcohol—this episode might explain why things feel harder than they should. Because here’s what no one really talks about: We track our steps, optimize our workouts, obsess over protein, sleep, and supplements… but somehow alcohol gets a free pass. I break down what’s actually happening in your...

Why is it that when you try to drink less, you suddenly start eating more? If you’ve ever found yourself reaching for snacks instead of a drink, overeating late at night after you've had a few, or wondering if you’ve just replaced one "bad habit" with another—this episode is for you. Join me and binge eating coach Amber Abila for a breakdown of what’s actually going on when this hap...

If you’ve ever thought, “I need a drink to feel confident,” this episode will show you what to do instead. In the previous episode— 52. Alcohol and Confidence (Part 1): Is Alcohol Really Helping You Feel More Confident? —I explained why alcohol doesn’t actually create confidence; it just quiets your inner critic and numbs anxiety. Now we’re getting practical. In this episode, I’ll teach you how to...

Why does alcohol make you feel more confident—and why does that confidence disappear without it? In this episode, I break down what’s actually happening when you drink in social situations. Because alcohol doesn’t give you confidence—it changes how you experience your thoughts and feelings. We talk about:  why alcohol seems to make you more confident;   what it’s really doing in your brain (and wh...

What if your relationship with alcohol is… just that—a relationship like any other? In this episode, we explore what it really means to have a “relationship” with alcohol, and how that perspective can help you decide whether it’s time to change something. Because most people evaluate their drinking based only on quantity—how much, how often—but that’s just one small part of the picture. We talk ab...

Is red wine actually good for you? Does alcohol really protect your heart? And is expensive or organic alcohol somehow “healthier” than the cheap stuff? In this episode, we’re separating fact from fiction and looking at three common myths about alcohol that refuse to go away. Alcohol has been surrounded by a lot of marketing, cultural narratives, and half-truths over the years. Some of them sound...

If you’ve ever thought about quitting alcohol but felt scared to commit to complete sobriety, you’re not alone. Most people hesitate not because they think they can’t stop drinking. They hesitate because they believe they’ll miss alcohol forever. In this episode, we unpack the stigma around sobriety, why moderation often feels safer than quitting, and the common misconceptions about sobriety that...

When you’re trying to change your drinking habits, it’s easy to focus on what’s not working. The nights you went over your limit. The rules you broke. The intentions that didn’t stick. But what if that’s exactly what’s keeping you stuck? In this episode, I’m talking about the importance of celebrating wins—especially when you’re working on drinking less. Because if you only measure progress by how...

Is moderation possible, and how do you know if it's working? In this episode, we take a clear, non-judgmental look at moderation and what it really requires. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can moderate your drinking—or whether you should quit completely—this conversation will help you evaluate your options more honestly. We explore: what alcohol moderation actually means in practice (rul...

When I tell people I’m a hypnotist, they usually picture one of two things: stage shows with people clucking like chickens… or some kind of mind control. In this episode, I’m breaking down what hypnosis actually is, what it isn’t, and how I use it to help clients change their relationship with alcohol. If you’ve ever wondered why you keep pouring a drink even when you’ve decided not to, this is wh...

Valentine’s Day is coming up, so in this episode we’re talking about dating and drinking—and how to date when you’re sober or sober-curious. If you’re on the dating apps, going on first or second dates, or getting to know someone new, alcohol can feel like part of the deal: a drink to calm your nerves, make conversation easier, or help you feel more confident. But what if you don’t want to drink—o...

Dry January is almost over. What next? Whether you completed Dry January, stopped early, or didn’t attempt it at all, this episode will help you decide how to move forward, especially if your goal is to change your drinking in the long term. I talk about the difference between taking a break from drinking and making sustainable changes to your relationship with alcohol. While taking a break can be...

You already know what to do when it comes to your drinking. You’ve read the articles, you've downloaded the drink-tracking aps, you've saved screenshots of tips. And yet… here you are. In this episode, I talk about why having the right information isn’t the same as creating real change, and why AI chatbots can only take you so far. This is a conversation about the gap between knowing som...

*FREE GUIDE included in this episode—get yours below!*  One of the hardest parts of cutting back or taking a break from alcohol is figuring out what to say when people ask, “Why aren’t you drinking?” In this episode, I talk about: how to prepare ahead of time for social situations involving alcohol; how to handle pushy comments or pressure without compromising on your promises; how to make the dec...

Motivation is one of the most misunderstood concepts when it comes to changing your relationship with alcohol. A lot of people assume that if they were truly motivated, making a change would feel easy, or at least it would feel good. And when it's not easy and it doesn’t feel good, they start to think something has gone wrong—with their motivation or with them. In this episode, I’m unpacking...

Thinking about doing Dry January but already worried it’s going to be hard? In this episode, I’m breaking down how to approach Dry January in a way that’s actually realistic and useful—especially if alcohol has been one of your main ways of relaxing, coping with stress, or getting through social situations. We’ll talk about: the common mistakes that make people give up halfway through Dry January;...

This episode goes live on Christmas Day, which also marks five years since I stopped drinking. To celebrate—and to reflect—I’m sharing five of the most important lessons I’ve learned across five sober years. I talk about: why hearing other people’s sober stories is so powerful—and why you don’t need identical rock bottoms to feel seen; why understanding the reasons you drink matters more than havi...

What if one small pause could make drinking less feel easier? In this episode, I’m talking about one of the most effective—and most underestimated—tools for changing your drinking: delaying the first drink. This isn’t about willpower or forcing yourself to say no. It’s about interrupting autopilot, softening the sense of urgency around cravings, and giving yourself space to make a more intentional...

Here’s a radical reframe: How much you drink is not what determines if you have a healthy relationship with alcohol. You can drink often and feel fine, or drink once a month and feel completely out of control. The number of drinks doesn’t tell the real story. Here's what actually matters when it comes to your drinking: how you feel before, during, and after drinking;  whether you feel in cont...

In this episode, we’re talking about something radical—thanking the version of you who reached for alcohol. Most people who want to drink less carry years of regret, embarrassment, and self-judgment. They replay old mistakes and think, “I should’ve known better.”   But before alcohol ever became a problem, it was a solution. A way to cope, soothe, belong, relax, escape, or survive. Your past self...

This Thanksgiving episode explores a side of gratitude we don’t talk about enough—what happens when gratitude becomes something you use against yourself. If you’ve ever thought: “I have so much to be grateful for… so why do I still drink?” or “Other people have it worse. I shouldn’t be struggling with this,” this episode is for you. You’ll learn: how gratitude can get weaponized against your attem...