No Alcohol Needed: The Podcast

As we continue our re-release schedule for the summer, we're excited to bring back this super important topic that seems to affect nearly all of us. If you find yourself wrestling with the pros and cons of social media now that you've created an alcohol free lifestyle, this episode will shine a light on the challenges and help you see everything more clearly. --- One “transfer addiction” that gets...

We're continuing our summer re-release schedule with a throwback all the way to Episode 7 from 2022.  This conversation was so good we didn't want to stop, and ended up releasing it as a two part series. If you love the first half (and we know you will) you can find the second half here. We hope you enjoy it! Make sure you subscribe to Through the Glass Recovery Podcast so you don't miss the rest...

People often say they drink alcohol to calm their anxiety. As we start to understand that alcohol actually contributes to our anxiety, we have to start learning healthy ways to cope with it. It’s not easy. In this episode, we talk with Travis, Antje, and Zoe about how we deal with anxiety in recovery, and we all walk away with some valuable new ideas. We hope you do, too. “Anxiety is like being ne...

“Dating sober isn’t any easier.” If you’ve ever dated sober, or intend to start dating sober, this is the episode for you! We turn the show over to five of our friends who are all active in the sober dating world, and give them a chance to tell all. They talk about everything from dealing with getting rejected and breaking up, to recognizing red flags and deal breakers, to the awkwardness of sober...

(This episode was first published June 2, 2024) With summer upon us, it seems everyone is wondering is to have sober fun – without missing alcohol! The warm weather seems to bring its own set of triggers. We invited Rich and Shana to join us this week, to talk about how they’ve learned to not just survive summer, but to truly enjoy it. In this episode: How mocktails can still make summer events fe...

It's just Steve and Julie this week, and we're talking about the past and the future of Through the Glass Recovery Podcast. We're getting ready to take a summer break - a longer one that usual - and we'll take the time to discuss the evolution of TTG. As we both move down new paths and our own recovery stories continue to evolve, so will the podcast. We'll still be here behind the scenes though, a...

What does spirituality really mean in recovery—and do you have to be religious to be spiritual? In this heartfelt and wide-ranging conversation, Julie and Steve are joined by Matt, Corina, and Jamie for an honest, down-to-earth exploration of how spirituality shows up in their sober lives. From Buddhist philosophy and Bible stories to daily rituals and unexpected symbols of peace, each guest share...

In this powerful episode, our group dives deep into the connection between perfectionism and alcoholism and how striving to be flawless can sabotage sobriety, self-worth, and emotional healing. Jessica, Sarah, Erica, Hope, Julie, and Steve share raw and honest stories of how perfectionism shaped their drinking, and what it looks like to work through those tendencies in recovery. From redefining su...

Feeling insecure when you get sober is completely normal, and even expected. Insecurity is a loud companion in early sobriety, and in life. In this episode, we’re talking about it honestly. So often, when we put down alcohol, we find that we no longer have a way to quiet the inner critic... or in some cases, it fuels the insecurity even more. The key to moving through insecurity is to find ways to...

In this raw and honest episode, Julie and Steve sit down with Trevor and Barclay for a heartfelt conversation about the messy overlap between alcohol abuse and depression, and the long road to healing. Each of them opens up about their personal struggles—what it feels like to hit emotional rock bottom, how they found their way back, and the daily practices that help them stay grounded. You’ll hear...

If you've been sober for a bit, you know that "burnout" feeling that we're talking about. It's that feeling of, "I don't want to have to think about alcohol and sobriety all the time. I don't want to have to feel like every ounce of energy is going toward this. I just want to live my life!" In case no one has told you - it's totally normal to feel that way. We're here with Amber, Michael, and Coll...

Failure doesn't feel good. Or at least, it doesn't until you change the way you think about it. Too often, people put so much time and energy into avoiding experiencing failure that they fail to move forward at all. That can be said for life in general, but it's especially true in recovery - when fear of failure holds you back from even trying to quit, and then keeps holding you back from making t...

One "transfer addiction" that gets overlooked all too often is social media. And while social media has many benefits, it certainly also poses many dangers, especially when it comes to addiction recovery and mental health. In this week's episode, we're chatting with our friends Robbie, Britt, and Vanessa about how social media shows up in our lives, in our recoveries, and its impact on our emotion...

Research suggests that up to 50% of patients with an eating disorder will abuse alcohol or an illicit substance, compared with 9% of the population. We really don't talk about this enough... until today. We've got three courageous women joining us today for a conversation about how their disordered eating habits have tied into their addiction - and recovery - from alcohol. The two are closely inte...

Without systems in place to fill your new time, and a plan to create a supportive sober tribe, recovery from alcohol addiction can feel really boring and lonely. The good news is - it doesn't have to be that way. All you need to do is some creative planning and a bit of mustering up some courage, and you'll find that recovery is actually intensely rewarding. But without any direction, it can be ha...

Long term sobriety requires establishing healthy habits that become a part of your daily routine. Figuring out what your habits need to be is an important part of the recovery exploration process - what works for one person may not work for another. But what we do know is that routines and habits are key for maintaining recovery for the long term. In this podcast episode, we invite Matt, Ian, and...

In a world where drinking alcohol is glorified as a coping tool for difficult parenting moments, staying sober and raising kids is definitely a challenge. Each age group comes with it's own conflicts and struggles, but many parents find the teen years in particularly to be emotionally exhausting. If you're in recovery, chances are you already have a hard time managing emotions sometimes. Adding th...

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most widely known path to recovery from addiction, and often it's the only option people are aware of when they decide they're ready to stop drinking. While AA works well for many people, it doesn't always provide what someone needs to achieve lasting sobriety. Our goal is to bring to light how many different options there are for recovering from alcohol use disord...

"Anger is what stood in front of me to protect me." In this roundtable discussion, we dig into the topic of anger. We know that anger can be a driving force behind alcohol use, which means we need to not only understand why we get so angry, but also have the tools to deal with our anger in productive ways. Listen as five people share what they've learned about managing anger in recovery. Key topic...

In this Valentine's Day episode, we've asked our guests how love shows up differently now that they're sober. Not just in romantic relationships, but also in relationships with family and friends, and - perhaps most importantly - how love shows up in their relationships with themselves. "I always equated love with approval." When we stop drinking alcohol and we start showing up differently in our...

For most people, the idea of recovering out loud fills them with anxiety and incites an instant cringe. All those stories, all that shame... why would you share it with others? But often, at some point in one's journey, they realize that their story has the potential to lead others to the same freedom they've found. When you've found freedom from addiction, it's natural to want to help others find...

We tend to use the words recovery and sobriety interchangeably. Reality is that they are two very different things. Generally sobriety is defined as not using a mind altering substance. Recovery is doing the healing and processing necessary to remain free of the substance and live a happy and fulfilling life without it. In this podcast episode, we have invited Steve, Mike, and Will to join us for...

Dealing with difficult emotions is the number one reason that people report turning back to alcohol after they've stopped drinking. When you've used alcohol for many years to numb all of the feelings that come up in life, facing them sober feels overwhelming. The highs are incredible - joy, excitement and happiness like you haven't experienced in years. But the lows are exhausting, and can oftenti...

For most people, when they decide to stop drinking alcohol, they do it quietly. It's not something they want to talk about, it's not something they want to share with all their friends and loved ones. It's embarrassing, right? We never thought this is where we'd end up, and it's hard to accept that it is. We just want to quietly conquer the alcohol demon and get on with living our lives. Except th...

Fighting the urge to drink alcohol is exhausting. And exhaustion leads to drinking. In this episode, we chat with Mary, DeeAnn, and Billie about how to curb alcohol cravings. Whether you're working your way through Dry January and it's turning out to be tougher than you thought, or you're just starting out on a life long sober journey, we're armed with the tools and mindset shifts you need to get...