Sober & Lit Podcast

What if alcohol isn’t the problem… but the placeholder? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan are joined by Anna Donaghey—certified alcohol mindset and life coach, award-winning podcast host, and author of What Are You Thirsty For? —for a conversation that goes way deeper than drinking less. Anna shares her journey from teenage drinking and a booze-soaked career in advertising to a li...

What if going alcohol-free wasn’t just about you … but about everyone who comes after you? In this New Year kickoff episode of Sober & Lit, co-hosts Susan and Ruby step into their third year of the podcast with a raw, heart-opening conversation about legacy, healing, and the quiet ripple effect of choosing sobriety. They reflect on the moments that changed everything—conversations with their k...

What if New Year’s Eve didn’t end with a hangover… but with pride, clarity, and real connection? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Susan and Ruby flip the script on New Year’s Eve and Dry January, inviting you to question everything you’ve been taught about celebration, alcohol, and “starting fresh.” 5 ideas to help you ring in the New Year—feeling clear, connected, and truly "lit" alc...

When the wine is flowing, the pressure is on, and you’re wondering— can I really do this alcohol-free and still feel joy? In this festive but very real episode, Susan and Ruby open up about the awkward moments, the grounding tools that saved them, and how their sober holidays have actually become the most meaningful ones yet. When you’re the only one at the Holiday table not drinking… Listen in fo...

Is it even really the holidays without the clink of champagne or spiked eggnog? Or… could this be the year you discover a deeper kind of joy—one that doesn’t come in a glass?  In this feel-it-to-heal-it episode, Susan and Ruby dive into the messy, magical middle of the holiday season—where cravings collide with traditions, and the pressure to be “merry” can trigger the urge to drink. They ask the...

It’s our 100th episode — and we’re celebrating with a powerful dose of alcohol-free vitality! In this milestone conversation, Ruby and Susan welcome the radiant Patricia Becker : a sober yoga teacher, plant-based nutrition coach, and wellness guide helping women 50+ feel strong, flexible, and lit from within. If you’ve ever wondered how to age gracefully without alcohol… or how breathwork, chair y...

How do you show up at a holiday party without showing up with a drink? That’s the big question—and in this episode of Sober & Lit , your hosts Ruby and Susan are unpacking the real talk behind office mixers, family dinners, and every bubbly-filled soirée in between. If you’ve ever clutched a club soda while dodging awkward small talk or wished for an invisibility cloak after the third “Why are...

Is wine culture keeping you stuck—and lying to you? In this episode of the Sober & Lit podcast, Ruby and Susan sit down with Meg Geisewite, author of Intoxicating Lies , to unpack the myths women are sold about drinking. From “mommy needs wine” memes to emotional manipulation masked as self-care, we explore the dangerous messages keeping women locked in gray area drinking—and how to break free...

How do you handle a holiday centered on gratitude… when everyone around you is sipping wine? In this powerful Thanksgiving episode of the Sober & Lit Podcast, your hosts Ruby and Susan crack open the truth about navigating one of the most triggering holidays on the alcohol-free journey. Is it your first sober Thanksgiving? Or maybe you're feeling the tug of tradition, social pressure, or...

What if the best parts of you were just waiting on the other side of your last drink? In this episode of Sober & Lit , your hosts Susan and Ruby—alcohol freedom coaches with two very different journeys—reveal the surprising, unfiltered reasons why they chose to ditch alcohol for good. From Ruby’s past life in the wine industry to Susan’s search for deeper spiritual connection, this isn’t just...

Ever wonder what happens when you stop running from your truth—and start creating something powerful with it? In this episode of Sober & Lit , your hosts Coach Susan and Coach Ruby sit down with Tamar Routly—podcast producer, recovery advocate, and co-author of Sober for Dummies —for a candid and deeply inspiring conversation about what it really takes to go from high-functioning drinking to f...

Ever lost time after a night out and thought, “Wait… what did I say?” You’re not alone—and it’s not just “part of drinking.” In this episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan pull back the curtain on a topic many avoid: alcohol-induced blackouts. From stories of forgotten conversations and tricky gray areas to the terrifying reality of memory loss after just a few drinks, we shed light on the neu...

What if giving up alcohol wasn’t the end of fun—but the beginning of a rebellion ? In this facinating episode of Sober & Lit , Susan and Ruby sit down with the vibrant and unfiltered Abby Calabrese—creator of the Alcohol Free Rebellion podcast and Instagram community. From late nights in New York’s “work hard, play hard” scene to building an empowered, sober-curious life, Abby shares the real...

“Is weekend drinking really harmless—or is it quietly stealing your energy, health, and joy?” In this episode of the Sober & Lit Podcast, Ruby and Susan dive straight into the truth about binge drinking, especially the kind so many of us laugh off as “just weekend fun.” What actually counts as binge drinking? Why do oversized wine glasses, happy hour specials, and “work hard, play hard” cultur...

How do I help someone I love who’s struggling with addiction—without ultimatums, power struggles, or losing myself in the process? We’re joined by the incredible Amber Hollingsworth —licensed professional counselor, master addiction counselor, and creator of the viral YouTube channel “Put the Shovel Down.” Drawing from her 20+ years of experience and her own journey growing up in an addicted famil...

You quit drinking, you’re feeling lit, and suddenly… real life crashes back in. Now what? In this milestone 90th episode of Sober & Lit , Coaches Susan Larkin and Ruby Williams get radically honest about the messy, beautiful, non-linear reality of life after alcohol. Because yes—sobriety brings clarity, joy, and deep transformation… but it doesn’t come with a magic wand. What happens when the...

What if ditching alcohol is the exact thing that sets your creative fire ablaze? In this electrifying episode of Sober & Lit , Coaches Ruby and Susan sit down with actor, writer, and founder of Creative Sobriety , Kristen Bear—a powerhouse voice redefining what it means to be an alcohol-free woman in a world soaked in wine culture. From stage lights to mom life, Kristen shares how choosing sob...

Are Sober People Missing Out… or Finally Tapping In? Welcome to Sober & Lit ! In this episode, Ruby and Susan bust one of the biggest lies about sobriety: that going alcohol-free means missing out on fun, freedom, and connection. Is it true—or have we just been sold a clever illusion? What if the real fear isn’t missing out—but never fully showing up? What if quitting drinking is the invitatio...

What if eating more could actually help you feel better, weigh less, and ditch the drink for good? In this powerful episode of Sober & Lit , Susan and Ruby sit down with Dr. Ginny Trieweiler—a psychologist, certified health coach, and author of Slender for Good After 50 —to unpack the radical idea that you don’t need restriction, calorie counting, or alcohol to feel lit, vibrant, and free. Gin...

What if your story—the one you’re scared to tell—is the very thing that could set you free? In this powerful episode of Sober & Lit , Ruby and Susan sit down with Ann Dowsett Johnston, bestselling author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol , whose work cracked open the cultural myths around "mommy wine culture," female high-functioning drinking, and the bill...

What if your “wake-up call” didn’t have to be a disaster? In this powerful episode of the Sober & Lit Podcast, Coaches Ruby and Susan shatter the outdated belief that you need to hit rock bottom to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol.  Do you really have to lose everything to want more for yourself? What if feeling meh is enough of a reason to start feeling lit ? With raw honesty and har...

What if the key to lasting change isn’t more willpower… but less attachment to your thoughts? In this episode of Sober & Lit , we sit down with the brilliant Scott Pinyard—former Head Coach at This Naked Mind—to explore the surprising role mindset, story, and consciousness play in alcohol freedom and beyond. Scott shares the pivotal shift that helped him break free from alcohol, how emotional...

Welcome to the Sober & Lit Podcast—where living alcohol-free gets to be bold, empowered, and dare we say… fun. In this episode, Susan and Ruby ask the question so many of us avoid: Is there ever a “right” time to change your relationship with alcohol?   Spoiler: That time might just be now. As the air shifts and September energy rolls in, they're breaking down why this season is prime tim...

Welcome back to the Sober & Lit Podcast! In this episode, Ruby and Susan sit down with guest Lauren O’Hanlon— better known as Coach Lo—a certified life coach, former bartender, and ex-mommy-wine-culture enthusiast.  Lauren opens up about her personal journey from hiding her drinking behind closed doors to creating a life of clarity, confidence, and genuine connection. Together, they dig into t...

What if “sober” wasn’t a label to hide—but a vibe to celebrate? In this bold new chapter of the podcast, your hosts Susan Larkin and Ruby Williams unveil the rebrand from Feel Lit Alcohol Free to Sober and Lit—and the deeper why behind the name change. Is the word sober finally being reclaimed? What happens when you stop whispering your alcohol-free life and start owning it, proudly and publicly?...