Sober.Coffee Podcast

The Art of Sobriety: Crafting a Lasting Legacy with Jermaine Dante Burse Author and artist Jermaine Dante Burse returns to the coffee shop with Mike and Glenn to dive deep into his life's work: creating a legacy that outlasts his time on Earth. Driven by a powerful purpose rooted in his sobriety, Jermaine shares the discipline and exhaustion that come with living life fully present. This conversat...

From the Brink of Death to a Platform of Purpose: Author/Artist Jermaine Dante Burse Joins Sober. Coffee In this powerful episode, Mike and Glenn sit down with Jermaine Dante Burse, who shares a raw and inspiring story of survival and transformation. Once in a coma with organ failure due to alcoholism, Jermaine has forged over a decade of hard-won sobriety into a powerful platform for helping othe...

In this discussion, Mike and Glenn explore the crucial question: "Now what?" as they look ahead to 2026. They delve into how living a life driven by passion and purpose is essential for true success. Key takeaways from the conversation include: The "Work" is the Key: The principle of "Drive," which mirrors the active approach of the AA program, suggests that to elevate your life, you must actively...

 Brian Mackender — Sober. Coffee’s very own barista extraordinaire — joins Mike and Glenn in the coffee shop for a special Christmas Eve conversation. Together, they dig into a few key ingredients of successful sobriety, including the value of showing up for meetings, staying grounded in the present moment, and recognizing the risks of overconfidence. Brian also brings his experience as the owner...

Dating in Sobriety: When Are You Ready? Mike and Glenn welcome Jackie and Tommy for a frank discussion on dating, emphasizing that real relationships are built on honesty . The group explores the common guidance of waiting a full year of sobriety before dating, stressing that personal health must be the top priority. Key takeaways include: Prioritizing self-improvement before seeking a partner. "C...

Part 2: Forgiveness as the Foundation of Recovery Keton Douglass rejoins Mike and Glenn for the conclusion of their two-part discussion, focusing on the core themes of forgiveness, healing, and addiction through her work with the iTHIRST initiative . As a theologian, Douglass asserts that a lack of forgiveness is a destructive venom that actively threatens recovery, noting that the emotional weigh...

Healing the Addiction Crisis: A Blueprint for the Church Mike and Glenn are joined by author and recovery advocate Keton Douglass to discuss the devastating opioid epidemic that is sweeping across all demographics and borders. Douglass, who champions the collective mantra of "Being Hope Dealers," is working on the front lines to raise recovery awareness, specifically focusing on education at the c...

Join Mike and Glenn in the coffee shop as they celebrate Thanksgiving, sharing memories and lessons from the Serenity Prayer, and exchanging stories from years past - while looking forward to the 2025 holiday season.

AA is a spiritual program.  In this session, Mike, Glenn, and Tommy O discuss "The God Thing".  The topic makes people squirm, but on this morning, the boys step up and hit spirituality head-on. A must-listen.

Tommuy O joins the fun at the coffee shop, where the boys discuss the power of action (over words) and the word "yes".  Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable allows for the growth that we were made for, they agreed. From an AA perspective, meditation and prayer, health, service, and awareness are among the tools used to move from plateau to plateau.  Win the moment...

Stephanie rejoins Mike and Glenn at the coffee shop, where they discuss the business of life, being present in the moment, and sobriety service work.  Stephanie reinvented herself as a bright light in her recovery community.  Loud and proud, she carries hope to those around her in sobriety and society.  A unique perspective comes as she shares from the view of an ER nurse and how “God Drops” – are...

Mike and Glenn revisit the coffee shop, where they discuss love, appreciation, prayer, and patience, as well as the actions that accompany these concepts.  

Inspired by the story of the band Linkin Park, Mike and Glenn dive into a heartfelt conversation about what it means to lose your voice — not just creatively, but emotionally and spiritually — and how the journey of recovery offers a chance to find a new one. Through it all, they talk about staying focused on one shared goal: reaching the finish line sober, with authenticity and hope intact.

 In this episode, Mike and Glenn talk about navigating change and the importance of staying adaptable when life shifts unexpectedly. They reflect on how to adjust course without losing sight of what truly matters — maintaining consistency, structure, and purpose in their recovery journey. While they don’t claim to have all the answers, they remain committed to doing the next right thing. 

Author Mike Shooty joins Mike and Glenn in the coffee shop to talk about taking sobriety one day at a time and his book, Lost in London, A Journey from Insanity to Acceptance ( available on BookBaby.com ).  

Alena joins Mike and Glenn in the coffee shop, sharing the struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.  Eventually breaking the cycle, Alena finds peace these days caring for the loves of her life: Herself and her horses.  A story of strife into sobriety reminds us that " No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others" 

Mike and Glenn welcome one of the cool guys in sobriety into the coffee shop to discuss bringing a message of hope into the jail system.  Emil has a distinct enthusiasm for the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and has served other struggling alcoholics for quite a few twenty-four hours.  Find more information about Emil and his work at https://harmonyxing.com/bio and https://www.chicagoaa.org/commi...

In the last episode of the Summer Series, Joe and Ryan rejoin Mike and Glenn, where they discuss the steps, one-by-one, in a fast and furious format.  

In part 3 of 4 of the Summer Series, Joe and Ryan rejoin Mike and Glenn, where they discuss music, favorite sober moments, showing up, sharing your story, mixed worlds, service, sponsorship, picking up the phone, meetings, invitations, involvement, turning it over, God, guardrails, doing the work, staying fresh, staying the course, relapse, and of course, the promises - all in rapid fire fashion.

In part 2 of 4 of the Summer Series, Joe and Ryan rejoin Mike and Glenn, where they discuss community, service, trust, connection, relationships, reasons, being present, and basically "Normal Living" and of course, the promises.

Glenn and Mike welcome Joe and Ryan to the coffee shop for a few weeks of summer-focused sobriety.  In this session, Ryan shares details about his journey towards recovery.  From DUI to program defiance, the boys shared how the fellowship, the steps, and anniversaries supported their quest to accept that life on this side of drinking is far better than the prior.  

Mike and Glenn welcome Hamza to the coffee shop to discuss the grind, stresses, and the fear of what can happen vs finding joy in a whole life using techniques such as breathwork.  Learn more at www.breathesober.com 

Jeni joins Mike and Glenn in their hope to help people on their journey towards sobriety.  Her workbook was recently published as a powerful tool, especially for woman who have decided that alcohol no longer serves their life goals.   Health, science, and practical steps have proven to be the answer for her, Mike, and Glenn.  Worth a listen!  You can learn more about Jeni at:  jenimarie.org

Joe returns to chat about everything and nothing: fun, fantastic exits, pain, pain meds, guardrails, death, mini-bars, meetings, strong programs, honesty, balance, service, feelings, commitments, intention, time, sponsors, coffees, blessings, music, surrender, the ninth step, work, peace and the promises. 

Joe meets up with Mike and Glenn, and they discuss "being ready", meetings, connection, and what makes makers make.  Life, they agree, is better sober.