Soberful

Consistency is one of the most essential ingredients of sustainable sobriety. Because alcohol is not the main problem, just a symptom of the problem Chip and Veronica discuss why you have to keep working a program to deal with your feelings and emotions. We also cover why we need a program that enables self-reflection so we can deal with other people. The biggest red-flag that we are not ok is whe...

Kelly Ruta is a psychotherapist turned mindset expert for women who have the audacity to change the world. She has also recovered from a devastating eating disorder. Here she discusses the trauma and dysfunction that led to her attempts at suicide and rock bottom. Kelly lays out precisely what she did to recover, the mindset she needed to overcome anorexia and bulimia and how she transformed into...

Despite much success in her life Laura Willoughby MBE had reached a point when she realized her drinking was a problem. Rejecting traditional methods of getting sober, she forged her own path and created Club Soda, a UK based organization dedicated to changing our cultural relationship with alcohol. She challenges the media, hospitality industry and broader culture to see sobriety differently. As...

All things love. We discuss the subject of love in all its forms. Chip talks frankly about his loveless childhood and how this affected his relationships. We look at how parents love children and how we learn to love in our families. We discuss love languages in all relationships and how much we need love but can often push it away.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

***Warning*** contains adult conversation points. Building on last weeks podcast, Chip and Veronica discuss the devastation of porn and sex addiction. How does it manifest itself, what are the consequences and how do you overcome it.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

***Warning*** contains adult conversations of an explicit nature (over 18's only). In this episode Chip and Veronica talk frankly about sex. They discuss sex in recovery but also the broader context of how our view of sex is shaped. We look at the fear and anxiety that we can have in sexual relationships and how porn affects our view of what a sexual relationship can be. Lastly, we also talk about...

Veronica welcomes special guest author Kristi Coulter to discuss her first book,  Nothing Good Can Come From This,  a memoir in essay form about her experiences with alcohol and sobriety. Topics include feminism, relationships and what it's like being a sober woman.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

When you stop drinking life happens. And living life means ups and downs. These experiences are opportunities to grow and change. Chip and Veronica discuss their ups and downs, what they learned and how it changed them.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

We discuss Dry January - is it a good thing, does it actually help? Or is it part of a process people have to go through to realize they have to change. We look at setting goals, the cycle of change and how we self-sabotage and can set ourselves up to fail. Chip also talks about tolerance and how crucial it is to understand how our tolerance for substances changes. We end the show discussing Intui...

In our last show of 2018, we wanted to bring you meaningful insight into how we 'change our attitudes' when we stop drinking. However, despite being 'proper grown-ups' and qualified therapists, everything got very silly, and things just fell apart. We discuss change, ageing, being stuck in our ways while telling silly stories. Also featuring a special guest appearance by Veronica's landscaper ;)  ...

We all have a 'role' in our families. In this episode, we look at family dynamics. For many of us, when we are drinking that role is 'black sheep' of the family. Other family members may be 'rescuer,' or, 'scapegoat.' Every family has some dysfunction and unhealthy dynamics. Being conscious of our 'role' and how this impacts others when we get sober will help us manage the change that will occur i...

Lynn Matti is a psychotherapist the founder of Sobersoul recovery a platform dedicated to helping women recover. In this interview, Lynn shares her story of destructive drinking, infertility, divorce, and rebirth into the vibrant, healthy woman she is today.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Veronica interviews fellow psychotherapist and coach Sherry Gaba. Sherry is an expert in relationships ad the Law of Attraction in recovery. Sherry tells her own extraordinary story of co-dependency and healing.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

The holiday season provides a unique opportunity to abuse alcohol in a way that is socially acceptable. 'Legitimate Christmas drinking' is where standard rules no longer apply and it can be hard in early recovery to even consider not drinking alcohol in December. This season not only provides lots of triggers to drink it can also trigger to feel loneliness and feelings of isolation. Plus there is...

In this episode we answer questions about sugar and food cravings in recovery, detoxing safely from alcohol, overcoming regret about the past and abandonment issues.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Being a parent can be one of the hardest jobs we do. We discuss the guilt and shame that comes with having children when you are still drinking and how you can begin to heal this. We also talk about raising children in recovery, how not to overcompensate and how to talk about alcohol and drugs.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Why do people find it so hard to stop drinking? What leads to a release. Veronica and Chip answer all these questions and give their opinion on what risky situations to avoid in early recovery.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

***Trigger warning*** In this podcast we discuss the loss of a child.  In our first interview, we listen to Trishna Odedra's compelling story of staying sober through the loss of her 13-month son. We hear her incredible story of recovery, how she grieved and why she remained committed to her sobriety. Tragic and inspiring you won't want to miss this.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

We noticed a lot of people ask this question in the Soberful Facebook group and decided to address it in the podcast. Because there is such an expectation to drink alcohol (and others are so used to you drinking) it can often feel difficult the first to say 'No thanks, I don't drink anymore.' Chip and Veronica walk you through how to deal with this.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

Recorded the day after the Senate hearings on Brett Kavanaugh, we discuss the role of alcohol in sexual assault. We also discuss feminism and the role patriarchy has in preventing women from coming forward.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

We discuss how the alcohol industry has tricked us into believing alcohol is harmless and beneficial to us. And how they have convinced us that without alcohol we are missing out on something. We challenge the myths and assumptions that have lead to the normalization of abnormal drinking.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

When we lose something that matters we grieve. We discuss the grief process as it applies to giving up alcohol and drugs as well as losing someone you love.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

**Trigger warning** How do you learn boundaries when they were violated as a child? We discuss why healthy boundaries are crucial to recovery and how you can begin to learn how to develop them.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

The biggest challenge Veronica faced was dealing with romantic relationships. At 3 years sober she was suicidal again. With nothing left to lose she had to find a way to deal with old demons and stay sober.   To learn more, visit the show notes .

In this episode, we cover Veronica's story. How she became an alcoholic, what happened, and what led her into sobriety.   To learn more, visit the show notes .