The Catholic Sobriety Podcast

There was a time in my life when I didn’t think I deserved better than what alcohol was doing to me. I knew — intellectually — that God loved me.  But I didn’t love myself.  And somewhere along the way, I started believing the lie that this mess was mine to clean up alone. In this episode, I’m speaking to you the way I speak to a woman sitting across from me in coaching — honestly, gently, and wit...

What if one simple change could reduce your drinking by 80–90%… without willpower, shame, or complicated rules?  In today’s episode, I’m sharing the surprisingly powerful shift most women avoid — and why making this one decision can transform your entire relationship with alcohol.  You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a plan that finally feels doable.  Drop us a Question or Comment 👉🏻...

The holidays bring joy… but they also bring stress, pressure, old patterns, and sneaky cravings that seem to appear out of nowhere. If you’re trying to drink less (or stay alcohol-free) during Advent and Christmas, you are not alone — and you are not doing anything wrong. In this episode, I’m sharing five powerful faith + neuroscience tools to help you stay grounded and intentional this season… ev...

Ready to start January feeling clear, steady, and actually supported? In this episode, Christie shares how to prepare for January before you get there—so you don’t hit January 1st exhausted, overwhelmed, or starting from zero. We’ll talk about: why so many women feel drained after Christmas how to avoid the post-holiday crash simple routines that help you feel grounded mindset shifts for a calmer...

Why do so many moms feel overwhelmed, burnt out, lonely… and reaching for wine? Today, we’re breaking down wine mom culture, social media influence, emotional overload, and how alcohol has become the default “fix” for modern motherhood. In this episode, we look at the rise of wine mom culture, why it feels relatable, and why it fails to deliver real peace. A faith-forward, science-backed conversat...

When you start drinking less, it’s tempting to swap your wine for a mocktail — but does that actually help? In this episode, Christie unpacks the truth about replacements: what works, what doesn’t, and how to tell the difference. You’ll learn how to identify the need beneath the craving, use neuroscience and faith to retrain your reward system, and build new evening rituals that bring real peace —...

When your mind is racing and cravings rise, peace can feel far away — but what if peace could meet you right there in the craving?  In this episode, Catholic sobriety coach Christie Walker unpacks what’s really happening in your brain and body during moments of restlessness and temptation — and how to plan for peace instead of panic using her P.R.A.Y.S. Method . You’ll learn how to invite Christ i...

It’s 5 p.m. — dinner’s not ready, your brain’s fried, and that little voice whispers, “You deserve a glass of wine.” Sound familiar? You’re not alone, and you’re not broken. In this episode, Catholic sobriety coach Christie Walker explains what’s really happening inside your brain during the evening “danger zone.” Discover how dopamine dips trigger cravings, why your body craves relief more than a...

What if alcohol isn’t actually the issue—but a symptom of something deeper? In this episode, we dive into the spiritual and emotional roots behind drinking through the powerful lens of inner healing, identity restoration, and freedom ministry . Drawing from Encounter School of Ministry, Be Healed (Dr. Bob Schuchts), and Unbound (Neal Lozano) , we walk through a transformative healing arc: Identity...

If you're scared to quit drinking because you’re not sure who you’d be without alcohol, this episode is for you. I’m taking you back to my first day of sobriety—not the polished version, but the shaky, uncertain moment when I wasn’t sure I could do it, or if I even wanted to, because alcohol still felt like comfort, connection, and relief. In this episode, I share: • What I believed alcohol w...

When the sun sets early and my energy dips before dinner, I know how tempting it can feel to reach for something — a drink, a snack, or just a little escape. In this episode, I’m sharing what’s really going on in your brain and body during those darker months, and five simple, faith-based ways to keep your peace when it’s dark by 5 p.m. We’ll talk about comfort, cravings, and creating cozy, alcoho...

Struggling with both overeating and overdrinking and not sure where to start? This episode explains how alcohol rapidly enters the brain, lowers executive control, spikes dopamine, and disrupts sleep and blood sugar, which can make food choices harder.  You’ll learn why sweets often surge for a couple of weeks after removing alcohol (totally normal), how to run a simple 72-hour alcohol-free test,...

Steven M. Bell is a Catholic convert, musician, husband, and father of two. After years of hidden alcoholism—even while serving as a church music leader—Steven hit a breaking point in rehab and encountered the peace of Christ that changed everything.  Now over three years sober, he shares his journey in his memoir Uncomfortable Truth: Faith, Failure, Redemption to remind us that real hope and last...

🍂 Most women wait until January to change their drinking habits—but that might be the worst time to start. In this episode, I share why fall is the perfect season to release alcohol and how a reset now can set you up for peace during the holidays and strength in the new year. ✨ Ready for support? Join me in the Sacred Sobriety Lab—your faith-based community for coaching, encouragement, and freed...

Ever felt blindsided by an urge or craving—whether for wine, sugar, or just zoning out—and wondered if it means you’ve failed? You’re not alone. Welcome to an inside peek of the Sacred Sobriety Lab ✨ — my private group coaching community for Catholic women who want freedom from alcohol without shame or rigid rules. In this replay, we dive into a theme every woman encounters: handling urges, cravi...

Sending your teen off to college? The first weeks of freshman year are full of pressure—parties, alcohol, drugs, and the deep desire to belong. As a Catholic sobriety coach (and mom of three), I just walked my own son through this transition and had “the talk” every parent needs to have. In this episode, I’ll share: How to talk to teens about drinking before college (without sounding like a hypocr...

Have you ever felt like the odd one out… and wondered if that’s a problem to fix or a gift to embrace? In this episode, we explore what happens when you stop trying to fit in and start living from the truth of who God created you to be. If alcohol ever felt like a shortcut to belonging, you’re not alone—and you're not stuck. This conversation will challenge cultural expectations, reframe your...

What if the pain you’ve carried could become the path to someone else’s healing? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Cathy Jo Lang—life coach, speaker, and host of The Unplanned Joyful Life podcast—who shares how her unplanned pregnancy, postpartum depression, and family history of alcoholism led her to a miraculous encounter with Jesus. After being hospitalized just weeks after giving birth...

What happens when the voice in your head saying "don't drink" keeps getting louder? In this vulnerable conversation, grandmother and retired occupational therapist Cindy Strachan shares her journey to almost 1,000 days of alcohol freedom after decades as a weekend drinker. Unlike many sobriety stories, Cindy's doesn't involve hitting rock bottom or daily drinking. As a hig...

Is moderation possible for you — or is it just another version of control? In this episode, we explore what moderation really looks like for Catholic women who want peace with alcohol but feel stuck in cycles of "rules and regrets." You'll learn why willpower alone isn't the answer, how your habits and healing are connected, and what to watch for when discernment gets cloudy. T...

Ever notice how your hand automatically reaches for a drink after a long day? That's not weakness—it's your brain's efficient autopilot system at work. But what happens when you decide to drink less or take a break from alcohol altogether? When reducing alcohol, feeling a bit off isn't a sign something's wrong—it's evidence of transformation. Your body isn't just...

Ever wondered why wine is suddenly pink, skinny, and organic—or why every momfluencer has a glass in hand with hashtags like #WineOClock or #MommysLittleHelper? The answer lies in a carefully orchestrated shift in alcohol marketing that has fundamentally changed women's relationship with drinking. The billion-dollar alcohol industry recognized a golden opportunity when their traditional male...

Freedom isn't just a concept we celebrate on July 4th—it's something we can experience in our relationship with alcohol too. If you've found yourself drinking more than intended at social gatherings or automatically reaching for that glass of wine after a long day, this episode offers a practical pathway to greater independence. What if this Independence Day became your personal lib...

After nearly 28 years of sobriety and countless inquiries, I'm finally sharing my honest thoughts about Alcoholics Anonymous. This deeply personal episode explores why, as a Catholic woman, I ultimately needed something beyond what AA could provide. AA gave me structure, language, and community when I desperately needed it. God used it to guide me toward sobriety when I had nowhere else to tu...

Ever found yourself anxious about how you'll handle summer gatherings without overdoing it on alcohol? You're not alone. That mental game of "How will I manage vacation drinking?" or "What will people think if I skip the wine?" plagues many Catholic women who are trying to be more mindful about their relationship with alcohol. In this honest conversation, I share why...