The Club Soda podcast

Often, when we turn to alcohol, it is because we're missing a connection; to ourselves, to others, to meaningful communication, and to freedom of self-expression. In this podcast, we hear Drew, Chris, and Dr. Margo, all course leaders in the ART of Recovery, discussing the transformative authentic relating training and the impact it had on their, and others', problem drinking. What is Au...

This week, for Dry July, we delve into last year's Mindful Drinking Festival archives to hear the fantastic conversation between Australian charity CEOs and sobriety experts Andy Moore and Shanna Whan as they discuss the problems Australians face when thinking about changing their drinking.  From having personal experiences with alcohol that changed their lives to Andy becoming the CEO of Hel...

In this week's podcast, habit and addiction coach and long-time friend of Club Soda, Stephanie Chivers, addresses a long-burning issue within our community; why some people need to be abstinent and why some people are more suited to moderation.  This issue often bubbles up within our Club Soda Facebook group, causing some division.  But, as Stephanie explains in her conversation with Club Sod...

Sunshine Warm Sober is the latest book from acclaimed author Catherine Gray. Catherine's first book The Unexpected Joy Of Being Sober was a roaring success, and we know you're going to love reading her new one. Catherine Gray is an award-winning writer and editor. She has worked for magazines such as Cosmopolitan , GLAMOUR and Fabulous , for nearly a decade. Catherine loves writing about...

Clare Pooley joins Club Soda's Dru Jaeger to talk all things journalling. Clare decided to change her drinking when she noticed how much her wine habit was affecting her life. She worked in advertising, and her job required a lot of socialising and wining and dining with clients. Drinking was affecting her as a parent, she was gaining weight, and she was struggling with insomnia. She knew tha...

There is a commonly accepted idea that alcohol and creativity come hand in hand. When we look at many creatives who have been in the spotlight over the decades, it isn't uncommon to see problematic drinking habits linked to prolific creative output. In this conversation, creatives share how they changed their drinking, and the things they learned along the way. They all share their fears, and...

Wes Geer has had a star studded music career, touring all over the world performing to huge crowds. We see the lifestyle of a touring musician depicted in films and shows, and alcohol and drug abuse often have a starring role in those stories. In this weeks podcast, Lauren Burnison interviews Wes Geer about his experiences, how he found sobriety, and what it's like to wear this new identity i...

This week we have a fantastic conversation between Geoff Jein and Adrian Chiles about cutting down our alcohol intake. In Club Soda, when it comes to changing your drinking, three things are important to us: First, we don’t tell people how to change - if you want to cut down, take a break or stop drinking, we’ll support you all the way Second, we think how much you drink is relatively unimportant...

Here at Club Soda, we support all drinking goals. Whether you want to wait, take a break, or find ways to enjoy drinking in moderation, we're here to help. In this episode, Chase Lee, Caitlin Padgett, and Sam Thonis share their experiences of moderating. Who are Chase, Caitlin, and Sam? Chase Lee is the founder of podcast Stone Cold Moderation , which offers practical advice to help you foste...

The way we think and respond to things has a huge impact on how we create change in our lives, and Jean-Francois Benoist is an expert on shifting thought patterns to overcome addiction. In this episode, we talk about mindset, and the four keys to thinking well about yourself. Benoist tells us how we can move away from using shame to motivate, and move toward a positive and empowered mindset. Jean-...

This week our podcast centres on our connection with self, our friend Harriet Waley-Cohen interviews Ian Young and Drew Lawson . We'd like to thank Harriet for guest-hosting the podcast, we're always grateful for her contributions toward Club Soda.  Ian Young runs a recovery centre on the island of Koh Phanang, and Drew is a Holistic Therapist. In this interview, they get stuck into how...

Losing a parent at a young age can leave us with challenging emotions, and anger is a common one. If we aren't given the space to process, we can form dangerous habits that grow over time. How can we start to break away from this and reconnect with buried emotions? In this weeks podcast, Luke shares with us his own experience of loss, the anger and emotional shutdown that followed, and how he...

The hospitality industry can be a tough place to work. Hours are often long, breaks between shifts often short, and pay is often less than it should be. These are also high pressure environments, the pressure to deliver a great experience for your customers on a busy shift can cause a great deal of stress. When you work in this industry, you are usually in close proximity to alcohol, and it is oft...

When it comes to enjoying life without the booze, Millie Gooch and Jill Stark have got it locked down. In this weeks podcast, they share how they changed their drinking, from tricky conversations with friends, to sitting with difficult emotions, and finding new ways to unwind. Our podcasts this month are sponsored by the wonderful folk over at Lindeman’s Wine . Find Club Soda: The Club Soda Tastin...

We get loads of questions about alcohol-free wine. Why you can’t find an alcohol-free wine you like, what does it taste like, where should you buy it, are there alternatives to it? In this week’s podcast we put all of your questions to four experts in the field. We speak to: Tom Ward from online drink shop Wise Bartender Guy Roughly, from TWE Wines, who look after Lindeman’s alcohol-free wines tha...

Military personnel work in tough environments, and we hear from lots of folk who find the drinking culture challenging. It’s easy to fall into that work-hard play-hard mentality, especially when you have enforced dry spells during active service. Binge drinking can seem harmless, particularly when you’re physically very fit. In this weeks podcast we are joined by Jenn, who lifts the veil on milita...

One of the things we love to see in the Club Soda community is the way that everyone celebrates every milestone with each other. The community works so well because everyone is so giving of their time, whether that’s encouraging someone who feels that they’re stuck on day one, or answering questions from sober curious newcomers. If you’ve been in the group even a few days you’ll no doubt be famili...

We are seeing more and more discussion around neurodiversity and alcohol in the Club Soda community. We’re not just talking about adults who are neurodivergent, we are hearing that alcohol is sometimes used as a coping mechanism by parents of neurodivergent children. On today’s podcast Mandy and Kate from Love Sober share their personal experiences, and talk about what they hear about from the mum...

It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that our ability to think with creativity is heightened by alcohol. We often associate troubled drinking habits with creative genius, the film industry tells stories of countless writers, musicians, actors, and artists whose creativity is seemingly intrinsically linked to alcohol. But surely to give credit for our creativity to alcohol detracts fro...

Putting pen to paper can be intimidating, especially if you don't feel you have a flare for writing, and that's exactly how Finn, founder of Positive Planners used to feel. But journaling can be a powerful tool when it comes to processing your thoughts and feelings. Even just taking the time to acknowledge them and release them onto the page can help. In this week's podcast, Dru get...

Becoming a mum completely transforms your identity, but we don’t often talk about what that means for your relationship with alcohol. In this weeks podcast, four mums get stuck into what changing their drinking looked like for them. Between them, these mums have about 20 years of sobriety, and nine children ranging from naughty toddlers to grumpy teams. Wherever you are on your motherhood and drin...

In this weeks podcast Annie Grace and Ella St. John McGrande get stuck into conversation about how they stopped getting drunk. They share experiences from their drinking histories, and their individual journeys to finding peace in sobriety. Find Club Soda: The Club Soda Tasting Room is at 39 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5RR Find us on Instagram

February’s podcasts are in partnership with Fluère, an alcohol-free spirit from the Netherlands made for mixing. It comes in four editions. Original, Amber, Pink and Agave. Something for every taste; floral, spiced, raspberry or smoked. They are offering 15% off with the code ‘lovefluere’ on their shop website . Follow them on social media for cocktail tricks & tips! Many folk join Club Soda t...

February’s podcasts are in partnership with Fluère, an alcohol-free spirit from the Netherlands made for mixing. It comes in four editions. Original, Amber, Pink and Agave. Something for every taste; floral, spiced, raspberry or smoked. They are offering 15% off with the code ‘lovefluere’ on their shop website . Follow them on social media for cocktail tricks & tips! For this week’s podcast, w...

Many people know Lent as the thing that happens between Pancake Day and Easter where you’re supposed to give something up. But Lent can serve a much deeper purpose if you explore it a little further. We thought it would be good to find out what Lent is all about, so we invited our good friend Richard Washington to join us for a chat. Richard is training to be a vicar in the Church of England. This...