The Sober New Yorker

Polly Lovell is a UK-based sober and life coach who stopped drinking at 57 and proved it’s never too late to change your life. Now, she supports others in building healthier, more intentional lives—without alcohol—and loves strength training, walking, yoga, and fashion. Follow Polly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sobercoachpolly/ Polly's Website: https://www.sobercoachpolly.com/

Erica is a chef, homesteader, and founder of Chaotic Canning Co.—a small-batch canning company and apothecary she built from the ground up after nearly losing her life to organ failure caused by years of alcohol abuse and burnout. Sobriety forced her to slow down and rebuild everything—her health, her purpose, and her identity. Today, she shares her story to show that healing doesn’t have to look...

In this episode of The Sober New Yorker , Melissa talks with Casey McGuire Davidson — Life & Sobriety Coach and host of the Top 100 mental health podcast The Hello Someday Podcast — about why Dry January is such a powerful reset. A former red wine–loving corporate climber who quit drinking over a decade ago, Casey breaks down the real benefits of taking 30 days off alcohol, how it builds clari...

Colleen ___ is a commercial fisherwoman of more than 30 years, a writer, and a woman who rebuilt herself from the deepest kind of loss. After losing her husband to alcohol-related suicide and battling decades of binge drinking herself, Colleen chose a new path — one of clarity, sobriety, self-respect, and truth. Now over four and a half years sober, she’s writing her debut book, Life Beyond the Bi...

In this heartfelt conversation, Liz shares her journey from a chaotic life filled with addiction to finding sobriety and healing. She discusses her childhood struggles, the impact of alcohol in her adolescence, and the pivotal moments that led her to acknowledge her addiction. Liz emphasizes the importance of community support in recovery and shares her experiences of facing challenges along the w...

Mitch — known as Mitch Motivates on Instagram — is the author of My Addiction My Superpower and a powerful voice in the recovery community. Though he grew up in a loving, supportive home, he was drawn to risk from an early age and fell into substance use young. With the help of his family and a transformative stay in rehab, Mitch turned his life around. Now, 20 years sober , he shares his story th...

Chester, a Montréal musician, spiraled into addiction through years of heartbreak, anxiety, and hard-partying tours. Alcohol and drugs nearly destroyed his life until he finally surrendered and got sober. Now he’s a full-time artist experiencing music with a clarity he never thought possible. His journey is a raw, honest look at resilience and rebirth. Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagra...

Nadine, known to many as The Sober Butterfly , is a proud New Yorker, educator, podcaster, and expert sober traveler who’s been living alcohol-free for over four years. Through her podcast and vibrant online presence, she inspires others to embrace sobriety as a path to freedom, exploration, and self-discovery. In this conversation, Nadine opens up with raw honesty about the realities of content c...

Megan Wilcox is the founder of the SobahSistahs Empowerment Club , where she helps women embrace alcohol-free living with confidence, joy, and sisterhood. Coming up on five years of sobriety , she’s a powerhouse coach, retreat leader, and a featured voice in an upcoming documentary on the sober movement set to release later this year. Megan is also currently writing her first book , continuing her...

Lisa is a women’s empowerment and running coach based in upstate New York. Through her coaching and her Ella Go Podcast , she inspires women to find strength, confidence, and community through movement—both on and off the pavement. Lisa leads both virtual and in-person running groups, helping women tap into their inner power and resilience. In this episode, Lisa opens up about the moment she reali...

In this episode, Melissa sits down with playwright and director Sean Daniels , the creative force behind The White Chip and Executive Director of the Recovery Arts Project . Sean shares how his own journey through addiction and sobriety inspired his groundbreaking play and how he’s using the arts to challenge stigma and spark new conversations about recovery. It’s an honest, funny, and deeply huma...

Just 30 days after quitting drinking, Dr. Sheri Lake survived a head-on collision that nearly took her life. That experience not only deepened her sobriety, but opened a powerful connection to her intuition and the spiritual world. Today, Sheri shares how self-trust guides her healing — and how her journey led her to offer angel readings that help others find clarity and hope. Listen in for a stor...

In this episode, Melissa and Brad share the magic of the very first Sober Motivation Community in-person meetup in Toronto, Canada. After years of connecting only through screens and social posts, the community finally gathered face-to-face, forging bonds that felt both immediate and deeply familiar. Together, Melissa and Brad swap stories from the weekend, reflect on the power of shared alcohol-f...

This week I’m celebrating two milestones: my 50th episode and my 54th birthday. I’m reflecting on three birthdays—my "crashing" 19th, my shaky first sober one at six weeks alcohol-free, and today’s milestone fresh off an unforgettable sober meetup in Toronto. I’m beyond grateful to everyone who’s helped me get here—especially you, my listeners. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for t...

Melanie Curtis is a world-record skydiver turned keynote speaker and peak performance coach with over 12,000 jumps and 30 years of experience leading and coaching worldwide. Eight years sober, she shares openly about her journey and how psychedelic medicines played a powerful role in her healing. Today, she uses her platform to shift the narrative around their potential and to inspire transformati...

Kim Bellas is the inspiring founder of Sober Is the New Cool , a global movement redefining what it means to live alcohol-free. Her journey began when her teenage son was diagnosed with epilepsy and told he would never be able to drink. Determined to support him, Kim promised to go alcohol-free herself—ironically while holding a glass of wine. What started as a 30-day challenge turned into 60 days...

Rachel Hechtman is a certified life coach, content creator, and founder of Sober in Central Park—a vibrant community redefining what it means to live alcohol-free. Since beginning her sobriety journey on January 3, 2021, Rachel has become a leading voice in the sober movement, using storytelling, mindset work, and social media to help others break free from limiting beliefs and create lives they l...

Steve is a Sarasota, Florida–based Physical Therapist Assistant who once lived and breathed the craft beer lifestyle. What started as a hobby turned into a habit—and eventually into major health concerns. At over 100 pounds overweight, Steve realized he was a ticking time bomb. On New Year’s Eve 2022, he made a life-changing decision: he set down his last craft beer. Now two years and eight months...

Kate Vitela is a Certified Addiction and Mental Health Nurse and the founder of Rewired Sober . As a sobriety coach and podcast host, she helps people rewire their brains and thrive in recovery. After struggling with alcohol herself and receiving a DWI while working as a psychiatric nurse, Kate turned her life around and is now seven years sober. With medical expertise, lived experience, and deep...

In this solo episode, I’m celebrating two years alcohol-free and sharing what truly came alive for me in year two. I open up about my three biggest breakthroughs—and how each one was born from stepping beyond my comfort zone. From doing the things that scared me most to realizing that fear is often the signpost pointing toward growth, this year has been about expansion, courage, and joy I never th...

Ali, from Long Island, New York, is living proof of the transformation that’s possible through recovery. After years of struggle and multiple stints in rehab, she’s now three years of sober—with the help of AA and the 12 steps. Her journey is one of resilience, self-discovery, and service, as she gives back through volunteering and supporting others on their own paths. Today, Ali’s life is filled...

Abby Calabrese – Podcast Host, Content Creator & Alcohol-Free Rule Breaker Abby Calabrese is a podcast host, content creator, and unapologetic voice in the alcohol-free space. As the host of The Alcohol-Free Rebellion , she invites women to break the rules, ditch the expectations, and finally question the “normal” that never felt right. In our conversation, we laughed, we reflected, and we cel...

Kat made the courageous decision to share her sobriety journey publicly just three days after putting down her last drink. What began as an act of accountability quickly grew into a powerful message of hope and resilience. One year later, she has not only maintained her sobriety, but transformed nearly every aspect of her life—losing 30 pounds, completing a half marathon, and reconnecting with her...

Born and raised on Long Island, New York, Yonah is a proud alum of the University of Vermont and a graduate of Hofstra Law School. In his mid-30s, he made a bold move to Israel, where he built a life with his wife and together they are the proud parents of four incredible sons, ranging in age from 13 to 23. Though he maintained a professional and personal balance for much of his life, his relation...

Todd is an attorney and author who lives in Omaha, NE with his wife, four kids and three wiener dogs. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, golf, hanging out with his family (when they let him) and spending an unhealthy amount of time and money supporting the Iowa Hawkeyes. He quit drinking in 2019 and considers it the best thing he's ever done for himself and his family. His memoir about his...