This Naked Mind Podcast

What do you do when you’ve stopped drinking but your partner still does? When their drinking is a turnoff and the taste of alcohol on their breath grosses you out? How do you dive into this difficult conversation with someone you love? Do you rip off the bandaid and just go for it or is there a better strategy? Annie Grace offers her thoughts on a courageous reader’s vulnerable question. Are you r...

There wasn’t much alcohol around when Evelyne was growing up, just some wine on special occasions. She began drinking in college, eventually becoming someone who could always drink more than her friends and always wanted more to drink. But, since she didn’t feel dependent on alcohol, did well at work, and had never gotten a DUI, Evelyne never questioned her drinking. It wasn’t until she was taking...

Have your friends stopping inviting you out because you no longer drink? Why does a positive change you’ve made for yourself seem like such a problem for them? How can you manage your expectations? On today’s episode, Annie Grace explores where this discomfort comes from and talks about the four characteristics of most expectations. Have you tried The Alcohol Experiment? Okay, if not, drop everyth...

On this special New Year’s Day episode, Annie Grace welcomes Dan Harris, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and the co-anchor of ABC's weekend editions of Good Morning America. Dan is the author of two New York Times bestsellers, 10% Happier and Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, the host of the Ten Percent Happier Podcast, and he has an app called Ten Percent Happier.  In her book, This Naked Mind, A...

You know you need to quit drinking, but you are worried about what people will say. How will they react? Will they call you an alcoholic and think badly of you? What should you tell them about your decision? This Naked Mind head coach Scott Pinyard shares his thoughts. I'm so excited you guys, because we are just about to start another live alcohol experiment. If you do not know about the alcohol...

In this month’s coaching episode, This Naked Mind head coach Scott Pinyard is joined by Certified Naked Mind senior coach Carolyn Bennett who works specifically with people who drink to numb relationships. Together, the coaches answer three questions - they are: I stopped drinking but my husband didn’t; he drinks to blackout and I am worried about him and our relationship. I noticed when things go...

Is life boring without alcohol? Most people assume it will be. And, that belief keeps them stuck drinking long after alcohol has drained all the fun. What makes us bored? Can alcohol erase boredom? Does the absence of alcohol create boredom? This Naked Mind head coach Scott Pinyard explains. I'm so excited you guys, because we are just about to start another live alcohol experiment. If you do not...

Chris questioned his drinking for years, racking up many nights of blackouts and being the ringleader among his friends. He was the drinker everyone tried to keep up with. Yet, he often wondered what would be a reasonable amount of alcohol to consume. Then, one day, Chris received an email from a friend in the fitness industry. She defined her daily glass of wine as an alcohol problem, and it stop...

Do you find yourself comparing your journey with alcohol to others who seem to be having an easier time quitting drinking? How can some people find freedom so easily when others continue struggling? When change is not linear we feel like we have failed. But persistence is key. Annie Grace talks about the three layers of beliefs and the five criteria of readiness for change that can lead to success...

On today’s episode, Annie Grace talks with Meade, a Certified Naked Mind Coach who once used alcohol as a crutch for the tough seasons of life. Growing up believing people either drank or they went to AA or rehab, Meade always thought her drinking looked like everyone else’s. She thrived on people pleasing and found herself sleepwalking through her own life just to meet the needs of others. Stuck...

What do you do if you have been drinking every day and want to stop? Is it safe to take away something your body is used to having all the time? Who should consult with a doctor before quitting? In today’s episode, Annie Grace talks about how people who stop their daily drinking routine can experience physical effects from nothing at all to a few withdrawal symptoms to hospitalization and sometime...

Leigh’s first experience with alcohol was in college where she became a binge drinker. She drank less as she transitioned to a career but after getting married and having kids, Leigh noticed her glass of wine at the end of the day turned into a bottle every night. After the death of her father, she found herself day drinking. At the same time, Leigh was also able to go for long periods of time wit...

Over the years, there have been varying schools of thought when it comes to drinking after childbirth. Some doctors have been known to recommend a drink or two to help with milk production. Others discourage consuming alcohol altogether. And, of course, mommy wine culture, marketing, and social media memes all encourage moms to drink to relax and decompress. In today’s episode, Annie Grace shares...

In this month’s coaching episode, This Naked Mind head coach Scott Pinyard is joined by Certified Naked Mind Coach Wendy McCallum who specializes in burnout and balance. Wendy shares some of her drinking story and talks about burnout - how we define it and what are the most common symptoms. Then, the coaches answer two questions: one from someone who is using alcohol to cope with stress, knowing i...

In today’s episode, Annie Grace answers a question from a reader feeling judged by her boyfriend who doesn’t want her to refer to herself as “sober.” What is the definition of sober and who decides what we call ourselves? Can’t anyone who doesn’t drink identify as sober? Or, are there prerequisites for using the label? Annie shares her take on labels such as sobriety and recovery. Are you looking...

As a drinker, Ella lived a loud life in which she offended others with her political views, felt shame and regret after one night stands, broke mirrors, and more. She drank to alleviate the stress she felt as a secondary school French teacher. Ella describes herself as a boozehound, a big drinker, the life and soul of the party. Until one afternoon, in the middle of a Prosecco-soaked bridal shower...

Today, Annie Grace answers a question from a senior in college for whom alcohol has dominated fun since their first sip at the age of 14. How can college students rid alcohol from their lives? How can they have fun when everyone else is drinking? How can this binge drinker get out of a dark place and become happy and curious about the world again? Did you miss This Naked Mind Live? Do you maybe ha...

Ruby didn’t care for alcohol after her first experience with it in high school. It wasn’t until she started working in the wine industry 20 years ago that Ruby really discovered drinking as it quickly became ingrained in every part of her life and felt like an identity. Following bariatric surgery, Ruby’s drinking became problematic as the euphoric feeling alcohol used to deliver became harder to...

Regardless of your relationship with alcohol, going off antidepressants is no simple task and something you definitely need to do under medical supervision. In answering a reader’s question, Annie Grace shares her personal journey, including what led her to begin taking medication in the first place as well as three key things that helped her not only as she eliminated prescription medication but...

Today’s episode is a special one and a very fun listen as Annie Grace shares her interview from another podcast, “Stars Like Us: Astrology with Aliza Kelly.” Fellow Virgo, celebrity astrologer, and author Aliza Kelly digs into the mythology of Annie’s life -- who she is and why she does what she does -- and ventures into parts of the story Annie hasn’t really shared, especially about her childhood...

We get duped into thinking we need alcohol to survive, convinced it’s the elixir of life and solves all our problems. Once referred to as “the anti-alcohol evangelist,” Annie Grace is passionate about sharing the truth about alcohol. It steals memories and self-respect. It makes us physically ill. And, there are heart-wrenching statistics about being directly linked to child abuse and suicide. So,...

In this month’s coaching episode, This Naked Mind head coach Scott Pinyard changes things up a bit and welcomes Karla Adkins, one of our incredible certified senior coaches. Karla shares about her own journey to find freedom from alcohol, what inspired her to become a coach, and the specialized work she does with people struggling with anxiety. Then, from anxiety to liver health, Scott and Karla a...

What is it that makes your confidence skyrocket when you stop drinking? Is it something in your brain? Something else? If alcohol chips away at confidence, how do you get it back? On today’s episode, Annie Grace dives into these questions and shares her thoughts on what’s behind the confidence boost - from the science to the physical elements. I'm so excited you guys, because we are just about to...

Growing up in Louisiana, Jenny experienced a boozy culture every day. She comes from a long line of storytellers and brings her own wonderful narrative skill to this podcast episode. Jenny’s first experience with beer as a high school freshman at the varsity soccer team initiation party made her feel at home in her own skin for the very first time. From there, her relationship with alcohol was on...

It’s a controversial question, one Annie Grace gets asked a lot. Does she think AA is wrong? In today’s episode, Annie shares her feelings about and experience with Alcoholics Anonymous, what AA members said to try to keep her from publishing her book, the label “alcoholic,” and what she thinks is the right way to get sober.  Are you looking to connect with like-minded people? Sometimes maybe you...