This Naked Mind Podcast

Can our brains really unlearn something we spent so long teaching them? Why, when we know something is harming us and we need to remove it from our lives, do we pine over it for so long? On today’s episode, Annie Grace answers a question from Francesca whose biggest obstacle is her memory of how alcohol tastes. Francesca uses mindfulness to remember where one sip of wine will lead but asks, “Is th...

On today’s episode, This Naked Mind head coach Scott Pinyard answers four great questions: I drink because I’m unhappy; how am I going to deal with all that stuff without alcohol? How do I avoid losing my connection with my friends when after our hikes they’re drinking and I’m not? I love the freedom of being alcohol free but will the major FOMO about never drinking again ever go away? I get so ex...

As Kim approaches 100 days without alcohol, she’s noticing some strong cravings and is also curious about changing her people pleasing tendencies. Where do cravings come from and what happens when we try to resist them? And, what are the different feelings that show up when we choose to please someone else vs. being true to ourselves? On today’s episode, Annie Grace explores powerful ways to meet...

Marc spent decades in a career where he was told drinking was part of the process, that it was necessary for success. But when his alcohol consumption shifted from something reserved for sales events or weekends or vacations to a daily 4:00 p.m. craving to numb unhappiness and work stress, Marc began to experience poor sleep and painful hangovers. He was tired of beating himself up for letting him...

What is the scientific connection between drinking alcohol and creativity? Why do we believe alcohol fuels creativity? How does it impact the creative part of our brain? Why do we feel like we can focus better on things like writing - filling a blank mind - when we’re drinking? Annie Grace not only explores alcohol’s effects on creativity but also breaks down a dynamic called temptation bundling....

On today’s episode, Annie Grace talks with fellow brain science lover Molly Carmel, an eating disorders and addictions therapist and author of Breaking Up with Sugar. Molly shares her story - from the beginning of her relationship with sugar in response to a childhood trauma to their breakup over 10 years ago - including how Molly ate her way through bariatric surgery and ultimately got rid of die...

Chelsea asks, “I seem to have a deep seated need to have a private secret outlet or vice or I feel like something is missing from my life; what can I do to satisfy my wild side and still stay sober?” On today’s episode, Annie Grace shares three different layers of beliefs that keep us stuck drinking and uses the ACT Technique to explore Chelsea’s challenge. Did you miss This Naked Mind Live? Do yo...

From a teenager letting the good times roll in the Big Easy to the “cruise director” among her college drinking buddies to balancing life as a winery owner, wife, and mom (for 20 years) to removing alcohol from her life and becoming a This Naked Mind coach, Martha shares how she harnessed the power of her inner wisdom to reclaim her voice and intuition. She talks about the three big things that op...

On today’s episode, Joy asks, “When we’re celebrating and our brain is flooded with happy chemicals, why are we triggered to turn to alcohol, something that will dampen our experience?” It makes sense to use alcohol to numb, right? But, what is it that makes us want alcohol when things already feel so good? Annie Grace explains what’s going on in our brains when this happens and how we can make ou...

Three great questions in this episode. First, how can you stay alcohol free when the seasons change and it’s time for warm weather and outdoor drinking activities? Then, do you need to only have positive thoughts to stop drinking; what if negative consequences motivate you? Finally, what do you do when you’re trying to stay alcohol free but your buddies want to go watch sports and drink pitchers o...

On today’s episode, Nancy writes that she has never dated anyone or started a relationship without the presence of alcohol. So, what is it like connecting with someone through a sober lens? How do you work up the courage to do it? What if someone doesn’t like you because you don’t drink? Are there hidden benefits to dating without alcohol? And … what about sex? Annie Grace And Scott Pinyard explor...

As a young teenager, Cheryl swore off alcohol when she saw how alcoholism, OCD, and phobias shaped her father’s quality of life. But, by 18 she was drinking, and at 35 she was a new mom suffering from postpartum anxiety and turning to alcohol to numb horrific visions of bad things that might happen to her son. When the blackouts started, Cheryl knew something needed to change. In today’s episode,...

Did you drink? Did you get too stressed? Did you panic that you might not make it through this unprecedented time in our history without alcohol? Do you feel ashamed? Like a failure? Weak? Are you beating yourself up? Are you not sure what to do next? Stop. Stop and listen to this special bonus podcast episode where Annie Grace shares her thoughts and answers questions. And, as aways - rate, revie...

"My husband passed away suddenly of a heart attack three weeks ago, and I started drinking again,” writes Jan. Is it really possible to get through the death of a loved one and endure all the grief without alcohol? What does alcohol actually do to our brains in times of stress? How can we manage the pain vs. numbing it? Annie Grace explains. Are you ready for a deep dive into truly lasting change?...

In today’s episode, Annie welcomes Simon, a man whose passion for alcohol free living is absolutely contagious and led him to create his 2020 catchphrase, “Liquid Vegan.” Simon talks about how reading This Naked Mind helped him realize you can hold beliefs that aren’t true. “I thought everything I believed was true,” says Simon. “By the end of the book, it was as if all my beliefs had been proven...

On today’s episode, a reader says, “I can’t even imagine changing. It seems impossible. I’ve been drinking for decades.” When we think about life without something, like alcohol, we’re actually telling our brain it’s even more important than we already think it is. But, what is it that really makes change feel so out of reach? Do we need to believe it’s possible before we even try? And, when does...

Best friends since they were 11 and 13 years old, Alex and Lisa spent almost 30 years drinking together. In fact, they did everything together -- from working as a dynamic duo behind the bar at Lisa’s family’s pub in the UK to … wait for it … quitting alcohol and, now, encouraging others to adopt a sober lifestyle as well. Through their company, The Sobriety Experiment, Alex and Lisa host a podcas...

If you abstain from alcohol during the week and only drink on the weekends, can you still reap all the amazing benefits of sobriety? Great question! What happens to your body when you introduce alcohol just once or twice each week? Do the sober days just cancel it out? How do your alcohol free days differ from someone who doesn’t drink at all? Annie Grace explains. Did you miss This Naked Mind Liv...

Relationships. We talk a ton about relationships in our programs and coaching and online communities. What if you stop drinking but your spouse doesn’t? Can you hang out with drinking friends once you’ve stopped? How do you meet other alcohol free people and make non-drinking friends? Today, This Naked Mind head coach Scott Pinyard answers questions about relationships. Are you ready for a deep di...

When we’ve always perceived and used alcohol as an aphrodisiac, something we need to loosen up for sex, finding a way to relax with our partners without booze can be a big challenge. Did you know that sex and orgasm can create some of the same euphoria as a drug when it hits the pleasure center for your brain? Did you know that orgasm is a far more powerful relaxant than alcohol? This is great new...

After experiencing her first alcohol buzz at the age of seven, Peggy’s drinking career spanned more than 40 years and included failed marriages, homelessness, and nearly losing her daughter. In today’s heartfelt and emotional episode, Annie Grace talks with Peggy and her daughter, Jessi, about how Peggy finally found freedom from alcohol, the effects of her new lifestyle on the family dynamic, big...

As parents, we’re constantly agonizing over decisions we make for our children. We want to keep them safe and healthy and set them up for success as adults. If we allow our teenagers to drink alcohol, will it create more problems for them in the future or will it teach them responsibility and how to drink in moderation? What happens to our kids when we attach alcohol to emotional milestones in the...

In today's episode, sleep psychologist and researcher Michael Gradisar joins Annie Grace to talk about how the first stages of removing alcohol are like insomnia and how sleep deprivation keeps us trapped in the vicious cycle of starting and stopping drinking. Michael explains how sleep hygiene and cognitive behavior therapy techniques help invite sleep and talks about how dreams can help in our j...

Free stuff … things we don’t buy with money. But are they ever truly without some sort of cost? How do we say no to free alcohol? What can we do to manage triggers that show up in situations when we’re accustomed to drinking? Annie shares some thoughts on creating success and happiness when it seems like everyone else is getting something special and we’re not.  Are you ready for a deep dive into...

If you look up the definition of problem drinker, you won’t find a picture of Ruby Warrington. Yet, for as long as she can recall, she couldn’t ignore her numinous curiosity and the constant pull to examine her relationship with alcohol. Now living alcohol free, Ruby is the author of Sober Curious and the founder of The Numinous, as well as a speaker, book doula, curator, brand consultant, copywri...