This Naked Mind Podcast

Escaping The Hamster Wheel of Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E847 Why can’t I quit drinking after so many tries? It’s a question so many of us have asked, and in this episode, Leslie and Phillipa open up about their long journeys of stopping, starting, and struggling with alcohol. Joined by Coach Zoe, they pull back the curtain on the ups, downs, and lessons they’ve faced along the way. You...

What happens when quitting drinking saves your life but ruins your marriage? Samuel thought stopping drinking would fix everything, but it actually revealed that his relationship couldn't survive the person he was becoming. His drinking story is terrifying—regular blackouts, waking up in strangers' beds, traumatic incidents that destroyed his wife's trust. But when he finally found freedom using T...

What To Do When The Emotions Hit After You Quit Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E845 Trigger Warning: The topics discussed in this episode, particularly in the second half, involve sensitive subjects such as family trauma, abuse, and addiction. Listener discretion is advised. Are you drinking to avoid emotions and finding yourself trapped in endless mental loops about whether to have that dr...

Have you ever felt guilty about missing precious memories because of alcohol? Amy's journey began in sixth grade in a family where alcohol was simply part of every gathering. Years later, when her kids confronted her about her drinking, she realized she was missing out on being truly present for the moments that mattered most. After reading This Naked Mind and experiencing one terrifying night whe...

The Ripple Effect of Quitting Drinking | Meet Our Coaches | E843 The ripple effect of quitting drinking—what if it reaches far beyond one empty glass? Coach Pam speaks with TNM Alcohol Freedom Guides, Ruby and Kai, who share how they found their way to freedom with This Naked Mind. As coaches for The Path, they now help others do the same. Ruby, a former wine industry insider, recounts her journey...

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide, grief, loss, and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs immediate support, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) in the US or visit your local emergency room. Listen with care. What if the very thing you swore you'd never do became your biggest crutch? Gavin spent his childhood hating alcohol, watchin...

What if using fear as fuel could become your greatest tool for lasting alcohol freedom?  Marie has been drinking for three decades, giving alcohol "all the jobs" in her life—numbing overwhelm, escaping difficult emotions, and avoiding the fear of judgment that keeps her stuck in autopilot drinking patterns. Christine feels confident, currently alcohol-free, but worries about potential relapse afte...

Have you ever felt shame after drinking? Linda spent years trying to align her desire for authenticity with her ongoing battle with alcohol. Despite practicing yoga, meditation, and promoting holistic health, alcohol continued to be her way of coping, even though she felt deep cognitive dissonance. On the outside, she helped others find balance; on the inside, she struggled with shame after drinki...

What is an alcohol coach, and how can they guide you to freedom from alcohol? Path Coaches Cole and Julie join Coach Pam to discuss their unique approach to coaching, which goes beyond just quitting alcohol. In this episode, they share how coaching is not about giving answers but about helping clients shift their mindset, address emotional triggers, and how their work empowers clients to reclaim c...

Have you ever felt like something was stealing your life away without you fully realizing it? Jeanne returns to the podcast four years after first sharing her story with Annie in 2021. Back then, she was navigating life surrounded by drinking culture while choosing to live alcohol-free. Now, in this candid conversation with Coach Hayley, she opens up about how she came to understand that alcohol s...

How can you overcome the belief that you are weak if you can't control your drinking? This week's episode features two powerful coaching sessions with Coach Hayley and Coach Soraya. In Coach Soraya’s session, Samantha shares her frustration with feeling stagnant, as she struggles to make progress and commit to an alcohol-free break, especially with a husband whose drinking is a constant presence....

How do you socialize without alcohol? If this question has ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone. Nisha spent years using alcohol to cope with life’s challenges, from fitting in socially to relaxing after a long day. It was always there for her, a crutch in moments of loneliness and stress. But just two days into The Alcohol Experiment, something shifted. The internal tug of war she’d struggled...

Why does quitting alcohol sometimes feel harder after you stop drinking? In this Meet Our Coaches episode, Coach Pam sits down with Coaches Lynnie and Kim —two alumni-turned-coaches from The Path—to explore what it really means to be free. For both of them, learning how to find emotional freedom from alcohol required more than just abstinence. It took unlearning old beliefs, reframing shame, and s...

Turning Relapse Into Redemption | Kerry’s Naked Life | E834 Trigger Warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, overdose, and physical abuse, which may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care. "Alcohol is ruining my life." If you’ve ever felt like Kerry, trapped in a cycle of binge drinking and blackouts, you might have said these words yourself. No matter how hard she tried...

Why does it take so long to feel confident after quitting alcohol?  If you’ve ever wondered why healing doesn't happen overnight, you're not alone. In this episode, Coach Cole explores this very question with Tiffany and Laura—two PATH participants who are walking through very different but equally powerful stages of self-discovery. Tiffany opens up about her lifelong fear of vulnerability and her...

Am I too young to stop drinking? It’s the question Alicia couldn’t get out of her head when she started wondering if alcohol was doing more harm than good. She hadn’t hit rock bottom, wasn’t getting in trouble, and still loved going out with friends. But when alcohol began interfering with her ability to show up for her son—and echoing the same red flags she’d seen growing up—everything changed. I...

What if the first real step toward change isn’t putting down the drink, but learning to listen to yourself? What if the key to breaking free has less to do with willpower, and more to do with compassion, curiosity, and connection? In this powerful conversation, Coach Pam is joined by Coaches Kath and Soraya to explore two very different alcohol journeys that led to the same realization: you don’t...

What does it take to stop ignoring red flags about drinking—especially when no one else notices them but you?  Tammy spent years managing life like a pro: raising kids, surviving the recession, and building a beautiful new chapter with her blended family. From the outside, everything looked fine. But inside, the hangovers got worse, the joy disappeared, and a voice inside kept whispering, “You nee...

How do I stop sabotaging my attempts to quit drinking?  Jane's story will hit close to home for anyone who's ever wondered why they can stick to other healthy habits but struggle with alcohol. She exercises regularly, eats well, and maintains discipline in other areas of life, yet finds herself repeatedly breaking her commitment to quit drinking. In this honest coaching session, Jane opens up to C...

You’ve been a bartender for years, and alcohol has been a constant in your social life, your travels, and career—so how do you stop drinking when you work in a bar? For Gina, the turning point came when she realized that alcohol no longer added value to her life, in fact, it almost seemed mundane to drink. After reading This Naked Mind by Annie Grace, Gina unlocked a new way of thinking about alco...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of cancer, illness, loss, and intense emotional pain (including shame and guilt) related to alcohol use. Please listen with care. What if the reason you can't seem to stop drinking is because your brain is wired to keep returning to old patterns? Coach Pam talks with coaches Tabbin and Hayley about how understanding the way our brain processes alc...

Can you truly quit drinking and never feel deprived?  It's a question many of us ponder, and Helen's story offers a powerful, resounding "yes." Surprisingly, Helen grew up in an alcohol-free household, yet found herself, by her mid-twenties, fully immersed in a daily drinking culture that felt completely normal. This habit quietly escalated until, at 50, she was passing out almost every night. Des...

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses grief and loss of a child. Listener discretion is advised. What do you do when your entire sense of self feels in flux? For April and Michelle, quitting alcohol has brought unexpected challenges. While their initial decision to stop drinking opened doors to new possibilities, it’s also left them facing an uncomfortable reality—feeling lost. April, who has be...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes mentions of grief and loss. Is it truly possible to learn how to stop drinking when depression gets worse?  Jacki's journey began at a point of deep despair, consuming up to 12 beers a day as her depression spiraled. After trying everything from apps to drops with no lasting success, a profound wake-up call led her to discover a different path to alcohol free...

What if choosing compassion to change was the first step to breaking free from alcohol’s grip?  Many people struggle with shifting their relationship with alcohol, caught in a cycle of guilt and frustration. Coaches Zoe and Onowa share their journeys of transformation, where compassion, understanding, and questioning beliefs were key to creating lasting change. In this episode, they dive into how...