Soberful

Sober Summer Soundtrack: Using Emotional Intelligence as a Tool for Growth with Julia Ford-Carther

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Julia wants everyone to recognize their emotions for what they are - data.⁣ ⁣ Emotions are the information your brain is trying to tell you about ...

Sober Summer Soundtrack: Processing Shame and Guilt with Laura McKowen

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How does a mother overcome shame and guilt?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Laura McKowen shares how she finally came to sobrie...

Sober Summer Soundtrack: The Art of Balance

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Whatever the question is, balance is always the answer. Balance is key to sobriety because if we become unbalanced; it can lead to relapse. In this ep...

Sober Summer Soundtrack: Health from the Inside out with Special Guest Stephanie Gaudreau

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie Gaudreau mission is to help women create bigger, bolder, fiercer lives - by building health from the inside out. In this episode, we discuss...

Sober Summer Soundtrack: Strengthening Your Connections With Boundaries

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

**Trigger warning** How do you learn boundaries when they were violated as a child? We discuss why healthy boundaries are crucial to recovery and how ...

Sober Summer Soundtrack: The 5 Pillars of Sustainable Sobriety

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Five Pillars of Sustainable Sobriety are essential for anyone wishing to live a happy and sober life. In this episode, Veronica's takes a deep div...

147: A Sober Summer

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In our final episode before the summer break. Veronica and Chip discuss staying sober in the summer and how to deal with triggers and patterns related...

146: Endings

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why are endings so hard? In this episode, Chip and Veronica explore how we struggle when things end. They look at how people can sabotage endings, avo...

145: Getting the Right Kind of Help

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In all our episodes we encourage you to 'get help' for an alcohol problem. Today we want to clarify what kinds of help to look for. What questions to ...

144: Addiction Family Rules with Tamara Kirby

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we live in a family where there is addiction, dysfunction or mental health issues, there are hidden 'rules' we have to follow. In this episode, V...

143: Step Parenting in Sobriety

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Being a parent is hard. Being a step-parent is even harder. When relationships break down because of an alcohol problem, many people go on to be a ste...

142: The Adopted Child in Sobriety With Tamara Kirby

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica speaks to Soberful Life coach Tamara Kirby about the links between adoption and addiction. As an adopted child, Tamara explains how her 'orig...

141: Healthy Relationships/Self Love With Yulonda Ross

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica introduces new Soberful Life coach Yulonda Ross. Yulonda discusses self-love and healthy relationships and how she overcame abuse and trauma ...

140: Coach, Influencer or Fraud? with Kelly Ruta

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this explosive episode, Veronica interviews Kelly Ruta about the unethical standards in the coaching industry. Prompted by an exchange with unquali...

139: Dealing with Sexual Trauma

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

**Trigger warning** Chip and Veronica discuss a very sensitive topic. Many clients who suffer from an alcohol use disorder have also experienced some ...

138: Living a Soberful Life with Louise O'Brien

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is a soberful life? In today's episode, Veronica interviews Soberful Life team member Louise O'Brien. Louise is a single mother who was strugglin...

137: Ask Us Anything

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We are celebrating our third podcasting anniversary. In this episode, Chip and Veronica answer a variety of questions from their Soberful Life members...

136: Commitment with Tamara Kirby

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we commit to sobriety what does that mean? Why does it feel so scary? Why do we want a 'side-door' in case we don't like it? In this episode Vero...

135: Why We Count Days

07 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chip and Veronica explore why we celebrate sober birthdays, why we count the days of our sobriety.   To learn more, visit the show notes.

134: Adult Children of Alcoholics With Dr. Claudia Black

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica interviews world-renowned expert Dr. Claudia Black on the impact addiction has on children. Dr. Black outlines how adverse childhood experien...

133: When Does Sobriety Get Better?

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

'I stopped drinking three days ago - why isn't everything better?' Chip and Veronica explain the process of sobriety when you can start to expect to f...

132: Relationships in Early Sobriety

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chip and Veronica discuss how romantic relationships in sobriety can often capsize us. They share how insecure and needy they were in early sobriety a...

131: Staying Sober After Lockdown

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many of our Soberful Life members have reached out to us asking for advice on staying sober after lockdown. In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss...

130: Creating a Safe Space for People of Color in Recovery With Grachelle Sherburne

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Soberful diversity and inclusion consultant Grachelle Sherburne joins the podcast this week to discuss how addiction and sobriety differ for people of...

129: Is Trauma at the Root of My Alcohol Problem?

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chip and Veronica get to the root of addiction and explain the different types of trauma that people experience, leading them to abuse alcohol.   To ...

128: Sobriety and Women's Hormones With Nurse Practitioner Mimi Devine-Touhey

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Men and women get sober differently. The same methods won't work for women that work for men because women also have to battle hormonal changes that c...

127: Sobriety in Social Media

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this passionate discussion Chip and Veronica discuss the impact of social media and sobriety. They look at how the internet and social media has he...

126: Food Addiction with Tiffany Thoen

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

About Coach Tiffany - As an RN, Intuitive Eating Coach, and person in long term recovery, Tiffany has helped hundreds of women to achieve their goals....

125: My Life With Joe Walsh an Interview With Kristin Casey

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kristen Casey is a true survivor. In this honest and frank conversation, Kristin discusses her relationship with Eagles Legend Joe Walsh and how their...

124: Procrastination

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we procrastinate, why do we avoid doing things we need to do. In this episode Veronica and Chip explore how fear of failure and fear of change ...

123: How to Sleep with Christine Hansen

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

People often use alcohol to help them sleep. When we get sober, sleep (or lack of) can sometimes be a real challenge. In this episode, Veronica interv...

122: PAWS

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the first episode of the new year, Chip and Veronica outline how important it is to detox from alcohol safely.   To learn more, visit the show not...

121: Things That Changed Our Lives This Year

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In their last episode of the year, Chip and Veronica discuss the things that changed their lives this year. Obviously, COVID and lockdown were a big p...

120: Intergenerational Drinking

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is an alcohol problem genetic or a learned behaviour? In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss how drinking is modeled in families and how kids deve...

119: Sober Black Girls with Khadi Olagoke

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica interviews the founder of the Sober Black Girls Club Khadi Olagoke. Khadi talks frankly about her struggle with alcohol and why she was often...

118: From Pessimism to Hope

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you go from believing nothing is ever going to work out for you to feeling anything is possible. In this episode, Veronica and Chip discuss the...

117: The Pink Cloud

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chip and Veronica explain what the 'pink cloud' is when people first get sober and how to navigate it in a healthy way. As with every new relationship...

116: Parenting as Prevention with Dr Laura Markham

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Veronica interviews parenting expert Dr Laura Markham. Dr Laura explains what peaceful parenting is and why connection is the most es...

115: Motherhood, Drinking and Sobriety with Mandy Manners and Kate Baily

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kate and Mand got sober when their children were young, finally fed up with the messaging that alcohol was a good way to reward or de-stress from pare...

114: Transformational Sobriety with Tamara Kirby

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this powerful story of sobriety. Soberful Coach Tamara Kirby finally discusses her traumatic childhood and descent into addiction. Sober for over e...

113: Dealing with Shame and Guilt

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Shame and guilt are big emotions that we have to deal with when we get sober. Veronica and Chip discuss how these emotions can fuel a lot of our drink...

112: The Sober Lush

07 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jardine Libaire and Amanda Eyre Ward join Veronica to discuss their book, The Sober Lush. When they got sober, they discovered that everything about s...

111: Why does stopping drinking feel so hard?

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We hear this all the time 'but getting sober is so hard!' Chip and Veronica explain that it feels hard because of our perception about drinking and so...

110: Overcoming Our Childhood Issues

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our childhood sets us up for our adulthood. In this episode, Chip and Veronica explore how our childhood relationships with food, time and feelings th...

109: The Elephant In The Room

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all have 'elephants in the room.' A difficult and uncomfortable conversation that we avoid at all costs. In this episode Chip and Veronica explore ...

108: Emotional Intelligence with Julia Ford-Carther

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Emotions are just data. In this mind-blowing interview EQ expert, Julia Ford-Carther explains how emotions are communicating with us so we can grow an...

107: How To Have A Relationship That Doesn't Suck with Marie Murphy PhD

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Marie Murphy is a relationship coach who helps people untangle what makes a relationship work. We discuss how we can use relationships to 'fix' oursel...

106: The Roots of Addiction: Religious Abuse

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Religious abuse, as one of the roots of addictive behaviour, is explored in this episode. Chip and Veronica discuss how religious language and indoctr...

105: What is Love Addiction with Sherry Gaba

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is love addiction? In this episode, Veronica interviews Sherry Gaba psychotherapist and relationship expert. We explore why relationships in sobr...

104: How We Work The Steps

12 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We have been asked many times 'how do you work the 12-steps?' In this episode, Chip and Veronica explain how they apply the 12-steps to their own live...

103: Dealing With Resistance and Self Sabotage

05 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Resistance is going to show up any time we do something new. Veronica and Chip discuss how the ego sabotages us when we get sober.   To learn more, v...

102: Sober At Any Age

29 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a right age to get sober? Whatever age we decide to stop drinking, we will face challenges and limiting beliefs. In this episode, Chip and Ve...

101: Stress and Burnout

22 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica and Chip have both experienced burn out in sobriety. Stress and burnout are danger zones for someone recovering from an alcohol problem. In t...

100: Our 100th Episode

15 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's our 100th episode! To celebrate Chip and Veronica answer questions from the Soberful Life community. We answer questions about our sobriety and p...

99: Trauma and the 12 Steps with Dr. Jamie Marich

08 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Veronica interviews Dr Jamie Marich about her new book, Trauma and the 12 Steps. We take a deep dive into working with people who hav...

98: Self-Esteem and Sobriety

10 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Self-esteem is what we think about ourselves. Most people, when they get sober, have low self-esteem. In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss how t...

97: Living With People Who Drink and Dating in a Wet World

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How to you get sober when your partner drinks? This is a common challenge for many of our clients who really want to stop drinking but have an unsuppo...

96: When The Worst Thing in the World Happens with AJ Daulerio

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

AJ Daulerio was only four months sober when the worst thing in the world happened to him. You may remember it; Hulk Hogan sued him (and won) for $115 ...

95: Rebuilding Trust

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you rebuild trust in your relationships after years of drinking? In this episode, Chip and Veronica lay out the steps to take to start rebuildi...

94: Triggers

13 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we discuss how to deal with triggers. Triggers are a response to an outside stimulus that results in an automatic action. We have trained our br...

93: How To Change

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do we change? Chip and Veronica talk about the cycle of change and the 'dance' we go through when we need to change something. We discuss the thre...

92: 20 Things in 20 Years

29 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica is celebrating twenty years of sobriety on May 2nd. In this special episode, Chip and Veronica discuss the twenty things she has learned duri...

91: Sobriety and Sexuality with Suzanne Goodson

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

An engaging and enlightening conversation with Suzanne Najarian Goodson, who is a sacred and sober sexuality teacher and coach. We discussed the chall...

90: Surviving Our Mothers with Elissa Altman

15 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica interviews Elissa Altman the author of best-selling memoir Motherland - a memoir of love, loathing and longing'. They discuss what it's like ...

89: The True Cost of Drinking

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chip and Veronica take a deep dive into the true cost of drinking. They deconstruct how we lie to ourselves about alcohol so we can carry on drinking....

88: Turn Up for Recovery with Melia Clapton

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chip and Veronica interview Melia Clapton, the wife of guitar legend Eric Clapton. She discusses 'Turn up for Recovery,' her charity that helps use mu...

87: The Work of Sobriety with Laura McKowen

25 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica and Laura take a deep dive into what it means to be a drunk mother, how to deal with the shame and what 'the work' of sobriety really is.   ...

86: Staying Sober in a Time of Crisis

20 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this bonus episode Chip and Veronica go through the tools you need to stay sober during the unfolding crisis. We help listeners prioritise their me...

85: Creativity and Sobriety with Kiki Wong

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Former K-pop star Kiki Wong comes on the podcast to discuss her career in Nylon Pink, a successful girl band. Kiki could only get on stage if she had ...

84: Why Do I Need To Look At My Past?

11 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our past shows up in our present every day. If we don't look at our past then we can't get the lessons we need to grow. Chip and Veronica look at chil...

83: Sobriety Talk with Amy Dresner

04 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

****Warning**** graphic language and discussions of an adult nature. Amy Dresner is indestructible and probably the most cross-addicted person I have ...

82: Codependency

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Codependency is an unbalanced relationship with other people. When we "people please" to the detriment of our own needs, we become reliant on other pe...

81: Resentments

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"Resentments are the number one offender." In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss the nature of resentments, how they are like drinking poison and...

80: The Sober Mindset

12 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that your mindset affects everything you do? From getting sober to how much money you make? In this episode, Chip and Veronica explore wh...

79: Confronting Your Inner Critic with Lynn Matti

05 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lynn Matti, psychotherapist and author of 5 Weeks to Self Confidence: A Guide to Confronting Your Inner Critic and Controlling Your Relationship with ...

78: Escaping Porn Addiction with Joshua Shea

29 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

***Trigger warning****Joshua Shea is a recovering alcoholic and pornography addict and the author of The Addiction Nobody Will Talk About: How I Let M...

77: Adult Children of Alcoholics

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA). ACOA's have particular characteristics that they carry into adulthood,...

76: The Problem With Food with Tiffany Thoen

15 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Intuitive eating with Coach Tiffany Thoen RN. In this episode, we look at the dysfunctional relationship, so many of us have with eating and how when ...

75: Starting Life Over

08 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Everything changes, even when we don't want it to. In this episode, we discuss what it's like to start over. How even when we thought everything was t...

74: Things That Changed Our Lives This Year

18 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the final episode of the year Chip and Veronica discuss all the things that changed their lives this year.  **Trigger warning*** the Michael Jacks...

73: We Are The Luckiest with Laura McKowen

11 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How does a mother overcome her shame and guilt? In this week's episode, Veronica interviews Laura McKowen about her new book 'We are the luckiest.' La...

72: Drinking On Success

04 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Chip and Veronica discuss the phenomenon of 'drinking on success.' It's when things are going well that we forget quickly where alcohol takes us and w...

71: Women, Menstruation and Getting Sober

27 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this enlightening and educational episode, Veronica talks to Linda Carter, an acupuncturist and fertility coach. We discuss how menstruation and me...

70: Resilience

20 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Building resilience is essential to sobriety. We have often had these opportunities stolen from us as children or were just never taught them in the f...

69: Sober Outside with Brook Morton

13 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Brook Morton is the founder of 'Sober Outside' she creates travel experiences for sober women. In this episode, we discuss the benefits of being outsi...

68: Movement - Where Is Your Life Going?

06 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Movement is one of the five pillars of sustainable sobriety. In this episode, Chip and Veronica take a more in-depth look at what that means. Movement...

67: What is Harm Minimization? A conversation with Joe Schrank

30 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What is harm minimization? Does it work? Is it enabling or life-saving? In this episode, clinical social worker, co-founder of 'The Fix' and addiction...

66: The Four People You Meet When You Stop Drinking

23 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When we get sober, the world takes it personally. There are four types of characters you may meet when you stop drinking: 'The overnight addiction exp...

65: Women for Sobriety - Interview with Adrienne Miller

16 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Adrienne Miller, the President of the Women for Sobriety program joins the Soberful Podcast to delve into the 13 acceptance statements that are the fo...

64: Feeling The Fear and Doing It Anyway

09 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fear is a universal feeling, we all feel it, but not many of us talk about it. Managing fear is a skill we have to learn so we can grow. When fear tak...

63: Connection

02 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fear, insecurity, and loneliness often leads us to feeling disconnected from ourselves, our loved ones, and the world -- and alcohol gave us that fals...

62: Motherheart: An Interview with Joanne Bradford

25 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Joanne Bradford is an author, certified healing practitioner, and life consultant. She got sober at the tender age of 24 and has been inspiring young ...

61: Do I have to do this recovery stuff forever?

18 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Getting sober feels like hard work, and we get asked if we have to do this work for the rest of our lives. The answer is yes, and it's fantastic. What...

60: Can I Drink In Moderation?

11 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Holy Grail of anyone with an alcohol use disorder is moderation. In this episode, Chip and Veronica look at why moderation (or social drinking) is...

59: The Art of Balance

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Whatever the question is, balance is always the answer. Balance is key to sobriety because if we become unbalanced; it can lead to relapse. In this ep...

58: Dealing With Difficult People

03 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We all have difficult people in our lives. Often it's family members, or colleagues they trigger us, and we find ourselves flooded with feelings of an...

57: Health from the Inside out with Special Guest Stephanie Gaudreau

26 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Step Gaudreau mission is to help women create bigger, bolder, fiercer lives - by building health from the inside out. In this episode, we discuss body...

56: What is Emotional Sobriety?

19 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Emotional Sobriety is about learning to deal with your feelings and emotions. Stopping drinking just isn't enough. We have to learn to tolerate and ex...

55: Travelling and Going On Vacation When You Are Sober

12 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We go on vacation to relax and have fun. But what do you do if you are sober? Surely you need alcohol to do both those things? In this weeks episode C...

54: Anxiety, Panic Attacks & Sobriety

05 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you fever felt anxious? Have you ever used alcohol to deal with social anxiety? You are not alone. Anxiety and problems with alcohol go hand in h...