What if that evening glass of wine isn't just a habit, but your body reaching for balance it's missing elsewhere? Anna Donaghey is joined by certified clinical nutritionist Beverly Meyer to decode the neuroscience behind our relationship with alcohol, specifically GABA, the nervous system's key calming neurotransmitter, and why modern life is quietly depleting it. Beverly shares practical, food-first strategies to genuinely restore GABA levels and explains why your body is always trying to help ...
May 28, 2026•49 min•Ep. 124
What if alcohol isn’t just a habit, but quietly shrinking the size of your world, dulling joy, and making ordinary pleasures feel like “not enough”? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey shares honest insights from her own journey, exploring how drinking can subtly narrow both what you do and how much you feel. She unpacks the concept of the “hedonic threshold,” showing why your favourite activities may start feeling flat, and how even small milestones (like a child’s birthday) come to feel incomp...
May 21, 2026•21 min•Ep. 123
What if rethinking your drinking didn’t start with “giving up” alcohol, but instead you created the kind of life you don’t want to escape from? In this episode, Anna Donaghey sits down with adventurer and educator Belinda Coker to explore how rediscovering adventure, nature, and forgotten passions can quietly make alcohol fade into the background, no willpower or rock bottoms required. They talk honestly about growing up with normalised drinking, the “aha” moment that prompted Belinda to get hik...
May 14, 2026•46 min•Ep. 122
Parties are supposed to be fun. So why does going alcohol-free feel so hard in a room full of drinkers? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey draws on years of experience as an alcohol mindset coach and as someone who still actually goes to parties, to give you the toolkit she wishes she'd had. This one is practical from start to finish. Anna walks you through how to prepare before you arrive, what to bring, how to handle the "just have one!" brigade, and how to manage that rising self-consciousne...
May 07, 2026•29 min•Ep. 121
Why does alcohol feel essential to parties, celebrations, and big social events? And what’s really at stake when you rethink your drinking in those spaces? Anna Donaghey is joined by Evan Cudworth, a self-described “party coach,” who shares his personal journey through alcohol-fueled confidence, alter egos, and radical new rituals. Together, they explore why we outsource energy and confidence to booze, how nostalgia can keep us stuck, and why the real “party” has to start within. Evan Cudworth b...
Apr 30, 2026•54 min•Ep. 120
What does it really mean to “show up” in your life and how is that different from simply “turning up”? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey explores one of the most honest motivations she hears from people rethinking alcohol: the desire to be present. She shares why presence goes so much deeper than physical attendance. Alcohol is often used as an emotional buffer, and what’s possible when you start showing up as the unfiltered version of yourself at home, at work, and in every room you enter. An...
Apr 23, 2026•36 min•Ep. 119
What happens when the strategies we rely on to avoid pain, achievement, busyness and constant momentum stop working? In this powerful conversation, Anna Donaghey is joined by April Day Garcia, author of The Room to Be Brave: Sometimes the way forward begins with going back , to explore how avoidance can hide in plain sight, especially for high-functioning people disguised as success. April shares how chasing achievement and belonging led her further from herself, with alcohol acting as a quiet f...
Apr 16, 2026•56 min•Ep. 118
What really drives us to reach for alcohol, and why is avoidance so quietly powerful in our habits? In this episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the psychology behind using alcohol as a coping mechanism, revealing how it silences discomfort and acts as a fast-acting state change in our modern lives. Drawing from her own lived experience and insights from her Substack “The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab,” Anna explores how avoidance is not weakness, but a deeply human strategy rooted in our biology and h...
Apr 09, 2026•18 min•Ep. 117
Why do we agonise over disrupting the social flow by saying “no thanks” to a drink, even when alcohol is quietly disrupting so much more in our lives? In this thought-provoking solo episode, Anna Donaghey explores the micro-moments of clarity that often crop up when we consider changing our drinking habits. Drawing from a recent conversation with Ry Gavan, Anna explores how alcohol quietly sits behind so many social occasions, becoming a synchronised ritual, yet the real disruptions to our wellb...
Apr 02, 2026•17 min•Ep. 116
What happens when we question alcohol’s role as the backdrop to almost every social moment? In this powerful episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Ry Gavan from DRiNKLiNK, a Scotland-based charity supporting families affected by someone else’s drinking, for an honest conversation about the ripple effects of alcohol in our lives. Rather than focusing solely on “extremes,” Anna Donaghey and Ry explore why alcohol’s real power lies in its expectation: its presence at celebrations, commiserations, spo...
Mar 26, 2026•48 min•Ep. 115
Who are you, really, if you remove alcohol from your life? In this deeply thoughtful solo episode, Anna Donaghey takes on the big, unsettling question: “Who am I if I don’t drink?” Rather than focusing on willpower or missing out, Anna Donaghey explores the real, often unspoken identity shifts that happen when we rethink our relationship with alcohol. With psychological insight, lived experience, and practical tools, she explores why alcohol feels like more than a habit, it becomes a social unif...
Mar 19, 2026•22 min•Ep. 114
How do you truly start over, and what does real reinvention look like? In this episode, Anna Donaghey talks with Andrew Drasen, author, speaker, and survivor about life beyond sobriety, diving into identity, purpose, and hope. Andrew’s journey goes far beyond addiction, spanning imprisonment, loss, and the search for meaning. He shares his struggles with self-image, rebellion, and choices that led to incarceration, as well as the heartbreak of losing loved ones, including his fiancée Caroline. T...
Mar 12, 2026•42 min•Ep. 113
Does our past define us? In this insightful episode, Anna Donaghey explores a quietly powerful truth: you are not fixed. You are not your history, your habits, or the coping mechanisms that once helped you survive. She guides you into the transformative space between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming. Uncovering how old beliefs and identities, especially around drinking, can unconsciously shape your choices and keep you attached to outdated versions of yourself. With a thoughtful blend of ...
Mar 05, 2026•15 min•Ep. 112
We’ve taught young people how to achieve but have we taught them how to feel, struggle, and grow? Host Anna Donaghey is joined by consultant Joanna Lilley, who works with young adults at the crossroads of high school, university, and early adulthood, to explore why so many high-achieving students feel anxious, overwhelmed, and unprepared for life. Together, they discuss the emotional blind spots shaping a generation, from overprotection and crisis-driven support, to the relentless pursuit of per...
Feb 26, 2026•51 min•Ep. 111
What if making one intentional, alcohol-free day didn’t have to feel like a test of willpower or a white-knuckle challenge you had to survive? In this practical solo episode, your host Anna Donaghey shares a clear, step-by-step structure for what a supported, intentional day off drinking can look like in real life. Inspired by a listener who found Dry January a “white-knuckle ride,” Anna explores why sustainable change isn’t about deprivation or strict rules, but about adding support, care, and ...
Feb 19, 2026•35 min•Ep. 110
What if the limits we feel around age, change, and possibility aren’t real but simply old, worn-out stories we’ve inherited? In this energising episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Allison Davis, traditional naturopath and author of ‘ Sixty is a Good Start: A Powerful Body, a Purposeful Life, and a Plan to Make it Happen’ , to bust wide open the myth that it’s ever “too late” to rethink your life or your drinking. Together, Anna and Allison explore the deep-seated cultural scripts that tell us wh...
Feb 12, 2026•50 min•Ep. 109
What if change doesn’t start with a dramatic rock bottom or a grand decision, but with the tiniest flickers of awareness? In this reflective episode, Anna Donaghey shines a light on those often-overlooked “tiny clarity moments”, the split seconds when you see your drinking, and your habits, with fresh honesty. Anna shares personal stories and insights from her work as an alcohol mindset coach, exploring how real transformation rarely starts with ultimatums or huge declarations. Instead, it begin...
Feb 05, 2026•16 min•Ep. 108
Is it possible that drinking isn’t really the problem or at least, not the whole story? In this episode, Anna asks you to rethink your relationship with alcohol by shifting the focus away from simply how much or how often you drink, to what deeper needs might be driving the habit in the first place. Anna explores why we treat alcohol as the main issue, and how it’s often just the “smoke, not the fire.” Instead of fixating on willpower or self-control, she dives into the real desires beneath drin...
Jan 29, 2026•10 min•Ep. 107
Have you ever wondered why even after a few alcohol-free weeks, life can feel flat or why it feels so hard to say “enough” in a world of endless overconsumption? In this transformative episode of The Big Drink Rethink , Anna Donaghey sits down with Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist, author of Dopamine Nation , and Stanford Addiction Medicine Director, to explore how alcohol hijacks our reward system and what it really takes to rediscover joy and meaning, beyond the next drink. Dr. Lembke explains wh...
Jan 22, 2026•47 min•Ep. 106
Ever caught yourself wondering, “Why is alcohol so hard to control for me?” In this episode Anna Donaghey urges you to challenge the story that the struggle is all your fault. Drawing from her experience as an alcohol mindset coach, author, and strategist, Anna examines why shame and blame are baked into how we talk about drinking and offers a totally different perspective. Instead of focusing on willpower, Anna explores how social expectations, stress, and our culture’s obsession with alcohol s...
Jan 15, 2026•11 min•Ep. 105
This week is a big one for The Big Drink Rethink, with host Anna Donaghey, celebrating publication day and introducing her brand new, first book. "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want" , is now out in the world for you to buy! In this special episode, Anna invites you to continue your reappraisal - not just of alcohol, but what it is you are really craving in life. Rather than pushing rules or labels, she offers practical, compassionate insights drawn from her own j...
Jan 08, 2026•18 min•Ep. 104
Struggling to keep your momentum as the novelty of cutting back on drinking starts to wear off? You’re not alone. In this third mini episode, Anna Donaghey returns with five practical, pressure-free ideas to support you through January, especially when willpower is fading and real-life challenges kick in. Building on previous mindset shifts, Anna sidesteps perfection and “shoulds,” guiding you to focus on what you actually want from life (not just what you’re trying to avoid). She invites listen...
Jan 03, 2026•16 min•Ep. 103
If you’re already feeling the challenge of cutting back on drinking this January, you’re not alone and you don’t have to rely on sheer willpower. In this second mini episode, Anna returns to share the essential (and surprisingly gentle) secret to handling cravings and breaking free from autopilot habits. Building on the previous episode’s mindset shifts, Anna introduces the idea of noticing urges without judgment, explains why most cravings are signals about what you truly need, and guides liste...
Jan 02, 2026•11 min•Ep. 102
Is Dry January on your mind, but you’re already feeling the weight of “new year, new me” expectations? In the first of this mini series, Anna welcomes the New Year with a gentle reality check for anyone considering a break from alcohol whether you’re looking to quit, cut down, or just get curious about your drinking habits. With compassion and clarity, she unpacks why pressure, grand declarations, and all-or-nothing thinking so often sabotages our best intentions in January. Instead, she offers ...
Jan 01, 2026•12 min•Ep. 101
Are you showing up for Christmas wanting change, but feeling swallowed up by old patterns, pressure, or the ever-present invitation to pour a drink? In this uplifting milestone episode of The Big Drink Rethink (100 episodes!), your host Anna Donaghey offers a heart-to-heart Christmas Day pep talk for anyone questioning their drinking, or simply craving a more honest and intentional holiday experience. Through lived experience and a coach’s insight, she gently unpacks why Christmas stirs up overw...
Dec 25, 2025•8 min•Ep. 100
Are your Christmas traditions serving you or just sabotaging your intentions for change? This time of year isn’t just about parties and presents, it’s a complex mix of family dynamics, old patterns, emotional triggers steeped in decades of drinking. In this powerful episode of The Big Drink Rethink, host Anna Donaghey takes a gentle yet practical approach to surviving (and actually enjoying) Christmas and New Year, especially if you’re rethinking your relationship with alcohol. Drawing on lived ...
Dec 18, 2025•37 min•Ep. 99
What if the festive season could bring more connection, confidence, and genuine fun… without the dread (or the hangover)? In this episode of The Big Drink Rethink, your host Anna shares how to survive Christmas parties, whether you’re alcohol free, moderating, or just rethinking your relationship with drinking. Drawing on personal stories and practical coaching insight, Anna covers how Christmas parties often trigger reflex drinking and cultural pressures, and shares simple, powerful strategies ...
Dec 11, 2025•34 min•Ep. 98
What if your relationship with alcohol was more about nourishment than willpower? In this eye-opening toolkit episode of The Big Drink Rethink, Anna shares one of her most powerful tools yet, a framework to help you discover what truly fuels and sustains you, making it easier to outgrow alcohol for good. Drawing on personal experience and Tara Mohr’s Core Nutrients Framework, Anna Donaghey guides you to uncover what you’re genuinely “thirsty for,” and how meeting these deeper needs naturally eas...
Dec 04, 2025•29 min•Ep. 97
Have you ever questioned whether alcohol might be quietly dimming the best parts of your life? In this episode of The Big Drink Rethink, Anna Donaghey chats to Dan D'Souza, co-founder of MUUSH to explore how quitting alcohol made room for more meaning, creativity, and connection. From high-flying networking in boozy city jobs to finding real nourishment in purpose and daily joy, Dan shares his journey through the “grey area” of drinking and the practical, inspiring steps he took to rethink his r...
Nov 27, 2025•54 min•Ep. 96
Letting go, relaxing, and releasing especially without alcohol can feel out of reach for many. In this insightful, toolbox-packed Q&A episode, Anna Donaghey tackles questions from listeners and coaching clients about why it can be so hard to relax or "let go," even after quitting drinking. This episode explores how patterns of control, nervous system wiring, shame, and old beliefs shape our inability to relax, and offers practical, compassionate tools for beginning to unlearn these habits an...
Nov 20, 2025•27 min•Ep. 95
