How does alcohol really affect your health? Anna is joined by Professor Charlie Knowles, a renowned medic and author, to shed light on the complex relationship between alcohol and our bodies. They explore the popular perception that a glass of red wine a day is beneficial and address its potential role in increasing the risk of serious health issues, including various types of cancer. Together they discuss how alcohol, a Group 1 carcinogen, affects everything from our DNA and gut microbiome to o...
Sep 05, 2024•58 min•Ep. 34
Anna unravels the calculated persuasion behind glossy alcohol ads and their seductive campaigns, exposing how they obscure the true realities of alcohol's impact on our lives. In this compelling solo episode of The Big Drink Rethink Anna talks from the heart. With her 25 years of experience in the advertising world, she examines the insidious world of alcohol advertising with passion, knowledge and unflinching honesty. With nearly £1 billion spent annually in the UK alone to promote these bevera...
Aug 29, 2024•33 min•Ep. 33
Imagine taking a break from alcohol that's not just a pause, but a transformative experience. In this episode, your host Anna, is exploring how you can make the most of any alcohol-free break. She is also sharing the fundamental principles behind her self-guided programme, sharing how taking a break from the book can be a productive, insightful, and even life-changing journey. So, let's get started! Here are the highlights: 04:48 Discover the benefits of a month without alcohol. 08:46 Embrace th...
Aug 22, 2024•26 min•Ep. 32
We’re exploring the positive impact of stepping off the booze elevator with none other than Janey Lee Grace. She is an author, public speaker, Life Coach, and fervent advocate for healthy living. In this episode she shares her personal struggle with alcohol and how she navigated through the societal norms and medical attitudes surrounding drinking, to find her path to peace. Together with our host, Anna, Janey emphasises the interconnectedness of proper nutrition, movement, and lifestyle practic...
Aug 15, 2024•58 min•Ep. 31
In today's episode, we're diving deep into the journey of sobriety milestones with David Wilson, better known as ‘Sober Dave’. This is Dave’s second time on the podcast, and he has returned to discuss the physical and emotional changes that come with giving up alcohol, and how envisioning future benefits can help make sobriety non-negotiable. Both Anna and Dave share their experiences of navigating holidays, emotional sobriety, and the ever-present struggle with identity and self-development aft...
Aug 08, 2024•57 min•Ep. 30
In this special episode, Anna offers a comprehensive summary of the free tools and resources discussed throughout the series so far. A fantastic collection of strategies, practical tips and reflection exercises to support listeners as they rethink their drinking - whether they are on a mindful drinking journey, or looking to totally quit alcohol. Tune in to learn more about the valuable tools available on Anna's website, www.thebeliefscoach.com and take the first step towards a healthier, more b...
Aug 01, 2024•20 min•Ep. 29
In this special edition of the "Big Drink Rethink" podcast, host Anna Donaghey steps away from the usual guest format to reflect on the journey so far and welcome new listeners. She revisits her personal transformation from alcohol addiction to becoming an alcohol mindset coach, she recounts some of the key moments from the past five months of the podcast. The show is celebrating over 40,000 downloads and it is clear that people need support for rethinking how they drink. Not only can they liste...
Jul 25, 2024•21 min•Ep. 28
In today's episode, host Anna Donaghey explores the world of conscious consumption with Anna Chalov, co-founder of Bemuse Drinks. They discuss the rising trend of honey for its health and sustainability benefits and dive into Bemuse's B- Corp certification and environmental commitments. The two Anna’s shed light on the environmental impact of traditional winemaking, and highlight how honey-based drinks can positively affect biodiversity. And they cover the inspiring story of Bemuse's creation du...
Jul 18, 2024•47 min•Ep. 27
In this episode, Anna shares 20 expert-backed tips and hacks to help you navigate your drinking choices with more mindfulness and control. From strategic drinking during meals and alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, to avoiding rounds or kitties that speed up your intake, she’s got you covered. She also discusses practical shopping tips, like making dedicated trips to buy alcohol and saying no to wine subscription schemes that anonymise the purchase and heighten the allure of...
Jul 11, 2024•36 min•Ep. 26
Anna interviews Dr. Manoj Krishna, a former spine surgeon turned mindfulness advocate, who shares his journey from setting up his medical practice to founding The HappierMe project, which focuses on understanding the mind to overcome human suffering. Wonderfully insightful, Manoj sheds light on the thought processes that can lead to addiction, and they explore the societal and psychological pressures influencing the younger generation, particularly the impact of social media and constant compari...
Jul 04, 2024•52 min•Ep. 25
Anna explores lower alcohol wines with her special guest, Russell Lamb, co-founder of 6Percent Wine. Russell shares the story behind their innovative 6% alcohol wine, designed to offer a full-flavoured drinking experience without the excess. He shares their business journey from wine tastings to finding the perfect Bordeaux producers, and the surprising feedback from the London Wine Fair. Plus all the regulatory hurdles they've encountered along the way. This episode is packed with insights into...
Jun 27, 2024•43 min•Ep. 24
Your host, Anna, explores happiness and its intricate relationship with alcohol consumption. Drawing inspiration from the pioneering work of psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, Anna introduces a straightforward but brilliant tool, designed to give listeners a unique and quantitative measure of their own personal happiness. Anna guides listeners through an enlightening and reflective exercise, involving the creation of a two-column chart to evaluate how alcohol contributes to or detracts from ten c...
Jun 20, 2024•37 min•Ep. 23
Anna Donaghey sits down with Alex Clapp, an entrepreneur and advocate for sober socialising. In this episode, you're invited to journey through Alex's personal battle with alcohol addiction and his quest to challenge societal norms surrounding masculinity and emotional vulnerability. You’ll hear Alex’s story unfold, from growing up in an environment where showing emotion was seen as a weakness, to experiencing significant health challenges that turned his life upside down and forced him to confr...
Jun 13, 2024•49 min•Ep. 22
Anna Donaghey sits down with Matt Phelan, co-founder of The Happiness Index, to explore what makes us happy and the profound effects of alcohol on personal well-being, safety and relationships. They challenge the notion of alcohol as a social adhesive, advocating instead for genuine friendships that thrive beyond the presence of a drink. Together, they examine the importance of psychological safety, not only in the workplace but in all aspects of life, and how alcohol can hinder our abilities to...
Jun 06, 2024•51 min•Ep. 21
In this episode of Big Drink Rethink, host Anna Donaghey dives into the world of mindful mastery, exploring the science and know-how behind cultivating self-awareness and emotional literacy to rethink drinking habits. Through personal stories from guests Nick Elston and Sam Williams in previous episodes, Anna emphasises the role of alcohol as a coping mechanism and the importance of understanding one's emotions. She introduces mindfulness and meditation as powerful tools to strengthen the brain,...
May 30, 2024•28 min•Ep. 20
Welcome back to the Big Drink Rethink podcast, where our host Anna Donaghey is chatting with the incredibly inspiring Sam Williams. Sam, a Certified Specialist ADHD Coach and Menopause Coach, shares her journey of self-discovery and transformation after giving up alcohol. She describes her drinking habits during lockdown, the social aspect of drinking, and how alcohol helped quiet her mind. Sam's decision to stop drinking was driven by a desire to know who she was without alcohol, and to set a p...
May 23, 2024•49 min•Ep. 19
Welcome to another episode of The Big Drink Rethink, where your host, Anna Donaghey, is thrilled to bring you an enlightening conversation with mental health advocate Nick Elston. An inspirational speaker on mental health, Nick shares his own lived experience of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalised anxiety disorder. He believes that our adversities can either define us negatively or forge something beautiful and powerful. Giving up alcohol six years ago proved to be a release, as ...
May 16, 2024•53 min•Ep. 18
In today’s toolkit episode, Overcoming the Fear of Change, your host Anna Donaghey invites you to start a transformative journey towards a healthier, alcohol-free future. She discusses how changing your ‘drinker’ identity can be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat. Anna also talks about adopting an experimental mindset and focusing on the gains of sobriety rather than the perceived losses. She encourages listeners to make a list of the characteristics they want to change and the person t...
May 09, 2024•30 min•Ep. 17
Welcome back to "The Big Drink Rethink," where we challenge popular notions about alcohol and explore how our drinking culture is changing and evolving. In this episode, your host, Anna Donaghey, is joined by David Wilson, also known as Sober Dave, who brings an incredible story of personal transformation from a life overshadowed by alcohol to one filled with new beginnings and self-discovery. Today, David shares the pivotal moments that led him to question his relationship with drinking and how...
May 02, 2024•58 min•Ep. 16
In this episode, Anna has the pleasure of speaking with Helen Jeffery, an incredibly talented writer, performer, director, and creative facilitator who uses the arts to challenge and provoke debate around our relationship with alcohol. Helen’s play, ‘Buckled’, explores navigating sobriety in a world that revolves around drinking. The play focuses on three characters with different relationships to alcohol and centres around an impending wedding. It raises questions about why so many social inter...
Apr 25, 2024•51 min•Ep. 15
Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of the Big Drink Rethink. Today we're dialling into one of the difficult aspects of modern parenting: how to talk to your teens about alcohol. Listen in as host, Anna Donaghey, talks to Anita Cleare, an acclaimed parenting expert. Anita’s insights help us understand the teenage brain and together, they discuss the pros and cons of sharing our drinking experiences with our adolescent children. As a parent, you may question whether to take a liberal sta...
Apr 18, 2024•54 min•Ep. 14
In a culture where drinking is nearly synonymous with socialising, standing up to peer pressure is a skill - a skill that's essential for those of us reevaluating our relationship with alcohol. This episode is packed with insights and practical tools to help you navigate social expectations, understand self-imposed pressures, and stay steadfast in your choices. Anna shares personal experiences from her decision to stop drinking and how it affected her relationships. She’ll also discuss strategie...
Apr 11, 2024•33 min•Ep. 13
Anna Donaghey, sits down with the indomitable Laura Willoughby, campaigner, and founder of Club Soda. Laura shares her insightful journey from founding Club Soda in 2014 to spearheading the mindful drinking movement. Through her mission to educate and guide, Laura explores the evolution of the non-alcoholic drinks industry, challenges mainstream drinking habits, and nudges the hospitality scene towards inclusivity and choice. This episode is packed with thought-provoking discussion about alcohol...
Apr 04, 2024•56 min•Ep. 12
Your host, Anna Donaghey, looks at the way in which businesses often fail to ‘do right’ by their employees - on the one hand encouraging a drinking culture, but failing to educate and provide adequate support when it is needed. She examines the threads that tie alcohol culture to the workplace, with this week’s guest, Tabbin Almond, a fellow coach in the process of writing her book ‘ Bottling Up Trouble: How Alcohol is Holding Your Business Back and What to Do About It’. Together they discuss ho...
Mar 28, 2024•53 min•Ep. 11
Have you ever found yourself reaching for that habitual alcoholic evening drink and wondering if there's another way to unwind? In this episode your host Anna will unpack a treasure chest of alternatives, strategies, and heart-to-heart advice to support you in addressing habitual evening drinking. Anna also dives into the reality behind our 'enjoyment' of alcohol, challenges the status quo with alcohol-free alternatives, and shares some useful journaling prompts to help listeners unwind for a be...
Mar 21, 2024•38 min•Ep. 10
Today Anna explores the relationship between alcohol and sleep with certified Sleep Consultant, Maryanne Taylor. Get ready to challenge your beliefs about nightcaps and nocturnal rest, as we discuss the not-so-sweet dreams that booze can bring. Maryanne shares her own experiences with disrupted sleep and anxiety, shining a light on the common yet misunderstood label of 'insomniac.' Whilst Anna, shares her stories of very broken, fitful sleep, as a result of drinking. Both look at alternatives to...
Mar 14, 2024•50 min•Ep. 9
In this episode, host Anna Donaghey dives into the world of alcohol-free drinks with special guest Howard Davies, co-founder of the Salcombe Distilling Company. Together, they discuss the rising trend of non-alcoholic drinks, the complexity of creating exceptional alcohol-free spirits, and the growing market for these unique beverages. Join us as we rethink how we drink and discover the value of exploring new flavours and alternatives to our traditional tipples . Here are the highlights: 00:01 B...
Mar 07, 2024•54 min•Ep. 8
In today's episode, Anna is sharing tools to help you take charge and reassess your life's priorities. It's about shaking off the chains of perfectionism that too often hold us back. She reflects that it is the high expectations that we set for ourselves and others that can create undue stress in our lives, and why it's essential to get comfortable with the full spectrum of our emotions, not just the positive ones. To help you gauge and cultivate a more satisfying life, she introduces the "Wheel...
Feb 29, 2024•36 min•Ep. 7
Anna talks with the inspirational Laura Bartlett, who embraced sobriety just over a year ago. Laura, the founder of House of Coco magazine, shares her remarkable journey of entrepreneurship rooted in resilience, after television. Her decision to give up alcohol 16 months ago has led to an incredible transformation in her personal and professional life, emphasising the power of choice to live authentically and without labels Listen to this episode as we reflect on the power of belief, the lessons...
Feb 22, 2024•49 min•Ep. 6
In this episode, we acknowledge alcohol as the nation's favourite coping mechanism and uncover its true effects on our well-being. Anna Donaghey, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with our guest, William Porter, a former paratrooper turned lawyer and author of "Alcohol Explained" and "Alcohol Explained 2". Together, they candidly discuss their personal experiences, confronting the impact of alcohol on sleep, mental health, and our ability to cope. From their own journeys to understandi...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 5
