What if the first step to change is just being honest with yourself? Amy grew up in a family where alcohol wasn’t a big part of life. She didn’t drink in high school and was teased for it. During college and law school, she began drinking to fit in. Later, wine became part of her career as a lawyer. Over time, she used alcohol to deal with stress, lack of sleep, and feelings of guilt as a mom. Hearing stories about other people’s drinking made Amy feel like her habit wasn’t a big deal because sh...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 759
How do you face your fears and make changes when your partner isn’t ready yet? Charlotta grew up with a parent who struggled with alcohol and drugs, which shaped her views on drinking. As an adult, wine became a way for her and her husband to bond, but over time, she began to feel trapped and unhappy with her life. Meanwhile, Donni has been married for 26 years, and drinking played a big role in her connection with her husband. When she decided to stop drinking, her husband continued, which affe...
Dec 14, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 758
What happens when you start questioning a habit you’ve known your whole life? Michaela grew up in a family where alcohol was always a part of life. Her parents owned a winery, and drinking was normal at every meal. Seeing her dad become happier after a drink, she began to link alcohol with fun. At age 14, she started drinking and continued until her thirties. Over time, Michaela began to black out often. One day, after drinking with friends, she blacked out and got lost on her way home. This mom...
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 757
How can we rebuild our sense of self when we let go of the things that define us? Bek is learning how to live without alcohol, which has been part of her life since she was 14. She feels sad and unsure of who she is without it. Jeanette is also figuring out who she is after growing up with the feeling that she has to fight for love and self-worth. She turned to alcohol as a way to numb those feelings. In this episode, Coach Zoe helps both women explore their feelings, change the way they see the...
Dec 07, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 756
Is your way of coping still working for you? Cari grew up in a religious home where alcohol wasn’t a part of her life. In her twenties, she started drinking from time to time because her job was very stressful, and she felt anxious. She wanted to do well at work. Over time, the more she worked, the more she drank. She soon noticed that as she did better at work, she drank more. After losing her mom to cancer, Cari relied on alcohol even more to cope with the loss. It wasn’t until the anniversary...
Dec 06, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 755
What if joy was already here, waiting to be embraced? Joanne has been working on building a healthier relationship with alcohol for the past eight months. Through this journey, she’s noticed that her joy feels different. It’s sometimes unpredictable, but also more hopeful. She finds it hard to balance work, daily tasks, and future worries with the joy she feels in the moment. In this episode, Coach Rina shares how the brain begins to find balance after changing drinking habits and suggests simpl...
Nov 30, 2024•24 min•Ep. 754
How much of your happiness is tied up in habits that no longer serve you? Brandi’s parents divorced three times, which made her teenage years hard. Back then, she turned to marijuana to cope. As she got older, she also struggled in her relationships, with both of her marriages ending because of problems with alcohol and emotional distance. Her turning point came when her third husband admitted to cheating while drunk. After going through a period of depression, Brandi met her doctor who recommen...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 753
Why is it so hard to ask for help, even when we need it the most? After being diagnosed with tonsil cancer, eating became very painful for Debra because of the radiation treatment. So, she turned to alcohol to help her get the calories she needed, which seemed like the easiest solution at the time. She couldn’t work because she was sick, and her bills kept piling up, leaving her in debt. As someone who always tried to handle things on her own, Debra ignored her health until she became so ill and...
Nov 23, 2024•51 min•Ep. 752
Could celebrations feel complete even without alcohol? Lauren's journey with alcohol began in eighth grade at a concert, where she had her first beer because drinking seemed cool. What started as casual drinking soon turned into binge drinking and blackouts. When she realized that alcohol was hurting her marriage and making it hard to be a good parent, she searched online for help and found This Naked Mind. In this episode, Lauren shares her story of moving from a life surrounded by alcohol to b...
Nov 22, 2024•56 min•Ep. 751
Are you trying to change for yourself or are you doing it for your loved ones? For years, Wendy turned to marijuana to escape the hurt in her heart. When she realized it was affecting her life and her loved ones, she decided it was time to make a change. But more than anything, she wanted to do it because of her daughter who struggles with her relationship with alcohol. In this coaching session, Coach Sam helps Wendy dig deeper to solidify her true "whys." She realizes that in order to make last...
Nov 16, 2024•30 min•Ep. 750
What small actions can help you make big changes in your life? Heather still struggled with anxiety, even as she learned to live without using alcohol to cope. It felt overwhelming at first, but she started to face her feelings head-on. She found healthier ways to work through her emotions, like therapy, journaling, and talking things out with friends. Over time, she built new habits that brought her a level of calm and joy she didn’t think was possible. In this ‘Where Are They Now’ episode, Hea...
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 749
What if you could manage tough emotions without a drink? When Swarna’s daughter turned four, memories of her own trauma at the same age came flooding back. Although remembering was painful, it helped her realize she had been drinking because she felt unsafe in her own body. Meanwhile, Sarah often woke up with regret after drinking, saying "never again," but found herself reaching for a drink again in the evening. Over time, she felt she had lost touch with who she was. In this episode, Coach Ell...
Nov 09, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 748
Have you ever felt torn between the life you show and the life you hide? Megan, a devoted nurse and mom, lived a double life that tore her apart. She was at the top of her game during the week, but on her days off, she would binge drink. After a three-day binge during the holidays, Megan hit rock bottom. Ashamed that she couldn't be present for her kids, she knew something had to change. She found the courage to ask for help, made a promise to her nine-year-old daughter, and hasn’t looked back s...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 747
Are you struggling to trust yourself after years of drinking? When Jenna noticed that she wasn’t just drinking in the evenings anymore, but also in the mornings and afternoons, she became scared and overwhelmed. Having struggled with alcohol for over 40 years, she also felt guilty and unworthy, believing she was powerless to make the changes she really wanted. But it wasn’t her fault. Alcohol had robbed her of her self-confidence. In this episode, Coach Zoe helps Jenna make sense of her complica...
Nov 02, 2024•36 min•Ep. 746
Do you find yourself giving alcohol various 'jobs' depending on what you're facing? While Joy counseled young people about the dangers of alcohol, she secretly beat herself up for drinking more than she wanted to. Feeling torn, she quit her job as a counselor. She had always given alcohol different jobs in her life. First, it helped her fit in with her peers. Then, she used it to manage her grief and, later, to relax after a long day. Throughout her journey, drinking felt like the thing to do be...
Nov 01, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 747
Could alcohol be stopping you from finding real peace? No matter how many alcohol-free programs Annette tries, she can’t seem to get past the sixth day without reaching for her favorite Twisted Tea. Meanwhile, Jane drinks to get some relief from the worry and stress of managing her challenging relationship with her aging parents. While Annette's roadblock is her belief that alcohol helps her relax, Jane feels stuck because of her struggle to set boundaries with her parents, whom she loves. In th...
Oct 26, 2024•53 min•Ep. 744
Have you ever thought, "I can handle this on my own," only to realize you couldn't? Shelley struggled with her husband’s harmful behavior and drinking habit, which left her at the end of her rope. On top of that, her own unhealthy relationship with alcohol weighed her down. Thinking she could solve the problem on her own, she refused to accept help. But one day, she finally joined Al-Anon and got the support she had always needed. Later, she found Annie Grace's 30-Day Alcohol Experiment, which h...
Oct 25, 2024•58 min•Ep. 743
Have you ever sabotaged your progress because it felt easier than standing out? As seven-year-old Helga raced toward the finish line, it was clear she would win. But suddenly, she turned around and let everyone pass her. Why? Because she felt uncomfortable being in the lead. This moment captures a lifelong pattern of holding back when she’s about to succeed. Helga even found herself doing the same thing in her relationship with alcohol, feeling like she didn’t deserve a better life. In this epis...
Oct 19, 2024•31 min•Ep. 742
Is the fear of drinking again keeping you from fully enjoying your life? After going through detox three times, Erin was afraid to drink again. She didn’t want to go on vacations or to bars because she was scared. Even though she stayed away from alcohol for years, she still felt stuck because she was often thinking about not drinking. She was eager to step into the next chapter of her life but couldn’t leave behind the structure that had supported her. Then, Erin found This Naked Mind, which he...
Oct 18, 2024•58 min•Ep. 741
Do you feel awkward drinking less than everyone else around you? Christine lives in wine country, where almost every social event is at a winery or involves wine. But now that she no longer drinks as much as she used to, she feels like she has to drink just to fit in. In this coaching session, Coach Cole helps Christine talk through her feelings of awkwardness about drinking less and how it affects her social life. Together, they explore practical ways to enjoy social events, feel more confident...
Oct 12, 2024•38 min•Ep. 740
Are you wondering how to build meaningful connections without drinking? Gregory once turned to substances to win fast friends. But that didn’t bring the deep, meaningful connections he really wanted. What he needed to realize, however, was that he had to connect with himself first, and reading This Naked Mind was the first step in the right direction. He took a leap of faith into a new way of life and never looked back. Since his last conversation with Annie on the podcast, he has been focused o...
Oct 11, 2024•29 min•Ep. 739
Does alcohol really lead to the good life, or is it taking more than it gives? For a long time, Rajinder believed alcohol was necessary to have fun at celebrations and on vacations. From the glass of mimosa on the plane to the pretty cocktail at resort check-in, Rajinder’s holidays were always wrapped up in alcohol. But the hangovers were awful, and the plane rides home left her feeling like she needed a vacation from her vacation. It wasn’t until she discovered This Naked Mind that she started ...
Oct 05, 2024•34 min•Ep. 738
Have you ever felt like different parts of you are at war? Cole thought alcohol would always dominate his life. Drinking helped him cope with the grief of losing his father, and before he knew it, he couldn’t separate it from his identity. He endured many years of darkness and self-blame, feeling trapped in a war with himself. But one day, he decided it was time for a change. He committed to learning more about himself and soon found This Naked Mind, which gave him the clarity he needed. Not onl...
Oct 04, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 737
What if you could find better coping mechanisms than alcohol? During Bek’s difficult marriage breakup, she used alcohol to comfort herself and numb painful emotions. Meanwhile, overachiever Emily drank to reward herself, even though she would end up feeling worse. For both women, alcohol was a way to cope with life’s challenges. In this episode, Coach Zoe helps Bek and Emily look back at their pasts to understand the childhood wounds that have kept them stuck as adults. While Bek learns that sel...
Sep 28, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 736
Do you ever feel like you’re going along with the crowd just to fit in? Patrick C. liked drinking because it made him more social. Instead of being the shy, quiet kid he used to be, alcohol made him feel more fun and confident. But when he started feeling worse every time he drank, Patrick realized he wasn’t drinking because he wanted to. Rather, he was drinking to please people and not let them down. In this episode, Patrick talks to Annie about his journey to a healthier lifestyle, his struggl...
Sep 27, 2024•51 min•Ep. 735
If you are truly yourself, will you still belong in your community? Deborah has always been a likable person who fits in effortlessly. But as she steps into her alcohol-free identity, she worries she will lose her connection with her community. In this coaching session, Coach Lance helps her break down her fears around rejection and judgment, showing her that real belonging comes from being unapologetically herself. Deborah discovers that the greatest gift she can offer herself and those around ...
Sep 21, 2024•51 min•Ep. 734
What if the first step to freedom is realizing that you are not the problem? Kayla’s journey with alcohol started long before her first sip. With a father who became unpredictable when he drank and a mother with unresolved trauma, she grew up hating alcohol. When she started drinking to fit in with the college crowd, she justified it by telling herself she wasn’t like her dad. But each time she drank, she felt guilty and ashamed because it felt like she was betraying her younger self. In an unex...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 733
Can alcohol really take away the pain—or is it secretly adding to it? Sarah, a mother burdened by chronic pain and daily pressures, turned to alcohol just to get through the day. But as she depended more on drinking, the impact on her health and happiness grew worse. The pain radiated through her body and she felt increasingly weighed down by feelings of unworthiness. In this coaching session, Sarah reveals the true stakes: her health, her peace, and the moments she fears losing with her childre...
Sep 14, 2024•42 min•Ep. 732
Are you really in control of your relationship with alcohol or is it just an illusion? From crushing it in the corporate world to managing life as a working mom, drinking helped Jenn M. wind down, meet new people, and belong in social circles. Alcohol helped her be the best version of herself, and she had it under control. Or so she thought. Over time, as she noticed the effects of alcohol on her mind and body, she began to question her relationship with it. She struggled to draw the line, but i...
Sep 13, 2024•58 min•Ep. 731
Why do people go back to drinking? Our first episode of the Alcohol Freedom Coaching series offers some insight into what triggers people to drink again, even after experiencing success with quitting. Listen in as This Naked Mind Certified Coach Ellie Crowe gives you an inside look at two intimate alcohol coaching sessions. First, Ellie helps Laurie explore her fears about cravings returning and how to build a strong foundation for lasting alcohol freedom. Then, in a deeply moving conversation, ...
Sep 07, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 730
