What if everything around you has been designed to influence your choices? Kori grew up believing emotions were a weakness. As an adult, she used alcohol, food, and other substances to escape her feelings. When she focused on her health, she tried to change her drinking habits but kept falling back into old patterns, no matter how hard she tried. After joining The PATH, she uncovered the hidden thoughts shaping her choices and learned how to rewire them for lasting change. In this episode, Kori ...
Mar 29, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 788
What if being present matters more than proving yourself? Joel considered himself highly functional despite his drinking, but deep down, he struggled with shame and being fully present. After years of using alcohol to manage stress and pain, he chose to take back control. His loved ones celebrate his progress, but their encouragement sometimes feels like pressure. Meanwhile, Kari is a lifelong overachiever. Since joining The PATH, she has set big goals but worries she won’t reach them. In this e...
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 787
What if everything you’ve been searching for has been within you all along? Cindy had a traumatic childhood, with a violent father who was in and out of her life and a mother who coped by drinking. As a child, she cared for her younger brother, took on adult responsibilities, and learned to suppress her emotions. As she got older, alcohol became her escape from stress and emotional pain. She searched for peace in achievements, relationships, and self-improvement, but nothing brought lasting joy....
Mar 22, 2025•57 min•Ep. 786
What if fitting in isn’t the key to real connection? David has always used alcohol to handle stress and social anxiety but hides it from friends who see him as a “non-drinker.” As an introvert, he worries that not drinking at social events will make him seem like a “party pooper.” Stephanie is known for being fun and agreeable but often changes how she acts to meet others’ expectations. Growing up, she lacked a safe space to be herself, and as an adult, she is afraid of truly opening up. In this...
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 785
What if the very thing you thought gave you freedom was actually keeping you stuck? As the youngest of three children, Lisa watched her older brothers drink and felt both curious and uneasy about it. In college, drinking felt like freedom. During her international sports career, it was a way to relax, fit in, and manage stress. Over time, what once gave her a sense of independence left her burnt out and disconnected from herself. As anxiety crept in, she began questioning her habits. After readi...
Mar 15, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 784
What if real habit change starts with how you think, not just what you do? Gemma made a commitment to 30 alcohol-free days, but on day 20, she had a drink. As someone who fears failure, she is struggling not to be hard on herself. Souren feels torn between wanting to change his relationship with alcohol and falling back into familiar habits. His fear of facing emotions has sometimes led him to create stress as a reason to drink. In this episode, Coach Ellie helps Gemma and Souren shift their min...
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 783
What does real support look like when making a change? Stacey had her first drink at age 14, but by 15 or 16, life felt harder. She often clashed with her strict mom, leading her to rebel. In college, she bonded with friends over binge drinking, and at first, it felt normal. But over time, blackouts, anxiety, and injuries became more frequent. Her husband pointed it out, but his judgment only pushed her to drink more. When she finally decided to change for herself, she explored different approac...
Mar 08, 2025•55 min•Ep. 782
What if the discomfort you’re avoiding is the key to healing? Mary has been working on her relationship with alcohol but has kept it to herself out of fear of what others might think if she fails. When she tried to take a break before, she found herself drinking again and wasn’t sure how to make a lasting change. Meanwhile, Nancy spent years avoiding her emotions, turning to alcohol after overcoming an eating disorder. Her rocky relationship with her father and siblings made it hard for her to p...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 781
In hard moments, does what you turn to help you grow? Kate had worked very hard to heal from the trauma of her first marriage which left her feeling like she wasn’t good enough. But when betrayal in her current marriage reopened old wounds, she found herself drinking again after three years of being alcohol-free. Meanwhile, Dawn is sensitive to everyday noises like ticking clocks and chewing sounds. She drinks to quiet the noise and ease her irritation. In this episode, Coach Ruby helps both wom...
Mar 01, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 780
What is one small realization that changed your life in a big way? When Annie Grace worked in corporate, her boss advised her to join happy hour to network. At first, she only drank at work events, but soon it became a daily habit at home. She tried to cut back with strict rules, but nothing worked. One morning, after a week of heavy drinking, she woke up needing alcohol, with vodka as her only option. Hungover and full of regret, she wrote in her journal, “I think I’m an alcoholic”. Those words...
Feb 28, 2025•57 min•Ep. 779
Bestselling author Annie Grace invites you to explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture without rules, pain, or judgment.
Feb 27, 2025•4 min
What if the labels you’ve always worn no longer fit who you are becoming? Maureen and Jackson are both discovering how life feels when alcohol isn’t such a big part of it. For Maureen, this time feels easier than ever, leaving her wondering if it’s too good to be true. Jackson is nervous about what his friends will think if he chooses not to drink. Alcohol was a big part of his culture growing up, and he worries that stepping away might be seen as a weakness. In this episode, Coach Hayley helps ...
Feb 22, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 778
When was the last time you felt fully present with someone you love? Brian was known as “the happy hour guy” among friends and colleagues. But when his dad passed away at age 57, he began reflecting on his health and how he was living. As his mom’s health declined soon after, he chose to take a break from drinking to be more present with her. That pause led to surprising changes including better sleep, more energy, and improved health. He stayed fully present for his mom when it mattered most. A...
Feb 21, 2025•59 min•Ep. 777
When life feels heavy, what small choices can help you feel lighter? Shanelle had gone weeks without drinking and felt ready to face her emotions in therapy. But as therapy revealed deeper pain, she found herself returning to old habits. Meanwhile, Mary has been struggling with stress while caring for her aging mother. After hospital visits, she often finds herself reaching for a drink, but over time, she has realized it only makes her numb and unable to deal with her emotions. In this episode, ...
Feb 15, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 776
How do you inspire change in others without pushing them away? Paul Martino never really enjoyed drinking. It was something he did to fit in. When he and Stacey Martino became intentional about their health, they decided to change their relationship with alcohol. During a difficult time in their marriage, Stacey tried pushing Paul to do things her way but when she shifted her focus to her own growth, Paul felt inspired to change on his terms. Now, 25 years later, they haven’t had a drink, by cho...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 775
How do you make real, lasting changes when motivation comes and goes? Dwayne has been through major life changes, including the end of two marriages, and has noticed alcohol becoming more present over time. He wants to make a change but struggles to stay consistent. On some days, he can, on other days, he just can’t help it. Roz also wants to shift her habits but finds it hard to follow through. She starts off motivated, but after a long day at an emotionally demanding job, having a drink feels ...
Feb 08, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 774
What if the signs you’ve been ignoring are leading you toward change? Alcohol was a big part of Jane’s first marriage, with weekend get-togethers and drinks shared with her husband and friends. After her divorce, her drinking gradually increased. As a medical rep, drinking often felt like the norm, but over time, she noticed more anxiety and a shorter temper, which affected her relationship with her daughter. Then, on two separate occasions, she fell and hit her face after drinking. Those moment...
Feb 07, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 773
Would you still appreciate your progress, even when it’s not perfect? Lisa and Rae have spent years trying to find balance in their relationship with alcohol. Lisa has tried many ways to regain control but struggles to trust herself after past setbacks. Rae, after decades of drinking, has gone days without it and felt the difference, but breaking old habits isn’t always easy. Now, both women are ready to move forward with confidence, clarity, and control. In this episode, Coach Ruby helps Lisa a...
Feb 01, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 776
What might change if you let yourself feel every emotion without running from it? Agnes grew up in a "work hard, play hard" family, where alcohol was a way to ease stress. After a childhood filled with trauma, she carried so much pain into her teenage years, struggling to connect socially. Drinking made her feel alive and fun, becoming her go-to for managing stress, social situations, and intimacy, following a doctor’s advice. Over time, she realized that the more she drank, the more lost and un...
Jan 31, 2025•55 min•Ep. 771
How might your past still be shaping the choices you make today? Eliza feels unworthy of living without alcohol and is afraid to discover who she truly is without it. Growing up, she learned to hide her true self to earn her parents’ love. Meanwhile, Lacey grew up feeling unheard, which made it difficult for her to share her feelings. Her husband’s recent cancer diagnosis has brought up deep fears, making it even harder for her to open up. In this episode, Coach Zoe helps them reflect on how the...
Jan 25, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 770
Can one brave choice give you the strength to transform your relationships? Brent turned to alcohol in high school to cope with his parents’ divorce. This choice hurt his grades, led to car accidents, affected his health, and nearly ended his marriage. After undergoing major surgery and realizing the impact of his habits on his family, he decided to make a tough but necessary change. He worked hard to rebuild his marriage and has now been happily married for 42 years. In this episode, Brent shar...
Jan 24, 2025•49 min•Ep. 769
What thoughts are you holding on to, and are they still serving you? Souren has been on The PATH but is afraid of falling behind and not making it. This brings feelings of loneliness and not belonging. Meanwhile, Deanna has had a 40-year relationship with alcohol. She used it to deal with stress, anxiety, and trauma but realized it wasn’t helping her feel better anymore. Now, after nine months of not drinking, she sometimes hears inner voices pulling her back to old habits. In this episode, Coac...
Jan 18, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 768
Can you create space for the simple moments that bring you the most joy? Stephanie first tried alcohol at age 14 but she didn’t react well to it. However, seeing people enjoy drinking at her dad’s bar later shaped her idea of fun. As a young wife, she often attended parties to have a good time. What started as social drinking grew into drinking more often at home, especially during challenging times, like losing her job and navigating her daughter’s health struggles. A family vacation became a t...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 767
What if the fear of change is just a sign of how much it matters? Caterine has gone 27 days without alcohol, which is the longest she’s ever gone in the past 20 years. With all the extra free time, she’s unsure how to fill her days. She feels she should be doing more but the fear of failure has held her back. Belinda, who has also had a long relationship with alcohol, believes her meals are incomplete without a drink, which makes her avoid eating out. Coach Ruby encourages Caterine to practice b...
Jan 11, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 766
Does your current identity reflect who you truly are? Marc worked in sales and often used alcohol to connect with colleagues and clients. As he got closer to his forties, he noticed that it took him longer to recover from hangovers. At that point, he realized he needed to make healthier choices. Since his last conversation with Annie on the podcast, Marc has left his sales career to focus on building a life outside work. He is now prioritizing his family, giving back to his community, and embrac...
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 765
Is your fear of being judged holding you back? Molly grew up relying on people’s opinions to feel good about herself. As a physician, she struggles to talk about alcohol use without fear of being misunderstood and judged. She worries that people will think something is wrong with her for choosing to live alcohol-free. Since her self-worth has relied heavily on external validation and appearing perfect, being judged by others would hurt her self-esteem. In this episode, Coach Rina helps Molly see...
Jan 04, 2025•49 min•Ep. 764
What if change is always possible, no matter how many times you try? At 25 years old, Jana was married and living in Hawaii, where she began exploring alcohol after losing access to marijuana. Three years later, her husband asked for a separation, which brought up deep feelings of rejection, especially from not having her dad in her life. To cope with the pain, Jana began drinking more. Later, she took a job at a winery and started drinking daily until she realized she didn’t feel as in control ...
Jan 03, 2025•50 min•Ep. 763
What steps can you take today to get closer to the life you imagine? Meri started drinking regularly in her twenties after a tough breakup. Since then, she has struggled to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol. Now, in her late forties, she hopes to build a future where alcohol takes up less space in her thoughts and daily life. Lola is a busy mom who often feels tired and stressed at the end of the day. She uses alcohol to relax and “reward” herself for all her hard work. In this episod...
Dec 28, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 762
How can you embrace who you are without needing to fit in? Madison didn’t realize how shy she really was until she got to college. She turned to alcohol as a way of finding confidence and making friends. She seemed to be having a great time, but after a while, she was no longer drinking just to fit in. Alcohol became a way to cope with life’s struggles, including trauma, depression, and a bad relationship. Things took a turn when she got a DUI, which made her feel ashamed and led her to research...
Dec 27, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 761
Would you feel more confident if you could trust yourself every step of the way? Jan struggles with how she sees herself with and without alcohol. While it helps her feel fun, it also leaves her dealing with shame and low energy after drinking. She’s afraid of making big decisions without it and facing the difficult emotions tied to her past. Meanwhile, Susan panics when there’s no alcohol at home. Having it nearby helps her feel calm, and she worries about how her body and mind might react with...
Dec 21, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 760
