This Naked Mind Podcast
Bestselling author Annie Grace invites you to explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture without rules, pain, or judgement. The podcast offers insights and support for those looking to change their relationship with alcohol. It promotes a free 30-day challenge called The Alcohol Experiment designed to deliver happiness, wellbeing, and self-respect.
Episodes
Summer of Love
In Summer of Love, Kerri Maher writes about wine country glamour, shame that runs across generations, and the woman at the center who can't quite say out loud what she knows about herself. She lived that from the inside before she could write it clearly. She read Annie Grace's This Naked Mind in its earliest self-published form in 2016, stopped drinking for 15 months, then convinced herself the pr
Why You Keep Going Back To Alcohol
Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 919
If you're trying to figure out how to stop drinking for good, you’ll want to tune in for this episode. Shannon is 14 days alcohol-free and the first person on either side of her family to ever try changing their drinking — and every time a family member sets down their glass because she isn't having one, the guilt shows up right on schedule. Amy read This Naked
When AA Isn’t Working
Tim's Naked Life | EP 918
When AA isn't working, most people assume they're the problem — not committed enough, not broken enough, not at rock bottom enough to figure it all out and make a change. Tim Kelly thought that too. A 30-year sales professional who'd always been able to muscle through whatever came at him, Tim spent years inside 12-step programs and still couldn't stop drinking. In thi
When Alcohol Is The Only Coping Tool You Know
Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 917
What happens when you finally want to stop using alcohol to cope, but the idea of facing everything without it feels almost impossible? In this episode, Kim and Liv bravely step into that very question. They open up about just how easily alcohol became a source of comfort — soothing a nervous system wrecked by family crisis and serving as the one reliable, fami
How One Mom Stopped Drinking
Sabrina’s Naked Life | EP 916
Trigger Warning: This episode includes mentions of an eating disorder.
What does it really take to stop drinking when every warning sign you've been handed just isn't enough? Sabrina grew up watching her father drive drunk, got her own DUI at 17, and spent years treating pregnancy as her only real break from alcohol. It wasn't a rock bottom that finally did it; it
Feeling Raw? That Means It's Working | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 915
Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to suicidal ideation, childhood trauma, family violence, and mental illness.
Laura has been alcohol-free since Christmas and the voice in her head keeps saying: this isn't going to work for you. Patricia is 83 days in, standing outside in minus-17 degrees watching the moon, finally letting herself cry. Feeling raw after quitting alcohol is exactl
High-Functioning Doesn't Mean Fine | Tim’s Naked Life | EP 914
Is your life mostly intact — job fine, marriage okay, responsibilities covered — and yet you're drinking every single night and can't quite picture stopping? That's exactly where Tim Knapp was for years, and he was also, at the same time, one of the people other people called in a crisis. He spent over a decade working inside addiction recovery programs, walking men out of homelessness and incarce
Breaking the Drinking Cycle, Finding Yourself | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 913
Have you ever gotten exactly what you wanted, only to wait for something to go wrong? That's where Brenda is in today's episode — alcohol-free, feeling like herself again, and quietly afraid to believe it will last. In the second session, Emma has spent five years in a cycle she can't seem to break, and she finally gets a look at what's really underneath it. Two coaches, two guests, two conversati
The Book That Changed His Mind Twice| Jonathan's Naked Life | EP 912
Ever used drinking to cope with grief and felt like it wasn’t even a conscious choice but rather a reflex? Jonathan knows that feeling exactly. He'd been living alcohol-free for two and a half years when he lost his father-in-law and then his dad, just months apart, during the pandemic. On the drive home from the funeral, he stopped at a Mexican restaurant and ordered a margarita. He thought he'd
Why Do I Keep Going Back to Drinking? | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 911
What if the thing keeping you stuck isn't a lack of willpower, but a lack of understanding what's really driving you back? Linda has nearly 100 days alcohol-free and is starting to wonder if she trusts herself more than she thinks she does. Jane is asking a question she's carried for decades: why do I keep going back to something that gives me nothing anymore? In this episode, Coach Cole and Coach
Breaking the Alcohol Shame Spiral | Krista's Naked Life | EP 910
What does it take to finally break the alcohol shame spiral when it's been running your life for decades? Krista knows the cycle well: a data point, the crushing shame that followed, a vow to do better, and then the slow, sneaky creep back to hiding bottles and pulling over on the side of the road to drink before going home. In this episode, she sits down with Coach Cole Harvey to share the full a
When Grief and Drinking Go Hand in Hand | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 909
Trigger Warning: This episode includes conversations about grief, loss of loved ones, family estrangement, trauma, and depression.
Have you ever been in so much pain that reaching for a drink just felt like the most human thing to do? That is exactly where today's two guests have been, and this episode will meet you right there. First up is Cathy, 87 days alcohol-free, who joins Coach Cole to wor
How I Stopped Drinking After Trying To Moderate | Michele’s Naked Life | EP 908
Wondering how I stopped drinking after trying to moderate for years? "Have I got a story for you!" says Michele. She ran a business, raised her daughter, kept things moving — and drank every night in a relationship where no one questioned it. Then the pandemic stripped away her structure, her purpose, and everything that had kept things manageable. She tried cutting back. She tried understanding i
How to Rebuild Self-Worth After Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 907
Trigger warning: This episode contains references to domestic violence, suicidal ideation, & self-harm ideation.
If you've been wondering how to rebuild self-worth after drinking, this episode will meet you right where you are. Coach Zoe coaches Katia through the power of her "alive goal" — learning to love the girl in the mirror after years of not being able to look at her own reflection. Then C
How Coaching Helped Me Change My Drinking | JiAna's Naked Life | EP 906
What if the thing you thought was holding your life together was actually pulling you under? JiAna spent years reaching for alcohol not because she wanted to drink but because she was living in relentless pain and nobody had anything better to offer her. Between a chronic illness that left her on the floor and a culture that pushed wine at baby showers and playgroups, it made a terrible kind of se
Why Willpower Fails With Alcohol — and What Actually Works Instead | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 905
Have you ever done everything "right" and still felt like alcohol had the upper hand? You're not alone — and there's a really good reason for that. Coach Hayley coaches M through the fear and doubt swirling around her upcoming break, while Coach Zoe helps Lawrence see that his drinking is actually rooted in a rebellious 15-year-old who never got to grow up. When you understand why willpower fails
Rewiring My Mindset Around Drinking | Anne's Naked Life | EP 904
What happens when the thing you're most afraid to lose is also the thing quietly costing you everything? Anne grew up in a home where five o'clock cocktails were as reliable as the sunset. Drinking was culture, celebration, and comfort, and for a long time, it felt completely earned. But through two pregnancies, her parents' declining health, and eventually losing both of them, a bottle a night be
Letting Go of Shame and Finding Freedom | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 903
Does it ever feel like you know everything there is to know about why you drink, and none of it is enough to make you stop? You're not alone in that. In this episode, Coaches Hayley and Cole each sit with a Path member who's been carrying that exact weight. Audrey has 20 years of binge drinking, a ton of quit lit under her belt, and a shame so deep she's not sure she deserves to feel better. Savan
Beyond Moderation and White-Knuckling | Where Are They Now? - Calley | EP 902
What is gray area drinking for women – and what happens when “drink less” slowly turns into “I don’t even want this anymore”? In this Where Are They Now conversation, Calley returns after first appearing on the podcast in October 2019 to share what seven years alcohol-free really looks like. Talking with Coach Hayley, she reflects on motherhood, moving, social discomfort, and the quiet but powerfu
How to Separate Fun From Alcohol | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 901
What if the fun was never actually in the drink? What is the best way to stop associating fun with alcohol? Zion called alcohol the "jewelry" of life, the thing that made every moment glitter, and spent years believing that celebrations, friendships, and good food just needed a cocktail to feel complete. Audra built her whole identity around being the bold one who drank scotch and bourbon and neve
The Crossroads That Changed Everything | Kelly's Naked Life | EP 900
What made me question my drinking? “It wasn't a rock bottom — it was a barstool, a mirror, and a quiet voice asking where this road was headed,” says Kelly. Kelly grew up in a drinking household, spent years drinking daily, and was smart enough to see the writing on the wall before things got worse. Five years later, she joins Coach Cole to share the health wake-up call, the book that changed eve
Releasing Guilt, Embracing Freedom | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 899
Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to grief and the loss of a child.
What alcohol was really costing me was my peace, my presence, and a life that felt true and authentic. That's the realization both Michelle and Susan come to with the help of Coaches Hayley and Cole. Michelle just hit 30 days and is only now connecting the dots between what alcohol was really costing her and the f
How Alcohol-Free Living Improves Anxiety | Brooke's Naked Life | EP 898
What does it take to finally walk away from drinking when you love the party, love your people, and have never once thought of yourself as someone with a problem? Brooke was a high-functioning extrovert running a business and raising a family when a quiet voice in her head kept telling her something was off. Once she found The Path and started doing the real work, she discovered how alcohol-free l
Emotions, Perfectionism, and the Courage to Feel Without Alcohol | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 897
Ever reach for a drink because your feelings felt too big, too messy, or too hard? How often have you wondered what is the best way to feel your feelings without drinking? Coaches Soraya & Cole show that it isn't about white-knuckling through emotions; it's about letting them in. Dianne walked away from 15 alcohol-free years after her son's ultimatum broke her, and hasn't found her way back. Beth
From Survival Mode to Thriving: My Alcohol-Free Life Transformation | Valerie's Naked Life | EP 896
Trigger warning: This episode contains references to domestic violence, sexual assault, self-harm, disordered eating, substance use, and mental health crises.
What does an alcohol-free life transformation actually look like from the inside? For Valerie, it looks like CrossFit at 4:30 AM, a flourishing marriage, a challenging career, and a self she genuinely loves for the first time at 36. But get
How To Stop Drinking When You Feel Overwhelmed | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 895
Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to PTSD, depression, loss, and self-harm.
What if the thing you've never tried, not once in your whole life, turned out to be the answer? Beverlee is fresh out of eight years of isolation, finally learning how to stop drinking when you feel overwhelmed by caregiving, grief, and years of putting herself last. Steve is 75, alcohol-free since July, a
What Happens When You Choose Yourself for the Very First Time | Shannon's Naked Life | EP 894
Breaking the nightly drinking habit can feel impossible when alcohol has been “normal” your whole life—so what happens when you finally decide to choose you? Shannon grew up with alcohol in the background, avoided drinking for years, and then slowly found herself becoming the “drinking buddy” in a marriage where beer was everywhere. When the boys moved out and her drinking escalated, she hit a gut
How to Deal With Stress Without Alcohol | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 893
Ever notice how the craving doesn’t wait til you get home? How it shows up the second the day gets heavy? Coaches Cole and Hayley sit down with Beth and Patrick to unpack what’s really happening under the urge to drink, and how to respond with support instead of self-criticism. Along the way, they answer a question so many of us have asked: What is the best way to deal with stress without alcohol?
Letting Go of Wine Culture | Sherri’s Naked Life | EP 892
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of substance use, parental substance abuse, blackouts, and trauma-related behaviors.
Letting go of wine culture—what if it’s not about losing something… but getting you back? Sherri grew up in a world where partying was normal, alcohol was everywhere, and being “the fun one” felt like her role. Over time, that same “fun” turned into nightly wine
What To Do When A Voice In Your Head Says You Can't Change | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 891
What if working through urges to drink didn't have to feel like fighting failure? In this episode, Coaches Cole and Hayley sit down with Kristen and Nicola — two Path members — for Alcohol Freedom Coaching sessions that shine a light on how our urges to drink can become our greatest teachers rather than our enemies. Kristen drinks to escape overwhelm, creating a self-perpetuating cycle, while Nico
How Brain Rewiring Made Alcohol Small and Insignificant | Monica's Naked Life | EP 890
Picking health over alcohol—what if that choice could feel less like deprivation and more like relief? Monica grew up in a culture where drinking wasn’t just normal, it was identity: being the fun one, staying late, shining at happy hour, making alcohol the “reward” for workdays, celebrations, stress, and everything in between. Even when the downsides started showing up (worse anxiety, feeling run
How to Break Routine Drinking Patterns When Alcohol Is Everywhere | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 889
Breaking routine drinking patterns can feel like the most difficult part of finding freedom in your relationship with alcohol. Our brain kicks into autopilot mode, and suddenly, it seems like a drink magically appears in our hands. Figuring out what feeds that pattern is key to breaking it. Today, Coach Soraya works with Cheryl, who's about to spend five months in Mexico, where daily drinking is t
Choosing Freedom Over Fitting In | Maxine’s Naked Life | EP 888
Trigger Warning: This episode contains a reference to sexual assault.
Choosing freedom over fitting in. What if that one decision changed everything? Maxine grew up in an Irish culture where drinking was considered a vital piece of celebration, identity, and belonging, and for years she rode the exhausting cycle of stopping, starting, and negotiating with alcohol. Then she took on 75 Hard for her
Breaking Through Boredom and Building Lasting Change | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 887
What happens when you're doing all the "right things" but still feel stuck? Coaches Cole and Soraya guide Audra and Scott through the messy middle of changing their relationship with alcohol. Audra's wrestling with pressure to be perfect while learning how to stop drinking when you're bored, and she’s seeing wins even when her brain tries to minimize them. Scott just moved, lost people he loved, a
Why I Don't Miss Alcohol Anymore | Elise's Naked Life | EP 886
Can you really have more fun, deeper connections, and better adventures without alcohol? Elise wasn't sure. She'd spent her whole life watching alcohol take center stage at every party, every milestone, every celebration. Her mom always said it helped her relax. Her dad marked achievements with champagne. As a kid, Elise mixed the perfect gin and tonic every night. Fast forward to her high-powered
What If Staying On Track Didn’t Require Willpower? | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 885
What happens when you're crushing your break, feeling better than you have in years, but that little voice starts whispering, "Okay, but what about day 31?" In this episode, Coaches Soraya and Hayley help two Path members figure out exactly that. Christine opens up about her "Hellcat" pattern of achievement and escape, learning how to stay on track after a 30-day alcohol break by understanding the
Starting Over at 70: Finding Clarity and Peace Without Alcohol After Retirement | Jan's Naked Life | EP 884
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of divorce and loss of a loved one to cancer.
Have you ever wondered why life changes can make old habits suddenly feel louder? Jan never imagined retirement would lead her here. She had done everything “right”—worked hard, raised her kids, showed up for everyone else. Alcohol had always felt manageable. Until it didn’t. When retirement, relocati
From “I Blew It” to “I’m Learning”: Stopping the Shame Spiral | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 883
Stopping the shame spiral—what if the fastest way out isn’t more willpower, but more compassion? In this episode of Alcohol Freedom Coaching, Coach Hayley supports Carol, a newly retired grandmother who felt “so far behind” after a vacation slip, and Coach Cole guides Nancy, a devoted mom caring for a daughter with complex special needs, who’s learning to relax without wine and let go of “I should
I Thought Alcohol Was Helping My Anxiety—It Wasn’t | Monnica’s Naked Life | EP 882
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of severe alcohol use disorder, blackout drinking, hospitalization, family trauma, and parental death.
Using alcohol to calm down—does it actually work, or does it quietly make everything harder? Monnica didn’t start drinking to escape her life. She drank to manage it. What began as a way to settle postpartum nerves slowly turned into a cycle of
Thought, Craving, or Old Habit? Making Sense of the Urge to Drink | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 881
Does the urge to drink ever go away, or is it something you’re stuck managing forever? In this Alcohol Freedom Coaching episode, Coach Hayley works with Mark, and Coach Soraya supports Michael as they share the real, messy middle of change. Mark talks about years of 30, 60, and 90-day breaks, the weight of the “alcoholic” label, and how an emotion-based goal—making alcohol immaterial in his life—f
Rebuilding Identity and Relationships After Alcohol | Sheela’s Naked Life | EP 880
What if the connection you think you're creating while drinking together is actually pulling you apart? Sheela spent decades as a heavy drinker, immersed in Australian culture where alcohol was everywhere—from Schoolies Week celebrations to working as a musician in bars. Wine o'clock became her daily escape, a numbing ritual she believed helped her relax, until health problems and 3am anxiety wake
From Numbing to Nurturing: Desire vs. Resistance | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 879
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, mental health crises, domestic violence, & family trauma.
How do you build the desire to stop drinking when alcohol feels like your only escape from an overwhelming life? Richard shares his struggle with using alcohol to cope with family challenges, including his son's mental health crisis and decades of marital strife, while Stephani
From Blackouts to Boundaries: A Year That Changed Everything | Where Are They Now? – Mary | EP 878
Trigger Warning: This episode discusses pregnancy and fertility loss, breast and brain cancer, caregiving stress, grief, blackout drinking, relapse, and substance use.What if relief isn’t in the glass but in the space you reclaim? Mary maps the messy middle—moderation rules, peer pressure, the “pitcher plant,” and the night she couldn’t care for her sister because she was too sick to stand. Revisi
Anxiety, Overwhelm, and Alcohol: Tools to Find Calm and Confidence | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 877
What if “I deserve a drink” is just an old script you can rewrite? In today’s episode, Coach Cole helps Matt notice how removing alcohol lowered his baseline stress at a new job—turning frantic mornings into steady ones and replacing dread with data. Coach Zoe supports Constance, a second-grade teacher whose activated nervous system kept her in fight-or-flight; together they connect the dots from
Why We Drink Too Much: Breaking Free from Alcohol Dependence | Interview with Dr. Charles Knowles | EP 876
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of alcohol dependence, addiction, suicidal thoughts, mental health struggles, and relapse.
Why we drink too much isn't always obvious—what if the answer lies deeper than willpower or self-control? Dr. Charles Knowles, a world-renowned surgeon and author, spent decades trapped in a cycle he couldn't explain: 10 years of fun, 10 years of fun with c
Learning to Love Yourself Unconditionally | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 875
Trigger Warning: This episode contains mentions of chronic illness, disordered eating, self-harm, and the death of a loved one.
Can learning to love yourself unconditionally be the missing piece in your alcohol-free journey? Jean, 65 days alcohol-free, worries about her sister's upcoming visit and how to maintain their bond without wine. Coach Cole helps her realize their connection runs deeper
From Shutting My Brain Off With Booze To Tuning Into My Life | Glenn's Naked Life | EP 874
Do you find yourself wondering how to shut your brain off without alcohol when social situations feel overwhelming? Glenn spent decades believing alcohol was essential—from watching his parents' basement bar parties to using beer as a social crutch in college. By COVID, weekend-only drinking had become daily drinking, and he was hiding bottles from his wife. Traditional counseling focused on willp
Possibility Over Fear: Gentle Tools That Work | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 873
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of stroke, death of a spouse, and grief.
What happens when you stop trying to think your way through living alcohol-free and start feeling your way forward? Ann felt trapped by an endless to-do list and the fear that alcohol would "attack" when her defenses were down. Jamie clung to her nightly glass of wine as the last piece of normalcy after lo
Finding Connection Without Alcohol - Heather’s Naked Life - EP 872
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses childhood trauma, parental abandonment, domestic abuse, substance use, and mental health topics.
Have you ever realized you're doing to someone you love exactly what hurt you most as a child? That gut-wrenching moment hit Heather hard when she recognized she was neglecting her son the same way her alcohol dependent father neglected her. Growing up, she wat
Break The Habit, Bring Back Joy | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 871
Is your struggle with alcohol secretly a struggle for your true self? This powerful dual-coaching session with Coaches Zoe and Cole brings you inside The Path to witness the transformation of Jason and Jim. Jason is 50 days alcohol-free but still tormented by the idea that he’s lost his place in his social circle, grappling with the fear of sacrificing his identity as he removes the "existential g
Losing the Fear of Not Drinking: Rewriting the Story of “Fun” and Freedom | Lindsey’s Naked Life | EP 870
Losing the fear of not drinking can feel impossible, can’t it? For Lindsey, alcohol was woven into every milestone: sixth-grade sleepovers, college weekends, early marriage, and long workweeks that ended with “just one more” drink on the couch. Drinking wasn’t just a habit; it was how she fit in, turned off the noise, and chased that first rush of feeling totally okay for a moment. Over time, the
Why You Know Better But Still Drink | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 869
Why is it so hard to close the gap between knowing you should stop drinking and actually stopping? In this episode, we feature powerful sessions with Coach Cole and Sabine, and Coach Zoe and Mary. Coach Cole validates Sabine’s frustration, helping her realize that her goal isn't to get rid of the inner critic, but to listen to and validate all her internal "parts" so they can work together. These
From Back Pain to Boundaries | Chuck’s Naked Life | EP 868
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “If you felt what I feel, you’d drink too”? Chuck gets that.
For years, a combination of work stress, long commutes, and intense back pain had him pouring more than he ever planned. Drinks became his “off switch” at the end of the day and then his go-to whenever his body flared. Eventually, the pain calmed down and the stressful job shifted, but the habit
Feeling Left Out When You Quit Drinking? How to Build Real Belonging | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E867
Ever catch yourself thinking, “Why does this feel so weird without a drink?” You’re not alone. In this episode, Coach Cole walks with Sally through the swirl of social pressure at kids’ sporting events and helps her spot the doors that open when the “alcohol door” closes. Coach Soraya sits with Ava, who’s noticing a growing gap between her knowledge and her actions. Together they explore sensitivi
New Year, True You: Starting 2026 Empowered and Energized | The Joy Edit | E866
Are you ready to step into the new year feeling empowered instead of empty? The Joy Edit's final episode brings Coaches Pam, Zoe, and Haley together to reflect on what makes an alcohol-free New Year's Eve not just survivable, but genuinely joyful. Coach Zoe remembers her first sober midnight with burnt homemade pizza, fancy fizzy drinks, and the startling realization: "Oh, there you are"—that mome
From Flat to Fulfilled: Finding Joy in Alcohol-Free Living | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E865
What if the very events that bring you the most joy are also your biggest source of fear when it comes to staying alcohol-free? Chris struggles with drinking at family celebrations and sports games, while T returns to The Path after two years alcohol-free that felt emotionally flat, wondering how to enjoy life without alcohol and still feel excitement and relaxation. Coach Cole helps Chris use vis
Finding Joy and Connection: What the Holidays Feel Like Without Alcohol | The Joy Edit | E864
Will the holidays be the same without drinking, or can they become more magical than you ever imagined? Coach Zoe explores that idea this week on The Joy Edit. We’re unwrapping what the holidays truly feel like when you remove alcohol and find something extraordinary waiting underneath. Your first alcohol-free holiday season might feel uncomfortable at first—like being the new kid in school—but yo
Healing The Wounded Inner Child | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E863
This episode contains a discussion of childhood trauma, abuse, & emotional neglect.
What if the key to your alcohol freedom lies in a past you've been trying to outrun? In this powerful episode, Path members Sian and Darci face the past. Darci shares her journey of drinking to escape memories of abuse while Coach Soraya helps unburden her inner child. Coach Zoe guides Sian through emotional sup
Communicating Your Boundaries: Saying No Without Guilt This Holiday Season | The Joy Edit | E862
Ever walk into a holiday party and immediately feel like you need to explain yourself before anyone even asks? Reality check: you don't. Not even a little bit.
In this episode, Coach Hayley shares her own messy, beautiful journey through her first alcohol-free holidays. She talks about feeling like she was under a microscope (spoiler: she wasn't), worrying everyone was judging her (they were mos
Overcoming Self-Judgment and Rejection | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E861
Have you ever felt like your reactions are out of your control? Today, Rosie and Tamara explore the roots of self-judgment and shame with Coaches Cole and Hayley, Alcohol Freedom Guides for The Path. Rosie is working to reframe her reactive responses to stress and anxiety, which she realizes are tied to a childhood feeling of being "shut down." Tamara uncovers her core belief that she isn’t "good
Triggers & Traditions: How to Handle Holiday Triggers Without Alcohol | The Joy Edit | E860
How do you handle holiday triggers without alcohol when every gathering feels like a test? The clinking glasses, "just one won't hurt" comments, and family dynamics can overwhelm anyone navigating an alcohol-free holiday season. Coach Zoe has a game-changing perspective: triggers aren't your enemy—they're messengers pointing to what you actually need. In this powerful Joy Edit episode, you'll disc
How To Stop Numbing Your Feelings and Start Living | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E859
Using alcohol to numb emotions—does it really keep you safe, or just keep you stuck in old patterns? For Ann, alcohol became the shortcut to avoid conflict and silence emotions she’d been told to keep hidden since childhood. For Mandy, the urge to drink after work felt like the only way to shut off stress and self-criticism. In this powerful coaching session, Coach Zoe invites both women to explor
Grace First: How to Navigate the Holidays Without Alcohol | The Joy Edit | E858
Ever catch yourself wondering why the holidays—meant to be joyful—can feel so overwhelming? In this first episode of The Joy Edit, Coach Pam and Coach Hayley explore exactly that. They walk alongside you through the rush of traditions, emotions, expectations, and memories that make the season both beautiful and complicated. Hayley opens up about her first alcohol-free holiday after losing her mom,
How to Figure Out Why You Drink (and What to Do Instead) | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E857
What if the feeling you’re trying to avoid is actually pointing to what you need most? In this episode, Coach Cole and Coach Hayley guide T and Jean through compassionate exploration of the urges driving their drinking. T describes anticipation, ritual, and the itchy “deprivation sweater” she feels when she skips a drink. Jean shares how isolation and social anxiety feed her belief that she’s “not
How To Reframe Drinking Mistakes with Curiosity, Not Criticism | Jennifer's Naked Life | E856
How do you learn how to get over drunken mistakes when the same patterns keep repeating? Jennifer spent years convincing herself that each catastrophic night was just an isolated incident—until she couldn't ignore the data points anymore. Raised to suppress her emotions in a predominantly white neighborhood as a Salvadorian, she developed an identity crisis early on that followed her into adulthoo
From Mindless to Mindful Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E855
What if the shift from mindless to mindful drinking could change everything? In this episode, Coach Cole sits down with Rhoda and Wendi to share what coaching inside The Path really looks like—compassionate, practical, and doable. Together, they uncover the small, repeatable steps that turn autopilot drinking into a conscious choice. From creating space in the middle of urges to redefining success
Managing The Noise Without Alcohol | Scot’s Naked Life | E854
Why does alcohol feel like the only way to quiet your mind? Drinking to deal with sensory overload and overwhelming 'white noise' was a daily necessity for Scot. After growing up surrounded by generational alcohol use, he turned to alcohol early in life, finding it was the only thing that allowed him to overcome shyness and function socially. It wasn't until later in life, after receiving a diagno
From Numbing to Noticing: How The Path Rewires Relationship Patterns | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E853
Trigger Warning: This episode contains conversations about verbal abuse, family dysfunction, and childhood trauma. Please listen with care.
Healing relationships damaged by alcohol—where do you even begin? In this candid, hope-filled episode, Coach Soraya and Coach Zoe sit down with Sherri and Kevin to give listeners a front-row peek at how The Path works—and the breakthroughs that happen insid
From Closing Bars to Opening Coffee Shops | Tiffany’s Naked Life | E852
What does it really mean to be the life of the party when you can't remember the conversations you had? Tiffany grew up in a family where alcohol was as normal as water, present at every meal. Working on cruise ships and yachts, she became the person who never wanted to go home, always chasing the next bar until sunrise. Many people wonder do I need to give up partying when considering change, and
From Cravings to Curiosity | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E851
What if cravings and emotions weren’t problems to fight but signals to listen to? That’s exactly what Jody and Lauren explore in their coaching sessions with Coach Cole. Jody asks the honest question so many of us do: “Why can’t I get rid of alcohol cravings?” Lauren opens up about how uncomfortable it feels to face her emotions instead of numbing with wine. With Coach Cole’s guidance, they begin
Parenting, Anxiety, and the Power of Asking Why | Where Are They Now | E850
Are you struggling with learning how to cope as a special needs parent when alcohol has been your go-to for years? Amy once felt the same way—thinking wine was the only way to take the edge off. But during a 30-day alcohol experiment, she uncovered something surprising: her drinking had less to do with parenting challenges and more to do with old coping patterns she’d carried for years. In this Wh
How To Overcome The Inner Voice That Tells You To Drink | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E849
Are you struggling to silence the inner voice that gives you a "permission slip" to drink? In this episode, Coaches Haley and Soraya offer an inside look at the breakthroughs, support, and compassion available inside The Path every day. Cara feels like she's treading water, while Michelle grapples with feeling like a failure, but they both learn valuable lessons about how to stop giving yourself p
From Weekend Warrior To Alcohol-Free | Michael’s Naked Life | E848
What if the thing holding you back from feeling better was so normal you couldn't even see it? Michael spent years as a weekend drinker—never missing work, rarely getting truly hungover, and thinking his Friday-Saturday routine was just part of life. But beneath the surface, he was gaining weight, feeling disconnected, and living in a fog he didn't know existed. When he finally calculated the calo
Escaping The Hamster Wheel of Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E847
Escaping The Hamster Wheel of Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E847
Why can’t I quit drinking after so many tries? It’s a question so many of us have asked, and in this episode, Leslie and Phillipa open up about their long journeys of stopping, starting, and struggling with alcohol. Joined by Coach Zoe, they pull back the curtain on the ups, downs, and lessons they’ve faced along the way. Yo
How Quitting Alcohol Unlocks Creativity and Changes Everything | Samuel's Naked Life | E846
What happens when quitting drinking saves your life but ruins your marriage?
Samuel thought stopping drinking would fix everything, but it actually revealed that his relationship couldn't survive the person he was becoming. His drinking story is terrifying—regular blackouts, waking up in strangers' beds, traumatic incidents that destroyed his wife's trust. But when he finally found freedom using
What To Do When The Emotions Hit After You Quit Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E845
What To Do When The Emotions Hit After You Quit Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E845
Trigger Warning: The topics discussed in this episode, particularly in the second half, involve sensitive subjects such as family trauma, abuse, and addiction. Listener discretion is advised.
Are you drinking to avoid emotions and finding yourself trapped in endless mental loops about whether to have that
How Quitting Alcohol Led Amy to Rediscover Herself | Amy’s Naked Life | E844
Have you ever felt guilty about missing precious memories because of alcohol? Amy's journey began in sixth grade in a family where alcohol was simply part of every gathering. Years later, when her kids confronted her about her drinking, she realized she was missing out on being truly present for the moments that mattered most. After reading This Naked Mind and experiencing one terrifying night whe
The Ripple Effect of Quitting Drinking | Meet Our Coaches | E843
The Ripple Effect of Quitting Drinking | Meet Our Coaches | E843
The ripple effect of quitting drinking—what if it reaches far beyond one empty glass? Coach Pam speaks with TNM Alcohol Freedom Guides, Ruby and Kai, who share how they found their way to freedom with This Naked Mind. As coaches for The Path, they now help others do the same. Ruby, a former wine industry insider, recounts her journe
Breaking Family Drinking Patterns to Be a Better Husband | Gavin's Naked Life | E842
Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide, grief, loss, and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs immediate support, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) in the US or visit your local emergency room. Listen with care.
What if the very thing you swore you'd never do became your biggest crutch? Gavin spent his childhood hating alcohol, watc
Using Fear as Fuel For Alcohol Freedom | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E841
What if using fear as fuel could become your greatest tool for lasting alcohol freedom?
Marie has been drinking for three decades, giving alcohol "all the jobs" in her life—numbing overwhelm, escaping difficult emotions, and avoiding the fear of judgment that keeps her stuck in autopilot drinking patterns. Christine feels confident, currently alcohol-free, but worries about potential relapse aft
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