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 work through something she has been quietly carrying for years: a sibling estrangement that started when her family fell apart after her mom passed. She reached out. They pulled away. The hurt stuck around. Then there is Mike, 65 days alcohol-free, who opens up to Coach Zoe about a grief timeline that unfolded faster than he could process: his mom, his estranged brother, a DNR call made from behind the wheel of his car. Drinking to deal with loss became the only language he had for a while, and the depression that came with it crept in so quietly he did not even see it happening. What both of them found inside The Path is what this whole community is built on: a place where someone finally asks the real question, and you finally get to answer it.

In Cathy’s Session:

The sibling estrangement that started with her mom's estate and the grief that stayed long after

Why the hurt lingered even when she thought she had mostly moved on

The realization that joy and grief can exist at the same time without canceling each other out

Coach Cole's reframe: releasing expectations of others is one of the most loving things you can do for yourself

How approaching old pain with curiosity and playfulness changes what feels possible

In Mike’s Session:

Losing his mom to brain cancer, then his brother, and carrying all of it without telling a soul

A DNR decision made alone over the phone and the guilt that moved in quietly afterward

Drinking to deal with loss when there was no framework for grief and no space to speak it out loud

The coaching reframe that shifted his guilt into something that actually felt like grace

What 65 days alcohol-free looks like in the body: sleep, mornings, energy, and presence

The "forever" moment at a family party, said out loud for the very first time

And more on grief, identity, repair, and what it looks like to actually come back to yourself...

Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. For years, he felt lost and used alcohol as a way to cope, until he decided to go alcohol-free and focus on finding his purpose. Through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure, he transformed his life. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps young men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning.

Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/

Zoe Ewart is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who brings her experience and understanding to help with the tricky parts of life’s big changes. Her coaching gives you an enjoyable, light-hearted, and safe environment to effortlessly take back control of alcohol so you can feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. Zoe taught Pilates for 15 years. She has four adult children and more animals than the Ark ever had.

Learn more about Coach Zoe: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/zoe-ewart/

Episode links: nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

How do I deal with death and grief without alcohol? | Reader Question | EP 262 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-262-reader-question-grief-without-alcohol/ 

Alcohol and Grief with Pam McRae | Coaching Questions | EP 382 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-382-coaching-questions-with-scott-pinyard/

How do you deal with stress without alcohol? | Reader Question | EP 158 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-158-how-do-you-deal-with-stress-without-alcohol/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 it. Nothing stuck — until This Naked Mind gave her something willpower alone never could: a real understanding of what alcohol was doing to her, and the freedom to simply stop wanting it.

Michele and Coach Cole discuss:

How a functional habit quietly grew through a painful breakup, pandemic isolation, and lost purpose

Why Michele spent her first year using This Naked Mind while still trying to moderate — and what finally changed

The hospitalization that became her line in the sand

How This Naked Mind helped her understand what alcohol was actually doing to her body and brain

How shame became the thing that made drinking impossible to continue

Reframing her hardest moments as the reason her daughter now has a fully present mom

ADHD, generational patterns, and why "why can I stop sometimes but not others?" finally has an answer

And more on identity, community, and what it means to find your own path to alcohol freedom…

Episode links: nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Is Drinking In Moderation Possible? | Reader Question | EP 08 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-08-reader-question-moderation-possible/

Using Alcohol To Treat Adult ADHD | Amy’s Naked Life | EP800 - https://thisnakedmind.com/using-alcohol-to-treat-adult-adhd-amys-naked-life-e800/

I use alcohol to be a better wife and mother | Reader Question | EP 238 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-238-reader-question-i-use-alcohol-to-be-a-better-wife-and-mother/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 

Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 Coach Cole walks Tracey through meeting her inner critic with curiosity rather than shame. These coaching sessions are raw, real, and deeply human. Learning to trust yourself sober starts with understanding where that harsh inner voice came from — and realizing you don't have to keep carrying what was never yours to begin with.

Katia discusses:

• What an "alive goal" is and why it changes everything

• Years of avoiding mirrors and not recognizing herself

• A violent relationship, emotional eating, and the weight of survival

• Drawing a picture of herself — and seeing who she really is inside

• Giving herself permission to heal (and why that's harder than it sounds)

• Choosing The Path after years of trying to figure it out alone

• And more…

Tracey discusses:

• The self-compassion struggle when criticism is all you've ever known

• Meeting the inner critic — and finding out it's just scared

• Why binge drinking and shame create a cycle that's hard to break

• Tracing perfectionism back to a critical parent

• How to rebuild self-worth after drinking by separating your voice from someone else's

• Learning to trust yourself sober one small, honest moment at a time

• And more topics…

Zoe Ewart is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who brings experience and understanding to help with the tricky parts of life’s big changes. Her coaching gives you an enjoyable, light-hearted, and safe environment to effortlessly take back control of alcohol so you can feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. Zoe taught Pilates for 15 years. She has four adult children and more animals than the Ark ever had.

Learn more about Coach Zoe: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/zoe-ewart/

Cole Harvey is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. For years, he felt lost and used alcohol to cope, until he decided to go alcohol-free and focus on finding his purpose. Through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure, he transformed his life. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps young men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning.

Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/

Episode links: nakedmindpath.comRelated Episodes:

Healing Through Self-Love | Cole’s Naked Life | E737 - https://thisnakedmind.com/healing-through-self-love-coles-naked-life-e737/

 Learning To Love Yourself Unconditionally | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E875 - https://thisnakedmind.com/learning-to-love-yourself-unconditionally-afc-e875/

Love Yourself Sober - Naked Life Story – Kate & Mandy - EP 363 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-363-naked-life-story-mandy-kate/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 

Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 sense. But slowly, joy started disappearing. The glimmers faded. That's when she knew something had to change. JiAna describes how coaching helped her change her drinking not through shame or rigid rules, but through curiosity, community, and the kind of compassion she'd never been shown — or shown herself.

In this episode, JiAna and Coach Cole discuss:

Familial drinking culture and alcohol being normalized from childhood

Endometriosis, chronic pain, and why alcohol felt like the only option

Losing the ability to find joy — the quiet signal that something was wrong

Why shame-free support felt strange at first and transformative over time

The ACT technique: awareness, clarity, and turnaround in practice

Community in The Path and the bonds that lasted beyond the program

Becoming a certified Women's Health Coach and being named one of the Most Influential Women of 2025 

And more on self-love, hope, and turning pain into purpose…

Episode links: endo-ease.comnakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Overcoming Using Alcohol as a Pain Reliever | Reader Question | EP 656 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-656-readers-question-overcoming-using-alcohol-as-a-pain-reliever/

How can I break free from Mommy Wine Culture? | Reader Question | EP 430 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-430-reader-question-how-can-i-break-free-from-mommy-wine-culture/

Learning To Love Yourself Unconditionally | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E875 - https://thisnakedmind.com/learning-to-love-yourself-unconditionally-afc-e875/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 

Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 with alcohol, everything starts falling into place.

M discusses:

Why willpower fails with alcohol when “just one” never feels like enough

Fear of forever, and why one day at a time feels safer

Drinking alone, hiding, and the pain of not feeling like herself

Using experiments and data instead of shame

Wanting peace, sleep, and self-trust more than wine

Learning to meet her authentic self with curiosity

And more…

Lawrence discusses:

The childhood roots of rebellion and how they shaped his drinking

Why alcohol stopped feeling freeing and started feeling costly

Health, sleep, and relationships taking the hit

Realizing rebellion was hurting him, not helping him

Moving from survival mode into wise-adult choices

Letting go of old stories and building a life he doesn’t want to escape

And more topics…

Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Drawing from personal experiences, Hayley understands how tough change can be and provides a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. She believes that with the right mindset, anyone can change their life at any time.

Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/

Zoe Ewart is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who brings her experience and understanding to help with the tricky parts of life’s big changes. Her coaching gives you an enjoyable, light-hearted, and safe environment to effortlessly take back control of alcohol so you can feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. Zoe taught Pilates for 15 years. She has four adult children and more animals than the Ark ever had.

Learn more about Coach Zoe: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/zoe-ewart/

Episode links: nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Willpower Doesn’t Work | Interview | EP 619 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-619-guest-expert-willpower-doesnt-work-with-dr-ben-hardy/

Ways To Rebel Without Alcohol | Reader Questions | EP 268 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-268-reader-question-sneaking-drinking-rebel-withouot-alcohol/

Sleep, with Michael Gradisar | Interview | EP 253 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-253-sleep-with-michael-gradisar/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 became two. A blackout fight with her husband, one she has zero memory of, became the moment she couldn't look away anymore. She found This Naked Mind, joined The Path in October 2023, and started doing the unglamorous daily work. "Looking back, I can see how I rewired my mindset around drinking," Anne says. "It was subtle. It just got a little easier and a little easier." Two and a half years later, she's present, she's lucid at 11:30 PM when her kids need her, and she's collecting memories she actually gets to keep.

In this episode, Anne and Coach Cole talk about:

The family culture that made drinking feel normal, necessary, and completely deserved

Losing both parents, leaning harder on wine, and the night a blackout broke through the denial

Why Anne chose The Path over rehab — and what drew her to TNM's nonjudgmental approach

How journaling and questioning her own thoughts slowly dismantled beliefs she'd never examined

Being the parent who's awake and present at 11:30 PM — and why that changed everything

Open, honest conversations with her teenage sons about alcohol and family history

Natural highs from tennis wins, ski trips, and family dinners that beat any buzz she remembers

And more on trading old problems for ones she's genuinely glad to have...

Episode links: nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

How To Rewire Your Brain To Stop Drinking| Meet Our Coaches | E827 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-rewire-your-brain-to-stop-drinking-e827/

 How To Talk To Your Kids About Alcohol | Interview | EP523 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-523-how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-alcohol-with-scott-pinyard-and-tnm-parents/

 What Do You Do About Missing the “High” from Drinking? | Reader Question | EP 20 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-20-reader-question-what-do-you-do-about-missing-the-high-from-drinking/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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. Savannah is eight days in and quietly discovering that figuring out how to stop drinking when you're lonely gets a little more possible when you stop white-knuckling it alone and actually lean into the community around you. 

Audrey discusses:

Why shame and isolation kept her stuck in the drinking cycle

The belief that alcohol was the only way to numb emotional pain

Reframing fear and staying open to new tools

Why community matters when learning how to stop drinking when you’re lonely

Moving from self-judgment toward self-compassion

Building a life that feels more aligned and less escapable

And more topics…

Savannah discusses:

Friday night cravings, loneliness, and the urge to check out

What she learned from experimenting with alcohol-free evenings

Why drinking brought only short relief and longer emotional lows

New insights around sleep, anxiety, and nighttime urges

Football games, routines, and breaking old drinking patterns

How community, curiosity, and small wins helped her practice how to stop drinking when you’re lonely

And more…

Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Drawing from personal experiences, Hayley understands how tough change can be and provides a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. She believes that with the right mindset, anyone can change their life at any time.

Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/

Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. For years, he felt lost and used alcohol as a way to cope, until he decided to go alcohol-free and focus on finding his purpose. Through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure, he transformed his life. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps young men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning.

Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/

Episode links: nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

How To Deal With Loneliness | Reader Question | EP 130 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-130-reader-question-deal-loneliness/

Healing From Using Alcohol to Numb Emotional Pain | Coaching Questions | EP 564 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-564-coaching-questions-how-to-start-healing-from-numbing/

How to Break Routine Drinking Patterns | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 889 - https://thisnakedmind.com/breaking-routine-drinking-patterns-alcohol-freedom-coaching-ep-889/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 powerful shift from worrying about what was in her glass to simply living free. It’s an honest, encouraging look at what changes when curiosity replaces shame and alcohol stops taking up so much space in your mind.

Calley and Hayley discuss:

Motherhood, moving, and realizing wine was taking up more space than she wanted

What is gray area drinking for women—and why curiosity matters before things feel “serious enough.”

From social discomfort to feeling fully at home in her alcohol-free skin

Honest conversations with kids about alcohol, pressure, and awareness

Why community, compassion, and knowledge matter more than shame

How freedom from alcohol opened the door to deeper healing around sugar, caffeine, and self-trust

And more on confidence, connection, and building a life that feels good without alcohol

Episode links: thisnakedmindapp.com

Related Episodes:

Naked Life Story – Calley | EP 219 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-219-naked-life-story-calley-2-2/

How are alcohol cravings similar to sugar? | Reader Question | EP 516 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-516-reader-question-how-are-alcohol-cravings-similar-to-sugar/

Gray Area Drinking with Jolene Park | Naked Life Story | EP 47 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-47-naked-life-story-jolene-park/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Green Chef, OSEA, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Green Chef: Green Chef is offering 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/nakedmind use code NAKEDMIND. OSEA: Get 10% off of your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at OSEAMalibu.com Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 never said no to a good time. Now both are exploring living alcohol-free and finding the fun in that. Coaches Cole and Zoe are right there with them.

Zion discusses:

Why alcohol became the “jewelry” on dinners, concerts, holidays, & friendships

The wake-up call of planning a great night & not remembering any of it

How people-pleasing & fear of “rocking the boat” kept drinking tied to fun

What trivia night & Thanksgiving taught him about being alcohol-free in real life

Why awkward moments do not have to mean something is wrong

What is the best way to stop associating fun with alcohol? For Zion, it starts with curiosity, patience, & new evidence

And more topics...

Audra discusses:

How going out, pub culture, quiz nights, & routine made alcohol feel like part of the experience

When drinking alone started to feel easier than connection

The mental exhaustion of hiding, planning, & calculating every drink

Why she was shocked to feel freer on her break than she expected

Passing on favorite champagne, staying present, & waking up proud

What is the best way to stop associating fun with alcohol? Audra explores that through curiosity, ACT work, & learning to feel instead of escape

And more...

Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. For years, he felt lost and used alcohol as a way to cope, until he decided to go alcohol-free and focus on finding his purpose. Through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure, he transformed his life. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps young men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning.

Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/

Zoe Ewart is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who brings her experience and understanding to help with the tricky parts of life’s big changes. Her coaching gives you an enjoyable, light-hearted, and safe environment to effortlessly take back control of alcohol so you can feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. She has four adult children and more animals than the Ark ever had.

Learn more about Coach Zoe: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/zoe-ewart/

Episode links: nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Why do we desire alcohol for celebration? | Reader Question | EP 266 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-266-reader-question-why-do-we-desire-alcohol-for-celebration/

 How To Have Fun Without Drinking | Reader Question | EP 362 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-362-reader-question-will-i-ever-have-fun-without-drinking-alcohol/

Why You Know Better But Still Drink | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP869 - https://thisnakedmind.com/tips-to-stop-using-alcohol-to-avoid-feelings-afc-e869/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

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 everything, and how The Path gave her the tools to finally walk away for good.

Kelly and Cole discuss:

How drinking became the unquestioned norm

The decade of daily drinking that crept in through stress, social life, and relationship habits

What made me question my drinking: health symptoms, a telling look around the bar, and a sister's timely recommendation

Reading This Naked Mind and feeling like Annie Grace had written her exact story

Why giving herself one year felt safer than forever

The vacation experiment that showed her exactly what alcohol was still costing her

How stopping drinking didn't just clear her head but handed her back her time, her focus, and her professional edge

Trading the bar stool for the yoga mat and becoming the person she used to watch from the other side of the street

And more on self-compassion, community, five years of freedom, and why she will never go back...

Episode links:

nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Escaping The Hamster Wheel of Drinking | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E847 - https://thisnakedmind.com/why-cant-i-quit-drinking-after-so-many-tries-afc-e847/

 How to Stop Daily Drinking: Finding Happiness and Healing After 35 Years | Pierre’s Naked Life | E790 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-stop-daily-drinking-e790-pierre/

How Can I Not Forget All the Reasons I Quit Drinking? | Reader Question | EP 54 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-54-reader-question-how-can-i-not-forget-all-the-reasons-i-quit-drinking/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind

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 fear, impatience, and disconnection she'd written off as just life. Susan is alcohol-free and sitting with a grief so deep she wonders if she deserves to feel better at all. This one is real, raw, and worth every minute.

In Michelle’s session:

Why wine still felt tempting even when she knew it was no longer serving her

The link between drinking, marriage, routine, and end-of-day shutdown

Creating new patterns, from different seats on the couch to different drinks at dinner

Noticing how alcohol affects patience, sleep, stress, and health data

Questioning the fear that changing her drinking could change her marriage

Seeing what alcohol was really costing me in calm, clarity, and connection

Letting go of future-tripping and staying present

And more topics…

In Susan’s session:

Processing grief, guilt, and the heartbreak of losing her son

Why self-compassion feels so hard after loss

Looking back at drinking through a new lens

Exploring whether guilt feels like a way to stay connected

Realizing she was not 100% responsible for everything that happened

Using writing and reflection to hold grief without picking up a drink

And more…

Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Drawing from personal experiences, Hayley understands how tough change can be and provides a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. She believes that with the right mindset, anyone can change their life at any time.

Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/

Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. For years, he felt lost and used alcohol as a way to cope, until he decided to go alcohol-free and focus on finding his purpose. Through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure, he transformed his life. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps young men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning.

Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/

Episode links: nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Does Mom Guilt After Drinking Ever Go Away? - Reader Question - EP 650 – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-650-readers-question-does-mom-guilt-after-drinking-ever-go-away/

 Progress Over Perfection, Learn to Embrace Self-Compassion - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - EP 730 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-730-coaches-podcast-coach-ellie-with-lauri-m-tina-m/

What if my marriage is dependent on alcohol? - Reader Question - EP 222 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-222-reader-question-what-if-my-marriage-is-dependent-on-alcohol/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, and Shopify. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at betterhelp.com/nakedmind  Quince: get free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/naked Shopify: Sign up for $1 month trial at shopify.com/mind