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 to question how much alcohol was really adding to or taking away from her experience of fun. In this coaching session, Coach Onowa works with Rajinder to explore the belief that alcohol leads to the good life. 

In this episode, Coach Onowa and Rajinder will discuss:

- Why we think alcohol equals fun

- How advertising shapes our beliefs about alcohol

- The illusion of fun that alcohol creates

- What fun really feels like 

- Why you need to question long-held beliefs

- How drinking can take away from real fun

- Why it helps to understand how alcohol affects the body

- How alcohol numbs not just the bad, but also the good

- How drinking can mess with your sleep and mood

- Planning alcohol-free vacations

- And other topics…

Onowa Bjella is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach with over two decades of experience as an educational professional. Having lost her mother at a young age, she understands how people with trauma often turn to alcohol. Onowa helps health-conscious moms like herself embrace self-compassion and take control of their relationship with alcohol.

Learn more about Coach Onowa: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/onowa-bjella/ 

Related Episodes:

EP 18: Reader Question – Is Not Drinking Really More Fun?: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-18-reader-question-is-not-drinking-really-more-fun/ 

EP 164: Reader Question – Are vacations and holidays more fun without drinking?: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-164-are-vacations-and-holidays-more-fun-without-drinking/ 

EP 184: Reader Question – Does alcohol advertising really work?: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-184-does-alcohol-advertising-really-work-2/

EP 362: Reader Question – Will I ever have fun without drinking alcohol?: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-362-reader-question-will-i-ever-have-fun-without-drinking-alcohol/ 

EP 652: Reader’s Question – How To Plan an Alcohol-Free Vacation: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-652-readers-question-how-to-plan-an-alcohol-free-vacation/ 

Other Resources:

How To Understand Alcohol’s Effects on Your Body: https://thisnakedmind.com/alcohols-effects-body/ 

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!

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 only did he find peace, but he also rediscovered his purpose—helping others as a coach. In this episode, Cole talks with Annie about his journey to finally embracing the different parts of himself. Together, they explore what it takes to move from putting yourself down to treating yourself with kindness.

In this episode, Annie and Cole will discuss:

- How alcohol provided relief from grief

- Drinking as a way to connect with his late father

- When alcohol became part of his identity

- The downward spiral of self-criticism

- The moment that marked his first step to freedom

- How This Naked Mind empowered his journey

- How journaling helped Cole face his demons

- Healing through self-love

- How to heal cognitive dissonance

- Why “mindful” breaks are useful

- Why demonizing part of yourself is counterproductive

- Embracing all the different sides of ourselves

- Why Cole is passionate about coaching

- And other topics…

Related Episodes:

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

EP 654: Reader’s Question – Overcoming Subconscious Beliefs Around Self-Worth: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-654-readers-question-overcoming-subconscious-beliefs-around-self-worth/

Other Resources:

Monthly Journaling Challenge: https://thisnakedmind.com/tag/monthly-journaling-challenge/ 

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 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 self-compassion is the key to lasting change, Emily confronts her unresolved beliefs about alcohol.

In Bek’s session:

- Bek’s struggle to believe in herself 

- Why changing behavior alone doesn’t work

- Why you need to fall in love with yourself

- Alcohol as a comforter during tough times

- How childhood rejection shaped her behavior

- Why you have to work on yourself first

- Learning to trust yourself again

- The exhaustion of hiding your true self

- The importance of being kind to yourself

In Emily’s session:

- Using alcohol as a reward for working hard

- The exhaustion from always trying to do more 

- The childhood need for approval keeping her stuck

- The danger of loving yourself conditionally

- When the brain tricks us into thinking alcohol helps

- Emily’s mantra for managing everyday stress

- How drinking affects her creativity

- Why The PATH is different from other programs she has tried

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/ 

Related Episodes:

EP 609: Naked Life Story – Brian C.: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-609-naked-life-story-brian-c/ 

EP 407: Naked Life Story – Marilin: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-407-naked-life-story-marilin/ 

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!

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 struggles with anxiety, and how he finally overcame the fear of explaining his choices to others. While Patrick was already on his way to freedom before his mother gave him a weathered copy of This Naked Mind, the book inspired him to finally open up and share his story with his loved ones.

In this episode, Annie and Patrick will discuss:

- Patrick’s experience with anxiety

- The pressure young people feel to drink in social settings

- How Patrick handles his anxiety now

- Facing the fear of life without alcohol

- Worrying about being judged for not drinking socially

- How This Naked Mind inspired Patrick to write his story

- How setting boundaries helps with his new social life

- Other ways he has fun with friends now

- How choosing yourself first makes it easier to do it again

- Why it’s important to teach kids about alcohol

- How Patrick now inspires his friends and family

- Annie’s kids’ book, Buzz to Buzz Kill

- The problem with the message “drink responsibly”

- The role alcohol plays in the economy

- And other topics…

Related Episodes:

EP 655: Naked Life Story – Maria Warner: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-655-naked-life-story-maria-warner-2/ 

EP 684: Reader’s Question – Why Does Drinking Alcohol Make Me Anxious?: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-684-readers-question-why-does-drinking-alcohol-make-me-anxious/ 

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

Other Resources:

Is Drinking Alcohol Part of a Healthy Lifestyle? – Decoding the Buzz: https://thisnakedmind.com/is-drinking-alcohol-part-of-a-healthy-lifestyle/ 

Let's Talk About The Idea of "Drinking Responsibly": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnHkRs0V3xQ 

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!

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 her is the freedom to be her most authentic self.

In this episode, Coach Lance and Deborah will discuss:

- Her decision to start The PATH with a fake name

- The courage to be authentic in a conformist world 

- How societal norms shape our relationship with alcohol

- The difference between fitting in and truly belonging 

- The fear of rejection when stepping into a new identity

- Practical tools for embracing authenticity 

- The fear of missing out on connection

- The unexpected freedom of giving up alcohol

- How authenticity can be contagious

- The exhausting cycle of being a social chameleon

- And other topics…

Lance Anthony Scott is a Certified TNM Coach who brings the same passion he once reserved for the arts to his coaching. He believes that both the arts and overcoming alcohol dependency are about truth, authenticity, and expressing a beauty that is honest and real. After breaking out of what he calls “booze jail” using the This Naked Mind methodology, Lance became deeply inspired to support others who, like himself, felt falsely imprisoned by alcohol. 

Learn more about Coach Lance: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/lance-anthony-scott/ 

Related Episodes:

EP 675: Naked Life Story – Susie P.: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-675-naked-life-story-susie-p/

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 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 unexpected twist, her father stopped drinking, inspiring Kayla to reevaluate her own relationship with alcohol and ultimately embrace her power over it. In this moving episode, Kayla shares her journey to accepting the liberating truth that alcohol was the problem, not her or anyone else.

In this episode, Annie and Kayla will discuss:

- How generational trauma shaped her relationship with alcohol

- Her struggle with social drinking and self-judgment

- The mental chess game of moderation

- Social drinking as a mask for deeper issues

- Using self-compassion and inner work to heal

- The cognitive dissonance that kept her stuck

- Realizing alcohol, not the person, is the problem

- Cravings as a brain reaction, not a moral failure

- Taking responsibility to change without shame

- The truth about numbing emotions

- Embracing sobriety without isolating from others

- Living authentically to inspire curiosity and change

- And other topics…

Related Episodes:

Episode 27: Naked Life Story – Jamie: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-27-naked-life-story-jamie/ 

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!

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 children. With Coach Lance’s guidance, she faces the truth of her situation and learns that true relief and joy, like enjoying the warmth of the sun as she floats in the pool with her kids, are possible without alcohol.

In this episode, Coach Lance and Sarah will discuss:

- The core belief driving Sarah to drink

- The hidden cost of using alcohol to numb pain

- Challenging the belief that alcohol brings relief

- The physical and emotional toll of drinking

- Slowing down for true healing

- The dangerous cycle of drinking to stay productive

- The problem with linking productivity to self-worth

- True relief beyond alcohol

- And other topics…

Lance Anthony Scott is a Certified TNM Coach who brings the same passion he once reserved for the arts to his coaching. He believes that both the arts and overcoming alcohol dependency are about truth, authenticity, and expressing a beauty that is honest and real. After breaking out of what he calls “booze jail” using the This Naked Mind methodology, Lance became deeply inspired to support others who, like himself, felt falsely imprisoned by alcohol. 

Learn more about Coach Lance: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/lance-anthony-scott/ 

Related Episodes:

EP 719: Naked Life Story - Katie W.: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-719-naked-life-story-katie-w/ 

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!

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 it wasn’t until she read This Naked Mind that she could really see alcohol for what it was. Now finally free, she has started to focus on creating a life she doesn’t want to escape from. In this episode, Jenn takes us through her journey of ups and downs with alcohol, from immersing herself in “mommy wine” culture to navigating major life stressors. 

In this episode, Annie and Jenn will discuss:

- Why Jenn initially believed alcohol was making her successful

- Jenn’s struggle to reconcile her success with her drinking habits

- How the illusion of control over her drinking kept her stuck 

- The early warning signs alcohol was taking a toll on her health

- How Jenn struggled to draw the line with her drinking

- The pivotal moments that made Jenn question her drinking habits

- The perception that drinking was cool in the 1980s 

- How feeling like she didn’t belong in her family drew her to alcohol

- The family secret that exposed the true nature of her relationship with alcohol

- Jenn’s experience navigating “mommy wine” culture

- The struggles of going alcohol-free during vacations and social events

- How she discovered This Naked Mind

- Alcohol numbing the “real” fun

- And other topics…

Related Episodes:

EP 457: Naked Life Story – Zac: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-457-naked-life-story-zac/ 

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!

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, Tina opens up about her complicated relationship with food and alcohol, uncovering the link between her past and her current struggles with binge eating and drinking. Coach Ellie guides both Laurie and Tina through using tools like self-compassion and self-awareness to gain confidence in themselves and their relationships with alcohol.

In Lauri’s session:

- The joy of reaching 30 days without alcohol

- The fear of slipping back into old habits

- Discovering a world of amazing non-alcoholic drinks

- The hidden costs of relying on alcohol

- The TNM tools that helped Lauri with her cravings

- Finding strength in each small step forward

- Trusting in the process, not the destination

In Tina’s session:

- How Tina’s childhood fueled her bingeing 

- Finding freedom by dismantling old patterns

- The power of confronting our complex emotions

- Healing through self-forgiveness and acceptance

- How childhood survival mechanisms evolve into self-sabotage

- Building self-compassion to support lasting change

- The joy of letting go of perfection

Ellie Crowe is a Senior Certified TNM Coach and co-host of the Present & Sober podcast. As a once-strung-out, working mom of three who understands the trap of using wine to escape, Ellie’s mission is to help her clients discover joy, peace, and contentment by living wholeheartedly in the present moment.

Learn more about Coach Ellie: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/ellie-crowe/

Related Episodes:

EP 707: Naked Life Story - Roberta R.: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-707-naked-life-story-roberta-r/ 

EP 719: Naked Life Story - Katie W.: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-719-naked-life-story-katie-w/ 

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’s the secret to thriving without alcohol when life gets hectic?

When Kim first appeared on the podcast, she spoke to Annie about her journey from closet binge drinking to finding freedom. Despite a chaotic childhood that fueled her relationship with alcohol and eating disorders, she finally found compassion for herself. In this “Where Are They Now” episode, Kim catches up with Hayley to discuss the whirlwind of the past two years. She shares how she has managed to maintain her mental health without alcohol even while raising young children, relocating several times, and pursuing a master’s degree.

This episode will inspire you to find stability and strength in your own journey, no matter how busy life gets.

In this episode, Hayley and Kim will discuss:

• The healthy ways Kim now handles the pressures of a busy life
• The often-ignored link between alcohol and eating disorders
• How living alcohol-free helped Kim tackle stress
• The mental and physical release she finds through running
• What has given Kim clarity and resilience
• The powerful anticipation that fuels the urge to drink
• How "playing the tape forward" helps with resisting cravings
• New ways Kim takes the edge off without alcohol
• Why speaking up is key to breaking free and finding support
• And other topics…

Related Episodes:

EP 453: Naked Life Story – Kim S.: https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-453-naked-life-story-kim-s/ 

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!

In a world where alcohol often holds the reins, it's easy to feel trapped, alone, and unsure of where to turn when you find yourself drinking more than you want to. But what if breaking free didn't have to be about willpower or pain? What if you could make alcohol small and irrelevant in your life without labeling yourself, feeling deprived, or white-knuckling your way through “sobriety”?

Freedom is possible, without pain or struggle.

Bestselling author Annie Grace is here to help you find freedom from alcohol, one empowering episode at a time. 

Every Friday and Saturday, we dive deep into the science of alcohol and the mind, unravel the myths that keep us stuck, and always remind you that you are not alone and you are not broken. 

Subscribe to This Naked Mind for a life-changing shift in your relationship with alcohol.

Together, we will explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture without rules, pain, or judgment.