Sisters In Sobriety

• The Truth About Sober Dating, Sex, and Love with Alida Flannery

  What really happens when you start dating sober? Sonia sits down with Alida Flannery, a Certified Addiction Recovery Coach, founder of Epiphany Recovery, and co-founder of the women’s sober collective SOULBRIETY. Alida opens up about navigating love and relationships without alcohol—and let’s just say, her first sober date included dogs, a hike, and thankfully, no cocktails.Alida shares what it was like re-entering the dating scene after sobriety, how she negotiated her way down from a proposed 100-date challenge.Together, Sonia and Alida talk about what it means to stay true to yourself in the dating world, and why sometimes a second drink at lunch is more telling than it seems. This episode has raw honesty that only two sober women can bring to the table.If you’ve ever wondered how to answer “Why don’t you drink?” on a date, what it means when someone orders six martinis, or how to spot love that feels like home instead of chaos, this one’s for you.Enjoyed the episode? Show us some love—like, comment, and subscribe to catch more from our Truth About Sober Dating, Sex & Relationships series. And if you’ve got your own wild sober date story or green flag moment, drop it in the comments. We want to hear all the juicy details.Links• Sisters In Sobriety Substack - find more tips, tricks, resources, and community• Sisters In Sobriety Email• Sisters In Sobriety Instagram• Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast• Kathleen’s InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code SIS2025 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sisters-in-sobriety/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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• Why Moderation Didn’t Work (Twice) With Chris Janssen

  In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia sits down with Chris Janssen—board-certified coach, author of Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want, and all-around powerhouse when it comes to helping high-achieving women let go of shame and perfectionism and finally get free.Chris doesn’t just coach people through sobriety and mindset shifts—she’s lived it. After 14 years of sobriety, she found herself drinking again. She had the perfect life on paper, a thriving coaching practice, and a head full of recovery tools… and still, alcohol crept back in. What happened next? A whole lot of hard truths, humbling lessons, and eventually—freedom. Again.In this chat, we’re getting into: • What to do when you think maybe you can drink again• Why it’s so easy to fall into the “I should be able to moderate” trap• How to tell the difference between fear and vigilance• What to do when you’re stuck in perfectionism and performance pressure• Why community is the non-negotiable (even if you're embarrassed to go back)• The truth about relapsing—and why you are never, ever starting over from zeroChris also shares some incredibly powerful coaching tools for breaking toxic patterns, reframing setbacks, and rewriting your own rules. Spoiler alert: they’re useful whether you’re on Day One or Day 3,000.This is one of those episodes that’ll stick with you—because it’s real, raw, and hopeful as hell.This is Sisters in Sobriety—the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Come hang out on our Substack for tips, community, and the kind of conversations you won’t hear anywhere else.Episode Highlights:00:00 – Meet Chris Janssen: mindset coach, bestselling author, and secretly-struggling wine mom turned sober sage01:30 – Chris’s first sober journey: high-functioning on the outside, suffering on the inside05:00 – The moment everything changed: one meeting, one sentence, and a huge weight lifted07:15 – Raising three kids in sobriety and why “no one ever saw me drunk” isn’t the whole story09:00 – 14 years later: the move, the pandemic, the identity crisis, and the return of wine11:10 – Trying to “think” your way through moderation (and why it never works)13:30 – The trap of perfectionism: how losing her sober streak messed with her mind15:00 – When sober groups don’t fit—and why it’s okay to admit they’re not for you17:30 – The mindful drinking myth and other lies we tell ourselves19:00 – Fear vs. vigilance: how to fast-forward the tape without spiraling21:00 – Playing it smart, not scared: tools for staying sober without white-knuckling23:00 – Relapse shame, pride in reverse, and why going back can be the bravest move26:00 – Labels, stigma, and what to say when people ask why you don’t drink30:00 – What “grace yourself” really means—and how to stop trying to control your worth33:00 – Releasing perfectionism: write down your made-up rules and start again35:45 – Boredom or serenity? Why stillness freaks us out37:00 – First steps for breaking a cycle when you feel totally stuck39:00 – Peak performance and recovery: choosing your hard and focusing forward41:15 – How Chris wishes she’d handled her relapse43:30 – Do you really have to go back to Day One? (Spoiler: maybe not)45:00 – What’s next for Chris: more coaching, more writing, more realnessLinks & Resources:🌐 Chris Janssen’s Website📘 Grace Yourself (Book)📸 Chris on Instagram📘 Chris on Facebook💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast📸 Kathleen’s InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code SIS2025 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sisters-in-sobriety/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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• The Truth About Sober Dating, Sex, and Love with Hilary Sheinbaum

  She’s back! 🚨 In this bite-sized bonus episode, we welcome newlywed and sober lifestyle expert Hilary Sheinbaum—the brilliant mind behind GoingDry.co and author of The Dry Challenge and Going Dry: A Workbook—for our new series The Truth About Sober Dating, Sex, and Love.We hit her with 10 juicy questions about sober dating, first-time sober sex, red (and green!) flags, her Barry's Bootcamp date strategy, and what love looks like without the booze goggles. 💪💋If you've ever wondered what to say when someone asks, “Why don’t you drink?”, how to survive your first dry date, or what Taylor Swift song sums up your love life—this one’s for you.💡Fun fact: Hilary met her husband because she stopped drinking. Talk about a sober love story.Links• Sisters In Sobriety Substack - find more tips, tricks, resources, and community• Sisters In Sobriety Email• Sisters In Sobriety Instagram• Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast• Kathleen’s InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code SIS2025 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sisters-in-sobriety/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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• Hypnotherapy for Habit Change with Silvia S.

  Ever wish you had a reset button for your habits—and maybe your relationship with alcohol too? On this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen are chatting with Silvia Subirana, a clinical psychologist and the Head of Content at MyDry30, an app that’s part sober-curious experiment, part life makeover. Silvia is here to share how MyDry30 helps people drink less (or not at all) without guilt—and how it can help you feel better in your body, your mind, and your everyday life.We’re diving into all the good stuff: Why does alcohol feel like such a default in our social lives? What’s the science behind changing habits (especially the sticky ones)? And how can tools like hypnotherapy, journaling, and movement actually help us feel more grounded and in control? If you’ve ever wondered how to quit something without it feeling like a punishment—this one’s for you.Silvia breaks it all down. We talk about how habits are wired into our brains, how our bodies often know what’s up before our minds catch on, and why adding more to your life (not just taking alcohol away) is a key part of feeling fulfilled. Plus, she shares the surprising benefits of gratitude texts, tiny daily rituals, and letting go of perfection when you're trying something new.We also get personal—Silvia opens up about her own story: a gut-health wake-up call, why she stayed alcohol-free even when she technically could go back, and how she found her way to MyDry30. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the cycle of starting over, or wondered if moderation is even for you, this conversation will feel like a warm hug and a deep exhale.This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources.Time-stamped Highlights00:00 – Meet Silvia, psychologist and content lead at MyDry3001:30 – Silvia’s path from psychology to sobriety to building a wellness app03:10 – The health issue that made alcohol a no-go05:00 – Why MyDry30 never uses guilt or shame to promote change06:50 – The app’s daily combo: movement, journaling, hypnosis (yes, really!)08:30 – Demystifying hypnotherapy (no swinging watches here)10:45 – Why “being in a trance” is just super-deep relaxation12:20 – How our brains form habits (even ones we don’t want)14:00 – Why journaling hits different than venting to a friend15:30 – How MyDry30 handles “slip-ups” with kindness17:00 – Shifting from “I can’t drink” to “I don’t want to”18:30 – The power of connection: why gratitude texts matter20:00 – Why alcohol cravings feel different from food cravings21:30 – When your body says “enough already” louder than your mind23:00 – Silvia’s take on healing stress through body awareness25:00 – Breathwork and grounding: not just for yogis26:30 – The 5-4-3-2-1 method to snap out of spirals28:00 – If you keep starting over, you’re not broken—you’re human29:30 – What is gray area drinking… and is it working for you?31:00 – Moderation vs. sobriety: which path is actually harder?32:00 – Be curious! Experimenting is better than perfection33:30 – What’s next for MyDry30: 90-day programs, your way34:45 – Wrapping up: it’s okay to go slow, and you’re not aloneLinksCheck out MyDry30https://mydry30.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mydry30app• Sisters In Sobriety Substack – tips, tricks, mocktails, mindset tools, and more• Sisters In Sobriety Email• Sisters In Sobriety Instagram• Kathleen’s Website – FYI: Kathleen doesn’t endorse any products mentioned in this episode• Kathleen’s InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code SIS2025 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sisters-in-sobriety/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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• Step Zero With Kaitlin Henry

  On this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia sits down with Kaitlin Henry, wellness advocate and host of the Step Zero podcast, to bust the myth that you need to hit rock bottom before making a change. Kaitlin shares her story of choosing sobriety not from crisis but from clarity — and how her decision to quit drinking started with a juice cleanse and a broken foot. From wine-mom culture to the shame-fueled cycles we normalize, this episode is a vulnerable, powerful conversation about reclaiming your life before it falls apart.What is “gray area drinking”? How do societal messages keep women stuck in patterns that don’t serve them? How do you navigate sobriety when everyone around you still drinks? Sonia and Kaitlin dig into these questions and more — discussing sober curiosity, emotional sobriety, and how self-worth plays a central role in long-term recovery. This is an honest, eye-opening episode about the moments before you quit — and why they matter just as much.Kaitlin also shares insight into how programs like AA and Al-Anon supported her healing, the value of community in early sobriety, and how motherhood, identity, and relationships evolve on the other side of alcohol. She shares the deep inner work that came through step nine of AA, and the hard decisions she had to make — including ending her marriage — to protect her sobriety. This is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt like your story wasn’t “bad enough” to change your life.This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.Highlights00:00:00 – Sonia introduces the episode and guest Kaitlin Henry, opening the conversation around the myth of "rock bottom." 00:02:40 – Kaitlin shares how alcohol was normalized in her childhood and used as an emotional crutch. 00:05:20 – She discusses the progression from casual drinking to a pattern of dependency in her adult life. 00:08:00 – The story of her personal “rock bottom” begins with a juice cleanse and an unexpected injury. 00:10:40 – Kaitlin reflects on how breaking her foot catalyzed her decision to stop drinking for a short time. 00:13:20 – She discovers the terms “gray area drinking” and “sober curious” during her research online. 00:16:00 – Kaitlin opens up about her father’s alcohol use and how it mirrored her own issues. 00:18:41 – Her early experiences in Al-Anon and the growing realization that she, too, had a problem. 00:21:21 – Sonia and Kaitlin discuss the power of comparison and denial in identifying a drinking problem. 00:24:01 – Kaitlin details her resistance to AA and eventual surrender to deeper personal work. 00:26:41 – She finds support and connection in her first AA meeting, where she finally feels seen. 00:29:21 – Kaitlin shares how emotional release and crying became a huge part of her healing in early sobriety. 00:32:01 – A conversation about how media, pop culture, and “wine mom” culture distort what’s normal. 00:34:41 – Kaitlin talks about the social stigma of being a mom in recovery and how she shifted her narrative. 00:37:22 – Finding new, supportive friendships and making mocktails part of her sober life. 00:40:02 – She explains how sobriety gave her space to rediscover identity and purpose beyond motherhood. 00:42:42 – A reflection on her time in grad school, realizing she wanted to work with people ready to change. 00:45:22 – Kaitlin describes how she began showing her kids what sobriety and purpose can look like. 00:48:02 – She shares how her sobriety impacted her marriage and eventually led to a major fork in the road. 00:50:42 – The power of step nine, doing deep amends work, and the emotional shift that followed.LinksGet In Touch With Kaitlin • Sisters In Sobriety Substack - find more tips, tricks, resources, and community • Sisters In Sobriety Email • Sisters In Sobriety Instagram • Kathleen’s Website(Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast) • Kathleen’s InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code SIS2025 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sisters-in-sobriety/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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