The Truth About Sober Dating, Sex, and Love with Ali Shapiro
Welcome to Sisters in Sobriety and our mini-series The Truth About Sober Dating, Sex & Relationships—where we get personal with our favorite guests in 10 spicy questions.Today, we're joined by the brilliant and refreshingly honest Ali Shapiro, creator of Truce with Food, health rebel, and emotional detective. You may remember Ali from our previous episode, where we talked about creating meaning beyond food. This time, we’re diving into what it's like to date with food stuff, relationship green and red flags, and how emotional safety is the real aphrodisiac.💡 From bracing for rejection to learning what she actually wants in a partner, Ali keeps it real about the awkwardness of first dates, being the “healthy one” in a relationship, and why her go-to sober date still involves fresh air and muddy boots.Plus: how Jason Mraz made it to her wedding playlist, and what she learned when marriage 2.0 arrived (aka, post-kids chaos). You’ll laugh, nod, and possibly reevaluate your own date night dinner order.🔗 Links – Get in Touch with Ali Shapiro:Free breakfast experimentTruce with Food group program 📬 Stay Connected with Sisters in Sobriety:• 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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22:34
Craving Love, Not Wine: Reframing Addiction With Dr. Donna Marks
What if every addiction—whether it’s alcohol, sugar, or even your phone—is actually a substitute for love?In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Sonia and Kathleen sit down with the wise and wonderfully candid Dr. Donna Marks. She’s a psychotherapist, addictions counselor, educator, and author with 30+ years of experience helping people find freedom from addiction by turning inward—not outward—for healing. She’s written Exit the Maze and The Healing Moment, and has created an award-winning addiction training program in Florida. Today, she joins us to unpack what addiction really is… and how self-love is the way through.We cover a lot in this episode—everything from the impact of childhood trauma to the sugar-cocaine connection (seriously, it’s wild), to whether things like medical marijuana or Ozempic are helping people heal… or just creating new problems. You’ll hear about the sneaky ways addiction hides in everyday habits, why medication isn't always the magic answer, and how to truly support your brain and body on the road to recovery.Expect real talk, powerful insights, and a whole lot of “ohhh that makes so much sense” moments. We also get personal—Dr. Marks shares her own story of relapse, healing, and radical transformation. Plus, Kathleen opens up about her sugar detox journey and navigating ADHD medication in recovery.Don’t miss Dr. Marks talking about growing up in an addicted household, what led to her own relapse, and how she reclaimed her life through love, not punishment. Her transformation is seriously inspiring.This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support space helping women change their relationship with alcohol. Want more tools, prompts, and inspiration? Head over to our Substack for all the extra goodness.Highlights from the Episode:00:02 – How Dr. Marks turned a painful upbringing into her purpose00:06 – What caused her relapse after 23 years sober00:08 – The problem with how doctors still treat pain—especially for people in recovery00:10 – Why she built an addiction training program (spoiler: no one knew what to look for)00:13 – Big Pharma, overprescribing, and how therapy sometimes misses the mark00:17 – Kathleen’s personal update on tapering ADHD meds and cutting sugar00:20 – That time sugar in salad dressing brought back all the cravings00:23 – Why addiction is never really about the substance00:25 – How childhood gaps in care create emotional holes we try to fill00:28 – What true self-love looks like (and how to build it daily)00:33 – Dr. Marks' take on how addiction drives most physical and mental illness00:35 – Screen addiction, food noise, and feeling stuck in a loop00:37 – Are drugs like Ozempic a shortcut—or just another trap?00:39 – How trauma can actually become a doorway to growth00:42 – What forgiveness actually looks like in healing00:44 – The telltale sign you’ve swapped one addiction for another00:46 – “Progress, not perfection”—why this mindset is everything00:47 – Final takeaways on sacred self-care, flexibility, and finding peaceLinks to Connect with Dr. Donna Marks:🌐 Website: drdonnamarks.com📸 Instagram: @drdonnamarksMore from Sisters in Sobriety:💌 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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48:23
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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18:48
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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46:55
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
You know that sinking feeling when you wake up with a hangover and think: “I’m never doing this again”? We’ve all been there. But what happens when you follow through? Sonia Kahlon and Kathleen Killen can tell you, because they did it! They went from sisters-in-law, to Sisters in Sobriety. In this podcast, Sonia and Kathleen invite you into their world, as they navigate the ups and downs of sobriety, explore stories of personal growth and share their journey of wellness and recovery. Get ready for some real, honest conversations about sobriety, addiction, and everything in between. Episodes will cover topics such as: reaching emotional sobriety, how to make the decision to get sober, adopting a more mindful lifestyle, socializing without alcohol, and much more. Whether you’re sober-curious, seeking inspiration and self-care through sobriety, or embracing the alcohol-free lifestyle already… Tune in for a weekly dose of vulnerability, mutual support and much needed comic relief. Together, let’s celebrate the transformative power of sisterhood in substance recovery! Kathleen Killen is a registered psychotherapist and certified coach based in Ontario, Canada. Her practice is centered on relational therapy and she specializes in couples and working with individuals who are navigating their personal relationships. Having been through many life transitions herself, Kathleen has made it her mission to help others find the support and communication they need in their closest relationships. To find out more about Kathleen’s work, check out her website. Sonia Kahlon is a recovery coach and former addict. She grappled with high-functioning alcohol use disorder throughout her life, before getting sober in 2016. Over the last five years, she has appeared on successful sobriety platforms, such as the Story Exchange, the Sobriety Diaries podcast and the Sober Curator, to tell her story of empowerment and addiction recovery, discuss health and midlife sobriety, and share how she is thriving without alcohol. Your sobriety success story starts today, with Kathleen and Sonia. Just press play!
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