No Alcohol Needed: The Podcast

Supporting a loved one with addiction adds a whole new dimension to our own recoveries. Sadly, for many people recovering from alcohol and other drug addictions, supporting a family member who is also struggling is a dynamic they must also face. When this episode was first released, we were overwhelmed with the comments from listeners who appreciated so much the people in the episode who were willing to share their journeys. We're re-releasing it today to make sure the words of wisdom and encouragement in this episode make it to all of the people that need to hear it. If that's you - know you're not alone, and that with the right support and the right mindset, you'll be able to take care of yourself, while still supporting your loved one in a way that's healthy for both of you.
The helplessness and hopelessness that comes with having a family member in addiction is heart wrenching, and our guests share some of the wisdom they’ve gained with their own experiences with this. But we also get a glimpse into what it was like for our families, while we fought our own addictions. Listen as we learn what it means to find healthy ways to help those we love who are struggling with addiction.
“I feel like it’s harder on this side, than it is being the addict.”
Some of the ideas we talk about include:
Understanding what our own families went through
Grieving our loved ones even though they are still alive
Being the example for our children
Setting and maintaining boundaries with family members in addiction
Caring for ourselves, maintaining our own recovery
Knowing when and when not to try to save them
Recognizing enabling actions and behaviors
Releasing control allows them to blossom and thrive
Symptoms of codependency and enmeshment
Understanding that others’ recovery journeys are their own
“We can never control another person’s recovery.”
For the most complete explanation of codependency we've ever seen, check out Melody Beattie's book, Codependent No More.
Meet our guests:
Derrick Deidel is 3 years sober. He has come from the depths of addiction, trauma, mental health , prison and homelessness to be a light in this world. He loves recovery and is a huge advocate for it and those seeking help. He works for Mile High Recovery Center managing the Residential treatment house, he is a peer recovery coach and personal trainer. He tries to be kind and gracious to everyone cause that same stuff changed his life.
Jenn is from Arizona. She is 51 years old and coming up on 2 years May in her sobriety!  She works in early childhood education as a preschool teacher and has 2 adult children who also struggle with alcohol. She's faced lots of changes in her life since she's been sober. It’s been one challenge after the other but she is determined to stay sober not just for herself but to help support and guide her children in the right direction.
Ann lives in Pennsylvania and will be 2 years alcohol-free on May 6, 2023. She believes in community, daily meditation, and reading everything you can get your hands on about recovery, sometimes over and over again. With alcoholism in her immediate family, she is a member of Al-Anon to support her recovery and wellbeing. For her, detachment with love is a magical tool, and life is too short and too amazing to dilute with alcohol.
Raul is so thankful for the sober community and he is involved in many different platforms.  His foundation/bedrock is the AA program.  As it relates to this pod cast, his son went to a 30 day in person recovery facility in California as he was given an ultimatum at work. Raul's recovery afforded him the opportunity to be present and to let his son know he loves him.  Raul said he would love his son no matter what he decided, but this was all his decision to make and he decided to go.
Get in touch:
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“With big love comes big feelings”
We originally released this episode for Valentine's Day, but understanding and redefining love is necessary every single day once we are in recovery. As we continue to re-release our favorite episodes from Season 1 throughout the summer, we hope you find new nuggets of wisdom and new things that you can apply in your life, wherever you are in your recovery journey.
In this episode, we explore what love means to us, now that we are in recovery. Many of us stopped maturing emotionally in our teens due to substance abuse, and so our understanding and grasp of love stopped developing, too. We explore everything from romantic love, to love between a parent and child. We talk about emotional safety and availability and what that looks like, and we put words to the feeling that is always so hard to understand and describe.
Other topics we cover include:
How we practice self love in recovery
Unhealthy attachment in place of real love
How our childhood experiences color our understanding of love
How vulnerability plays a part in love
What love looked like in active addiction
How we show our spouses, partners, and children love
Learning how to receive love in recovery
“When we numb our emotions, we can’t really feel love.”
Meet our guests:
Lynn: “You can find me pretty much every day @thesobergrandmaroadtrip and I invite your listeners to click on my IG bio link for bits of my story and my fav resources. My very first podcast guest appearance and the one I always invite people to checkout is the one titled “Thesobergrandmaroadtrip is born” because it chronicles step-by-step every resource and action I took in my very early days alcohol FREE.”  https://linktr.ee/thesobergrandmaroadtrip
Michael : My name is Michael, I’m just a regular guy, I do regular things. I’m an entrepreneur and employed. I run lots and lots of miles and I read a lot of books, mostly horror stories. I know a few things about a few things and am grateful for 4 years trauma informed conscious and sober. I believe we help ourselves by helping others.
Alex: Outside of being a mother of four, Alex is a sober warrior She started her intentional journey in February of 2022 after dealing with legal issues and being tired of the power she allowed alcohol to hold over her life. She deeply connected with a sober community through the I Am Sober app. Sobriety has been a learning journey of honesty with self and others, authenticity and mostly, what true self love and worth looks like and she wants to share what she has learned and the joys of sobriety along with creating a new sober life with others.
Join in the conversation!
We would love to hear your thoughts:
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Anxiety in recovery is a battle so many of us must face. For some people, anxiety almost goes away with the alcohol. In fact, I've talked to people who thought they had generalized anxiety disorder, but then they stopped drinking and realized it was just the effect alcohol was having on their nervous system.
But for others of us, the anxiety sticks around. It's the real deal, and while it's decreased significantly, we have to learn other ways to cope with it, since numbing it with alcohol is no longer an option (and never really worked anyway.)
We're re-releasing "How to Cope With Anxiety in Recovery" this week, because it's chock full of tips and ideas on how to work with your anxiety, instead of working against it. For me, the conversation was so helpful in reframing anxiety and turning it into fuel, instead of something I just felt like I was constantly battling. It's not easy, but every little bit of information helps.
"Anxiety is like being nervous, but with teeth."
Some of the concepts we cover include:
How to stop ruminating
The power in identifying anxiety
Learning to name feelings
Using creativity to cope and to explore feelings
Signs of childhood anxiety
Skin picking
Tools for dealing with anxiety
Recognizing what doesn't work
Self care as crisis prevention
Medication assisted treatment
"I've had to learn to make friends with my anxiety in recovery."
Travis mentions grounding exercises often used for anxiety. You can find more info here.
Julie mentions the I Am Sober app. You can learn more about the app on their website.
Antje and Julie talk about how much the book Alcohol Explained by William Porter helped them understand the connection between anxiety and alcohol.
Meet Our Guests:
Antje first discovered drinking as a way to "fix" her eating disorder. She thought that drinking was more acceptable than binging and purging all of her meals. When drinking grew more and more out of control, she reluctantly considered sobriety in January of 2022. Soon after, she found connection and support in an online sober community. She is so glad to that she took that first, scary step and gave sobriety a chance.
Let's Connect!
throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com
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While we are on a break from recording, we're re-releasing some of our favorite episodes. We will be back with new content in September! 
How much have you let self doubt hold you back in life? How often do you dream about the life you want, but you let fear stop you from making it happen?
In this episode, we've invited sober motivational speakers Jacob Brown and Martin Lockett, along with the always amazing Through the Glass regular Molly, to share their experiences of self doubt, and their thoughts on overcoming it. Listen as we also discuss defining and understanding our purpose in life - by first identifying our values, and then implementing them with the support of the people around us. 
If you've ever let a lack of confidence stop you from chasing your dreams, and could use some inspiration, this episode is for you!
"My biggest impediment was myself." -Martin Lockett
Some of the many concepts you'll hear us talk about include:
Overcoming societal beliefs and narratives
Understanding that other people's reactions are a reflection of them
Dealing with others' negativity
Recognizing growth
Working through Impostor Syndrome
Allowing ourselves to try new things
Allowing ourselves the freedom to live a full life
Faith in what you don't know
Actions aligned with values come with less self doubt
Understanding the commonality - that we are all on the same journey
Knowing and recognizing our purpose in life
The importance of connection in manifesting our purpose
Ikigai - the Japanese concept of life purpose
Speaking your goals to create your reality
The effects of self-talk and positive affirmations
Vulnerability - allowing others to support us
"Self doubt and impostor syndrome only come right before something amazing is about to happen." - Jacob Brown
For more information about the people and concepts discussed in the episode, check out the following links:
Jacob mentions Chris Gardner and his quote, "Speak what you seek until you see what you said."
Jacob also talks about how Brene Brown's talk about the Man in the Arena (a speech by Theodore Roosevelt) inspired him.
Molly shares what she's learned about the Japanese concept of Ikigai - find your life's purpose.
For more information about defining and living by your values, visit this article by Berkley Wellbeing
To learn more about the biopsychosocial-spiritual model that Martin refers to, visit this article by Hope Recovery and Healing.
Meet our guests:
Martin Lockett is a substance abuse counselor, author, public speaker, and advocate for reducing DUI fatalities. He spent 17.5 years in prison for a DUI fatality that claimed two lives and severely injured another. Lockett devoted the rest of his life to honoring his victims' legacies by helping others who struggle with substance abuse.
While incarcerated, Martin earned a BS in sociology, MS in psychology, and acquired state certification as a substance abuse counselor, and published two books.
Now released, Lockett continues his mission and message by helping those in need of counseling for mental health and substance use disorders and sharing his powerful story across the country.
Find Martin on Instagram @martinllockett
Jacob Brown is a former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur, transformational speaker, and writer. He is the Chief Transformational Officer for PurposePoint and the Co-Founder of Varlo, a cycling and triathlon apparel brand.
Jacob is mostly known for his thought leadership on LinkedIn, #FailForward posts, and inspirational videos. He travels globally speaking to corporations, colleges, and sports teams about how to take failure and turn it into fuel.
He is a family man - a husband of one and a father of four. Jacob can also be found on LinkedIn and Instagram
Molly adores pajama days on the couch with her Nintendo Switch as much as hiking local trails and camping in state parks. Alcohol free since Nov 8, 2020, she got sober on the hospital frontlines during peak Covid and is now a traveling medical imaging technologist who loves exploring the US and its natural and human diversity. Sobriety has gifted her wellness in every sense, and she doesn’t intend to waste it. Sober on!
Join in the conversation!
We would love to hear your thoughts! Join in the conversation on social media, or send us an email.
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If you have ever struggled with feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, and burned out, this is the episode for you. We've gathered some amazing ladies to share their experiences and the things they've learned about coping with burnout, and also preventing it from happening in the future. Our goal is always to keep ourselves as far away from a drink as possible, and burnout can create a danger zone if we're not careful. So listen as we dig into how and why we let ourselves reach the point of burnout, and learn how we've dealt with it - and hopefully walk away with some new ideas to apply in your own life.
"If you don't make time for your wellness, your body will force you to make time for your illness."
It's easy to fall into a state of burnout, when we're trying to keep up with all of the things we're expected to do, and burnout can be a very dangerous place when we're sober. When we aren't careful, we might find ourselves at the point where we convince ourselves that we "need" a drink or "deserve" a drink for getting through all the stressful, busy days. So how has feeling burned out affected your recovery? What have you learned about coping with or prevent it? 
In this episode:
Depression as a symptom of burnout
Recognizing and shutting down the "shoulds"
Realizing that sometimes we create our own chaos
Spotting danger zones early
Understanding and then changing the narratives we carry through life
Learning to correctly prioritize
Staying ahead of burnout by preventing it
Knowing your values to prevent misalignment, and to know your purpose
Learning how to ask for help (even if it sucks)
"We weren't really taught how to rest."
Steve mentions Scott Stillman's concept of the universe giving us "nuggets", if only we remember to be open to finding them. Learn more about Scott and his books at scottstillmanblog.com (Our favorite book is I Don't Want to Grow Up. It's been hugely inspirational for both of us!)
"Be a human being, not a human doing."
About our guests:
Brittany Storti is a recovering addict and has been sober since January 29, 2017, Her voice first became public on The Doctor Oz Show in 2012 for her eating disorder and has been in the recovery community for a total of 11 years. She is the founder and CEO of The Bridge Coaching services. She is a certified professional coach and addiction recovery coach, specializing in eating disorders, substance abuse, and women empowerment. She’s on a mission to empower others to go from feeling never enough to realize they are already enough. There is no shame in her game. Her primary purpose is to be of maximum service to others.
How to contact Brittany:
-Website: thebridgecoachingservices.net
-Email: brittanystorti@thebridgecoachingservices.net
-Instagram handle: @building_the_bridge
Sonia is the founder of EverBlume, which provides small group recovery meetings where members are matched into groups based on what they are struggling with. The goal is for members to find connection through conversation and get meaningful support and feedback from eachother.
Sonia is an orthodontist and built and sold a successful multi-location practice in 2016 and got sober in 2017. Since then, she become a recovery coach and has dedicated her life to making a difference with social impact investing, volunteering with the incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and victims of sex trafficking. And now, she hopes to create her biggest impact by leveraging the power of peer support to create community for those on their recovery journey. 
https://www.joineverblume.com/
https://www.instagram.com/joineverblume/
https://www.facebook.com/EverBlume
https://medium.com/@everblume
https://www.tiktok.com/@everblume
Kaitlin is a wife, mother, and wild woman on a mission of self actualization with the hopes of spreading that vibration to those she encounters along her journey. She walked away from the life of self destruction from her addiction and traumas 2 years ago, and has embraced the path of undoing, rebuilding, and healing ever since. May we all stop to smell the flowers, observe the breeze, and lend each other a loving hand when we meet on the path of growth. You are never alone, and so loved! Shine on! You can find Kaitlin's sober content on Tiktok here.
Get in touch with Julie & Steve:
throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com
Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com
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One of the emotions that comes up often in conversation is anger in recovery. Most of us never learned to regulate our emotions in our youth, so emotions come on big and strong, and anger is one that can lead us to doing things that we regret, and can even lead us back to wanting to have a drink. We've invited sober podcast host Dan from Hard Knox Talks and our friends Ryan and Dan to join us in a conversation about how we deal with anger now that we are sober.
"Anger isn't an emotion. It's a response to an emotion."
In this epsidode:
Fear of rejection
Using anger as fuel for positive growth
Anger at oneself
The value of therapy to overcome anger
Using anger to deflect blame vs. owning our mistakes and faults
Bottling up anger, and then experiencing rage
Coping mechanisms that work for anger in recovery
The value of connection and venting frustration
Using music and journals to reflect and learn from our past
Letting go vs. carrying a grudge
Using anger as protection
Setting boundaries
Communicating needs to avoid resentment
Validating our anger and understanding its purpose
"Anger is a good indicator of where your boundaries need to be."
Julie mentions the book Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
Get in touch:
throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com
Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com
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In this episode, we talk about the affects that loneliness has on alcholism recovery. We've invited sober influencer Rachael (Addict with Purpose), sober podcast host Scott (The Sober Heathen), and our dear friend Coryn to talk about how loneliness has played a part in both their addiction and their recovery. It seems nearly everyone has struggled with loneliness at times, and while it may look different for each person, we share some very relatable ways to cope.
"I'm not asking for too much, I'm just asking the wrong person."
In this episode:
Lack of parental connection
Poor quality friends when in active addiction
Feeling lonely when you're not alone
Taking initiative to establish relationships
Willingness to risk rejection
Realizing some people can't connect the way you want them to
Our needs will evolve with time
Letting yourself be truly seen
Isolation vs. solitude
Loneliness as a lack of identity
Finding the wrong people
Growth is necessary for connection
Reaching out for help
People pleasing
Learning not to pre-judge people
"Loneliness is a lack of reciprocal emotional connection - with someone else, or even with yourself."
Julie and Steve mention Brene' Brown - like they always do. Visit her website at www.brenebrown.com and check out her books and videos. It really will change your life.
If you're looking for a place to connect with others in recovery, visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com for information on our weekly Zoom meetings.
Coryn is a 38 year old accountant in Southern California who stubbornly won an argument with her ex-husband by committing to take a year off from drinking and unexpectedly found the strength to create a life she no longer needed to escape from. After quitting drinking on June 23, 2021 she found her community on the I Am Sober app, and has connected with people all over the world who realize the toll alcohol takes on our health.
Scott is a proud father of twin boys. He hosts The Sober Heathen podcast with which he documents his recovery journey. Although it is sometimes painful and deeply raw, it helps him tremendously to recover honestly and openly! He has 4 OWI's, thousands in fines due, no license until the 30's (2030), he is living back home, and he still has never felt better and in more control! Recovery is worth it because with it there is always HOPE!
Rachael is proud to say I’m in long term recovery from both drugs and alcohol. My recovery date is 7/30/2017. I have chosen not to be anonymous and to use my voice and passion to help others like me find a solution. I am a harm reductionist and a certified peer support specialist in 2 states as well as recovery advocate. I am passionate about helping and inspiring others to better themselves which is why I created my page  Addict with Purpose.
Get in touch:
throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com
Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com
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It's common to find that yourself hitting a plateau in recovery. A time when recovery feels stagnant, like you aren't moving forward anymore the way you were before. Sometimes it's just uncomfortable, sometimes it can be a danger zone and can lead to relapse. We've invited our dear friend Corina, and sober influencers Eric and James to talk about how they've handled plateaus in their recovery.
"You can't stay clean on yesterday's recovery. You've got to do something different."
In this episode:
Hitting a rut
Recognizing and appreciate peace after the chaos of addiction
Growth looks different at different times
Reflecting and appreciating how far you've come
Habits that strengthen recovery
Avoiding complacency
Service in recovery
Learning to live in a new normal
Identifying the source of discomfort
The value of connection and community during a plateau
Where to find community - both anonymous and not
"It takes self awareness to know the difference between a state of peace and a state of dangerous stagnation."
Eric mentions the book A New Pair of Glasses by Chuck C Chamberlain.
Corina talks about how helpful the I Am Sober app has been for her recovery.
Eric gives a shout out to Covenant Hills Treatment Center in San Clemente, CA.
Corina D is an educator living in Edmonton, AB with her two rescue feral pharoahs. A full time compassionate soul whose real journey of discovery (recovery) began at the emotional heap in Cairo after the collapse of her volatile second marriage. She has been known to wander in broad daylight carrying a lantern earnestly searching for truth and honesty. You can follow Corina on Instagram @cdn_grl
James Fox is fromTwin Falls, Idaho. He's 17 years clean from cocaine and meth and got sober from alcohol on 12.06.2020. An alcoholic for 20 years before seeking sobriety. He's just out there raw doggin sobriety and encouraging others on their sobriety journey. You can find James on TikTok here.
Get in touch!
throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com
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For a full transcript of this episode, visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com

"There are 3 different voids - the time void, the emotional void, and the void of purpose."
In this episode, we explore the voids that alcohol leaves behind, and how we've gone about filling the void. We dig into filling the extra time, wading through the emotional void, and also how we've found ways to fulfill our purpose, so that we can create a meaningful life that is aligned with our values. Listen as we share our thoughts and ideas on how we turn a life that felt empty into a life where alcohol is irrelevant and our souls are full.
In this episode:
The "all or nothing" mentality common to many people who abuse substances
The danger of swapping one addiction for another
The benefits of exercise
Filling the void with positives instead of taking things away
Focusing on the future instead of dwelling in the past
Drinking as a social lubricant
Filling the emotional void with community
Learning to connect with self - solitude
Discovering our purpose and finding ways to fulfill it
"When you're in alignment with your values and your self, the actions that you're taking, the choices that you're making, are in alignment with whatever your values are, then you can start feeling all those different voids start to fill with something meaningful instead of just trying to ignore them or dump alcohol into them and hope that that fills it up."
Maggie Jenson has been free from addiction for three years. After 15 years of addictive drinking, she employed out-of-the-box tactics in order to Think Different to Drink Different. She now lives a sober-ish lifestyle where alcohol is irrelevant. She's recreated her identity to one of health and personal growth. Since creating her alcohol-freedom, she's founded Magnify Progressive Wellness to help clients find themselves - and success - again, too. Find Maggie on Instagram and YouTube. Download Maggie's "Happy Habits Guide for Listeners" here.
Ben Tuff is record holding ultramarathon swimmer who will inspire and educate about his previous experience dealing with addiction. Just over ten years ago, Ben gave up the bottle and taught himself to swim. Ben’s goal is to destigmatize the idea of addiction and help people learn to follow their dreams. His documentary “Swim Tuff: How I Swam my Way Out of the Bottle” is is about to be completed. Ben looks to informative and inspires each and every person to take a growth mindset and bring change or new challenges to their lives one stroke at a time.
Matt Gardiner is a Recovery Coach & Storywork Coach who has helped numerous people get out of their 'stuck stories' and manage their addictions to effectively integrate sobriety into their lives. His coaching method focuses on breath awareness, inner dialogue word choice, and reframing the stories you've been attaching to the events of your life. Matt is also a lifelong musician and Sound Therapist, which compliments his work as a Coach.  'Beyond Recovery' is a podcast hosted by Matt, where guests come on to share their journeys of recovery. Find Matt on Instagram @recoveryroadmap.me, and on YouTube and Facebook @mattgardinerLIVE.
Get in touch:
throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com
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Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com for a full transcript of this episode.

"What lenses am I wearing? How am I interpreting the world?"
In this episode, we explore the science behind negative emotions, and talk about some of the ways we can cope with those times when we feel like we're stuck in the dark. We are joined by ER physician Dr. Andrew; Debs, who is studying to become an addictions specialist; and Britt, who is a recovery coach by hobby. We dig into finding ways to see the positive in what are usually considered "negative" emotions, and discuss different ways we've learned to grow through those dark times.
Some of the ideas we cover in this episode include:
The science behind emotional reactions
Tips for distracting yourself when it's the best option
"Negative" emotions aren't a bad thing - they serve a purpose
Understanding where our self talk comes from
Choosing the lens through which we see the world
Neuroplasticity - creating new neural pathways
Finding opportunity in the darkness
The physical reaction to sadness can be healing
Increasing your emotional capacity
The value of connection in recovery
Recognizing the stories we tell ourselves
"It turns out, negative emotions pass on their own. That was news to me."
Debs is from Melbourne Australia and has had a successful global career in Sales & Management.  On Jan 9 2021, Deb decided she had had enough and was determined break the hamster wheel cycle and eliminated alcohol from her life.  Today at 837 days sober she enjoys a calm and content life and is changing careers studying to become an Addiction specialist.  Her life goal is to help people be the healthiest version of themselves by abstaining from drugs and alcohol and to know they do not have to do this alone. 
Dr. Andrew Seefeld is the Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth, New Hampshire. He is uniquely qualified as a leader in the field of Addiction Medicine considering his own personal experience battling addiction. Dr. Andrew is a champion of Emotional Sobriety, focusing on the upstream thoughts & emotions & how they relate to downstream behavioral patterns. You can follow him on Twitter at @sobER_doctor. 
Keep in touch!
throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com
Find us on:
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For a full transcript of this episode, visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com