Journey to the Sunnyside

You don’t identify as an alcoholic.You’re functioning.You’re successful.But something still feels off.In part two of my conversation with Jennifer Kautsch, founder of Sober Sis, we explore why the gray area can feel harder to leave than rock bottom. We talk about identity, why labels create resistance, how high-achieving women quietly manage drinking, and what sober-minded living actually means.If you’ve ever felt stuck between fine and not fine, this episode will help you think differently about what comes next.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

You wake up with regret.You promise yourself tonight will be different.And somehow, by 5 pm, you’re negotiating again.In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Kautsch, founder of Sober Sis, one of the largest communities in the country for women questioning their relationship with alcohol. We break down what she calls the detox to retox loop, the mental tug-of-war of gray area drinking, and why so many high-performing people feel stuck between fine and not fine. If you’ve ever felt like you’re managing alcohol more than enjoying it, this one will feel familiar.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Morning-you makes promises. Evening-you breaks them. There’s a biological reason for that. When stress rises and energy drops, the salience network starts prioritizing immediate relief over long-term goals. Learn how to shift which version of you is in charge — without fighting yourself.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Clear breakdown of what 1, 2, 3–4, and 5+ drinks do biologically. Explains ethanol metabolism and acetaldehyde formation. Compares dose versus frequency and why recovery windows matter. Describes sleep, hormone, inflammation, and heart effects at different drinking levels. Shares practical patterns and tips to reduce biological stress without shame.

By the time you’re standing in the kitchen at 7 PM, your brain may have already decided. In today’s episode, we look at why the hardest part of drinking habits often happens before you ever pour a drink. Understanding that early window can help you step out of autopilot and back into real choice. It’s a small shift that makes a big difference.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

What if the things you hide from yourself—even small traumas—are keeping you stuck on autopilot? In this conversation, performance intelligence expert Marcy Axelrod shares her journey from childhood stuttering to developing the "Show Up System™" used by thousands to break free from just going through the motions. A two-time TEDx speaker and former KPMG Consulting leader, Marcy explains why we're all bouncing between three levels of showing up throughout the day, and how disconnection from yourself creates everything from that extra drink to feeling like life is stale. We explore her 3-role framework for understanding behavior, why addiction is actually an adaptive response to pain, and a simple 2-minute "soften your gaze" technique for shifting out of autopilot mode. If you've ever wondered why you can't seem to change despite knowing better, this framework might help you understand why. CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

A breakdown of a background psychological trick you probably missed during the Super Bowl. An exploration of how ads shape perceptions of what normal drinking looks like. A look at who actually drives alcohol industry revenue and why marketing shows only the highlight reel. A call to notice alcohol in media and choose consciously instead of relying on constructed norms.

Knowing what to do usually isn’t the problem. Most people already know what would help them feel better, whether that’s drinking less, sleeping more, taking better care of themselves, or managing stress. And yet, they don’t. In this episode, I’m joined again by Arlina Allen to talk about why knowledge alone rarely leads to change and what’s actually getting in the way. We explore why habit strategies often fall apart, how anxiety and emotional avoidance drive behavior, and why resistance isn’t a lack of willpower but a protective response. If you’ve ever felt frustrated with yourself for not following through, or wondered why alcohol, distraction, or old patterns still feel necessary even when you don’t want them to, this conversation will give you a new lens. Let’s get into it.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Today’s episode is about flexibility. And more specifically, what happens when the one-size-fits-all approach to alcohol stops working. My guest today is Arlina Allen. Arlina has been sober for over 30 years. She’s the author of The 12-Step Guide for Skeptics, host of the One Day at a Time Recovery Podcast, and she’s spent decades working with high-functioning professionals who want to change their relationship with alcohol without blowing up their lives. What makes this conversation different is that Arlina didn’t start out open-minded about flexibility. For most of her recovery, she believed abstinence was the only real answer. But over time, through her work with clients, her podcast, and her own willingness to question what she thought she knew, her perspective evolved. In this episode, we talk about what actually helped her quit drinking, what the 12 steps still get right even if you don’t resonate with the whole program, and how to think about moderation, medication, and experimentation without shame or labels.If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to drink like this anymore, but I’m not ready to say I’m done forever,” this episode is for you. Let’s get into it.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

It often looks like other people can drink without thinking about it. One drink. No drama. No second-guessing. In this episode, we look at why that comparison is so convincing—and why it usually breaks down on closer inspection. From the way alcohol shifts attention to the information you never actually see when watching others drink, this conversation explores how comparison quietly turns every decision into something you’re evaluating. Not to tell you how to drink, but to help you stop measuring yourself against an incomplete picture.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter:  https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.