Soberful

Have you fever felt anxious? Have you ever used alcohol to deal with social anxiety? You are not alone. Anxiety and problems with alcohol go hand in hand. We drink to take the 'edge' off and get through social situations, but the booze just makes everything worse. You may have even experienced a full-blown panic attack. Veronica suffered from extreme anxiety and regular panic attacks throughout her drinking. In this episode, Chip and Veronica look at the relationship between alcohol and anxiety, how getting sober will change it and give you their strategies for dealing with anxiety when it strikes. To learn more, visit the show notes.

The Five Pillars of Sustainable Sobriety are essential for anyone wishing to live a happy and sober life. In this episode, Veronica takes a deep dive into the five pillars of Movement, Connection, Balance, Process, and Growth. She explains how they work, how you can apply them to your life, and why you can't get sober without them. To learn more, visit the show notes.

This is probably the question we get asked the most. Am I an alcoholic? How do I know if I have a drinking problem? We explore the spectrum of Alcohol Use Disorder's and look at how an alcohol problem can progress. We give our response (and analogy's!) to clients when they first come to us and ask if they have a problem or not. To learn more, visit the show notes.

***Trigger warning*** This episode discusses adult content about sex and sexuality as well as discussion of childhood sexual trauma. Jennifer Matesa is the author of 'Sex in Recovery: A Meeting between the Covers.' Jennifer and I discuss the discoveries she made interviewing subjects for her book. Many people suffering from addiction have experienced childhood sexual trauma, we look at the impact of this on their recovery. We also discuss what the word virginity means, how not talking to teens can lead them to have dysfunctional sexual relationships. We also consider how people can get back in touch with their bodies when they get sober and have sex again. To learn more, visit the show notes.

Relapse is a process, not an event. It can build up over days, weeks and month. In this episode Chip and Veronica talk through the emotional, mental and physical stages of relapse. What you can do at each stage to prevent relapse and tools you can use to change the outcome. To learn more, visit the show notes.

On May 2nd Veronica celebrated 19 years of sobriety. In this solo episode, Veronica explores the 19 most important lessons she has learned in those 19 years. She teaches you a few rules that have transformed her life, mistakes to avoid and the lessons that have had the biggest effects. To learn more, visit the show notes.

Why is asking for help so hard? How do you ask for help? In this episode, we explore this question, give you are insights in taking the first steps to reach out and discuss Russell Brand's book 'Mentors: How to Help and Be Helped' where he explains how Chip helped him. We then consider how to get over the fear of asking for help, and it will ultimately change your life. To learn more, visit the show notes.

****Trigger warning**** We have long since known that trauma is at the root of all addiction. In today's episode, Veronica interviews Alina Frank and Craig Weiner leading experts in the field of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). We discuss why EFT is such a powerful tool to heal and resolve trauma. Alina and Craig explain the science behind EFT and why it heals the body and the mind from traumatic experiences. To learn more, visit the show notes.

In this engaging conversation, J.F. Benoist, an author and addiction counselor, delves into the intricacies of the 'monkey mind' and its impact on addiction. He explains how childhood programming and shame shape our beliefs, hindering change. J.F. introduces his unique therapy method—Experiential Engagement Therapy—that helps rewire these beliefs through emotional exploration. He emphasizes the importance of authentic connections and reframes addiction as a misguided form of self-love, urging listeners to embrace discomfort for true recovery.

In this episode, we look at cross addiction in its many forms. Including work addiction which we have both suffered from, smartphone addiction, gambling, and substance addiction. We look at what behaviors can be obsessive how addiction triggers a dopamine response and why we have to pay attention to these red flags in recovery. To learn more, visit the show notes.