Tribe Sober - inspiring an alcohol free life!

From Whisky to Water - Lynne's Story

In this episode, I chat to Tribe Sober Ambassador Lynne, who spent years as a “normal” drinker - functioning well on the outside, but quietly questioning her relationship with alcohol.
There was no dramatic rock bottom. No crisis. Just a growing awareness that something wasn’t working anymore.
Lynne shares how her nightly whisky habit slowly increased in quantity and shifted from a reward to something that no longer felt good - and how she found her way to an alcohol-free life that feels calmer, clearer, and more aligned.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your drinking is “bad enough” to change, this conversation will really resonate.
🔑 What We Cover
What it means to be a grey area drinker
How habits quietly become harder to control
Why moderation often doesn’t stick
The subtle signs that alcohol is no longer serving you
Life without alcohol — what actually changes
Why you don’t need a rock bottom to make a change
💬 Key Takeaway
You don’t have to wait for things to fall apart to rethink your drinking.Sometimes the quiet nudge — “this isn’t working anymore” — is more than enough.
👣 Next Steps
If Lynne’s story resonated, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure this out by yourself.
👉 Join our 6-week Accelerate programme and start building an alcohol-free life that actually feels good🔗 https://www.tribesober.com/accelerate-2/
 
 

From Rock Bottom to Real Self

📝 Show Notes
🎙️ From Rock Bottom to Real Self: The Power of Returning to Yourself
🎶 Intro & Outro Music: “Remember” by Sutherland
What if rock bottom isn’t the end… but the beginning?
In this episode, Lynette explores the journey from rock bottom—or what we sometimes call a high bottom—into self-leadership, emotional power, and a return to your true self.
Inspired by the story of Alysa Liu, this episode goes far beyond success or achievement. It’s about what happens when we lose ourselves in pressure, expectation, and survival… and how we begin to come back.
If you’ve ever found yourself asking:
“Why can’t I just stop?”
“Is this my rock bottom?”
“I’m sober… now what?”
…this episode is for you.
 
🌿 In This Episode
Why rock bottom can be a turning point—not a failure
The difference between rock bottom and “high bottom”
How nervous system stress and disconnection drive addictive patterns
What it means to lose your sense of self—and how to reclaim it
The shift from performance and people-pleasing → self-leadership
Why recovery is not about becoming someone new, but returning to who you are
A simple way to anchor into identity (what Lynette calls a “power pattern”)
Emotional power: learning to feel without needing to escape
🔑 Key Takeaway
You don’t change your life by trying harder.
You change your life by returning to yourself—
with awareness, with choice, and with authority.
💫 Ready for Support?
If you are still struggling… still slipping… or wondering if you’ve hit your rock bottom—please don’t do this alone.
 
✨ Accelerate Programme (Tribe Sober)
A new programme is launching this weekend.
👉 Contact Tribe Sober to find out more and get started. email Mon@tribesober.com
 
If you’ve had a few months of sobriety and you’re ready to go deeper…
If you’re asking: “I’m sober… now what?”
 
✨ Work with Lynette
Explore one-on-one coaching or mentorship programmes:
👉 Email : Lynette@llrcoaching.com
 
🌊 Final Reflection
What if your past hasn’t broken you…
but initiated you?
And what if this next chapter
is not about fixing yourself…
…but about coming home to yourself?

Understanding Codependency...with Dr Sarah Michaud

In this episode, Janet talks with clinical psychologist Dr Sarah Michaud, who has been sober since 1984 and specialises in addiction and codependency. Sarah shares her powerful recovery story and explains why codependency is often the missing piece in long-term sobriety.
In this episode
Growing up in a family affected by alcoholism
Why addiction often begins as a way to escape emotional pain
The moment that led Sarah to get sober at 24
What codependency really means and how it shows up in relationships
Why trying to fix or control other people never works
How to start setting healthy boundaries in early sobriety
Why guilt is normal when you begin changing people-pleasing patterns
The importance of asking yourself: What do I want? What do I need?
Why asking for help is the first step to recovery
Key message
Recovery isn’t just about stopping drinking. It’s about reconnecting with yourself and learning healthier ways to relate to others.
Resources
Dr Sarah Michaud – Co-Crazy: One Psychologist’s Recovery from Addiction and Codependency
Podcast: Leaving Crazy Town
Website: drsarahmichaud.com
Support: Tribe Sober
More Info
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).
 

When Strategy Isn’t the Problem — Identity Is

Episode Title:
When Strategy Isn’t the Problem — Identity Is
Episode Description
Many people who want to change their relationship with alcohol believe they simply need a better strategy — more discipline, better rules, or a stronger moderation plan.
But what if the real issue isn’t strategy at all?
In this episode, Lynette explores a deeper truth: lasting change rarely comes from trying to control alcohol — it comes from expanding beyond the identity that believes alcohol is necessary.
Drawing on insights from neuropsychologist Dr. Julia DiGangi and years of coaching experience, Lynette explains why so many attempts at moderation fail and why identity transformation is the real turning point in recovery.
If you’ve ever told yourself, “I should be able to moderate,” this episode may help you see the pattern in a completely new way.
In This Episode
Lynette explores:
Why many people struggle with alcohol even when they genuinely want to change
The hidden difference between strategy change and identity change
The “capability fantasy” that keeps people stuck in the moderation cycle
How personality and identity influence our relationship with alcohol
Why arguing with reality creates suffering
The concept of “expanding beyond personality” from Dr. Julia DiGangi’s work
The powerful shift from trying to control alcohol to becoming the person who no longer needs it
Key Insight From This Episode
One of the most powerful shifts in recovery happens when we stop asking:
“How do I control my drinking?”
And start asking:
“Who am I becoming?”
Sobriety is not simply about removing alcohol.
It’s about expanding beyond the identity that once believed alcohol was necessary.
A Quote From This Episode
"The goal isn’t just to stop drinking.
The goal is to become the person who no longer needs to".
Want Support Exploring Sobriety?
If this episode resonated with you and you’re curious about what life might look like with alcohol no longer running the show, Lynette offers exploratory coaching sessions.
You can contact her at:
lynette@llrcoaching.com
These sessions are a safe space to explore your relationship with alcohol and what might be possible for you moving forward.
About Lynette
Lynette Le Roux is a coach specialising in helping people change their relationship with alcohol and step into a more empowered, alcohol-free life.
Through coaching, Positive Intelligence mental fitness training, and deep emotional insight work, she supports clients in transforming the patterns and identities that keep them stuck.
Final Reflection
Remember:
You’re not giving something up.
You’re stepping into the freedom of who you really are.
 

Boomers, Blackouts and Breaking Free...with Dr Tony Rao

Tribe Sober - inpiring an alcohol-free life!
My guest this week is British Psychiatrist Dr Tony Rao.  He is an international expert of alchohol misuse in older people - with more than 20 years experience in this area.
He works with Baby Boomers in the UK who have alcohol issues - I was one of those for many years so found this conversation fascinating..
In this Episode
Dr Tony explains how his interest in the field started with his parents who were both medics
He believes it's essential to understand the community his patients are from if he is to understand their problems
The baby boomer generation is more susceptible to alcohol abuse as we grew up with very different cultural attitudes 
We believed it was ok to get drunk sometimes and the "work hard, play hard" ethos was encouraged in many corporates
After decades of drinking the older generation have not even tried to cut down - many of them rely on it more as they get older
Dr Tony believes that the "low risk" limits for alcohol should be reduced for older people as our bodies are less resilient
Extra risks for older people include falls, mixing with medications and the fact that it takes longer to metabolize
We agreed that although people are living longer the emphasis should be on "living well" for the last 10 years
Dr Tony advises that we take the low risk limits seriously and reach out for help if we need it - there is always help.
He has written a book called "Catch Me When I Fall" which dramatises the issue - available via Amazon
More infoSubscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE
To access our website click HERE
If you would like a free copy of our e-book "66 days to sobriety" please email us at janet@tribesober.com
If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community just email janet@tribesober.comEpisode Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today. Read more about our membership and subscribe HERE
 
 Help us to spread the word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook and Instagram. 
Thank you for listening! 
Till Next Week
Janet x

Falling in love with your Brain

🎙 Episode 4: Falling in Love With Your Brain
Love Series – Tribe Sober Podcast
 
This month we’ve been exploring love.
Love as compassionate witness.
Love as unconditional.
Love as unbreakable across time.
 
And in this final episode of the series, we go deeper.
What if one of the fiercest acts of self-love in sobriety is falling in love with your brain?
 
Not believing every thought.
Not fighting your mind.
But understanding it. Training it. Leading it.
 
Because if you don’t direct your brain…
it will direct you.
 
And when it comes to alcohol, your brain isn’t protecting you from drinking.
It’s protecting your access to drinking.
That distinction changes everything.
 
In this Episode we explore :
✨ Why your brain isn’t broken — it’s programmable
✨ The five common distortions that argue for alcohol
✨ Why sobriety isn’t about willpower — it’s about leadership
✨ The power of deciding ahead of time who you are becoming
✨ What Olympic champion Eileen Gu teaches us about self-leadership
✨ How curiosity replaces self-criticism
✨ Why loving your brain is an act of fierce devotion
 
Lynette also shares a deeply personal reflection:
Her 54-year-old self — in her “Not This” moment — would absolutely love the 62-year-old woman she has become.
 
Not because everything is perfect.
But because she didn’t stay stuck.
 
She got curious.
She trained her thinking.
She led herself first.
 
And that is available to you too.
The Core Message
Sobriety is not about fighting yourself.
It’s about understanding the instrument you are living inside.
 
When you love your brain, you train it.
When you train it, you change your life.
 
And when you change your life, you become the version of yourself your former self would admire.
Ready for Support?
If you’re still early in sobriety and want structure and compassionate guidance:
 
👉 Accelerate – A practical, science-based program to help you stop drinking and build momentum.
https://www.tribesober.com/accelerate-2/
 
If you’re sober and asking, “Now what?”
👉 Path to Purpose – Lynette’s monthly coaching membership where we apply this work deeply. Identity. Emotional mastery. Conscious self-creation.
https://www.tribesober.com/path-to-purpose/
 
If you are serious about strengthening your brain intentionally:
 
👉 Mental Fitness Program & 1:1 Mentorship – High-level brain training, emotional regulation, and personal leadership work.
DM Lynette directly to explore : lynette@llrcoaching.com
 
If this Love Series stirred something in you — don’t leave it at inspiration.
 
Take the next step.
 
Because love isn’t just emotional.
 
It’s neurological.
It’s intentional.
It’s leadership.
 
And sobriety?
 
Sobriety is you deciding to create a version of yourself you are proud to be.
 
💛 See you soon.

Unbreakable Love - Having your own back across time

Unbreakable Love - Having your own back Across TimeThis month we’re talking about love.
And yes… I speak about love a lot.
Because I genuinely believe that love is the most powerful force in the universe.
 
But the most important place to practice love isn’t in your romantic relationships.
 
It’s in your relationship with yourself.
 
In this episode, we explore a deeper, sturdier kind of self-love — the kind that has your back across time.
 
Not fluffy love.
Not “treat yourself” love.
Not self-soothing disguised as self-care.
 
But unbreakable love.
 
The kind that protects your future self.
Honours your past self.
And steadies your present self.
 
Especially in sobriety, this distinction matters.
 
Because if something feels good in the moment but harms your future self — it isn’t love. It’s relief.
 
In this episode, I share:
The difference between romance love and sturdy love
Why self-discipline is actually devotion
How to stop shaming your past self and start integrating her
A powerful bridge metaphor for loving yourself across time
Why loving yourself properly makes you more available to love others
And I offer a simple, practical exercise to strengthen your relationship with:
 
✨ Your past self
✨ Your present self
✨ Your future self
 
If you’re still trying to get a handle on your drinking:
 
👉 Join my free Accelerate Webinar happening today, 21 February.
We’ll explore practical tools to stop the cycle and build momentum.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hpmdAdvxQO-bA0f8loMnIA#/registration
 
If you’ve stopped drinking and you’re ready for deeper growth:
 
👉 Path to Purpose is my monthly coaching community where we apply this work in real life — identity, emotional mastery, purpose, and steady self-leadership.
 
If you want to strengthen your inner steadiness daily:
 
👉 My Mental Fitness Pods are where we practice having our own backs — consistently.
 
If this episode resonated with you, send me a DM - lynette@llrcoaching.com
Let’s talk about what support looks like for you.
The world needs more love.
But not just romantic love.
It needs steady love.
Grounded love.
Self-trusting love.
 
And that begins with you.
 
Have a beautiful week. 💛

Unconditional Love, Lovability and Sobriety

Episode 2 – Unconditional Love, Lovability & The Sobriety That Follows
 
In this second episode of our February Love Series, we go deeper into one of the most powerful forces in our lives: love.
 
Not romantic love.
Not conditional love.
But unconditional love — and what it has to do with sobriety.
 
What if choosing sobriety is one of the fiercest acts of love you will ever perform?
 
What if withholding love — from others or from yourself — is what keeps you stuck in shame, relapse, resentment or self-sabotage?
 
In this episode, Lynette explores:
Why love is not weak — it is strong and protective
How unconditional love is a skill you can train
The difference between love and expectation
Why lovability is not something you earn — it is something you already are
What to say to yourself at 3am after a slip
Why sobriety powered by love lasts longer than sobriety powered by shame
“I’m sober… now what?” — and how to step into your next chapter
Lynette also shares a client story illustrating how choosing regulation over reaction becomes an act of self-respect and emotional leadership.
Whether you are still questioning your relationship with alcohol, early in sobriety, or months/years alcohol-free and wondering what comes next — this episode will meet you exactly where you are.
 
✨ Ready to Go Deeper?
If you’re exploring stopping drinking or want practical support:
Free Webinar – Accelerate Your Sobriety
Register here: https://www.tribesober.com/accelerate-2/
 
If you’re sober and asking “Now what?”:
 
Path to Purpose – Monthly Coaching Membership
This is where we take this material and apply it.
We train it.
We embody it.
We study it at a deeper level.
https://www.tribesober.com/path-to-purpose/
Music
Opening and closing music: Remember by Sutherland
 
 

Love that Stays

💛 The Love Series — Episode 1
Intro music:
🎵 “Remember” by Sutherland
 
Love as Self-Leadership: Becoming the Compassionate Witness
February is often called the month of love.
But what if love isn’t something we look for outside of ourselves —
what if love is how we lead ourselves, especially when things feel messy, tender, or hard?
This episode is the first in a four-part mini-series exploring love as self-leadership — through sobriety, self-talk, and the way we meet ourselves in moments of struggle.
In this opening episode, we begin with the idea of the compassionate witness — the part of us that can notice what’s happening without judgment, punishment, or shame.
If you’ve ever woken up in the early hours of the morning replaying a slip, a choice, or a moment you wish had gone differently…
this episode is for you.
Instead of berating ourselves, what if the most loving response sounds more like:
“What’s the matter, love?”
“Help me understand.”
“We’ll solve this in the morning.”
In this episode, Lynette explores:
Love as an act of self-leadership, not self-indulgence
Why how we speak to ourselves matters more than willpower
How sobriety deepens our relationship with truth and self-trust
What it means to meet a wobble or slip with curiosity instead of cruelty
A gentler way to work with early-morning shame spirals and mental noise
This conversation invites you to soften — not to give up, but to grow up emotionally.
To move from punishment to partnership with yourself.
This is not about being perfect.
It’s about practicing love where it matters most — inside.
 
✨ This episode is the beginning of The Love Series.
Over the next three episodes, we’ll explore love through repair, self-trust, choice, and the quiet courage of staying.
 
If this resonates, stay with me.
 
🎧 Listen if you:
Are exploring or recommitting to sobriety
Struggle with harsh self-talk or inner criticism
Want a kinder, steadier relationship with yourself
Are learning to respond to life with compassion rather than force
💌 Stay connected
If you’d like to go deeper into this work — through sobriety, emotional self-leadership, and building self-trust — you’re warmly invited to explore working with Lynette or joining one of her programs. Email lynette@llrcoaching.com to set up an exploratory session.

Episode 300 - featuring our Top Ten episodes!

This week we're celebrating our 300th podcast by taking you through our top 10 podcasts. The episodes that have had the most downloads since we started the podcast back in 2020.
So coming in at number 10 is James Swanwick who has some great advice about Alcohol and your Body Fat
He explained how Alcohol consumption can compromise sleep quality, metabolism, and overall health.
It can also disrupt the body's natural processes, leading to weight gain, reduced productivity, and increased cravings for unhealthy foods.
Coming in at number 9...
Recovery it's a Brain Thing – which is the name of the book by my two guests – David & Susan Kenney
They run a program to train Recovery Coaches and one of our Tribe members Darren was so impressed by their approach he signed up for their course and is now a qualified recovery coach working with our Breaking Free program 
Coming in at number 8 is Dr. Loretta Breuning, who helped me to unpack the cause of my own early sobriety blues.
Have a listen to the first interview I did with her, which was in August 2021
We called her episode - how to be sober...and happy
At number 7 we have the brilliant William Porter
William is a lawyer with a passion for the science behind alcohol dependence, and he's written two books, Alcohol Explained and Alcohol Explained 2. They're both essential reading, and I think the more we understand the damage that alcohol does to our bodies and brains, the less likely we are to want to drink it.
His episode is called Why we get Hangxiety
Coming in at number 6 we have Neuroscientist Staci Danford 
Stacy taught us about our lizard brain and how we need to manage it before it manages us. She even recommended that we give it a name. She calls hers Ernie. My interview with Stacy came out in August 2021 and is called Your Lizard Brain At number 5 is Stanford Psychiatrist Dr Anna Lembke 
Anna has written a top selling book called Dopamine Nation.
It's an awesome book, which I highly recommend if you're interested in the science of addiction. Her explanation of the pain pleasure balance is superb. That episode is called, Why We Get Addicted, and it came out in November, 2023.
Next up at number 4 is a firm favourite with Tribe Sober – Ken Middleton with his “How Drinking Limits our Potential” episode
He's the author of Bamboozled, which has the clever subtitle of How Alcohol Makes Fools of Us All,  Do grab a copy if you haven't yet read it. Such a brilliant description of how we've been manipulated by big alcohol for decades.
I often quote Ken, who says, "even if alcohol doesn't destroy us, it will limit our potential".  His Tribe Sober episode is called How Alcohol Limits Your Potential - released in April 2023
Ken was also one of our guests back in November 2020 when he shared his own story and explained the science behind alcohol dependence. And why drinking regularly for 20 years means you're very likely to develop a problem
Next up at number 3 is me sharing my story - our very first podcast episode, which was released in May 2020 to celebrate my fifth soberversary.
At number 2 we have another episode by William Porter - called Managing Cravings
Finally, still hogging the number one slot is Australian sobriety coach, Kathryn Elliott.
It's called "How to Stop Binge Drinking" and came out in June 2022.
Like me, Catherine's had breast cancer, which prompted us to do an episode together recently. Because neither of us had realized that our heavy drinking was putting us at risk of breast cancer, so we celebrated Breast Cancer Awareness Month by having a conversation about it, spreading the word to other women that more than three glasses of wine a week increases your risk of breast cancer.
We called it "Drink Less for Your Breasts" and it was released in October 2023. So that's our top 10. I'd like to say a big thank you to all our listeners. Thanks to you, the Tribe Sober podcast has had nearly  450, 000 downloads, which keeps its global ranking in the top 2 percent of all podcasts.
More importantly, nearly 20 percent of our members found their way to us via the podcast.
So don’t forget to make a playlist of our Top Ten and you might want to check out our Top 100 Playlist 
So if you want to join our tribe and connect with others on this path, just hit Join Our Tribe 
More Info
This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up todayRead more about our program and subscribe HERE
Help us to Spread the Word!
We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share.
If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts.
Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you!
We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning.
You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
You can join our private Facebook group HERE.
PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device)
Open the Podcasts app. EASY.
Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field.
Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes).
Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews.
Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).