Tribe Sober - inspiring an alcohol free life!

Why we get Addicted with Dr Anna Lembke

My guest today is Dr Anna Lembke who is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford – she’s also the author of a best selling book called Dopamine Nation.
In this episode:-
Anna began by defining Dopamine for us: - it’s a neurotransmitter which is central to pleasure, reward, and motivation, and plays a crucial role in addiction.
One of the most exciting findings in neuroscience is that the same parts of the brain that process pleasure also process pain, and they work like opposite sides of a seesaw or a balance.
In Anna’s book Dopamine Nation you’ll find some great illustrations which demonstrate the pleasure-pain balance and which feature little pain gremlins hopping on and off the see saw!
There are 3 rules governing this balance
Rule no 1.  The brain will always seek homeostasis as the neutral position
Rule no 2.  Repeated exposure to alcohol can result in a chronic dopamine deficit - which is in fact the definition of addiction 
Rule no 3.  The brain remembers addictive behaviours which means that a single exposure can result in relapse –that’s why moderation never works once we’ve crossed the line into dependence
To quit drinking Anna recommends beginning with a dopamine fast, a 30-day period of abstaining which will allow the brain to restore homeostasis.
The first 10-14 days will be spent in withdrawal so will be difficult but that difficult stage is going to pass so
The key is to keep going – rather than stopping and starting which just means doings that really difficult bit again and again!
Genetic vulnerability plays a role in addiction, - An alcoholic parent means you’re 4 times as likely to develop a dependence 
But remember that "genetics may be the gun but your lifestyle is the trigger" – you can break the generational pattern
Our brains were wired for survival in a world of scarcity but they don’t fit quite so well in this modern world of abundance… and that’s why so many people become addicted
Anna recommends engaging in what she calls hard things, like exercise or cold water immersion, which can indirectly increase dopamine levels and provide a sense of reward.
For example regular gym sessions will trigger the feel-good neurotransmitters
 I asked Anna why support groups work so well and she explained that the genuine connections in recovery communities release both dopamine and oxytocin so
If you’re looking for a recovery community to keep your dopamine flowing as you tackle this journey then just go to ts.com and click on join our tribe
We also discussed the early sobriety blues – that low mood that can strike a few months into sobriety
I certainly went through a period of feeling very low and uninspired in early sobriety – plenty of time on my hands but no idea what to do with it - a period I referred to as the void
Anna says that tolerating the void is an important part of the human experience which can lead to bursts of creativity – that certainly happened in my case but certainly it took a while
We now advise Tribe Members to get a project if they get the early sobriety blues – something to keep the mind busy and engaged - rather than sitting around waiting for happiness to strike!
In fact we discussed the unrealistic societal expections to be happy all the time – these expectations can lead to people to believe that they are sick if they’re not happy
This reminded me of my conversation with neuroscientist Staci Danford who believes that unhappiness is our default and that happiness is a learned skill –  a link to that podcast is here
As Anna said we have to recognise that life is full of pain and to be alive means sometimes we have to suffer 
I explained that at Tribe Sober we try to focus on what we gain in recovery, rather than what we lose – a reframe that Anna agreed is essential for success
One of her tips for managing cravings was to intentionally engage in activities that press on the pain side of the balance.  -  that made me think of one of our members who used to take a cold shower every time she got a craving – I used to think that was a bit strange but in fact she was doing exactly the right thing!
Those of us who have drunk heavily for decades may have damaged parts of our brains but in recovery we are rewiring the brain so new neural pathways are developing around those areas
We agreed that a relapse is not the end of the world as so much learning will have taken place during our recovery – the key of course is to get right back on track as quickly as possible
To learn more about Dr. Anna Lembke, you can read her book "Dopamine Nation" and explore her other publications, including "The Drug Dealer M. D."
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email 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.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
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).
 
 

Sobriety Masterclass - your Toolkit!

We run our live Group Masterclass just four times a year and are often asked to provide a recording.... so we've done it!
The Masterclass recording is available now.  The 3 hour Masterclass recording is split up into digestible sections and includes written exercises.
Our Masterclass Intensive online course is a deep dive into this fascinating topic - 7 detailed modules to work through at your own pace. Intro session with Janet , Midcourse review with Sue and a coaching session with our Coach Lynette at the end. 
More info about our courses here.
In this episode:-
During this solo podcast I'm giving you a flavour of our Masterclass with a tour of our Toolkit tried and trusted toolkit - here are the 15 tools!
CONNECT with other people on the same path because connection is the opposite of addiction – if youre not yet in tribe sober then please go to our tribesober.com and hit “join our tribe” for more info
EXERCISE get moving – you may feel flat when you quit drinking so trigger your endorphins with exercise – at least an hour a day
GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE – no more numbing out your feelings, personal growth and emotional maturity will come from that discomfort
CHANGE YOUR MINDSET –remember this journey is not about willpower – its about changing your thinking about drinking – tackle your limiting beliefs around alcohol and your desire to drink will diminish
VISUALISE – if you are tempting to drink just play the movie forward – what will happen if you have that drink you are longing for – you will enjoy it but what happens next?  Play the movie forward, you know the ending isn’t pretty!
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER so learn everything you can – listen to podcasts, read the quitlit, take our Masterclass – the more you learn about the toxic effects of alcohol the less you will feel like drinking it!
BE ACCOUNTABILE – Tribe Sober members are in accountability groups according to their length of sobriety and we have a weekly check in at the Zoom Café.  Write a Goodbye to Alcohol letter or start a blog.
FIND A PROJECT – the early sobriety blues may hit after a few months – to combat your low mood you need a project to keep your happy brain chemicals triggered. Start exploring projects so you can dive into it if you are hit by a low mood.
KEEP A JOURNAL – write your why list in the front – your why list will keep you motivated on track.  Use your why list to identify your triggers, process your emotions, record the benefits you are experience and to track your progress. 
BE PREPARED – try lots of Alcohol Free drinks until you find your favourite. Fill your fridge with alcohol free drinks. Play the movie forward when you socialise – what will you drink and what reason will you give for not drinking!
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS – every time we mark off a day as alcohol free we’ll get a dopamine hit – Tribe Sobers Annual Tracker is brilliant for keeping perspective and watching your progress.  If you’d like one of our trackers just email Sue membership@tribesober.com
STAY BUSY – when you quit drinking you’ll have time on your hands so plan how you will use that time.  Try out new activities and interests, start looking for that project – don’t just sit around wishing you could drink and waiting for FOMO to strike!
 BE READY FOR TRIGGERS! – when you get a craving to drink take a pause and breathe… the Power is in the Pause – be curious about the trigger and then get our your journal - analyse WHY you got a craving – write about it in your journal and decide how you will deal with it next time. 
DO THE WORK – Prioritise your sobriety – your recovery will be the foundation on which you can build the rest of your life.  Make it your focus for 3 – 6 months – do the work and your reward will be a healthier and happier future.
FIND YOUR PURPOSE – once we stop drinking we reconnect with who we are and what we really want to do with our lives.  We’re not put on earth to be happy 24/7 – we’re put on earth to find meaning and purpose.
More Info
Tribe Sober membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email 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.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
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).
 
 

Your Recovery Timeline with Nicci Cloete

Nicci Cloete is a coach, a facilitator, a mindfulness and yoga teacher. 
She’s also been in recovery for ten years  
In this episode:-
Nicci experienced trauma in her early teens when her family had a home invasion – she was raped at the age of 13
She had medical and legal support but this was in the 80’s and there was no attention paid to the mental health impact.
A few days off and then Nicci was expected to return to school and carry on.
She turned to alcohol – stealing booze out of her parents wine cabinet – helped her to numb her pain and cope with the difficult emotions and the flashbacks – of course she had PTSD although it wasn’t diagnosed.
In the morning Nicci would grab a bottle of wine and drink it before going to school, arriving drunk at school.
She was developing the skill of drinking undercover and nobody called her out on it.
In spite of the drinking she kept up with her schoolwork, became head of house and got the grades she needed to go to university
Once she got to university there was no longer any need to be secretive as everybody drank although she did notice that not everybody drank like she did, not everybody was having blackouts
After graduating Nicci went to London and worked in recruitment – very much a work hard play hard culture. Working from 7am to 7pm and then going to the pub to get hammered with her colleagues.
Still suffering from blackouts and sometimes not remembering how she got home
When she moved into a flat with a guy and his fiancé she did a lot of drinking on her own when she was in her room.
The next morning she would emerge from her solitary binge perfectly groomed, looking like she had it all together.
We agreed that it takes a huge amount of energy to keep the show on the road – to hold down a responsible job with a crashing hangover.
Nicci moved to California where her wine habit continued
Yoga had always been an important part of Nicci’s life and she was alternating between doing yoga and drinking her wine.
When she returned to South Africa she was thrilled to discover that she was pregnant and immediately stopped drinking….for the first time in 20 years…
And it wasn’t difficult at all!
However once her babies had finished breastfeeding she started drinking again and got into the mommyjuice scene
Once her children were sleeping she would dive into the wine
Every morning she would wake up and vow not to drink that night but of course her resolution would always crumble
She was in the groundhog day of daily drinking
Like many of us Nicci would be able to drink normally at social events but once she got home she would carry on drinking on her own.
Nicci’s turning point came one New Years Eve when she announced to her husband that she would be doing a Dry January… she got drunk on New Years Eve
The next morning her husband announced that he would be taking their children away if she didn’t quit.
That was her wake up call
She went to a GP who was very straight with her –telling her that the alcohol would destroy her if she didn’t take control
Nicci came out with a great analogy about moderation – trying to moderate when you’re an alcoholic is like getting into a boxing ring where you are going to get knocked o ut every time. You can duck and dive and try to avoid getting hit but at some stage you’ll get the sucker punch.  The only way to avoid this is not to step into the ring in the first place!
Nicci got some help and did the work – she realised that she would have to lift the veil and see that her marriage was unfulfilling, that motherhood was hard and that she would have to face up and process the demons from her childhood trauma.
We talked about how our emotional maturity stalls when we start to drink heavily
Sitting with our feelings is the hard thing – the mature adult hard stuff which we must do
One of the things that really helped Nicci was being aware of the Recovey Timeline – as she said there are many variations of this but as a rule of thumb:-
0-15 days in withdrawal
15-45 pink cloud with dopamine levels spiking
45 to 90 days + the wall which is when a low mood might strike
Beyond 90 days you start regularising your neurotransmitters and things begin to feel manageable
We both agreed on the crazy system in some rehabs where they keep you in for a few weeks and then discharge you just as you hit the wall…
Nicki shared that people often tell her that she is so strong for quitting alcohol….. but as she said the life of a functioning alcoholic is also hard – keeping the show on the road with a stonking hangover!
Coping with an ever increasing dependence and all the health issues that come along with alcohol
That’s hard!
So it’s a matter of choosing your hard…yes it’s hard to be sober for those first 90 days but if you stick at it your life will start changing in such a positive way as you become healthier and happier
Nicci is passionate about coaching and loves the fact that we all have the answers within us
As a coach her role is to help her client tap into their deepest knowing by asking the right questions
She’s studied coaching with the University of CapeTown and Thoughtsmith and qualified just before COVID hit
She has been trained to work online and is very comfortable working online with people from all over the world
Nicci also works in corporates and teaches mindfulness
Her advice to someone who is struggling is to reach out – find someone who will call you out on your bullshit
She works with people in recovery – helping people to explore what they really want from their life now they are sober
Nicci’s website is com and she’s on the socials as Metta 356 coachMore infoSubscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE
To access our website click HERE
If you would like a free copy of our "Annual Tracker" or our e-book "66 Days to Sobriety" please email 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.com
Episode 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 7-step 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 - 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 and Instagram
Thank you for listening! 
Till Next Week
Janet x
 

Alcohol...as an Escape - with Brendon Watt

 
My guest today is Brendon Watt who overcame his alcoholism to become a worldwide speaker, best-selling author and facilitator 
In this episode:-
Brendon grew up in Australia, within an unstable family and a lot of abuse.
His father had a formula for what a man should be, emphasizing the importance of being tough and having a trade.
Brendon tried to conform to these expectations by working in construction but by his late 20’s he was totally depressed.
By trying to gain his fathers love and respect he lost himself and knew the life he was leading was not the right life for him
By chance he discovered a technique called Access Consciousness and decided to give it a try
Brendon booked a session and spent an hour and a half sobbing as he released his buried emotions
He was so inspired by the Access Consciousness process that he trained to be a facilitator and began to make some positive changes in his life
However he was still struggling with alcohol, which he saw as his “back door” – his escape
This made me think of Glennon Doyle who talks about using alcohol as the “easy button” to avoid emotional discomfort
Like so many of us Brendon spent years trying (and failing) to cut down on his drinking – trapped in an endless cycle of stopping and starting
 Brendon eventually hit rock bottom and decided to go to AA
 Although he was terrified of losing his back door escape he persevered
He attended lots of AA meetings, and worked with a sponsor.
He realised that he was going to have to go through some painful stuff, including stuff from his childhood that was very difficult to face…
He realised that going through this pain would result in personal growth
He did the work and gradually his life began to change
We agreed that the journey to sobriety is a process that leads to freedom and a more authentic life.
We also agreed that getting sober was just 10% of the journey but that it was the essential part – without sobriety we cannot tackle the rest of the work and learn to thrive
When we quit drinking we need to take responsibility for our happiness – we can no longer rely on alcohol for those chemical highs
Happiness is a learned skill and if you want to learn how to keep your happy brain chemicals firing then listen to last weeks podcast with neuroscientist Staci Danford
Sobriety also enables us to consider other parts of our life.. are we eating healthily, does our exercise plan need stepping up… are we in the right job, the right relationship?
If you need some help to look at your life and decide what needs changing then check out Glennon Doyles book and journal – called Untamed – some great triggers for those big scary questions in there!
When I first realised that I would have to quit drinking I saw sobriety as a punishment but Brendan and I both agreed that in reality sobriety is a gift
The journey to sobriety allows individuals to deconstruct their lives and build them anew, something regular drinkers may not experience.
At Tribe Sober we recommend a book by Laura McCowen – the title is "We are the Luckiest" which says it all really
Another quit lit book title that says it all is "The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober" by Catherine Gray
Our conversation touched on the importance of honesty, integrity, and Brendon gave us a great example of catching himself in a lie – realising that when he was drinking the lies would come automatically
We discussed the misconception that external sources, such as money or substances, can create happiness.
Brendon used to think that when he had a certain amount in his bank account he would be happy – he got there but it didn’t make him happy!
Brendan described his work with Access Consciousness, a program that empowers individuals to find the answers within themselves and discover their strengths.
He highlighted the importance of people acknowledging their unique gifts and the potential for change.
You can find out more about brendon via his website brendonwatt.com More infoSubscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE
To access our website click HERE
If you would like a free copy of our "Annual Tracker" or our e-book "66 Days to Sobriety" please email 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.com
Episode 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 7-step 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 - 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 and Instagram
Thank you for listening! 
Till Next Week
Janet x

Sobriety Hacks...from Neuroscientist Staci Danford

Tribe Sober - inspiring an alcohol-free life!
This week my guest is Staci Danford - this is the second time she has been on the podcast - you can have a listen to our previous conversation here.
Staci is a neuroscientist who loves working with the sober community.  In this episode she shares some really practical and useful information about our brain.
In this Episode
Staci’s husband walked out on her just before her 50th birthday – she was devastated at the time but now the years have passed she is able to look back and see that event as a catalyst for change… a real Wake Up Call
Realising that she must take responsibility for her own happiness she went to grad school to study neuroscience
Staci has no issues with alcohol but her father was an alcoholic – the whole family had tried to convince him to stop for years but only when he decided to stop himself did it work..
We talked about rehab and Staci explained that the success rate is a shockingly low 13.8%
She explained that our brain tricks us into thinking that alcohol is making us happy but in fact it is a depressant – if you’ve been drinking for years then the alcohol will have altered the balance of your brain which is why you become increasingly dependent.
When we understand how our brains work we can work with it – and that’s when the magic will happen – a great analogy is to think of how we use our computers – we work with programs that are installed in our computers – not against them!
Understanding our brains means that we can understand ourselves better and see what we are gaining by ditching the drink – we need to create a “pattern interruptor”
We mustn’t try to alter multiple habits at the same time – far better to focus on just the one
Here at Tribe Sober we say “Just chase one rabbit at a time – if you chase several the chances are that they will all escape!”
Staci advises that we focus on our successes “today I resisted a drink” and don’t look too far into the future (or avoid the F word as we say at Tribe Sober!)
If you listened to Tribe Sober podcast episode 55 which was called “The Happy Brain” with Loretta Breuning, you may remember that she recommended setting an overall goal and dividing it up into smaller goals – this will keep our happy chemicals flowing as just aiming for a mini goal will trigger dopamine and of course we’ll feel good when we reach it.
Staci is in agreement with Loretta and used the marathon analogy – if we sign up for a marathon we don’t immediately go out and try to run 26 miles – we design a training program and divide it into daily sessions – running a bit further every day..
You can find a great example of this on Episode 15 of the Tribe Sober podcast with one of our Sober Springers Kai – he did SS, achieved 66 AF days, then aimed for 100days, then 6 months, then a year – and now 3 years later he still hasn’t had a drink – but still doesn’t say its forever!
Staci explained how our primitive lizard brain will go on autopilot unless we intervene – she calls her Lizard Brain Earl and calls him out if he tries to hijack her behaviour!
She confirmed that our 66 day Sober Spring Challenge is long enough to create a new neural pathway to change our drinking patterns
She also said that the “secret sauce” of Sober Spring was the community support
We discussed the fact that our “drinking neural pathway will always be with us (if we’ve been drinking for years) – and that its easy to reactivate if we start trying to “moderate” after a period of sobriety. Staci loves our Goodbye to Alcohol letters and suggests reading them regularly to remind ourselves how bad the drinking got!
She came up with a list of quick tips to boost our happy chemicals
We start our annual 66 day challenge in September - called Sober Spring here in South Africa but can be Sober Autumn as well
Membership also allows you to find your people as we welcome you into our supportive community - and this month new members will get a complimentary Sober Spring Challenge
Just go to tribesober.com and hit the "join our tribe" button to read more about the benefits of membershipMore infoSubscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE
To access our website click HERE
If you would like a free copy of our "Annual Tracker" or our e-book "66 Days to Sobriety" please email 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.com
Episode 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 7-step 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 - 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 and Instagram
Thank you for listening! 
Till Next Week
Janet x

Drink less...for your Breasts with Kathryn Elliott

 
My guest this week is Kathryn Elliott who has been interviewed for a previous podcast focussing on Binge Drinking 
Kathryn and I were both heavy drinkers…. and we’ve both had breast cancer
These days we are both sober… and passionate about empowering other women with the knowledge they need about the link between alcohol and breast cancer.
Knowledge which will make them think twice next time they think about having a drink.
In this episode:-
We talked about binge drinking which many of us get into when we are teenagers… and then keep the habit going until we are much older
For example Kathryn was a binge drinker from the age of 15 to 46!
Through her work as an alcohol mindset coach she has discovered that binge drinkers share similar traits:-
A) Started binge drinking at an early age
B) Celebrated by their peers and society for this behaviour
C) Their binge drinking not perceived as a problem… more a rite of passage
We agreed that many people are unaware of the definition of binge drinking – they tend to think it’s about the kids knocking back 15 tequila shots in a nightclub but in reality it’s more likely to be an older woman sitting at home alone drinking a bottle of wine.
So to be clear the definition of a binge is 4 standard drinks on one occasion for a woman and 5 for a man
If we are binge drinking on a regular basis our liver will not get adequate time to recover – which is why low risk guidelines suggest going alcohol free for several days a week
Kathryn explained the psychological profile of a binge drinker - a fast drinker, without an off switch, often blacking out and unable to get control of it over many years in spite of setting rules.
We also agreed that willpower was ineffective when trying to control binge drinking – so many of us have tried "the rules" – I’m only having 2 glasses of wine tonight etc but once the first glass is drunk all the bets are off!
The only thing that will work is a mindshift, working on our limiting beliefs so we can see alcohol for the poison that it is
Kathryn and I are both breast cancer thrivers and we were equally shocked with our diagnosis - neither of us had any idea that there was a link between alcohol and breast cancer
Kathryn began to do her own research into the link and was shocked by what she found… also shocked as she realised that this was never a topic of conversation with her friends nor had she ever seen a health campaign highlighting this
She was also shocked to discover that even low to moderate amounts of alcohol will increase our risk of breast cancer
Just 3 standard glasses of wine a week can increase the breast cancer risk by 15%
Each additional drink will add another 10% to that risk
During her research Kathryn came across an American campaign called "Drink Less for your Breasts" which was impressive and had so much information
The research was showing patterns… links between early binge drinking habits that could show up as breast cancer later i
Both Kathryn and I had estrogen driven breast cancer – and alcohol does increase the amount of estrogen in the system
We agreed that the lifestyle choice to be alcohol free that we have both taken feels empowering…
We can’t guarantee that we’ll never get a recurrence of our cancers but we can be confident that we are doing everything we can to avoid it
So Kathryn and I chatted about our binge drinking and our breast cancers and then moved onto our third topic which is educating corporates about the health risks of alcohol
Kathryn is running seminars for leaders and employees in workplaces to help them understand how alcohol impacts their emotional, mental and physical health.
I think this kind of initiative is well overdue and certainly would have welcomed it during my corporate career which involved a work hard/play hard culture!
A lot of Kathryn’s clients are executives who’ve had alcohol issues which had either been enabled through the workplace or had been completely ignored.
That prompted Kathryn to go into workplaces and approach the topic of alcohol, bringing it into a conversation about, wellness, mental health and productivity.
Such a brilliant way to start an ongoing dialogue about the subject
She gives practical tips about taking a break from alcohol and mindful drinking as well
Kathryn also shares her personal story which a lot of people can relate to
She currently promoting a "Sip Smart" campaign for the festive season so do contact her if you think your workplace would benefit from more awareness around this topic
Workplaces are also getting more diverse which means a lot of employees don’t drink so events need to be inclusive and offer a wide range of non alcoholic drinks as well
I asked Kathryn whether it had been a hard sell to convince companies to let their staff watch her talks and webinars
She explained that so long as she’s not telling people they drink too much and/or they must quit the management are quite comfortable with her just sharing information
A lot of the people she talks to have no idea how harmful alcohol is…. that’s something I find when we do our Masterclasses as well..
Something which is reflected in the statistic I mentioned in the intro…. only 34% of women know there is a link between drinking alcohol and breast cancer
We talked about the influence of leaders to role model sensible drinking to their employees
I shared the story of a leader from Tribe Sober – Nick was a big drinker himself but when he quit drinking the culture of the company changed – you can hear Nick’s story here
We ended the conversation with Kathryn’s top 3 benefits of being alcohol free
better connection with herself,
more energy now she’s free from worrying about alcohol
living a purposeful career as she helps others to change their relationship with alcohol.
To contact Kathryn about her corporate work of individual coaching – website is: alcoholmindsetcoach.com 
DM via IG @alcoholmindsetcoach
More Info
Tribe Sober membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email 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.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
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).
 

From Rock Bottom to Recovery with Jared Klickstein

My guest today is an extraordinary young man – his parents were both heroin addicts and he became an addict himself.  His rock bottom included jailtime, homelessness and self mutilation. 
In the episode
Both of Jared’s parents were drug addicts but although life was chaotic they did manage to parent Jared until they got arrested when he was 12 years old
Then he went to live with his aunt who “rescued” him as he put it
Sadly his mother died of her heroin addiction when he was 14 years old which led to him using alcohol to cope with the pain of losing her
Jared describes himself as a “functioning alcoholic” from the age of 15 years old
At the age of 18 he started using Oxycontin as he was very against heroin due to his parents' experience
He didn’t know what Oxycontin was but it was a pill made by a pharmaceutical company so he assumed it was safe
He quickly became addicted and discovered that its very similar to heroin and in fact he switched to heroin 
Whereas alcohol had helped him feel more confident and enable him to socialise heroin completely numbed his feelings
As he says cocaine or acid can amplify emotions whereas with heroin he felt he was purchasing 12 hours of oblivion
Jared continued to use heroin but as he puts it “ the effects diminished as the consequences increased”
These consequences included selling his possessions to get heroin and by the age of 22 he was homeless and living on skid row
Heroin was still effective in completely numbing him from reality – the reality that he was homeless, penniless and without a family member to turn to…
However by the age of 25 reality was getting through so he began taking multiple drugs to block it out
The consequences got more serious and he ended up spending time in jail and suffering serious health problems
He would black out and wake up with injuries – once he lost a toe, another time he woke up with a serious facial injury
That was when he finally decided to consider the idea of getting clean
He managed to get sober via a state funded rehab where he lived for four months
There are only four state funded rehabs in California and many more for profit rehabs
On the subject of rehabs Jared gave us some shocking information about corruption in the rehab industry,
Quote from one of Jareds article “the rehab industry has become nothing more than a glorified insurance scam with a terrible success rate… ..despite making billions upon billions of dollars
Can you imagine paying $30,000 for something that doesn’t work 90% of the time?
Yet new rehabs are popping up almost daily with no sign of slowing”
When Jared got clean he longed for tangible things, he wanted a job and somewhere to live… he had no idea of the intangible benefits that would come his way – a sense of self worth, the ability to love himself and the joy that comes from helping others
Apart from helping others to get clean Jared is influencing policy decisions and feels there is currently a political will to change the current situation
People and companies are leaving California which is reducing tax income, forcing politicians to come up with solutions
That’s why he feels that politicians are open to dialogue with someone like him… someone who understands addiction and homelessness from the inside
Jared has plenty of ideas to bring about social change which he writes about in his book the Crooked Smile which will be published in 2024
His articles can be read via Substack, he is on TW @jaredklickstein and his email is…jklickst@gmail.com
More Info
Tribe Sober membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email 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.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
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).
 

How to Break Free from the Booze Trap!

On this weeks solo episode I talk about our Breaking Free program which we run four times a year. 
Registration for the current program is open until 13th October - more info here.
We limit each Breaking Free group to 20 so you’ll always get personal attention
In this episode:-
I talk about the warning signs of alcohol dependence as well as the benefits of an alcohol free lifestyle
The Breaking Free program has four components…
Four pieces of a puzzle that come together to create a transformation…
The first piece of the puzzle is Community Support so we connect you with the other people on the Breaking Free program
 We put you in a chatgroup with where you’ll also find some TS team members to answer any questions you may have
The second piece is our 4 hour Masterclass – a group session which we hold via Zoom.  Another opportunity to get to know the other people on the program as everyone will share their story at the beginning of the session.  By the end of the Masterclass you’ll understand:-
The importance of a mindset change and the damage alcohol does to our health
We’ll be sharing our tried and tested sobriety toolkit and you’ll end the session feeling motivated and excited about the changes ahead.
While the Masterclass will give you an overview of the Tribe Sober approach to thriving in sobriety the online course will enable you to dive deeper at your own pace.  You’ll get all the theory and training you need to overturn your limiting beliefs around alcohol which is the key….
Just as we’ve been programmed into thinking that alcohol is an essential part of our daily lives our online program will de-program you and enable you to understand that you will be happier and healthier without it!
The third piece is our online course which includes videos, podcasts, articles and book recommendations so you’ll be able to throw the book at your sobriety – you’ll be able to treat it as a 3-month project that will change the trajectory of your future.
The fourth part of the puzzle is the personal support. 
You’ll have a 1.2.1 Zoom call with me so that I can hear your story and give you some personal guidance
My colleague Sue will catch up with you midway through the course to get a progress report and
Last but not least you can book a session with our Coach Lynette who will discuss how you are applying the theory of the Breaking Free program to your daily life
So that’s the four pieces of our Breaking Free puzzle, four pieces that will come together to create an alcohol free lifestyle that you love..
Apart from creating a program that will get results we’ve created a program that is flexible and will fit in with your busy lives…. 
All of the 1.2.1’s can be scheduled to suit your convenience, the online course can be worked through at your own pace so the only timeslot you need to fit in is the four hour Masterclass.
While we’re on the subject of time that’s one of the unexpected benefits of sobriety….. when we no longer spend time drinking and recovering from the drinking we find ourselves with extra time on our hands….
As well as the energy to do something constructive with that time!
Registration for the current Breaking Free program is open until 13th October - more info here.
More Info
Tribe Sober membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email 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.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
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).
 
 

Attorney in Recovery - Lily Shanks

My guest today is Recovering Attorney Lily
Lily was my guest on the episode which came out on May 6th – its already had 2,000 downloads and we had some great feedback from that one – if you missed it then have a listen to Lily sharing her story here 
Lily is a coach these days and one of the things that she helps people with is Relationship Coaching so today we’re going to focus on Sober Dating
If your romantic relationships have always been lubricated with alcohol then this could be a skill you’ll need in your toolkit as you build your alcohol free life
In this episode:-
Lily’s full drinking story can be found on our previous episode which came out in May but she gave us a summary
She began her drinking career as a teenager and it continued during her legal career.
She became a daily drinker, frequently drinking alone and experiencing blackouts
At 37 she reached rock bottom – in fact as she says in her previous interview she had a series of rock bottoms, one of which involved drinking alone in her apartment all weekend
She felt hopeless, useless and miserable and finally reached out for some help
Reaching out for help is actually the hardest step of all - so if you’re worried about your drinking then reach out to tribe sober today – just go to tribesober.com and hit join our tribe and we’ll show you how to quit drinking and build an alcohol free life you love
So Lily got sober in 2018 and she’s been sober ever since – if you want to hear how she did it catch the previous episode
As we switched to talking about relationships Lily explained that she’d been shy as a child so as a teenager alcohol helped her to fit in – to feel part of things
It helped her to feel prettier, funnier and more vivacious, especially around men
As she got older alcohol would always be a major player in her relationships
She would drink before the date… which often took place in a bar
If her dates didn’t drink like she did then that could be a problem
Lily believed that alcohol made everything a bit brighter, a bit easier and less awkward – she just couldn’t imagine her life without it
She certainly couldn’t imagine dating without it!
During her first year of sobriety she didn’t date at all
She believed the advice she had heard about focusing on sobriety and avoiding any major life changes during that first year.
Major life changes like changing jobs, moving house and of course starting a new relationship
Lily had to focus on learning to love and look after herself before she would be in an emotional state to look after someone else
She had the insight that she had been using men a bit like she’s been using alcohol – the highs of a new relationship giving her a dopamine hit and making her feel good just like alcohol did
As Lily moved into her second year of sobriety she went on her first sober date
She knew the guy, they both liked and respected each other and they had things in common
Although that relationship didn’t develop into anything serious Lily felt proud of herself – proud that she had shown up as a very different person
By this point she felt so much clearer about who she was, what she wanted and what kind of person she was looking for
We talked about the risk of relationships between people in recovery and how they can crash and burn
The common struggle may create a bond which means you feel that you’ve found your soulmate but it makes sense for you both to get that year of sobriety first to avoid any risk of relapse
We talked about the dangers of cross addiction and how we can transfer our love affair with alcohol to food or shopping or sex
I asked Lily how a sober person should start looking for a new relationship once they had completed their first alcohol free year
Apparently there are sober dating apps/websites – in fact a quick google search came up with a list of 8 sober dating apps which I’ll add to the shownotes
https://resurgencebehavioralhealth.com/blog/8-best-sober-apps-for-people-in-recovery/
Although Lily met some good people via dating apps when she was drinking these days she feels more comfortable getting to know people first via a shared interest or through friends
We talked about the best way for sober people to use the regular dating apps and agreed that it’s far better to disclose that you don’t drink alcohol in your profile – even if you get fewer matches it’s far better to know in advance that your sobriety may be a problem for some people!
The people who don’t match with you because of your sobriety are very likely to have a drinking problem themselves so they would not be right for you anyway!
First dates very often involve sitting across from each other eating and drinking but as Lily says an experiential date will take a lot of the pressure off – taking a walk, going to a dog park, going out for breakfast
One of her best first dates was a trip to a museum
I asked Lily what she had learned from her experience of sober dating
She’s learned to listen to her intuition – that gut feeling that tells her that this is someone she feels comfortable with…
She’s also experienced the opposite feeling when she hasn’t felt comfortable with someone – had she been drinking she would often ignore that intuition and any red flags which could lead to problems later on in the evening
If someone is feeling isolated and lonely in their sobriety the focus should be on connecting with a community rather than focusing on finding a romantic partner – so even if you have been sober for a while if you are feeling lonely then take a look at some online sobriety groups – go to tribesober.com and hit join our tribe if you’d like to try out our international community
Sobriety has enabled Lily to turn up for all her relationships more authentically
Once we are able to love ourselves we are so much better placed to build a relationship
So here are Lilys top 3 tips for sober daters:-Have a solid foundation to your sobriety  by experiencing restaurants and bars with friends who are drinking first
          Have clarity about what you are looking for and how you are going to show up  and be prepared to leave the date if              you feel your sobriety is at risk
          Have fun!  - keep it light, meet lots of people and remember if a relationship doesn’t work out it means the universe has             something better in store   
You can find Lily on her website which is myinternalweather.com – where you can find articles and tips on sober dating
More Info
Tribe Sober membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email 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.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
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).
 
 

Layering your Sober Tools.....with Belle

Belle got sober back in 2012 and was one of the first people in the Sober Space, one of the first to share her own story and to try and help others to make a change…
In this episode:-
Belle was not interested in alcohol as a teenager, she’d actually noticed what it did to people and didn’t like what she saw
As she got into her twenties she started to drink the odd beer
Interestingly she would never buy a six pack – somehow she knew it was a better idea to buy a single beer at a time
Way before she had developed any level of dependence she recognized that alcohol “spoke to her” as she put it…
A decade later her consumption stepped up until she was drinking four or five times a week, three or four drinks at a time
As she hit 30 she was finding it harder to moderate
She started taking AF beers to social events and alternating between her alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks
A decade later she decided that she needed to take a break from alcohol to prove that she wasn’t an alcoholic
In her late 30’s Belle got married and felt she had a “partner in crime” as she put it
Drinking wine with dinner at home and ordering a bottle when they were out didn’t seem at all excessive
They would order wine by the case and it felt very “grown up” and sophisticated
Belle’s husband drank the same amounts that she did but in fact he didn’t think about alcohol in the same way that she did
This realization actually didn’t surface until she quit when she realized that he could take it or leave it – he was a “normie” as she puts it
Belle was used to taking a few days off the booze now and then when her workload got heavy or she had to get up early but when she decided to quit for a month she only got to 7 days
That was when it hit her that she might have a problem
Her second attempt at taking a month off alcohol also failed so she decided she had to approach this differently
A friend of hers sent her an anonymous blog from someone who was trying to quit
Belle loved the idea of blogging… and getting responses from people who were on the same path
She created a blog on wordpress and posted her first entry
She got an encouraging response the next day and found it “surprisingly helpful”
People were giving her advice and confirming that yes those first couple of weeks were hard and suddenly she realized she wasn’t alone
There was actually a roadmap to this sobriety journey!
Back in 2012 there were no real alternatives to AA or rehab
She had never felt “bad enough” for those options so imagined she would just have to struggle along as a grey area drinker
Her blog was such a revelation that she wasn’t alone in this and that there were other people out there who she could connect with
She blogged for a year and then started to offer online support via daily emails  
I asked Belle for her personal benefits of sobriety and she listed sleep, being able to count on herself and feeling proud of herself – for making such a big change with a ripple effect.
Her anxiety and irritability reduced and overall she was surprised at the positive impact this change had made to her life
She remains unconcerned about questions about her alcohol free lifestyle as she feels that people are actually not that interested
If asked she just says “I’m not drinking these days as it was affecting my sleep” and finds that nobody ever takes it further…
In 2016 she wrote a book called Tired of Thinking about Drinking which was the name of her blog
If you’re familiar with Belle’s work then you will know all about Wolfie – that was the name she gave the voice in her head urging her to drink
I loved Belle’s analogy about the toddler in the supermarket yelling for a donut…. If you give him a donut he will just repeat that behaviour next time…
The trick of course is to deny the donut that first time and even though it might get noisy and embarrassing in the supermarket the child is unlikely to repeat the behaviour as it didn’t work
So we have learn to say no to Wolfie – say no to that voice in our head telling us we can have a drink!
So what can we learn from Belles inspiring story…?
Just like Belle so many of us try to take a short break to prove we are not alcoholic!
I think that accounts for the popularity of Dry January… most people can grit their teeth and white knuckle it through 30 days using willpower alone but of course making a permanent change is about changing our mindset
So many of us realise that we do have a problem with alcohol when we try to take a break and find it really hard – that’s why it’s so important to take regular breaks
Belle uses the analogy of underwater swimming, as she says we can hold our breath but we'll only get so far…without tools, strategies and support it's going to be hard for many people to clock up more than 7-9 alcohol free days
We agreed that a 30 day break is just not long enough to learn anything or to experience any real benefits – that’s why we offer our 66 day Challenge which you can start anyday in September – just go the tribesober.com where you’ll see the info on the homepage
As Belle said it makes sense to take a challenge and quit for a certain number of days… and then extend it – that approach has worked really well for many of our members
At Tribe Sober we avoid the "F" word – the Forever word - it’s just too overwhelming – the thought of never drinking again – the answer is to do it in stages
As Belle said our head tells us sorts of things when we try to quit… and that’s probably because for most of us the dependence is psychological rather than physical
Only 10% of drinkers are physically dependent and those are the people who will experience serious withdrawal symptoms and need to go to rehab for a medical detox
If you want to learn more about this then go to Tribe Sober podcast episode called “Are you physically or psychologically addicted to alcohol?” which was released on June 19th 2021
Even if you are only psychologically dependent you do need to prepare yourself for a period of feeling unwell when you first quit
However as Belle explained that it’s important to remember that its only parts of each day that will be difficult
You’re bound to wake up feeling good, and pleased with yourself just as its very likely you’ll get to 5pm and wonder why on earth you are doing this.. as that will be when Wolfie will be whispering in your ear!
Being aware of this ebb and flow will help you to get through
Another great tip from Belle was that if whatever we’ve done in the past to quit didn’t work then rather than drop that method and try something else - we can “layer” another method on top
Think about Layering…If we’re cold we don’t take off a blanket and put another one on…. We add more blankets!
At the back of her book (Tired of Thinking about Drinking) Belle has 60 sober tools… people tend to pick the easiest ones….and if they don’t work they try others
So the secret is to keep those easier ones going and layer more on top
Belle used her blog to track her sober journey and would write everyday…. she felt it was more powerful than journaling as she felt more accountable
That’s why she asks people to email her and let her know how they are doing… and that’s why we have our various chatgroups where our members can post their ups and downs and get responses
Tips from Belle to someone who wants to make the change but not sure where to start… read a couple of books, listen to some podcasts and then find a sobriety group that resonates with you
As she said you don’t want a room full of people on day one… you need people at all stages of the journey.. people you can learn from and give you advice, people who will inspire you to keep going
We can offer you that at Tribe Sober so if you’re ready dive in, get learning, connecting and get started on the roadmap then join Tribe Sober 
Your can order Belle's book and learn more about her Challenge on tiredofthinkingaboutdrinking.com
More Info
Subscription membership – you can join up HERE.
To access our website, click HERE.
If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email 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.com.
 
Episode Sponsor
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).