It’s Not About the Alcohol
- Folgen
- 363
- Erscheint
- wöchentlich
- Letzte Folge
- 10. Nov. 2026
Über den Podcast
Would you like to reduce your alcohol consumption by about 80 percent? Become the version of you who can just "take it or leave it" so that you can enjoy drinking socially without relying on alcohol to manage your stress, anxiety, loneliness and boredom when you're by yourself? Most high achieving women assume over-drinking is caused by a lack of willpower--or worse, the incurable disease of "alcoholism." So they beat themselves up and avoid asking for help because they feel ashamed and out of control. Whether you're a daily drinker who can't break the habit, or you're still going to sobriety meetings even though you don't drink anymore, the real problem is that you don't trust yourself. Which means it's not about the alcohol. It's about your relationship with yourself. Colleen Freeland is a a mindful drinking coach helping professional women learn how drinking less (or not at all) is actually a superpower, even when the idea of giving up the only thing that helps them quiet their mind feels impossible. The solution to alcohol use disorder is a FEELING. If you felt comfortable in your own skin and at ease in your life, you would drink like someone who is comfortable and at ease! Join me each week for holistic, evidence-based strategies to fix your dopamine deficit, regulate your nervous system, cure imposter syndrome, manage sugar cravings, improve your sleep and reclaim your mental health so you no longer have the urge to escape your own body. Get happy, not sober. Because happy people don't drink themselves into a stupor.
Folgen 363
EP362 Thinking about rehab? How to give yourself a break before it gets that bad.
You can't remember the last time you felt truly relaxed. You keep going because everything has to get done, and some days the idea of checking yourself into rehab sounds less like a crisis and more like a …
Shownotes
You can't remember the last time you felt truly relaxed. You keep going because everything has to get done, and some days the idea of checking yourself into rehab sounds less like a crisis and more like a vacation.
This episode shows you why you won't stop until something forces you to, and how to give yourself a break before it gets that bad.
What you'll learn:
Why ignoring your needs makes them come out sideways (usually through your drinking)
Why so many high-achieving women secretly fantasize about rehab
The five-minute retreat you can take today (and why it feels uncomfortable at first)
Why your ability to perform at 100% depends on your ability to turn off at 100%
Join me February 25 to 27 in Southlake, Texas, for The Turning Point retreat. Early bird pricing ($2,097) ends November 15, and only a few spots are left. Click here to register.
EP361 Your drinking isn't a "problem." It's an invitation to stop letting fear, shame and guilt make your decisions.
You've thought about getting help with your drinking. Then the bad night fades, and suddenly it feels like an overreaction or it doesn't seem necessary. This episode explains why motivation that comes from …
Shownotes
You've thought about getting help with your drinking. Then the bad night fades, and suddenly it feels like an overreaction or it doesn't seem necessary. This episode explains why motivation that comes from shame and fear stops working the better you feel, and gives you one question that gets you out of your head when you're stuck.
What you'll learn:
Why getting help for your drinking can feel like an admission of guilt
Why the harder you try to control your drinking, the more out of control you feel
The one question to ask when you're stuck overthinking a decision
What it looks like to stop letting shame make your decisions for you
Join me for Get Happy Not Sober, my free 3-day live event, where you'll learn why you want to drink more than you should and how to become the version of you who can take it or leave it. Click here to register.
Want to speak to my enrollment team? Click here to schedule a discovery call.
EP360 Why you drink more after bariatric surgery (and how to decide whether to quit or cut back) with Ruby Williams
If you've had bariatric surgery, and now you're drinking more than you ever have, you may be wondering if quitting is your only option. This conversation shows you why the answer is embedded in your own …
Shownotes
If you've had bariatric surgery, and now you're drinking more than you ever have, you may be wondering if quitting is your only option. This conversation shows you why the answer is embedded in your own personal experience, not someone else's playbook, and why letting go of your alcohol identity opens the door to what you really want.
Guest: Ruby Williams, 20-year wine industry veteran turned alcohol freedom coach.
What you'll learn:
Why drinking can ramp up after bariatric surgery when food can no longer serve as a coping mechanism
Why your alcohol identity, drinker or non-drinker, can block what you really want
How to figure out whether you want to quit or cut back, based on your own experience
Why going back and forth between goals doesn't mean you failed
Get the Mindful Drinking Experience: a guided workshop you can do in the privacy of your own home while you're drinking, so you can learn what's true for you. Bonuses include workbook, hangover homework and 23 training audios from inside The Next Chapter.
If you're ready to do the deeper work of emotional sobriety and want to know how to start, Schedule your free discovery call with our enrollment team.
Connect with Ruby:
Social media: @rubywilliamscoaching
Podcast: Sober & Lit Sober and Lit podcast: [LINK] https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/About-Ruby
EP359 The hidden reasons why you drink too much (and what really needs to change)
You've been negotiating new rules every time you break the old ones, and you still can't figure out why "just drink less" never sticks. The answer isn't in your glass. It's in your week. Three client stories …
Shownotes
You've been negotiating new rules every time you break the old ones, and you still can't figure out why "just drink less" never sticks. The answer isn't in your glass. It's in your week. Three client stories show you exactly where the drinking is coming from, and the one question to ask instead of "what's wrong with me."
What you'll learn:
Why removing the one thing that gives you relief, in a week you haven't changed, backfires
The unspoken rules you follow for everyone else and never apply to yourself
Why you have plenty of motivation, it's just pointed in the wrong direction
What self-care actually is, and why it isn't pedicures and prosecco
The small, unimpressive changes that move the needle for high achieving women
Join Colleen live for Get Happy, Not Sober on October 23, 24 and 25. [REGISTER HERE]
If you'd rather talk to someone now, schedule a call with our enrollment team and they'll help you figure out where to start.
Check out our new program options! Emotionalsobrietycoaching.com/programs
EP358 Why you need wine when you're stressed (and how to reduce cravings without whiteknuckling) with Sian Cook
You eat clean, you handle everything, and by five o'clock you still feel like you need a glass of wine to calm down. Sian Cook, a former client trained in medicine, explains what stress is draining from your …
Shownotes
You eat clean, you handle everything, and by five o'clock you still feel like you need a glass of wine to calm down. Sian Cook, a former client trained in medicine, explains what stress is draining from your brain, why wine feels like the fix, and where to start to change your relationship with alcohol.
What you'll learn:
Why stress burns through the nutrients your brain needs to feel calm
Why wine makes you feel instantly better when you're stressed
Why eating clean isn't always enough to give your brain what it needs
What it looks like when wine shifts from a need to a want
Click here to learn more about Vital Mind Serenity. Type "Colleen" in the discount field for 10% off. (Colleen has no affiliation. She just thinks it's worth knowing about.)
Click here to join Colleen's next live Get Happy Not Sober event to uncover the real reasons why reducing your drinking feels harder than it should be. It's an ideal opportunity to work directly with Colleen without making a huge commitment.
Referenced in this episode: It's Not About the Alcohol Episode 193: How to use amino acid supplements to fix neurotransmitter deficiences that trigger alcohol cravings
EP357: Your drinking isn't self-indulgent. It's self-denial. Here's the difference.
You've been telling yourself you drink too much because you love it too much. That's not what's happening. This episode shows you the rules you've been following since childhood that make you say yes to …
Shownotes
You've been telling yourself you drink too much because you love it too much. That's not what's happening. This episode shows you the rules you've been following since childhood that make you say yes to everyone else and no to yourself, and why the drink at the end of the day is the only thing you actually let yourself have.
What you'll learn:
- Why the same rule that makes you reliable for everyone else makes you unavailable to yourself
- The difference between a Go rule and a No-Go rule, and how to spot both in one decisio
- Why "I'll just tough it out" costs you more bandwidth, patience and momentum than you think
- Why trying to reduce your drinking fails when the depletion underneath it doesn't change
Get Happy, Not Sober is a live three-day event starting Friday, September 11. Day one, you'll measure the gap between what you'll do for other people and what you'll do for yourself, find the rule causing it, and walk away with one sentence that explains why your relationship with alcohol is out of balance. Day two is the mindful drinking experiment, live with Colleen for VIPs or on your own with the workbook. Day three is coaching and integration. Sessions are Friday and Saturday at 3pm Eastern, Sunday at noon Eastern. Plan on 90 minutes each. VIP spots are limited. [REGISTER HERE]
EP356 The real reason you can't follow through on your promise to "not drink" tonight
You have discipline in every other area of your life. You follow through, you deliver, you keep everything running. So why is it that the one night you tell yourself no drinking, you pour that first glass like …
Shownotes
You have discipline in every other area of your life. You follow through, you deliver, you keep everything running. So why is it that the one night you tell yourself no drinking, you pour that first glass like that was the plan all along? This episode explains what's actually driving that, and why willpower can't make it stop.
What you'll learn:
Why "not drinking" feels harder than anything else on your list What your nervous system is actually reacting to when you sit still Why cutting back so you can get more done backfires every time Why three years of perfect abstinence didn't fix a damn thing The difference between acting like a woman who can take it or leave it and feeling like her
Join Colleen this weekend, Aug 21-23 for Get Happy Not Sober, a live three-day event. [Click here to register now.]
EP355 How to be truly free from the desire to drink (without willpower)
You've done a lot of work and you've definitely improved. But you're still drinking more than you want. And there's a critical voice in your head that keeps insisting you should be doing more–working harder and …
Shownotes
You've done a lot of work and you've definitely improved. But you're still drinking more than you want. And there's a critical voice in your head that keeps insisting you should be doing more–working harder and changing faster. This episode explains why the desire to drink won't lift until you deal with the emotional patterns that are driving it, and what it actually feels like to be free.
What you'll learn:
Why the "not enough" feeling keeps coming back no matter how much you improve
How to stop chasing the outcome and focus on the state of being you want to embody
What it will feel like to be able to "take it or leave it"
Two reflection questions to help clarify what really needs to change
Take the 3-minute quiz to find out which of the four drinker types is running your nervous system, so you know exactly which version of "not enough" you're working with. [Take the Quiz Here]
Book a free discovery call with Colleen's team so you can walk away with a new goal (that has nothing to do with alcohol). [Book Your Discovery Call with One of Our Certified Coaches]
EP354: If it feels like your drinking hasn't changed, track this metric instead
You're still drinking more than you should, and you want to know if real change actually is a slow process, or if you're just making excuses so you don't have to quit. Here's the honest answer, plus a reliable …
Shownotes
You're still drinking more than you should, and you want to know if real change actually is a slow process, or if you're just making excuses so you don't have to quit. Here's the honest answer, plus a reliable metric to track so that you can feel more confident about your progress.
What you'll learn:
Why your drinking is usually the last thing to change, not the first
Why counting drinks is counterproductive to your progress
Why you lose motivation to "drink less," and the perspective shift that helps you stay consistent
What to do when you wake up and realize you "did it again"
How to tell whether your discomfort is a sign that you're failing or growing
Nervous system regulation is the missing puzzle piece for most high-performing women. Register for the free masterclass, The Science Behind Take It or Leave It: Why Some Women Can and How You Can Too. [Watch the Masterclass Here]
One conversation won't change your drinking. But it can change your perspective on what you need to focus on. If you want to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be, book a free discovery call. [Book Your Discovery Call Here]
EP353: Your brain talks you into drinking. Here's how to talk back.
You wake up asking the same question you asked yesterday. What the hell is wrong with me? But you've already decided the answer is that you're drinking is out of control. This episode shows you how the story …
Shownotes
You wake up asking the same question you asked yesterday. What the hell is wrong with me? But you've already decided the answer is that you're drinking is out of control. This episode shows you how the story you keep telling yourself becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and gives you three moves to shift your perspective of what's going on (and what really needs to change).
What you'll learn:
- Why the way you describe your drinking becomes the reality you live in
- The difference between a real threat and a false alarm
- Why trying to control or quit drinking backfires, and what actually causes change
- The three moves that rewrite the story that keeps you stuck in the cycle of overdrinking
There are four types of drinkers. Take the free 3-minute quiz to find out which language pattern is running your habit. [Take the Quiz Here]
Ready to change your drinking without labeling it a drinking "problem?" Book a free discovery call with one of Colleen's certified coaches to find out if this approach can work for you. [Book Your Discovery Call Here]
EP352: Drinking turns off your brain. Planning to quit turns it back on. Here's how to break the cycle.
You wake up feeling rough and decide, "I'm not drinking tonight." For a few hours, that plan feels solid. But evening comes and you pour one anyway. And now your brain has even more evidence that you're not in …
Shownotes
You wake up feeling rough and decide, "I'm not drinking tonight." For a few hours, that plan feels solid. But evening comes and you pour one anyway. And now your brain has even more evidence that you're not in control. Which makes you less motivated to try again (because what's the point?) This episode shows you why planning to "not drink" often backfires and what to do instead.
What you'll learn:
Why high achieving "planners" also tend to drink too much
How planning to control your drinking builds pressure in your nervous system
The one-word pattern-interrupt that shifts you from "planning for later" into action (right now)
How to figure out what you really need (it's never a drink)
[Click Here] for the Take it or Leave it Roadmap Series. Before you can change your drinking, you have to understand how it's actually helping you. These 5 videos walk you through the whole process of change, starting with why your drinking makes perfect sense. Watch one a day or binge all five in under an hour.
[Click Here] to book a free discovery call with Colleen's enrollment team if you know you need guidance, support and accountability. You'll leave with a clear action plan for giving yourself more of what you need, whether you end up working with us or not.
EP351: Why joy is key to drinking less (not discipline)
You've been telling yourself that if you were more disciplined, then you wouldn't drink as much as you do. But the problem isn't that you need more control. It's that giving yourself permission to relax means …
Shownotes
You've been telling yourself that if you were more disciplined, then you wouldn't drink as much as you do. But the problem isn't that you need more control. It's that giving yourself permission to relax means that you're wasting time or falling behind. Which is why you need alcohol. This episode explains why expanding your capacity for peace and joy is what actually reduces alcohol cravings, and gives you one small goal to help you get started.
What you'll learn:
Why GLP1 drugs reduce alcohol cravings (and how to get the same effect on your own)
Why motivating yourself with shame and fear makes cravings worse
The difference between wanting more from yourself and wanting more for yourself
What to do when peace and joy aren't available to you (yet)
Not sure why you drink the way you do? Take the quiz to find out which of the four drinker types is running your patterns. [Take the Quiz Now]
Ready to stop figuring this out alone? Schedule a free discovery call with the enrollment team. You'll walk away with a customized action plan, your patterns named, and the specific skills you need to build. [Book Your DC Here]
EP350: How to tell the difference between self-care and self-sabotage (before your next drink)
You set a plan to take a break from drinking and made it a few days. Then you blew it. And now you're trying to figure out why you keep breaking promises to yourself when it comes to alcohol. This episode gives …
Shownotes
You set a plan to take a break from drinking and made it a few days. Then you blew it. And now you're trying to figure out why you keep breaking promises to yourself when it comes to alcohol. This episode gives you a step by step strategy (based on curiosity and self-compassion instead of judgment) to help you reduce your drinking.
What you'll learn:
Why taking a break from drinking isn't about proving you can go without it
The five questions to ask after a setback (instead of "what's wrong with me")
Why the same glass of wine is self-care one night and self-sabotage the next
How to follow your intuition instead of arbitrary rules you're going to break anyway
Want to know if this approach can actually work for you? Book a free discovery call with Colleen's enrollment team. It's free, there's no pressure, and you'll leave knowing exactly where you stand. [Book Your Discovery Call Here]
Find out what type of drinker you are. Because before you can change HOW you drink, you have to understand WHY you drink. [Click here to take the free quiz].
EP349 Why you can't say no to wine at night (it's a capacity problem, not a willpower problem)
You keep telling yourself you'll take the night off, or at least stop at two glasses. But then you drain the entire bottle (as usual). This episode shows you why that's not a willpower problem, and walks you …
Shownotes
You keep telling yourself you'll take the night off, or at least stop at two glasses. But then you drain the entire bottle (as usual). This episode shows you why that's not a willpower problem, and walks you through Colleen's Capacity Audit so you can see exactly what's draining you.
What you'll learn:
Why you reach for wine to relax after work even though you know that's not what you really need
Why you can't stop at one glass even when you planned to
Why willpower won't help you drink less, and what actually does
How to calm your nervous system in three minutes, no drink required
The five-category capacity audit that shows you where you're leaking energy
Realizing your drinking is a lack of capacity (not willpower) means you've found the problem. If you're looking for the solution, click here to schedule a discovery call. [Book Your Discovery Call]
Resources mentioned: It's Not About the Alcohol EP335 I was drinking every night again. Here's how I stopped. And EP337 Why drinking every night destroys your confidence (and how to stop)
EP348: Why wondering if you're an alcoholic makes you drink more (and a better question to ponder)
If you're an alcoholic, how is it possible that you can get more done before breakfast than most people do in a week? And yet, you still know that you drink too much. So you Google your questions, maybe take …
Shownotes
If you're an alcoholic, how is it possible that you can get more done before breakfast than most people do in a week? And yet, you still know that you drink too much. So you Google your questions, maybe take the online quizzes, which don't help. This episode gives you a better way to look at your drinking and one specific question that has a much more clear and productive answer.
What you'll learn:
Why no one can actually tell you whether you're an alcoholic
The belief that quietly makes your drinking harder to control
How three out of four people who are dependent on alcohol change their drinking without rehab or AA
What your nervous system is really asking for when you pour the wine
The question to ask instead of "am I an alcoholic?"
Want insight into the emotional patterns that are driving your drinking? Take the 3-minute quiz to find out what type of drinker you are. [Take the Quiz Here]
Want to know if the "take it or leave it" methodology can work for you? Schedule a discovery call and find out. [Book Your Discovery Call Now]
EP347: Why you can drink a whole bottle and not feel "drunk" (and how to retrain your brain)
You've always been a little proud of your high tolerance. You can drink grown men under the table and still walk and talk like a rockstar in four inch heels. But lately it scares you. How is it even possible to …
Shownotes
You've always been a little proud of your high tolerance. You can drink grown men under the table and still walk and talk like a rockstar in four inch heels. But lately it scares you. How is it even possible to drink that much and not even feel it? This episode answers that, and shows you how to "feel" the signals in your body that you've trained yourself to ignore.
What you'll learn:
Why a high tolerance isn't a sign of superior liver function, and what it's actually hiding
Why it's actually quite normal for busy and high-functioning women to over-drink
How to tell the difference between buzzed and intoxicated (without a breathalyzer)
The hangover reflection I teach my clients to retrain their brain so they can learn from their mistakes (and stop repeating them)
Are you ready to change? Book a free 20-minute discovery call with one of Colleen's certified coaches for an honest conversation about where you are, where you want to be, and what it will actually take to get there.
Take the Quiz to find out what type of drinker you are. Because you have to see the pattern before you can break the pattern.
EP346: How to cope with conflict in your relationship without drinking with Karen McMahon
You've been drinking more lately because of your partner. Their mood is the problem. Their lack of effort. Their inability to have an honest conversation. But if this is their problem, why are you stuck? My …
Shownotes
You've been drinking more lately because of your partner. Their mood is the problem. Their lack of effort. Their inability to have an honest conversation.
But if this is their problem, why are you stuck? My interview with high conflict divorce coach Karen McMahon will show you how to take your power back instead of drowning it with alcohol.
What you'll learn:
Why drinking feels safer than conflict (and what's actually happening in your nervous system)
The seven levels of emotional energy and how drinking keeps you on the lower end
How to shift your focus from what your partner needs to change to what you need to change
Why your boundaries keep getting plowed and what to do about it
Three somatic tools you can use mid-conflict to stop reaching for the wine
If you're ready to take full responsibility for where you are and where you want to be, the first step is identifying the pattern that's running you. Take the 3-minute quiz to find out which of the four drinker types is driving your pattern and get the Take It or Leave It Roadmap. [Take Quiz Here]
Ready to stop figuring this out alone? Book a free discovery call. The call isn't about figuring out what's wrong with you. It's about figuring out what kind of support you actually need. [Book Your Discovery Call]
Resources:
Karen McMahon: Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast
Free Guide: Understanding and Managing Your Emotional Energy
EP345: The KNOW-DO Gap: Why you keep drinking when you know you shouldn't.
You know you should be drinking less, but you can't follow through. You promise and plan to do something different and then repeat the same mistakes over and over. This episode explains the gap between knowing …
Shownotes
You know you should be drinking less, but you can't follow through. You promise and plan to do something different and then repeat the same mistakes over and over. This episode explains the gap between knowing what you should be doing and actually doing it. And gives you the perspective shift that you need to make to close it.
What you'll learn:
The two reasons "knowing" doesn't translate to doing
Why your "celebration drinking" is often stress drinking in a party dress
The perspective shift that turns your dopamine back on
What actually has to change before your drinking can change
Quiz: Take the free 3-minute quiz to find out why YOU can't just take it or leave it: [Take the quiz here]
Ready to stop trying to figure this out alone? Book a free 20-minute discovery call with one of Colleen's certified coaches. You'll leave with clarity about where you are, where you want to be, and what's standing in your way. No pressure, no sales pitch. [Book your Discovery Call here]
EP344: The Hidden Hormone Imbalance Making You Drink Too Much (And The Labs Your Doctor Isn't Running)
You've been blaming yourself for drinking too much. You assume the brain fog, the fatigue, the weight you can't shift, the way you can't stick to your plan, all of it, is because you drink. But what if the …
Shownotes
You've been blaming yourself for drinking too much. You assume the brain fog, the fatigue, the weight you can't shift, the way you can't stick to your plan, all of it, is because you drink. But what if the reason you're drinking so much is that your hormones are off? This episode walks you through what to test for and what to do when your doctor tells you everything looks "normal."
What you'll learn:
The symptoms most women blame on their drinking that are actually hormone imbalances
The specific labs your doctor probably isn't running (and what they should cost)
Why your labs can come back "normal" while you still feel like crap
How nervous system dysregulation creates the cascade that keeps you stuck
Why hormone support is a foundation, not a fix, for changing your drinking
Take the 3-minute quiz to find out which of the four drinker types is running your nervous system, and get a roadmap tailored to your specific pattern. [Take Quiz Now]
Ready to do the other piece? [Book a free discovery call]
Resources:
Amber Romaniuk: amberapproved.ca
The No Sugarcoating Podcast with Amber Romaniuk
EP343: Why drinking to relax anxiety makes it's worse (and what to do instead)
You've been searching for something to take the edge off. Some tool or strategy that can help you relax so you don't feel like you need to drink so much. CBD. THC gummies. A sleepy-time tea. The anti-anxiety …
Shownotes
You've been searching for something to take the edge off. Some tool or strategy that can help you relax so you don't feel like you need to drink so much. CBD. THC gummies. A sleepy-time tea. The anti-anxiety medication your doctor offered. This episode explains why nothing you've tried works as well as alcohol, and what your nervous system really needs.
What you'll learn:
Why alcohol helps you relax in the short term (and how that traps you in dependancy)
The two parts of anxiety your doctor doesn't understand
Why willpower isn't the issue here
Three practices that change your relationship with anxiety for good
Before you can break the pattern, you have to see it. After coaching thousands of very successful, professional women, Colleen has identified four specific types of drinkers. Each requires a unique approach. Take the free 3-minute quiz to find out what type of drinker you are and get the Take it or Leave it Roadmap Series built for your specific pattern.
If you'd like to have a private conversation with a certified coach about which Emotional Sobriety Coaching program would be the best fit for you, click here to schedule a free discovery call.
Resources mentioned: The Anxiety Rx by Dr. Russell Kennedy EP190: Interview with Dr. Russell Kennedy
Can you Take it or Leave it? Take the quiz to discover what type of drinker you are so you can understand what's behind your biological urge to drink. Click here to take the quiz.
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP342 Change THIS if you want to drink like a normal person again
You've been told that the best way to stop drinking too much is to stop drinking entirely. This episode shows you why that advice usually doesn't work for high-achieving women. Dr. Tammie Kennedy is here to …
Shownotes
You've been told that the best way to stop drinking too much is to stop drinking entirely. This episode shows you why that advice usually doesn't work for high-achieving women. Dr. Tammie Kennedy is here to share her experience as one of my students in The Next Chapter. She'll tell you the truth about not only what's changed for her, but also what hasn't changed after nearly a year in the program.
What you'll learn:
Why the women who try the hardest are often the slowest to change their drinking
What changes first when you stop trying to fix the drinking
The shame loop that keeps high-achieving women stuck in restriction-and-rebound cycles
What really stops most women from being able to change
Click here to take the 3-minute quiz to find out which of the four drinker types is running your nervous system.
Do you need to speak with someone? Click here to schedule a free discovery call with Colleen or one of her certified coaches.
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP341: Why You Need Alcohol To Go To Sleep (And how to break the pattern)
You can't fall asleep without a few drinks. Every time you've tried going to bed without it, you end up back on the couch an hour later pouring a glass because your brain wouldn't shut down. This episode …
Shownotes
You can't fall asleep without a few drinks. Every time you've tried going to bed without it, you end up back on the couch an hour later pouring a glass because your brain wouldn't shut down. This episode explains what's happening in your nervous system and gives you three practices to rebuild your desire (and ability) to go to sleep without alcohol.
What you'll learn:
Why trying to "not drink" leads to drinking earlier to "knock yourself out"
The difference between alcohol-induced sedation and sleep on your emotional well-being
How to get back to sleep when you wake up at 3 a.m.
The importance of letting yourself feel tired
The best morning and evening practices to reset your circadian rhythm
Wand to know why can't YOU just take it or leave it?
Click here to take the 3-minute quiz to find out which of the four drinker patterns is running your nervous system. You'll get your results plus my new Take It or Leave It Roadmap series that's built for your drinker type delivered to your inbox.
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP340: Why your drinking makes perfect sense (and how to actually rewire your brain)
You've been kicking yourself for finishing the bottle (again) when you promised it was going to be just one glass. This episode explains why trying harder isn't working, and gives you three principles of …
Shownotes
You've been kicking yourself for finishing the bottle (again) when you promised it was going to be just one glass. This episode explains why trying harder isn't working, and gives you three principles of self-directed neuroplasticity that actually rewire your brain so drinking less stops feeling like you're fighting your own instincts.
What you'll learn:
Why over-drinking isn't a willpower failure. It's a survival strategy your nervous system built to keep up with your life
How to stop setting goals your brain can't work with, and start pointing it at what you actually want
The four drinking patterns running high-achieving women, and why you can't see the one running you
Why fighting old habits reinforces them, and what to build instead
The low bar goal that keeps you consistent when your stretch goal isn't realistic
Not sure why you drink the way you do? Click here to take the 3-minute quiz to find out which of the four drinker types is running your nervous system. You'll get your results plus my new Take It or Leave It Roadmap Series delivered to your inbox.
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP339: The 3 Hidden Patterns Behind Overdrinking in Busy and Successful Women
You're not a woman who needs more information. You read the books. You follow the sober curious accounts. You've done Dry January. You've downloaded Sunnyside or Reframe. Every Sunday morning you promise …
Shownotes
You're not a woman who needs more information. You read the books. You follow the sober curious accounts. You've done Dry January. You've downloaded Sunnyside or Reframe. Every Sunday morning you promise yourself this week is going to be different.
And here you are, still on the hamster wheel.
There's nothing wrong with you. You're just trying to solve the wrong problem.
This week Colleen walks through three blindspots that keep busy, successful women stuck in cycles of overdrinking. Why your identity is running the show without you knowing it. Why your refusal to slow down feels like strength. And why you can't criticize or out-think your way out of a pattern you can't see.
Plus the story of teaching yoga from a chair while on bedrest with her fourth pregnancy, pushing a double jog stroller a mile and a half to the pool with four kids, and why none of this was ever actually about the alcohol.
If you want a raw, real, honest conversation about what's actually going on, book a free discovery call. It's not about what's wrong with you. It's about figuring out what kind of support you actually need. Those are very different conversations.
If you see the benefit in having a private conversation with a certified coach, Click Here To Schedule A Free Discovery Call
Watch The Free 45 Minute Masterclass: The science behind take it or leave it–why some women can and how you can too.
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP338 Minisode: Why You Can Explain Your Drinking But Still Can't Change It
In this episode, Colleen pulls apart something that sounds right, but quietly keeps women stuck: thinking about your feelings instead of actually feeling them. Because most women in this space aren't avoiding …
Shownotes
In this episode, Colleen pulls apart something that sounds right, but quietly keeps women stuck: thinking about your feelings instead of actually feeling them.
Because most women in this space aren't avoiding the work. They're doing a ton of it.
They can explain their patterns. They understand their triggers. They know why they drink.
And yet… nothing really shifts.
Colleen walks through the difference between intellectual processing and physical release, and why emotional energy that doesn't move doesn't disappear… it stays in the body.
That's where the tension, the anxiety, the shutdown, and yes... the cravings, come from.
This isn't about more insight. It's about learning how to actually let something move through you instead of managing it in your head.
And for most women, that's the part they've never been taught.
🔑 Key Takeaways
~Why understanding your emotions isn't the same as processing them ~How emotional energy gets "stuck" in the body ~Why overthinking creates anxiety, tension, and cravings ~The cultural conditioning that teaches women to suppress expression ~What it actually looks like to release an emotion (not just label it) ~Why you can't selectively numb pain without numbing joy ~A simple 3-step emotional release practice to start reconnecting with your body
This episode isn't asking you to figure anything out. It's asking you to stop trying.
Because the shift isn't in your thinking… it's in your willingness to feel what's already there.
If you'd like to learn more about our Emotional Sobriety Coaching programs:
---> Click here to schedule a discovery call
---> Watch The FREE Masterclass
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP337: Why drinking every night destroys your confidence (and how to stop)
Now that I'm on the other side of my recent slip back into drinking every night, I can see exactly what happened—and more importantly, I can explain the mechanism that makes this so dangerous for high-achieving …
Shownotes
Now that I'm on the other side of my recent slip back into drinking every night, I can see exactly what happened—and more importantly, I can explain the mechanism that makes this so dangerous for high-achieving women.
In this episode, I'm breaking down why nightly drinking doesn't just affect your health—it systematically destroys your confidence, your self-trust, and your sense of who you are. And I'm giving you the exact framework for how to stop.
In this episode:
Why the belief "I'll feel better when things calm down" is actually a symptom, not wisdom
The mind virus that makes your brain blame everything wrong in your life on alcohol
How shame disguises itself as "personal accountability" and "radical honesty" in high achieving women
The reason you can't think your way out of a thinking problem (which is what this is)
What actually shifted for me—and why I don't need willpower to stay sober during the week
Ready to do the work?
If you'd like to to have a private conversation with a certified coach, Click Here To Schedule A Free Discovery Call
Watch The Free 45 Minute Masterclass: The science behind take it or leave it–why some women can and how you can too.
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP336 Minisode: Why Giving Yourself Permission To Drink Actually Helps You Drink Less
In this episode, Colleen revisits one of the hardest ideas to trust at first: that before your drinking changes, you have to stop making your drinking the enemy. And yes… that can feel dangerous. Because the …
Shownotes
In this episode, Colleen revisits one of the hardest ideas to trust at first: that before your drinking changes, you have to stop making your drinking the enemy.
And yes… that can feel dangerous.
Because the moment you stop restricting, judging, and trying to control yourself, your brain often swings the other direction. It sees a loophole. It tests the boundaries. It acts like the rebellious teenager who just got told there's no curfew.
But Colleen explains why that doesn't mean the work isn't working. It means you're finally coming face to face with the internal conflict that's been there all along.
She breaks down how restriction backfires, how your body knows when you're lying to yourself, and why the real work of emotional sobriety isn't about forcing better behavior. It's about learning how to feel the whole truth, question your programming, and rebuild trust with yourself one urge at a time.
🔑 Key Takeaways
~Why giving yourself permission can make drinking spike at first
~How restriction fuels rebellion, self-sabotage, and binge behavior
~Why your body is a better truth detector than your thoughts
~The difference between your urge and the meaning you assign to it
~Three tools to use before giving in to an urge
This episode is a reminder that the goal isn't to become someone who never wants a drink, but to become someone who stops abandoning herself in the process of wanting one.
If you'd like to learn more about our available coaching programs, Click Here To Apply For A Discovery Call!
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
EP335: I was drinking every night again. Here's how I stopped.
Colleen gets really personal in this episode. She shares the hard winter that (at one point) sent her back to nightly drinking, financial stress, the loss of her dog, feeling stuck in a house that no longer …
Shownotes
Colleen gets really personal in this episode. She shares the hard winter that (at one point) sent her back to nightly drinking, financial stress, the loss of her dog, feeling stuck in a house that no longer feels like home, and walks through exactly how she got out.
In this episode:
Why going back to an old drinking pattern is not evidence you failed. It's data.
The rat study that proves hope creates more persistence than willpower or skill ever could
Why focusing on your drinking makes the pattern worse, not better
Upstream thinking: what it actually looks like to increase your capacity instead of restricting your behavior
The breathwork class that broke something open. And the brutal Sunday morning that followed.
Observer consciousness: the difference between being in the storm and watching it
Why stopping drinking didn't fix Colleen's anxiety, sleep, or low energy. And what that means for you.
Do you need help? We're ready to talk to you! If you'd like to learn more about our Emotional Sobriety Coaching programs. Click here to schedule a discovery call
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter): @NotAboutTheAlc
EP334 Minisode: Lower your tolerance without taking a break from alcohol
In this episode, Colleen pulls on a thread most women don't question: that moment where you're a drink or two in and thinking, "I'm not even feeling this." And instead of solving for it… she slows it down …
Shownotes
In this episode, Colleen pulls on a thread most women don't question:
that moment where you're a drink or two in and thinking, "I'm not even feeling this."
And instead of solving for it… she slows it down.
Colleen walks through how easy it is to miss the actual experience of drinking when you're in your head, distracted, or slightly disconnected from your body—and how quickly that turns into pouring another one without ever really checking in.
Not as a mistake. Just as a pattern.
And once you start to notice it, it's hard to unsee.
🔑 Key Takeaways
~Why "I'm not feeling it" might not mean what you think
~What happens when you miss the moment the drink actually lands
~How disconnection quietly turns into overdrinking
~The difference between experiencing something vs thinking about it
~Why paying attention changes what you want next
This episode isn't asking you to do anything differently. Just… notice.
Because once you do, things tend to shift on their own.
Watch The Free 45 Minute Masterclass: The science behind take it or leave it–why some women can and how you can too.
If you'd like to learn more about our Emotional Sobriety Coaching programs, Click Here To Schedule A Free Discovery Call
Find me on:
YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer
X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc
Ep333: Three Simple Practices To Improve Your Willpower TONIGHT
You made the promise this morning,"I'm not going to drink tonight." You meant it. Then the day happened. And by 6pm, the drink was in your hand like that was the plan all along. This isn't a willpower problem …
Shownotes
You made the promise this morning,"I'm not going to drink tonight." You meant it. Then the day happened. And by 6pm, the drink was in your hand like that was the plan all along.
This isn't a willpower problem. It's a capacity problem. And once you understand what's actually happening in your nervous system between 6am and 6pm, this stops feeling like a weakness or a character flaw.
In this episode, I'm breaking down why evening-you can't keep the promises morning-you makes, and giving you three practices, placed at specific times of day, that actually allow you to access the willpower (you already have) TONIGHT.
You'll learn:
Why willpower is a finite resource — and why you've already spent it by the time you need it most
Why behavioral goals ("I'm only having two") consistently fail, and how to set an emotional goal you'll actually stick to
Three nervous system practices — one for morning, one for lunch, one for the transition between day and evening — that work upstream of your alcohol cravings
This episode is for the woman who is tired of blaming herself for needing to relieve her stress, and who's ready to learn how to live in a way she doesn't need to escape her own life.
Resources mentioned:
Watch The Free 45 Minute Masterclass: The science behind take it or leave it–why some women can and how you can too.
If you'd like to learn more about our Emotional Sobriety Coaching programs, Click Here To Schedule A Free Discovery Call
Hier stehen die neuesten 40 von 363 Folgen. Ältere Folgen findest du im Feed des Podcasts.
Ähnliche Podcasts
Mehr Bildung-Podcasts
Ist das dein Podcast?
Bestätige es mit einem Eintrag in deinem Feed: Du bekommst hier einen Code, trägst ihn als podcast:txt in den Kanal deines Feeds ein, und wir prüfen ihn. Danach steht dein Podcast als „verifiziert“ bei SoundNode.