3 things I learned from a friend in early sobriety

When no one's watching: The trigger no one talks about

We talk a lot about triggers like parties, stress, and celebrations—but what about the quiet moments? The nights home alone. The hotel room. The empty house. The moments when nobody’s watching and that little voice says… who’s gonna know? In this episode, we talk about one of the hardest and least discussed parts of changing your relationship with alcohol: drinking in private, negotiating with yourself, and learning to trust yourself again. Because freedom isn’t doing whatever you want when no one’s around. Freedom is feeling peaceful in your own mind when they’re not. If this is your trigger, this conversation is for you.

A Conversation with Juliet Warner: Sobriety, Relapse & AA truths

This week I sat down with Juliet Warner for an honest conversation about sobriety, relapse, faith, motherhood, and what recovery actually looks like behind the scenes. We talk about relapse and finding our way back. AA, God, and the magic of the 12 Steps Parenting teens and becoming a more present mom. What recovery gave us that alcohol never could This isn’t a conversation about perfection. It’s about honesty, second chances, showing up, and creating a life you don’t want to escape from.

Author Dana Bowman: Alcohol, Relapse and Recovery Truths

In this episode of The Happiest Hour with Paula Devine, Paula sits down with Dana Bowman for an honest conversation about motherhood, nightly wine habits, menopause, sugar addiction, perfectionism, and the complicated relationship so many women have with alcohol. They also talk openly about relapse — not as failure, but as part of Dana’s story and a turning point that became intentional, honest, and deeply eye-opening. Together they explore what happens when alcohol stops feeling like relief and starts creating more exhaustion, anxiety, and disconnection instead. This conversation touches on: Normalizing the nightly glasses, drinking habits & culture * Midlife stress and sober menopause * Sugar addiction and coping mechanisms * Perfectionism and people-pleasing * Relapse, self-awareness, and starting again * What real freedom and recovery can look like This episode is for the woman quietly wondering if there’s more to life than constantly trying to “manage” alcohol while pretending everything is fine.

Was it even fun anymore?

This week Ashley & I get honest about the thoughts, fears, and mental gymnastics that came with drinking. Waiting for a reason to stop, hoping something external would make the decision for us, the anxiety after the nights out, and the realization that so much of what we called fun was actually exhausting us. If you've ever wondered why you kept going back even when you knew something felt off, this conversation will probably hit home.

3 things I learned from a friend in early sobriety

In this Friday series episode, Ashley and I are sharing 3 things that really stuck with us in early sobriety and beyond. The fears, the shifts, the small moments that actually matter and what it looks like when everything feels new and a little uncomfortable. Not the polished version...the real version. If you've ever wondered : "Could I actually do this?" or "What does it really look like in the beginning?" This one's for you!