Sober As A Mother Podcast is where moms share their experience of sober parenting. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly. They show us how to survive it all SOBER. It is hosted by Alyson Premo (Founder of Sober Mom Tribe as well as The Sober Mom Coach). It can be found on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Play.
Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share on your social media. As always I appreciate all the support!
Welcome to the Premiere episode!
In today's short but sweet intro episode Alyson Premo discusses:
▪️ The creation of Sober Mom Tribe
▪️ Getting out of your perfectionist mentality and taking ACTION
▪️What to expect in future episodes
my story
In today's episode Alyson Premo discusses:
▪️ How she tried to get sober 2 other times before she finally went to detox on 11/14/16
▪️ How she thought sex meant love
▪️The shame of not being able to tell anyone for fear of losing her son
My story: Part 2
In this episode Alyson Premo discusses:
▪️What helped sobriety "stick" for her this time around
▪️How she shifted career paths to lead with a purpose
▪️How taking ownership helped her move forward
My take on mommy wine culture
In this episode Alyson Premo discusses:
▪️How her perspective on mommy wine culture has shifted since the beginning of her sober journey
▪️What she thinks is the key to dismantling it
▪️What two things she’s triggered at in the mommy wine narrative
It’s okay to say no
In this episode Alyson Premo discusses:
▪️Why people pleasing is unhealthy
▪️How saying no is a courageous step in doing what’s best for YOU
▪️What she did to cause such an uproar that led her to question herself
Mom shame with lisa peretti
In this episode Lisa Peretti (@soberblooms) and I (@alysonpremo) discuss:
▪️Why she slipped back into drinking after 3 years of sobriety
▪️What her favorite thing is about being a sober mom
▪️How her friendships have changed since getting sober
▪️How she uses the mom guilt to propel her forward
Unapologetic sobriety
with bri mccorkell
In this episode Bri McCorkell (@bri.mccorkell) and I (@alysonpremo) discuss:
▪️How being a child of an alcoholic affected her
▪️How being open and unapologetic about her alcohol-free journey helped her get out of the shame cycle
▪️The tools she used to stay sober
▪️How she helps other women heal
No shame in my mom game
In this episode I, Alyson Premo, discuss:
▪️Why I’m grateful to be sober through this pandemic
▪️What we can do to use this social distancing opportunity to get back in tune with ourselves
▪️How to not get caught up in the comparison trap with other mothers
▪️What resources are being offered to the sober/recovery community
Focusing on what we can control
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo, discuss:
▪️The one word that got me through the first week of social-distancing
▪️The 5 things we can control
▪️What one tool can start shifting your mindset immediately
▪️How I’ve been coping without alcohol during an unprecedented time
my top 5 tools to stay sober (and sane) through covid-19
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo discuss:
▪️What wine meme triggered me last week and how I used that opportunity to educate instead of shame
▪️The 5 tools I’ve been using the most to stay sober during this pandemic
▪️Why us sober people are built for a crisis like this
▪️Why now is the perfect time to get and stay alcohol-free
cultivating resiliency
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo discuss:
▪️Why showing up for yourself is important
▪️What resiliency means
▪️The six ways you can cultivate resiliency in your life
▪️Why it’s crucial to have resiliency in difficult times just like through this pandemic
this is not the time for a quarantini
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo discuss:
▪️Why drinking during quarantine isn’t the way to cope with what’s going on around us
▪️Why the quarantine memes are getting old
▪️Why one drink in the morning is different than one drink at night
▪️The one technique I'm using a lot more to manage my anxiety
Failure isn’t a dirty word
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo discuss:
▪️What I did over the weekend that made me see I need to practice what I preach
▪️What lesson was learned for a mom who had a slip-up
▪️How failure can be used as a catalyst for learning and growth
▪️Why my motto is compassion and grace with a sprinkle of tough love
the mother wound
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo discuss:
▪️Why the relationship with my mother has changed
▪️The hard boundary I give my mother in regards to my son
▪️Why being a sober mom is the greatest gift we can ever give our children
▪️A special guest appearance from my son and what he says a sober mom means to him
Coming out the other side with dr. cortney baker
In this episode Dr. Cortney Baker (@drcortneybaker) and I Alyson Premo, (@alysonpremo) discuss:
▪️How she responded to her daughter’s remark of, “mommy, you drink too much wine."
▪️What event led her to question what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind
▪️What her first indicator was that she had issues with alcohol
▪️How Brene Brown inspired her sober journey
▪️Why finding a purpose was so vital for her and what she does now to fulfill that purpose
Beneath The “super Mom” image with lori johnson
In this episode Lori Johnson (@lorij1030) and I Alyson Premo, (@alysonpremo) discuss:
▪️When she started to realize that maybe her relationship with alcohol wasn’t “normal"
▪️How she dealt with her guilt and shame for drinking by being “super mom"
▪️How the lack of resources for moms led her to continue drinking and why that has led her to recover out loud
▪️How she celebrated her 30 days of sobriety
▪️What tools she’s used to making it to over a year sober this second time around
this is f*cking Uncomfortable
In this episode I, Alyson Premo, (@alysonpremo) discuss:
▪️Why white privilege is uncomfortable for me to talk about
▪️What I’ve been doing to take action on this issue
▪️What you can do to educate yourself
▪️Why just listening and not getting defensive is hard but important
postpartum sobriety with ashley loeb blassingame
In this episode Ashley Loeb Blassingame of Lion Rock Recovery (@lionrockrecovery) and I, Alyson Premo (@alysonpremo), discuss:
▪️What happened when she wanted to prove to herself that she could drink normally because it was just a drug problem.
▪️How her sobriety changed once becoming a mother.
▪️Why it’s important to have fun in sobriety and be around those who bring out the best in you.
▪️How where you live can affect your sobriety.
▪️What resources Lion Rock Recovery provides for those in need of help.
In this episode I, Alyson Premo (@alysonpremo), discuss:
▪️Why different perspectives are important for a creative and productive society
▪️How alcohol prevents us from thinking outside the box
▪️What I’ve been doing to shift my business mindset
The journey to being a proud sober mum
In this episode Kay from the U.K. (@raising_wild_phoenix) and I, Alyson Premo (@alysonpremo), discuss:
▪️Why she felt like she didn’t deserve the label “sober"
▪️How social pressure to drink can be a hurdle to sobriety but what you can do to get past it
▪️How her journey to sobriety and motherhood were similar
▪️How the mommy wine culture makes those who don’t drink feel isolated and like outcasts
▪️How she stopped her drinking cycle once and for all
back to a sense of normalcy
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo (@alysonpremo), discuss:
▪️What happened to some when the quarantine bubble was lifted
▪️What life has been like getting back to some sense of normalcy
▪️How finding a routine is helpful to not only sobriety but everyday life
▪️What issue I’m working on currently in my business
▪️How coaching can be a great complement for those who have tried all the free programs and resources but are still finding themselves stuck in the same cycle
love & sex addiction with brianne davis
In this episode, I (@alysonpremo) speak with actress, director, producer, and writer Brianne Davis (@thebriannedavis) on her sex and love addiction. Brianne is one of the most eclectic talents to hit Hollywood by storm. She recently wrapped two seasons as series regular in History Channel's "Six" and a role in the upcoming season of Netflix's "Lucifer.”. She appeared in the Lifetime Movie Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate over the weekend. We discuss:
▪️ What she thought love was before her rock bottom
▪️ The similarities between alcohol & drug addiction and love & sex addiction
▪️ What has helped her to now be 11 years in recovery
▪️ The Sex & Love Addiction Anonymous Questionnaire, and she puts me in the hot seat to answer a few.
Healing addiction with grace with author robin clare
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo, have a conversation with speaker, author, and life/writing coach, Robin Clare (@clareitybyrobin), on her struggle with food addiction and bulimia. Only after revealing her deepest dark secret she was able to become her most authentic spiritual self. Struggling with food addiction and bulimia for decades, she finally dug deep into current and past lives to heal wounds that had blocked success and fed her active addiction. We discuss:
▪️What she believes her true addiction was to (hint: it wasn’t food)
▪️What book everyone should have on their reading list
▪️ How perfection played a role in her food addiction
▪️The power of lists
▪️How to get out of the suffering to move forward
Put your faith up with chekesha kay ellis
In this episode I chat with Chekesha Kay Ellis (@chekeshaellis), on her struggle with opiate addiction. Her past struggle has led her to be a global activist for the opioid crisis representing the states of New Jersey and New York for Mobilize Recovery, a global organization that works directly with Congressional Leaders to combat the addiction and opioid crisis, change public and professional attitudes about addiction, recovery, and break the stigmas that surround addiction. We discuss:
▪️How a fall changed her life forever
▪️How her addiction led to her hearing loss
▪️What her path to recovery looked like (hint: not traditional)
▪️How she’s using her experience to help future generations
▪️The topic of shame
Her secret struggle with ellen elizabeth
In this episode, I, Alyson Premo chat with Ellen Elizabeth (@cleantwinmom) on her infertility and addiction battle. She is a 35-year-old Colorado native who is celebrating over 3.5 years of sobriety and is the proud mother of twins. After she quit meth and crack cold turkey, she then succumbed to alcohol. She loved having this secret of drinking vodka while hiding in her closet. With the help of rehab and AA, she is now 3.5 years sober with twins. We discuss:
▪️How her first relationship led her down a dark path to drugs
▪️Why she actually liked the hiding of her secret struggle with alcohol
▪️How rehab was the key to her getting and staying sober
▪️How she juggles parenting twins while remaining sober
▪️Why the label alcoholic kept her stuck in the drinking cycle
from reality tv party girl to sober mom with holly wilson
In this episode, I talked with Holly Wilson, who is most known for her role on The Hills and is Heidi Montag’s older sister. After going from a straight-A student who never got into trouble to drinking and taking Adderall before work she finally realized that she couldn’t go on the way she was living anymore and shortly after went to rehab. Once sober, she began a self-led education in the addiction recovery space, working and learning every position within addiction recovery treatment centers. In 2017, Holly founded Women's Recovery, an addiction treatment and recovery center for women. We discuss:
▪️How The Hills escalated her alcoholism
▪️Why her trauma didn’t surface until around 9 months sober and how she was able to work through it
▪️How she uses the principles of recovery for all areas of her life
▪️Why she believes the pandemic has made it easier to drink more
▪️Why a lot of women suffer in pain before they finally ask for help
Our secrets keep us sick with jennifer storm
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I talked with Jennifer Storm who is an advocate, author, and survivor. After a childhood rape turned her life upside down, she turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with the trauma she endured. This ten year battle with addiction culminated in a brutal suicide attempt which she survived. She awoke in a hospital bed with renewed hope and set out to rebuild her life while exposing one secret at a time. Now with two decades of recovery and healing, Jennifer seeks to bring forth her experience, strength, and hope to others. We discuss:
▪️How she layered her trauma that ultimately led to her suicide attempt
▪️Why doing your own trauma work is essential to sustaining long term sobriety
▪️How she is teaching her son boundaries and to "respect the no"
▪️Why silence creates shame and guilt that leads to substance abuse
▪️What she believes are the Five Pillars of Recovery and how she uses them in her daily life
Election day without booze
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, it’s just me talking all about Election Day anxiety and how to cope without turning to alcohol. I discuss:
▪️Why I had a panic attack a few weeks ago
▪️Ways to get through this week without numbing out (Hint: disconnect)
▪️Why I believe numbing out during this time is the worst thing you can do
▪️How we really implement change and it starts with you
5 tips for a sober thanksgiving
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, it’s just me, Alyson Premo, giving you a few tips on how to stay sober during Thanksgiving. I discuss:
▪️Prioritizing in the middle of uncertainty
▪️How following the crowd can lead you astray
▪️How I celebrated 4 years of sobriety
▪️5 tips to get you through Thanksgiving alcohol-free
Chem-free sobriety with suzanne thistle
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I talked with Author and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Suzanne Thistle. Her recovery journey started in 1987, and since then, she has been writing, teaching, and advocating. Her book Chem-Free Sobriety is a #1 Bestseller and portrays 101 individuals whose lives were changed because of their sobriety. We discuss:
▪️How divine intervention made it’s way to her recovery
▪️How to navigate relationships when the other person doesn’t drink
▪️Why her worst day sober is still better than her best day drunk
▪️Her take on the opioid crisis and pharmaceutical companies
▪️What CAGE means and how you can use it to gauge if you’re drinking is problematic
You deserve your sobriety
with Dr. claudia black
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I talked with Dr. Claudia Black who is a world-renowned expert on addiction and codependency as well as the author of It Will Never Happen To Me: Growing Up with Addiction as Youngsters, Adolescents, and Adults. We discuss:
▪️What inspired her to write It Will Never Happen To Me
▪️How children of addicts can heal and embrace healthy relationships as adults
▪️How kids typically deal with the stress of living with a chemically dependent parent
▪️What false guilt means and why mothers especially are prone to it
▪️Why you haven’t “screwed up” your kids
regaining yourself
with elle fortner
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I talked with Elle Fortner from New Directions for Women. She has been a sober mom since June 6, 2018, and learned that she ultimately had to put herself first in order to be the best mother possible for her daughter. We discuss:
▪️How she thought drinking would keep her away from drugs, but what really happened instead
▪️Why she believes you can't get sober just for your kids
▪️What the concept of River Rocks is and how it helps you release the past
▪️Why struggling with her emotions is easier than struggling with the obsession of drinking
▪️Why being surrounded by other mothers is important
goodbye 2020
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I wrap up 2020. The chaos, the growth, and the lessons learned. I discuss:
▪️Focusing on the things we can control
▪️What I do when I feel burn out creeping in
▪️Why all you have to do is just start
▪️My top holiday tip for staying sober
▪️What I'm most excited for in 2021
getting out of our comfort zone
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo talk all about getting out of our comfort zone not just on this sober journey, but life in general. I discuss:
▪️Why we like the safety of our comfort zone
▪️Navigating social situations without alcohol
▪️What I'm doing to get out of my comfort zone
▪️How you get out of it
Living a Double life
with erin ranta
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I talked with Erin Ranta (@soberpilatesmom), a mom of a 10-month-old baby girl, co-founder of Reva Recovery, and a true inspiration for mothers who feel there isn't a way out of the vicious cycle of addiction. We discuss:
▪️How her near-death experience still wasn't enough to make her stop right away
▪️How she was able to reward herself without alcohol
▪️What "normal boring" means to her in sobriety
▪️How the pressure of being a perfect mom plays into the drinking cycle
▪️What's in her sober toolbox
MOMMY WINE CULTURE HAS TO GO
On this week’s short but sweet episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about the SNL skit focusing on wine moms. I discuss:
▪️Why I believe it was in bad taste and not funny at all
▪️What we can do to prevent more women from being sucked into the mommy wine culture
6 Steps To Change Your Relationship With Alcohol
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about the 6 steps to breaking any bad habit including alcohol. I discuss:
▪️ How to disrupt and switch your pattern
▪️ How a "WHY" is crucial for breaking any bad habit
▪️ Counting days vs not counting days
▪️ Why not giving in right away is the key
Paralyzing mom guilt
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about the mom guilt we experience after removing alcohol from our life. I discuss:
▪️ How to stop the guilt from controlling our journey
▪️ The butterfly effect
▪️ The one thing that contributes to our guilt the most and what we can do about it
No quick fixes to sobriety
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about a common theme I see from women who just removed alcohol from their life, and that is expecting a quick fix from their years or decades long reliance. I discuss:
▪️ Why, as humans, we've evolved to depend on immediate rewards
▪️How we can retrain our brain to immediately not go to alcohol
▪️ Why it's important to feel the good and "bad" emotions
NA beverages. yay or nay?
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about non-alcoholic beverages. This topic can be controversial, so I'm digging into what my opinion is. I discuss:
▪️ Why I waited until over 3 years of sobriety to introduce them into my beverage arsenal
▪️How you can tell if you're drinking them for the "wrong" reasons
▪️ What my favorite NA beverages are
Energy shifts
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about my recent confidence shift and why after over 4 years of sobriety, I'm finally choosing to be 100% me. I discuss:
▪️ What's been the biggest reason for my upleveling
▪️ What you can do when you're stuck in a negative thought spiral
▪️ Where confidence comes from
Having another baby to help you quit drinking? eek!
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about the idea of having another baby to help you quit drinking and give you a reset so that you'll be able to "fix" your drinking issue. I discuss:
▪️ Why having another baby isn't going to fix anything
▪️ Why it's important to get to the root cause of your alcohol issues before bringing another child into the world
▪️ What happens when you see life through clear eyes instead of alcohol-induced eyes
▪️What true self-care is
California sober?
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about a hot topic that's been circling the sobriety community for the past week or so, and that is Demi Lovato calling herself California Sober. I discuss:
▪️ What the definition of California Sober is
▪️ What questions to ask yourself if you think California Sober might be for you
▪️How we have to learn our own lessons on this journey
▪️What happened at my year mark of sobriety
craving a drink? try this.
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about the 4 most common triggers for when you're craving a drink and tips on how to overcome them. I discuss:
▪️What H.A.L.T. is
▪️How the all or nothing mentality creeps into other areas of my life
▪️What I'm giving away for FREE
Nothing is as fun as drinking? listen to this!
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about why we believe not drinking alcohol is boring, and how to turn that deep-rooted belief around. I discuss:
▪️Why nothing is as "fun" as drinking at the beginning of the alcohol-free journey
▪️Why perspective shifts are key to ditching alcohol for good
▪️Why I was feeling anxious this weekend and how I worked through it
cycle breakers
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about the ripple effect and what it not only means for you and your kids but generations to come. I discuss:
▪️What I learned over the past week at the QCA 3-day retreat
▪️What triggered me last week and how I worked through it
▪️What it means to be a cycle breaker
F*ck shame with Dr. adi jaffe
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo (@alysonpremo), talked with TEDx Speaker, author of The Abstinence Myth, and contributor for Psychology Today, Dr. Adi Jaffe. We discuss:
▪️ Why he and I believe the concept of powerlessness is doing you a disservice
▪️ Why some people can moderate and why others can't
▪️ The 3 principles of his program IGNTD that help you question your relationship with alcohol
▪️ Why labeling is a barrier for some to quit drinking
Ch-ch-ch-changes
n this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo, talk about how your relationship with alcohol isn't the only thing that changes when you get sober. I discuss:
▪️ Why we don't like change
▪️ How my relationship with my mother has changed in the last 4.5 years
▪️ What changes are coming your way for my coaching programs to lead to a greater transformation for you
24 hour living with cathi marcus
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo (@alysonpremo), talked with Cathi Marcus, Certified Spiritual Life & Business Coach, Author, and Speaker about how she awakens others to their authentic/highest selves and enables them to live a life of meaning, adventure, and joy. We discuss:
▪️ What caused her to be a ticking time bomb when she went off to college
▪️ How she's stayed sober for 22 years and counting
▪️ What she believes is the key to sustaining sobriety
Are you being true to you?
On this week’s episode of the Sober As A Mother Podcast, I, Alyson Premo (@alysonpremo), talk about authenticity and why most of us use alcohol to hide parts of ourselves that we don't like. I discuss:
▪️ How we've been conditioned not to be our true selves
▪️ What is blocking you from showing up just as you are
▪️ Affirmations to help you shine as your true self no matter what anyone else says