EP257 Minisode: Adjusting Expectations For The Holidays (Part 2)
In this follow-up episode, Colleen shares a personal holiday stumble—an experience she originally recorded in late 2024, but one that still rings true as we look ahead to the upcoming season. She names it a “relapse,” not because of how much she drank but because of the disconnect between what she wanted and what actually happened. Instead of hiding it, she walks through the three-question framework from Part One, showing in real time how to turn what looks like failure into data, compassion, and next steps. Through honest reflection, she reframes her week of drinking with family as a learning lab: noticing where it could have been worse, expanding the timeline to see real improvement, and uncovering the lesson that unrealistic expectations set her up to struggle. What emerges is a radically different take on relapse—not as proof you’re broken, but as proof you’re still learning. This isn’t just a confession—it’s a model of how to meet yourself in the mess, stay curious, and come back stronger. 🔑 Key Takeaways Comparing a holiday week to your “best week” skews progress—zoom out to see real improvement. Every story you tell yourself is “bullshit”—so choose the version that moves you forward. Setting unrealistic expectations (like piling an elimination diet on top of holiday stress) undermines success. Use the three-question framework every time: How could this have been worse / where did I improve? What did I learn? What would I like to do differently next time? If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air! Find me on: YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc Transcript
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EP256 Minisode: Adjusting Expectations For The Holidays (Part 1)
As the holiday season approaches, this episode—originally recorded after Thanksgiving 2024—offers perspective that’s just as relevant now as it was then. Colleen pulls apart one of the biggest myths of change: that it’s the behavior itself that’s hard. The truth? It’s the act of change—the moment you take your brain off autopilot—that feels so uncomfortable. From holiday chaos to daily overwhelm, she shows how perfectionism and constant performance keep you stuck, and why setbacks are not proof of failure but invitations to learn. She reframes relapse, stress, and “slip-ups” as tests—opportunities to gather information instead of self-destruct. She makes the case that baby habits can’t yet compete with old, well-worn patterns in times of stress, and that setting realistic expectations is the most compassionate, powerful strategy for lasting growth. This is more than a pep talk. It’s a playbook for walking through the holidays (and any high-pressure season) without letting setbacks steal your progress—or your self-trust. 🔑 Key Takeaways Stressful seasons test your new habits; don’t expect baby habits to out-muscle old ones every time. Setbacks are tests, not failures—the lesson is in how you respond. “Failure” is just a mismatch between expectations and reality. Self-compassion is the fastest way to keep momentum alive. Progress sticks when you give yourself credit for improvements already made. Three anchors to use in setbacks: How could this have been worse? Where did I improve? What have I learned? If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air! Find me on: YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc Transcript
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EP255: Why “tough love” doesn’t work with substance use and how to set boundaries that actually help with Heather Ross
Our culture teaches that when someone is struggling with substance use, the correct response is tough love. It’s better to let them hit rock bottom than to enable their behavior. My guest today is Heather Ross, host of the Living While Loving Your Child Through Addiction podcast. She’s also a dear personal friend. We’re letting you eavesdrop on one of the many raw conversations we’ve had about the devastating impact the “tough love” mindset has on both the giver and the receiver. And why compassion is not the same as enabling. You’ll hear Heather’s first-hand account of what happened when she shifted her goal from controlling the situation to connecting with her daughter. Her story is both heartbreaking and inspiring, because despite losing her daughter to a fentanyl overdose, she will never regret that she was a safe place for her daughter–and a source of unconditional love. Buckle up, because this one’s a tear jerker. But whether you’re a parent, partner or just wondering how to show up for someone you love, you’ll walk away with a clear understanding of how to release fear, find your ground and support your person without losing yourself. Click here to get Heather’s free guide: A New Perspective about “Enabling”--A guide for parents who want to help their kids but aren’t sure how. Find Heather on social media @HeatherRossCoaching, and listen to her podcast Living While Loving Your Child Through Addiction. If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air! Find me on: YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc Transcript
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EP254 Minisode: Tired Is A Feeling, Not A Fact
In this episode, Colleen unpacks one of the most common struggles in early sobriety and beyond: bone-deep exhaustion. She shares her own experience quitting alcohol (and much more) all at once, and how the “post-acute withdrawal syndrome” myth left her believing she’d be tired and unmotivated for years. What she eventually discovered is that tiredness isn’t just physical—it’s an emotional signal tied to how you’re thinking, what you’re carrying, and how you’re responding to your body. She reframes fatigue as a feeling, not a fixed fact. She lays out the calls to action—hydration, movement, thought work, environment shifts—that help you recharge in real time instead of waiting for some mythical “dopamine reset.” This episode will show you how to trust your body as the litmus test for truth and to respond in ways that restore energy, purpose, and hope. 🔑 Key Takeaways Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) is more myth than science; your dopamine recalibrates far faster than you think. Tiredness is often emotional—driven by draining thought patterns—not just physical. The litmus test is always your body: does this thought process feel open/energizing or heavy/depleting? “Tired” is a feeling, not a fact—you can shift it by shifting how you respond. Water, movement, sleep, and sunlight are the simplest energy fuels. Mental preoccupations and negative self-talk drain more energy than work itself. Change your environment and thought loops to spark curiosity and motivation. If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air! Find me on: YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc Transcript
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EP253 Minisode: My Coach Just Fixed My Brain
In this episode, Colleen gives an update on the behind-the-scenes of what happened after being suddenly cut from a program she’d once called home. At first, she carried the weight of unfairness and betrayal, convinced it would take a long time to heal. But what started as a sting that clung to her body and mind turned into something radically different: a live demonstration of releasing the story that was holding her hostage. Through an unexpected NLP exercise with her coach, she revisits the childhood wound at the root of her pain and dismantles the old belief that others get to decide her worth. In real time, you’ll hear how her body shifted, her brain rewired, and her story transformed from “I’ve been wronged” to “I’m free.” What looked like rejection became a clean slate, a wider horizon, and a reminder that freedom comes when you reclaim the pen and rewrite your own narrative. This isn’t just an update—it’s a case study in emotional sovereignty, showing how quickly you can drop a heavy story and walk away lighter. 🔑 Key Takeaways It’s not the event itself that hurts—it’s the story you tell yourself about it. Collective agreement (“this sucks, you were wronged”) can reinforce pain instead of helping you heal. Waiting for someone else to respond or explain is giving away your power. Your body often signals when you’re carrying emotional baggage. Reframing old wounds allows you to rewrite new stories in real time. A neutral event can become an opportunity if you choose to see it that way. Freedom comes from owning that you are the source of both your suffering and your joy. If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you’re struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen’s NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air! Find me on: YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc Transcript
Would you like to reduce your alcohol consumption by 80 percent so 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.
I’m an intuitive 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.
Ireland