This Naked Mind Podcast

Does the urge to drink ever go away, or is it something you’re stuck managing forever? In this Alcohol Freedom Coaching episode, Coach Hayley works with Mark, and Coach Soraya supports Michael as they share the real, messy middle of change. Mark talks about years of 30, 60, and 90-day breaks, the weight of the “alcoholic” label, and how an emotion-based goal—making alcohol immaterial in his life—finally eased the mental tug-of-war. Michael opens up about being 45 days alcohol-free, feeling “on display” in social situations, and tracing that discomfort back to a lifelong drive to fit in. These are the exact kinds of questions—about cravings, labels, and belonging—that get coached compassionately daily inside The Path.

In Mark’s session:

Exploring if the urge to drink ever goes away through real-life data points

Moving from “I’m an alcoholic who can’t drink” to “alcohol is an addictive substance”

Why time-based goals kept him chasing “normal drinking”

Adopting an emotion-based goal: making alcohol immaterial in his life

Using ACT and curiosity to meet cognitive dissonance instead of fighting it

Noticing how cravings and thoughts faded dramatically by around 90 days

Reclaiming mental real estate, time, and energy for what actually matters

And more

In Michael’s session:

Feeling like he has to explain his choice and wondering does the urge to drink ever go away

Using an ankle injury as a temporary “cover story” while he builds confidence

Linking his discomfort to a deep drive to fit in and avoid conflict

Connecting current social anxiety to teen anorexia and years of trying to blend in

Learning that friends’ reactions often reveal their unease with alcohol

Shifting from autopilot drinking to conscious “pilot” mode with curiosity and logic

Letting the world adapt to his alcohol-free choice instead of shrinking himself

And more

Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Drawing from personal experiences, Hayley understands how tough change can be and provides a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. She believes that with the right mindset, anyone can change their life at any time.

Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/

Soraya Odishoo is a compassionate Certified This Naked Mind Coach who blends somatic healing with therapeutic models to support recovery. She serves people who feel disconnected from their true selves and want freedom from substances or behaviors that no longer serve them. She takes a trauma-informed, heart-centered approach with a strong focus on accessibility for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.Learn more about Coach Soraya: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/soraya-arjan-odishoo-alpc/

Episode links:nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Will I Ever Stop Craving Alcohol? – Reader Question – E676 – http://thisnakedmind.com/ep-676-readers-question-will-i-ever-stop-craving-alcohol/

How Do I Break the Cycle of Recurring Data Points? – Reader Question – E588 – http://thisnakedmind.com/ep-588-reader-question-how-do-i-break-the-cycle-of-recurring-data-points/

From Cravings to Curiosity – Alcohol Freedom Coaching – E851 – https://thisnakedmind.com/why-cant-i-get-rid-of-alcohol-cravings-e851/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

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What if the connection you think you're creating while drinking together is actually pulling you apart? Sheela spent decades as a heavy drinker, immersed in Australian culture where alcohol was everywhere—from Schoolies Week celebrations to working as a musician in bars. Wine o'clock became her daily escape, a numbing ritual she believed helped her relax, until health problems and 3am anxiety wake-ups forced her to pay attention. After 75 days without alcohol, she expected to feel free but instead felt deprived and jealous of others drinking. Through The Path and her own solo Alcohol Experiment—drinking alone to assess what it actually did for her—Sheela began unpacking the truth. She discovered that relationships changing after quitting drinking meant recognizing that wine and movies with her partner wasn't creating intimacy. It was creating a haze that prevented real connection. Now in her second year alcohol-free, she's rebuilding her life around genuine common ground, quality sleep, and the kind of freedom that doesn't require willpower—just honest self-reflection and community support.

Coach Cole and Sheela discuss:

Sheela’s journey from decades of heavy drinking to a new sense of freedom

How relationships changing after quitting drinking surfaced unexpected challenges and opportunities

The difference between willpower and genuine internal transformation

Navigating social situations and connection without alcohol

Redefining intimacy, community, and identity after alcohol

Sheela’s experience with The Path and emotional self-reflection

And more topics including purpose, self-compassion, and real connection

Episode links:

nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

What if my marriage is dependent on alcohol? - Reader Question - E222 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-222-reader-question-what-if-my-marriage-is-dependent-on-alcohol/

Can Your Marriage Survive Change? - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E758 - https://thisnakedmind.com/can-your-marriage-survive-change-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e758/

Exploring Willpower with Dr. Amy Johnson - Expert Interview - E05 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-05-exploring-willpower-dr-amy-johnson/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Quince: Go to ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns 

Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠ with code mind

BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/nakedmind

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, mental health crises, domestic violence, & family trauma.

How do you build the desire to stop drinking when alcohol feels like your only escape from an overwhelming life? Richard shares his struggle with using alcohol to cope with family challenges, including his son's mental health crisis and decades of marital strife, while Stephanie uncovers a deep-rooted fear that she must be "everything her husband needs" or risk losing him. Both face the uncomfortable truth that alcohol has become essential to their coping and connection. Coach Soraya helps Richard explore activities that bring him joy outside his difficult home environment, while Coach Hayley guides Stephanie through layers of guilt and self-blame to discover an empowered path forward.

In Richard’s Session:

Naming the “pit in my stomach” & why alcohol feels like quick relief

Caregiver stress, court dates, & how trauma at home boosts cravings

Swimming, hot–cold routines, & finding joy outside the house

Mapping resentment in a long marriage without shaming himself

Health signals that matter: rising blood pressure & honest tracking

Practical ways to build the desire to stop drinking when life is chaotic

…and more topics on coping, boundaries, & self-compassion

In Stephanie’s Session:

“We connected over wine”—grieving old rituals without glamorizing them

The “chameleon” habit & learning to be herself in her marriage

Reframing guilt into an empowered decision to grow

Talking intimacy without alcohol

Expecting discomfort, choosing compassion, building new cues for connection

Tiny experiments that strengthen how to build the desire to stop drinking at home

…and more insights on mindset, identity, & shared change

Soraya Odishoo is a compassionate Certified This Naked Mind Coach who blends somatic healing with therapeutic models to support recovery. She serves people who feel disconnected from their true selves and want freedom from substances or behaviors that no longer serve them. Her collaborative heart-centered, trust-based trauma-informed approach has a strong focus on accessibility for BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ communities. Soraya’s passion is guiding clients back to their personal power so they can find peace, purpose, & lasting healing.

Learn more about Coach Soraya: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/soraya-arjan-odishoo-alpc/

Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Drawing from personal experiences, Hayley understands how tough change can be & provides a safe, compassionate, & judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. She believes that with the right mindset, anyone can change their life at any time.

Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/

Episode links:

nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Getting Past Emotional Drinking Triggers | Reader’s Question | E616 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-616-readers-question-getting-past-emotional-drinking-triggers/

Is Motivation Alone Enough? Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E774 - https://thisnakedmind.com/is-motivation-alone-enough-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e774/

Finding Hope for Long-time Drinkers | Reader’s Question | E600 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-600-reader-question-finding-hope-for-long-time-drinkers/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 

Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, & more. Until next week, stay curious!

Quince: Go to⁠ ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns 

Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠⁠ with code mind

BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at ⁠BetterHelp.com/nakedmind⁠

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Trigger Warning: This episode discusses pregnancy and fertility loss, breast and brain cancer, caregiving stress, grief, blackout drinking, relapse, and substance use.What if relief isn’t in the glass but in the space you reclaim? Mary maps the messy middle—moderation rules, peer pressure, the “pitcher plant,” and the night she couldn’t care for her sister because she was too sick to stand. Revisiting her 2017 episode with Annie, she joins Coach Hayley to redefine success: presence over performance, rituals without alcohol, and permission to say “I don’t drink today.” Along this long road to quitting drinking, Mary learns that forgiveness ends the shame spiral—and that peace shows up when she stops chasing the first sip.

In this episode, Coach Hayley and Mary catch up on:

Revisiting Mary’s first TNM episode (2017) and what changed

Miscarriages, breast cancer, and pandemic drift—why moderation unraveled

The “pitcher plant,” blackout shame, and the caregiving wake-up call

Surrogacy, motherhood, and choosing presence at bedtime

Keeping the ritual without the alcohol: mocktails, adaptogens, THC microdosing

Self-forgiveness > perfection; “not today” over “never again”

Why relief feels like mental space, not a glass

Walking the long road to quitting drinking without perfectionism

…and more topics

Episode links:

nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

EP 35: Naked Life Story: Mary - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-35-naked-life-story-mary/

Making the Breast Cancer and Alcohol Connection - Tabbin’s Naked Life - E713 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-713-naked-life-story-tabbin-a/

Brian Accidentally Stopped Drinking - Brian’s Naked Life (Part 2) - E639 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-639-naked-life-story-annie-graces-husband-part-2/Does this mean I can never drink alcohol again? - Reader’s Question - E576 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-576-readers-question-does-this-mean-i-can-never-drink-alcohol-again/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 

Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Quince: Go to⁠ ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns 

Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠⁠ with code mind

BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at ⁠BetterHelp.com/nakedmind⁠

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at⁠ ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind⁠

What if “I deserve a drink” is just an old script you can rewrite? In today’s episode, Coach Cole helps Matt notice how removing alcohol lowered his baseline stress at a new job—turning frantic mornings into steady ones and replacing dread with data. Coach Zoe supports Constance, a second-grade teacher whose activated nervous system kept her in fight-or-flight; together they connect the dots from childhood patterns to present-day overwhelm and practice coming back to the body for safety. You’ll hear the role of community, self-trust, and daily practices to stay alcohol-free—from 6 a.m. calls to simple breathwork—to make change sustainable. Powerful, shame-free coaching like this happens every day inside The Path, where small experiments add up to big shifts—at work, at home, and in who you believe you can be.

In Matt’s Session:

Managing work-related stress and anxiety without resorting to self-medication

Alcohol-free benefits: showing up clearheaded and reducing work stress

Building self-trust by seeing the evidence of a better life

Overcoming the "I deserve a drink" mentality after a stressful day

Differences between AA and The Path

Recognizing the ingrained, Pavlovian nature of drinking urges and how to decondition them

Daily practices to stay alcohol-free and more

In Constance’s Session:

Coping with a constantly activated nervous system

Using alcohol as a "safety valve" to "emotionally shut down" and stop playing a role

Connecting current emotional regulation issues to childhood experiences

Moving from external focus (saving others) to internal focus (regulating her own body)

Learning tools for nervous system regulation and grounding

Understanding the importance of finding a "safety container" within herself to process emotions

The value of incorporating daily practices to stay alcohol-free and more

Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. For years, he felt lost and used alcohol as a way to cope, until he decided to go alcohol-free and focus on finding his purpose. Through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure, he transformed his life. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps young men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning.

Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/

Zoe Ewart is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who brings her experience and understanding to help with the tricky parts of life’s big changes. Her coaching gives you an enjoyable, light-hearted, and safe environment to effortlessly take back control of alcohol so you can feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. Zoe taught Pilates for 15 years. She has four adult children and more animals than the Ark ever had.

Learn more about Coach Zoe: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/zoe-ewart/

Episode links:

nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

Escaping The Hamster Wheel of Drinking – Alcohol Freedom Coaching – E847 – https://thisnakedmind.com/why-cant-i-quit-drinking-after-so-many-tries-afc-e847/

Will I ever stop craving alcohol? – Reader Questions – E676 – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-676-readers-question-will-i-ever-stop-craving-alcohol/

Trusting Yourself Again – Alcohol Freedom Coaching – E760 – https://thisnakedmind.com/trusting-yourself-again-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e760/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 

Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Quince: Go to⁠ ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns 

Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠⁠Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠⁠ with code mind

BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at ⁠BetterHelp.com/nakedmind⁠

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at⁠ ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind⁠