I sat down with Paulette Kengg, the author of Spirit-Led Sobriety, to talk about the deeply personal and spiritual journey of healing from alcohol addiction.
Paulette struggled with alcohol when she began drinking to cope with severe insomnia. But behind the sleepless nights was a lifetime of unprocessed trauma-from losing her father to gun violence at 14, to surviving sexual assault, to living with years of shame, loneliness, and religious guilt.
In this conversation, Paulette shares how alcohol became her comforter and how she eventually found freedom through her faith, therapy, EMDR, and neuroscience. We talk about the pain of feeling like you’re “the only one,” especially in the church, and how shame can silence even the strongest believers.
Her story is brave, raw, and full of hope. If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol or felt unseen in your faith community, this episode is for you.
Paulette’s near-death experience that became her wake-up call
How alcohol became a “solution” for her insomnia and quickly became a problem
Childhood trauma, religious shame, and unprocessed grief
Why traditional recovery programs didn’t work for her, and what did
The power of EMDR therapy and inner child work
Understanding neuroplasticity and the science of alcohol’s impact on the brain
Why women in church spaces often suffer in silence
Her message for anyone quietly struggling with alcohol and faith
📖 Paulette’s memoir: Spirit-Led Sobriety on Amazon
💌 Email Paulette: spiritledsobriety@gmail.com
