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Nancy McKay's recovery journey began like many women's stories – social drinking that gradually intensified until it became a way to cope with trauma. After her father's suicide when she was 50, Nancy's drinking shifted dramatically from social lubricant to emotional anesthetic. Two years later, following her own suicide attempt, she made the life-changing decision to embrace sobriety – a path she's now followed for over 16 years.
What makes Nancy's approach to recovery so powerful is her incorporation of equine therapy. These magnificent animals possess an uncanny ability to detect authenticity in humans, sensing our heartbeats from four feet away and refusing to approach when we're not being genuine. "When a 1200-pound horse comes up and nuzzles you because you're acknowledging your suffering – that's where the magic happens," Nancy shares. This profound connection often accelerates healing beyond what traditional talk therapy can accomplish.
The conversation explores how women's relationship with alcohol shifts dramatically during perimenopause and menopause, when hormonal changes affect how we metabolize alcohol. What once might have been enjoyable can suddenly trigger debilitating symptoms, becoming nature's way of suggesting we reconsider our habits. Nancy also highlights the concerning link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk – critical information for women making health decisions.
Nancy's Brave Recovery Method, detailed in her new book, offers women-centered alternatives to traditional recovery programs that were "created by men for men." Her approach focuses on building resilience rather than victimhood, cultivating authenticity instead of wearing different masks, developing self-love, finding your voice, setting boundaries, and ultimately achieving empowerment. Most importantly, she reminds us that recovery isn't limited to alcohol – we're all recovering from something, whether grief, burnout, or other challenges.
Ready to transform your relationship with alcohol or other coping mechanisms?
Connect with Nancy at https://womenempoweredrecovery.com and discover how you might move from merely surviving to genuinely thriving.
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