In this episode, Sonia from Sisters in Sobriety joins us for a deeply honest conversation about recovery, journaling, trauma, and rebuilding life after addiction.
Sonia shares how her drinking escalated from teenage experimentation to daily wine-drinking as a high-functioning professional. While she never had the "traditional" external bottom, she described being emotionally bottomed out — chronically ill, blacking out, and unable to imagine a future.
What finally shifted? A moment of clarity at brunch, when she said "no" to a mimosa for the first time.
From there, she began exploring sobriety through AA literature, community support, and eventually the practice that changed everything: journaling.
Moderation vs. abstinence: Some people can moderate; some can't. Addiction exists on a spectrum.
Trauma and dissociation: Many of us learned early to ignore our intuition and numb discomfort.
Healing through writing: Journaling processes emotions the same way talking to a friend does.
Different journaling styles:
Morning pages (The Artist's Way)
Gratitude lists
Emotional processing
Prompt-based journaling
Somatic/body-scan journaling
Rebuilding after betrayal: Journaling helped Sonia reclaim her identity after divorce.
The importance of community: A network of supportive women helped her through the darkest moments.
✔️ Try morning pages for 7 days — write 3 pages of unfiltered thoughts every morning.
✔️ Start a nightly gratitude list focusing on 3 things from that day.
✔️ Practice a weekly "body-scan journal session" and write about physical sensations + emotions.
✔️ Identify 3 people you can call when you're struggling — and practice willingness calls.
✔️ Reflect on the question: Can I moderate? — and be honest with your evidence.
Blackout — Sarah Hepola
Running with Scissors — Augusten Burroughs
The Artist's Way — Julia Cameron
The Power of Two-Way Prayer — Father Bill W.
Radical Self-Acceptance — Tara Brach
The Obstacle Is the Way — Ryan Holiday
👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?
Here are 3 ways to get started:
🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist
Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com
☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick
https://www.makesobrietystick.com
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