Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic with Jon Seidl

“Once I started drinking, I didn’t want to stop until something made me.”

That’s how Stephanie Ziebell describes the grip alcohol had on her life. Stephanie got sober in Wisconsin—the capital of drinking culture. The place where not having alcohol at your wedding is like not having a bride. But as she shares, even in the middle of a state built on beer, Jesus met her in the mess and gave her freedom sh...

“Shame is first and foremost not a thing that begins with me thinking a certain thing about myself. It begins first as a thing that I feel literally in my body.”

That’s how Dr. Curt Thompson reframed shame in our incredible conversation—and I think he'll probably do the same for you, too. Curt is a psychiatrist, author, and speaker who ha...

“High performers can hold it together—but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy.”

That’s how Julie Holly describes the tension she lived in for years. On the outside, she was a successful entrepreneur, coach, and podcaster. But on the inside, alcohol was becoming her go-to solution for stress, escape, and the ache of not belonging. And like many high-performers, her success masked the weight that alcoho...

“If I’m numbing the lows, I’m numbing the highs. And then I’m just in this nothingness.”

Here's the thing about alcohol: So many of us use it to numb the lows, but alcohol isn't a precision numbing agent. What does that mean? That while it can be useful to deal with the valleys, it also keeps you from enjoying the peaks.

“Forgiveness is not the goal of salvation. Fellowship with God is the goal of salvation.”

Think about that for a second. I had to. That’s how Kyle Worley reframes the Gospel in his new book, Home with God. And at first glance, it may seem...odd. Because so many of us think salvation is mainly about getting our sins forgiven so we can go to heave...

“There’s a part of you that drinks and a part of you that doesn’t—and that doesn’t make you crazy. That makes you human.”

What happens when your faith says one thing and your actions say another? And what do you do when the coping mechanisms that once helped you survive start controlling you? That’s where today’s co...

“There are really only two kinds of people in this world—people in recovery who know they are, and people in recovery who think they're not.”

Tullian Tchividjian was on top of the Christian world. A bestselling author, megachurch pastor, sought-after speaker—and yes, the grandson of Billy Graham. Then everything imploded. 

“Silence isn’t honor.”

Think about that phrase for a second. How many times have we believed the opposite, or been led to believe the opposite? Those words come from Gina Birkemeier. Gina is a licensed professional counselor, speaker, and the author of Generations Deep, one of the best books you'll ever read o...

“It doesn’t happen overnight. Just small little incremental concessions.”

That’s how Bill Seymour describes his descent into alcoholism—one slow slide at a time. Bill didn’t grow up in chaos. He wasn’t trying to escape trauma. He was raised in a Christian home, went to church every Sunday, married his high school sweetheart, and built a successful creative agency. ...

"You can’t hate yourself healthy."

That’s the kind of line that sticks with you—not just because it’s catchy, but because it’s true. And for Erin Jean Warde, it was the truth that changed everything.

In this episode, I sit down with Erin—an ordained Episcopal priest, recovery coach, and autho...

“If alcohol is costing you your peace, it’s too expensive.”

That idea is what helped Christy Osborne realize she needed to change her relationship with alcohol. Christy didn’t end up in jail. She didn’t wreck her marriage. She wasn’t waking up every morning with the shakes. From the outside, she looked like a thriving mom living the perfect life in London. But internally...

“There is another side. You might not see it yet—but it’s there, and it’s better than you think.”

What a line from this week's “Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic” podcast guest, Kristen Bear. Because that’s what this conversation is really about: building something new from the ruins on the other side of what was. Kristen is a model, actress, and creative ...

“I used to be so pissed that I’m an addict. And now I’m so grateful that I am.”

That’s from Blake Roberts, a licensed therapist, writer, and someone who has walked his own road of addiction and healing. In this episode, we dive deep into his story—particularly his struggles with porn and sex addiction—and why he believes recovery is about so much more than just not...

“Prayer can come before belief.”

That’s the lesson that stopped me in my tracks.

In this second conversation with Dr. Lisa Stanton—yes, the first-ever repeat guest on the “Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic” podcast—we go even deeper into her story, her recovery, and her brand-new book 52 Life-Changing Lessons I Learned in Recovery. Lisa doesn’t hold back. ...

“My intellect was my greatest obstacle to getting sober.”

Dr. Lisa Stanton is the brilliant doctor who made a lot of bad choices. In some ways, she was too smart for her own good. Too smart to get sober, as she says. Until it all caught up with her. In this honest conversation, she opens up about her spiral into alcoholism that began in high school an...

“Your brain is actively rewiring itself every second. The question is: Will you do it on purpose?”

That’s from my fascinating conversation with Dr. Lee Warren. Dr. Lee isn’t just a neurosurgeon—he’s a husband, father, Iraq War veteran, and grieving dad who lost his 19-year-old son in a tragic and mysterious death. He’s also one of the most compelling voices today on how faith and neuro...

"Alcohol was the only relationship I could count on."

That’s how Kristi Tanner described her relationship with alcohol, which led to two DUIs in three days over the Fourth of July weekend. It also led to a host of other problems. In this deeply emotional and radically vulnerable conversation, Kristi—also known as the Mocktail Mommy on Instagram&mdas...

“When you stare into the abyss, don’t be shocked at what stares back at you.”

That’s how I open this powerful episode, and it couldn’t be more fitting. This week, I sit down with deep thinker, theologian, and recovering alcoholic Griffin Gooch—whose journey into addiction began not with trauma or peer pressure, but with an overwhelming sense of meaninglessness. A nihilis...

"Mommy needs a drink." 

It's become an all too popular refrain. Go to any Home Goods store or flea market, and you'll find the signs, hand towels, and artwork that declares that not only do moms need a drink, but they deserve a drink. That's the trap that Jenn fell into as she was raising her children. And today, she's doing all she can to expose the dangers and lies of mommy wine culture. 

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