The Catholic Sobriety Podcast

Steven M. Bell is a Catholic convert, musician, husband, and father of two. After years of hidden alcoholism—even while serving as a church music leader—Steven hit a breaking point in rehab and encountered the peace of Christ that changed everything. 

Now over three years sober, he shares his journey in his memoir Uncomfortable Truth: Faith, Failure, Redemption to remind us that real hope and lasting freedom are possible.

In this epi...

🍂 Most women wait until January to change their drinking habits—but that might be the worst time to start. In this episode, I share why fall is the perfect season to release alcohol and how a reset now can set you up for peace during the holidays and strength in the new year.

✨ Ready for support? Join me in the Sacred Sobriety Lab—your faith-based community for coaching, encouragement, and freedom from alcohol. Join here ➡️ LINK

Ever felt blindsided by an urge or craving—whether for wine, sugar, or just zoning out—and wondered if it means you’ve failed? You’re not alone. Welcome to an inside peek of the Sacred Sobriety Lab ✨ — my private group coaching community for Catholic women who want freedom from alcohol without shame or rigid rules.

In this replay, we dive into a theme every woman encounters: handling urges, cravings, and setbacks. These mo...

Sending your teen off to college? The first weeks of freshman year are full of pressure—parties, alcohol, drugs, and the deep desire to belong. As a Catholic sobriety coach (and mom of three), I just walked my own son through this transition and had “the talk” every parent needs to have.

In this episode, I’ll share:

• How to talk to teens about drinking before college (without sounding like a hypocrite)
• What neuroscience tells us ab...

Have you ever felt like the odd one out… and wondered if that’s a problem to fix or a gift to embrace?

In this episode, we explore what happens when you stop trying to fit in and start living from the truth of who God created you to be. If alcohol ever felt like a shortcut to belonging, you’re not alone—and you're not stuck. This conversation will challenge cultural expectations, reframe your sobriety journey, and invite you to...

What if the pain you’ve carried could become the path to someone else’s healing?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Cathy Jo Lang—life coach, speaker, and host of The Unplanned Joyful Life podcast—who shares how her unplanned pregnancy, postpartum depression, and family history of alcoholism led her to a miraculous encounter with Jesus.

After being hospitalized just weeks after giving birth, Cathy Jo met a compassionate priest...

What happens when the voice in your head saying "don't drink" keeps getting louder? In this vulnerable conversation, grandmother and retired occupational therapist Cindy Strachan shares her journey to almost 1,000 days of alcohol freedom after decades as a weekend drinker.

Unlike many sobriety stories, Cindy's doesn't involve hitting rock bottom or daily drinking. As a high-functioning perfectionis...

Is moderation possible for you — or is it just another version of control?
In this episode, we explore what moderation really looks like for Catholic women who want peace with alcohol but feel stuck in cycles of "rules and regrets." You'll learn why willpower alone isn't the answer, how your habits and healing are connected, and what to watch for when discernment gets cloudy.

Through a blend of Catholic fait...

Ever notice how your hand automatically reaches for a drink after a long day? That's not weakness—it's your brain's efficient autopilot system at work. But what happens when you decide to drink less or take a break from alcohol altogether?

When reducing alcohol, feeling a bit off isn't a sign something's wrong—it's evidence of transformation. Your body isn't just missing alcohol; it'...

Ever wondered why wine is suddenly pink, skinny, and organic—or why every momfluencer has a glass in hand with hashtags like #WineOClock or #MommysLittleHelper? The answer lies in a carefully orchestrated shift in alcohol marketing that has fundamentally changed women's relationship with drinking.

The billion-dollar alcohol industry recognized a golden opportunity when their traditional male market began declining in ...

Freedom isn't just a concept we celebrate on July 4th—it's something we can experience in our relationship with alcohol too. If you've found yourself drinking more than intended at social gatherings or automatically reaching for that glass of wine after a long day, this episode offers a practical pathway to greater independence.

What if this Independence Day became your personal liberation celebration? I&apo...

After nearly 28 years of sobriety and countless inquiries, I'm finally sharing my honest thoughts about Alcoholics Anonymous. This deeply personal episode explores why, as a Catholic woman, I ultimately needed something beyond what AA could provide.

AA gave me structure, language, and community when I desperately needed it. God used it to guide me toward sobriety when I had nowhere else to turn, and for that, I'l...

Ever found yourself anxious about how you'll handle summer gatherings without overdoing it on alcohol? You're not alone. That mental game of "How will I manage vacation drinking?" or "What will people think if I skip the wine?" plagues many Catholic women who are trying to be more mindful about their relationship with alcohol.

In this honest conversation, I share why summer can feel particular...

Have you ever battled that sinking feeling of discouragement while trying to change your relationship with alcohol? That overwhelming sense that maybe your efforts don't matter, that progress seems impossible, or that your excuses are simply too powerful to overcome?

In this deeply vulnerable episode, I share my recent struggle with discouragement in my own ministry. Despite years of helping women find freedom from al...

"How much can I drink before it becomes a mortal sin?" This provocative question, posed by a young man to his priest, opens a doorway to profound spiritual reflection about our relationship with alcohol. The priest's answer was transformative: drink as much as you want, provided it's compatible with loving God with your whole heart and loving your neighbor as yourself.

This question frames our thoughtfu...

Have you ever found yourself asking "Is my drinking really that bad?" You're not alone. That question haunted me for years before I finally found freedom from alcohol. But everything changed when I flipped the script and started asking different questions!

In this episode, I share the five transformative questions that helped me gain clarity about my relationship with alcohol. These aren't questions designed to l...

Far beyond mere willpower, true freedom comes through supernatural strength.

What if I told you that you already possess "supernatural superpowers" specifically designed to help you break free from alcohol's grip? This special episode takes you inside a transformative workshop from my Sacred Sobriety Lab, revealing how the Holy Spirit serves as your ultimate ally in the battle against cravings and temptation...

Freedom isn't just about willpower—it's about healing the deeper wounds that drive us to unhealthy attachments. In this illuminating conversation, certified spiritual director and Unbound prayer minister Deanna Bartalini reveals how spiritual healing can break the chains that keep us bound to alcohol and other dependencies.

"Jesus reveals to heal; the evil one brings shame," shares Deanna as she unpacks...

What happens when a terrifying wake-up call becomes the first step in a 33-year journey of sobriety? Heather Gaffney joins us to share her remarkable story of transformation—from a young woman whose bartenders knew her by name to becoming a beacon of hope for others navigating recovery and trauma.

Heather's candid revelations about her drinking period resonate with raw honesty as she describes the moment everything ch...