Is alcohol advertising targeting women and mothers? The Catholic Sobriety Coach, Christie Walker, helps us to navigate and analyze alcohol marketing. She also talks about finding faith and freedom from alcohol addiction.
In this episode of the Veil and Armour Podcast, host Sheila Nonato interviews Christie Walker, The Catholic Sobriety Coach.
They discuss how alcohol marketing targets women, using themes of glamour, empowerment, and motherhood. In recent years, there has been a rise in female-binge drinking, and alcohol-related health issues, and even alcohol-related death, according to the CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
If you need help in alcohol recovery, please contact your doctor or local health professional to seek help and healing.
Christie shares her powerful story, and her own journey to 27 years of sobriety. She explores her efforts to help other women and Catholics achieve sobriety through her recently re-launched Sacred Sobriety Lab, which started in January 2025.
The episode covers important topics like the impact of alcohol on the brain, its role in dangerous situations, and how to educate our children about alcohol use.
Our conversation also touches upon various methods of support systems for individuals struggling with addiction, including prayer, community resources, and medical assistance.
The show ends with a heartfelt prayer for those affected by alcohol attachment and addiction.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Alcohol Marketing
00:25 The Feminization of Alcohol Marketing
01:46 The Rise of Female-Binge Drinking
02:20 Christie Walker's Sobriety Journey
02:36 Welcome to the Veil and Armour
3:42 Thank you to our guests and faithful listeners and subscribers!
04:29 Christie Walker's Sacred Sobriety Lab
06:24 The Role of Faith in Sobriety
13:49 Talking to Children About Alcohol
23:12 The Irony of Alcohol Marketing
24:40 The Role of Social Media in Modern Marketing
25:49 Addressing Addiction and Finding Support
27:37 The Power of Prayer and Compassion
29:55 Seeking Medical and Community Support for Addiction
33:17 Guiding Youth on Alcohol Awareness
37:34 Educating Kids on the Dangers of Alcohol
44:04 A Prayer for Those Struggling with Addiction
46:13 Final Thoughts and Resources
To reach Christie and find out more about her work, please visit:
https://catholicrecovercoach.com
https://sacredsobrietylab.com
https://www.instagram.com/@thecatholicsobrietycoach
Christie's podcast is The Catholic Sobriety Podcast, available on all podcasting apps and YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@thecatholicsobrietycoach
To reach Sheila and Veil + Armour, please visit:
https://veilandarmour.com
https://www.x.com/@sheilanonato
https://www.instagram.com/@veilandarmour
Veil + Armour is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all podcasting platforms
https://veilandarmour.buzzsprout.com
Thank you + God bless!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sheila Nonato (00:00):
I was listening to your interview on Mater Dei
Radio and you were saying thatalcohol as a coping mechanism,
which a lot of people have used,is not our fault because of the
marketing and the messaging.
Can you just tell us, give us aglimpse into since you have a
marketing background what isbeing fed to us in social media,
in ads?
(00:20):
What are they telling us thatwe, why should we drink?
Christie Walker (00:24):
Oh goodness.
Well, I'm going to take thisfrom a woman's perspective
because I will say that thealcohol industry, when they
started to notice a decline intheir male clients, their male
consumers, I should say theywere like what are we going to
do?
We need to go after, let's goafter the female market.
Sheila Nonato (00:46):
A lcohol is tied to glitz, glamour and money.
Not too long ago, global alcoholsales skyrocketed to more than
1.5 trillion US dollars.
Our next guest, Christie Walker, the Catholic Sobriety Coach,
talks about the marketing ofalcohol to women, from the
(01:09):
colour pink to luxe packagingand a message of female
empowerment.
The feminization of alcoholmarketing has been called by the
BBC as quote, patronizing anddamaging.
" Patronizing and damaging.
Even beer, seen as atraditionally male drink, has
(01:29):
not escaped the pink packagingand a new marketing tagline
boasting fewer calories.
Mothers are also on this adlist.
Mommy's time out alcohol andmommy wine time for busy,
timeved and overachieving momshave exploded in popularity.
A troubling trend has alsoemerged which may or may not be
(01:50):
related to this new marketingstrategy A rapid rise in female
binge drinking andalcohol-related illness and
deaths.
In the U.
S.
, according to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention,
binge drinking, or excessivealcohol use, refers to four or
(02:11):
more drinks for women and fiveor more drinks for men at one
time.
How do we stop, prevent or helpsomeone struggling with alcohol
addiction?
Let's hear from Christie, whohas achieved 27 years of
sobriety and coaches Catholicwomen to limit or eliminate
alcohol in her newly launchedSacred Sobriety Lab.
(02:33):
Hello and Welcome to the Veiland Armour podcast.
This is your host, SheilaNonato.
I'm a stay-at-home mom and afreelance Catholic journalist.
Seeking the guidance of theHoly Spirit and the inspiration
of Our Lady, I strive to tellstories that inspire, illuminate
(02:55):
and enrich the lives ofCatholic women, to help them in
living out our vocation ofraising the next generation of
leaders and saints.
Co-Hosts (03:04):
Please join us every week on the Veil and Armor
podcast, where stories comealive through a journalist's
lens and mother's heart.
Sheila Nonato (03:11):
Happy New Year and Happy Feast of the Epiphany,
Sisters in Christ.
Thank you for joining me thisweek and I hope your new year
has started off well andcontinued blessings to you and
your families in the coming year, in 2025.
And I just want to say aheartfelt thank you again for
sharing your time, investingsome of your time with us.
(03:32):
I know how busy motherhood canget and we are extremely,
extremely grateful for your timeand for your support and for
your prayers, and I am honouredand humbled to let you know that
in the beginning of this yearand last week and this week,
Veil and Armour was ranked theTop Motherhood Podcast on
(03:56):
GoodPods, which is a socialmedia app for listening to
podcasts and recommendingpodcasts, and it's an app that
helps to give podcasts like ours, indie podcasters a fighting
chance, promoting and supportingthe Davids among the Goliaths.
So, Thank You to Good Pods andto everyone who recommended us,
(04:20):
and we hope to continue to beable to bring you stories that
can help you in your motherhood,can help to inspire you in your
motherhood, and this week'sepisode is no different.
We have Christie Walker, theCatholic Sobriety Coach, and
Part Two of her story, wherelast week we learned how she
tried to fill a void in her lifethrough alcohol and how she
(04:43):
gained freedom from alcoholaddiction when she gained
freedom in Christ.
And now she is seeking to helpother women, other Catholics, in
their journey of healing andsobriety, helping them achieve
that through the language offaith, their means of faith,
through prayers, through ourdevotions and through support in
(05:09):
prayer and in the lessons thatChristie herself had learned and
had achieved freedom in thischallenging but worthwhile
journey of sobriety and recovery.
And Christie shares in theepisode that she had achieved 27
years of sobriety.
Thanks be to God and we thankGod for Christie and for her
(05:31):
work.
And she also has started in thenew year the Sacred Sobriety
Lab and we will be hearing moreabout that and we will have all
the information in the shownotes.
And please join my daughter asshe prays to Hail Mary as we
start the episode part two withChristie Walker, the Catholic
(05:53):
Sobriety Coach.
Thank you and God bless.
Co-Host (05:57):
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,pre-for sinners now day of our
death.
Amen, in the name of the Fatherand of the Son and of the Holy
(06:21):
Spirit, Amen.
Sheila Nonato (06:24):
When I'm listening to you talking about
the Secret Sobriety Lab, I heardthat the language of Alcoholics
Anonymous, AA, uses sort ofthis language of a higher power,
not necessarily God, but wouldsomebody going through AA would
this be helpful?
Who is a Catholic?
Would this be helpful for them?
Would this be sort of acompanion support system for
(06:46):
them?
Christie Walker (06:46):
sure, yeah, absolutely, it could very well
be what they need, um that.
So the thing with withAlcoholics Anonymous is
interesting.
So it was based in theChristian faith.
So a lot of the well, the 12,the 12 steps, are very.
(07:06):
I just had a?
Um a guest on my podcast,Keaton Douglas.
She's part of she's is theExecutive Director of the I
thirst I thirst initiative andshe was explaining to me how the
12 steps are all scriptural.
And then there's Scott Weeman,who is the founder of Catholics
In Recovery.
He has a book on the 12 stepsare all scriptural.
And then there's Scott Weeman,who is the founder of Catholic
in Recovery.
(07:27):
He has a book on the 12 stepsin the sacraments and actually
when I was going through the 12steps I was so, I guess,
surprised at how very Catholicthe steps were when I was going
through them.
There's, like you know,admitting that you're powerless
(07:47):
and your life has becomeunmanageable, right?
People don't like that.
But at first that is kind ofwhere we're at, and so when we
can admit that we're powerlessand then we need God's help,
like we can't do this on our own, that's just a very Christian
thing.
We turn to God and we allow himto do that.
So if you go through all the 12steps, it's just so Catholic,
(08:11):
so beautiful in its origin.
But the thing is there's a lotof people who have no faith, who
are anti-faith, who areanti-Catholic, and they like to
talk about it in the meetings.
I just had a really difficulttime.
That was something.
(08:31):
One of the reasons that Istepped away from Alcoholics
Anonymous is it was just toomuch for me.
Had there been something, if Ihad a Catholic companion, if I
would have had and I wasn't likeso Catholic at that time, like
I was just in the baby stages ofstarting to come back to my
faith.
But had I had a Catholic mentor, had I had someone who
(08:55):
understood my Catholicity, thatmy faith, I think that it would
have drawn me back a lot sooner.
My faith.
I think that it would havedrawn me back a lot sooner and I
would have felt more understood.
And I didn't always feel that inAlcoholics Anonymous, because I
just felt like they just tellpeople like the doorknob can be
(09:17):
your higher power, this meetingcan be your higher power.
And I understand why they dothat, because they're trying to
reach people.
And Keaton even said likesometimes people will come to
faith and not even realize whythey're coming to faith, because
they're there and they're justkind of picking up what people
are saying.
It was just.
It just wasn't for me.
And I have some clients who dogo to AA and they have me as
(09:42):
their coach as well.
So we can kind of talk throughthose things.
So if they have a really hardtime at a meeting, we just talk
through that, like how can wemanage that when that?
How can you manage your mindaround that?
When that comes up?
Do you need to say prayers?
Do you need to step away?
Do you know?
You know?
So we kind of try to developplans and things because some of
(10:02):
them still really need it orthey still really are getting a
lot out of it.
So I would never tell anybodynot to do it.
Sheila Nonato (10:11):
If it's working for them, okay Well speaking of
support, I'm just curious wasyour husband with you while you
were struggling with alcohol andand how did how has he been
able to help you since that time?
Christie Walker (10:25):
No, my husband was not.
I was about I think I was threeyears sober when we met.
So he's never seen me drunk.
He's never.
My kids have never seen meintoxicated, which is a blessing
for me, a blessing for me.
And but I will say he does drink, so he's not like a big drinker
(10:47):
at all and he and it doesn'tbother me having alcohol in the
house.
So that is something that I'vethat works for some people and
doesn't.
It's just like with moderation,like some people can moderate,
some people can't.
Some people like I can drinknon-alcoholic beer, wine and
things like that and it doesn't,you know, trigger me to want to
(11:09):
drink real alcohol, but forsome people it does.
So that's where that's why Ihave like my lab is, because
it's like experimenting and justgetting really curious about
the things that work for you andthe things that don't.
So for me, having alcohol inthe house isn't a big deal at
all.
And my husband, I've never seenhim drunk.
(11:31):
I've never seen him consumemore than maybe like two or
three alcoholic beverages.
It's usually just one.
And if we go out we've gone outwith our boys before and maybe
he's had a couple of beers andthen he'll have, he'll ask me to
drive.
So he's modeling what it meansto be a responsible drinker for
(11:55):
my kids and I am modeling forthem.
You don't have to drink.
You can have a life withoutalcohol and be completely fine,
like you're not missing anything.
They see me have fun, I go toevents, I am goofy, I, you know
I.
There's nothing that alcoholcould give me that would make my
(12:20):
life better.
And again, for my husband, hejust enjoys a beer or whatever
every now and then and so andhe's not like he doesn't drink
hard alcohol or anything likethat so, yeah, so he's very,
very supportive.
He actually always remembers mysobriety date, like him, and my
mom always remember my sobrietydate.
(12:41):
I for years, for decades,actually did not even think
about it, but they'll likemessage me or give me flowers or
you know whatever.
And ever since that time that,when my mom gave me that my 25
year coin, I have tried reallyhard to celebrate it as well and
(13:02):
see it as the miracle that Goddid grant me and glorify him for
it.
Because, again, I was justtaking it for granted and I feel
like that was.
It was kind of disrespectful toGod in a way, because he
brought me out of that.
(13:23):
It's kind of like theIsraelites, like being brought
out of slavery.
I was brought out of thatslavery and attachment to
alcohol and I wasn't always themost grateful.
Sometimes I'd be like I wish Icould drink like everybody else,
you know, like mumbling, likethe Israelites.
But I have come to really seewhat a gift and a miracle it is
(13:47):
and I appreciate it.
Thank you for sharing that.
Sheila Nonato (13:50):
I'm also wondering as a parent myself how
do, how do I, how do we talk toour children about alcohol,
let's say, when they're youngand then I guess they're they're
pre-teen?
How do we, when do we approachthis conversation?
Actually?
Because they do see us, my that, my kids sometimes see us
having a glass of wine or myhusband having beer.
(14:12):
We, we don't, yeah, we don'tdrink either.
It's really if there's like asocial situation but, um, but
yeah, how do we approach this?
What is?
Is there an appropriate time toapproach this with kids?
Christie Walker (14:23):
I think it's always like I've never hid from
my kids that I don't drinkalcohol and that I struggled
with alcohol.
So there might I mean we havekind of a unique situation
because I can say like don't,this is what happened to me,
don't let it happen to you.
But at the same time I justthink that it's it's a few
(14:45):
things.
I think we need to constantlyhave that conversation.
It's kind of like likeeducation on our, on our bodies,
on sexuality, right it's.
You don't just give it to themall at once, like you.
You give it to them in likelittle parts, in little doses
that are age- appropriate, andgo with it.
(15:08):
That way, and as things come up, it can be a learning tool.
So let's say, you are somewherewhere someone is very
intoxicated.
That would be a great teachingmoment too, instead of being
like, I hope they didn't noticethat.
Or I wonder if that scared them.
I mean because, quite honestly,as a child I remember being
(15:31):
like unsure when adults would bedrinking Like, do they even
remember what I'm saying?
Do they not just drinking, butlike drunk or buzz heavily, buzz
Like?
Or can I trust them?
Can I, you know, like all ofthose things?
So that can be scary,especially if they're not used
to seeing people like that.
So I think, addressing thatlike oh, that's what happens if
(15:53):
you drink too much alcohol,that's why it's good to be
moderate with it, I think if wekind of approach drinking like
we do chastity, you know likeeven in marriage we're called to
be chaste at times and so Ithink if we approach that with
alcohol like alcohol is a gift Iheard Father Mike say this one
(16:15):
time like alcohol is a gift,yeah.
And to over consume oroverindulge, that's when it can
get into like that sinful partbecause it is a mortal sin.
Like intoxication is a mortalsin, drug abuse is a mortal sin
it's in the catechism.
(16:35):
But just having a little bit aslong as your mind is not
impaired is not, it's justseeing it as the gift that it is
and having it in moderation.
So I think it's modeling it,modeling the correct way to
consume alcohol, talking aboutit like not being able, not
being afraid to talk about it.
(16:56):
If you decide like if everybodyis having I don't know having
alcohol, but you've decided likeyou're not going to, then it's
good to just kind of let themknow like yeah, I've decided not
to tonight because of this,just so that they know that it's
it's okay, like it's, there'snothing odd about them if they
(17:17):
don't want to drink.
And alcohol is one of thosethings where we like force
ourselves to like it, like youdon't like it when you very
first I mean I don't want todrink, and alcohol is one of
those things where we like forceourselves to like it, like you
don't like it when you veryfirst I mean, I don't know about
you, but when my kids werelearning about how to take the
precious blood they had, likewine that we practiced with on
unconsecrated wine that wepracticed with at home so that
(17:38):
they wouldn't be like, and theydidn't like it.
But you know, and so to themit's like oh, this is awful, but
we like have it with like allkinds of like fruity things.
That's how, like wine coolersbecame so popular and like all
this stuff that we like put inalcohol to make it taste better
or whatever.
And then we kind of acquiremaybe even we acquire a taste
(18:02):
for it, but more than that, weacquire the feeling that we get
the feeling in our mouth, thefeeling in our brain.
So I think the other thing thatis super important to talk
about is talking about whatalcohol does and learning about
that for yourself.
I recommend this book.
It's called do I even have it?
(18:22):
It's called Drink oh, I do haveit.
It's called Drink the NewScience of Alcohol and your
Health by Professor David Nutt.
I highly encourage anybody toread it because it goes into the
science of what alcohol does toour bodies and how it affects
us.
He isn't anti-alcohol, so don'tthink that it's going to be
(18:46):
like a book that's going toshame you into like not wanting
to drink.
It's just.
I feel like we need to know whatwe're putting into our bodies
and the effects of that, and soa lot of people don't know that
alcohol, for example, uh, canincrease your risk of seven
different types of cancer,including breast cancer in women
(19:09):
, which is huge, and we justdon't know because they don't
put that on bottles, they don'tput that in commercials, they
don't talk about it in themovies or on TV, and it's
something that is just nowreally starting to emerge,
because what I used to hear islike have red wine and it'll
(19:30):
help your heart.
Well, actually, if you havealcohol, it can cause heart
problems.
So I would get thoseantioxidants from other things.
But yeah, so I say, educateyourself, educate your children
about what it is and how itaffects us and yeah, and just be
(19:53):
really open and honest about itin an age- appropriate way.
Sheila Nonato (19:58):
And I just wanted to sort of jump off of that
messaging stream.
I was listening to yourinterview.
Jump off of that messagingstream.
I was listening to yourinterview on Mater Dei Radio and
you were saying that alcohol asa coping mechanism, which a lot
of people have used, is not ourfault, because of the marketing
and the messaging.
Can you just tell us, give us aglimpse into, since you have a
(20:19):
marketing background what isbeing fed to us in social media
and ads?
What, what are they telling usthat we, why should we drink?
Christie Walker (20:28):
Oh goodness.
Well, I'm going to take thisfrom a woman's perspective
because I will say that thealcohol industry, when they
started to notice a decline intheir male clients and their
male consumers, I should saythey were like, what are we
going to do?
We need to go after, let's goafter the female market.
(20:50):
That's when we started to see alot of you know it's in movies,
it's in like TV shows.
It's been.
Influencers are constantly likepushing alcohol down people's
throats, like these verywell-known influencers with huge
audiences are having alcohol.
(21:14):
And then people see like theirlife and they're like, oh, look
at her, she's so sophisticated,or she has so many friends, or
she's so blah, blah, blah.
Her, she's so sophisticated, orshe has so many friends, or
she's so blah, blah, blah.
But there are very strictguidelines for these influencers
from the alcohol companies thatare sponsoring them.
They're very strict guidelines,like you should never I mean
(21:37):
they don't ever want somebody toput a reel or do a post or
anything like that showing anysort of intoxication.
So when you see somebody take aglass of something and just
like, pour the hard alcohol infor like days and days and days
and days before they stop, Ipromise you, they are not
drinking that, they are justdoing it.
They take like a drink of itand then it's to the side
(22:00):
because they don't want to beimpaired or look impaired and
they are probably not drinkingas much as they are making it
seem like they are.
The other thing is we see againall of these beautiful wine
bottles that are aestheticallypleasing to us as women.
(22:20):
We love beauty and we'relooking at them.
Or you see some that areaesthetically pleasing to us as
women.
We love beauty and we'relooking at them.
Or you see some that are likesomething about like sisterhood
or things about friends, andyou're like I wanna have friends
, I wanna be part of a community, and that's how I started
drinking myself, that's what Iwanted.
So I get it, and we do.
Especially as moms.
It can be very lonely being athome with a bunch of littles.
(22:45):
I mean, we love our vocation,we love our children, but it's
just hard sometimes and you wantsomebody who understands you.
And so when you see a mom saylike, oh, my kids are the reason
I drink, or I, you know,whatever they say, these
terrible things they didn'toriginate, that.
It is something that has beenfacilitated by these marketing
(23:09):
companies by big alcohol.
Last thing I will say that Ifind incredibly crazy is all of
these pink drinks, and pinkespecially like during the month
of October, for breast cancerawareness.
And, you see, like all of thesewines specific for breast
(23:30):
cancer awareness.
And, yes, some of the proceedsgo to breast cancer research or
wherever they want it to go.
But don't you think that's alittle ironic, that alcohol
increases your risk of breastcancer?
And here it is on a bottle ofwine.
I mean, I'm just saying so.
Don't be fooled.
Like they are trying to get youto be comfortable.
(23:53):
They will attack yourmotherhood, they will attack,
they will attack your children.
They will say, like you needthis to cope, you need this to
be a good mom.
I hear influencers say like ifI didn't drink, I would be a
terrible mom.
Honestly, I just see it asanother attack on women, family,
men, all of us, children.
(24:18):
It's diabolical really at itscore and that sounds so dramatic
.
But I've done so much researchand I've done so much praying
about it and learning about thistopic and I don't think that
I'm wrong in saying that.
Sheila Nonato (24:36):
Thank you for sharing all that I just feel
like, in terms of alcoholmarketing, now we have have
social media I think both can bean addiction.
Both can be sort of a way offilling a void that we, you know
, oh, I'm not good enough, butif I drink or I, you know,
people like my post, uh, thenI'm worthy, or maybe we are.
(24:59):
You know, we're being taught,we're being conditioned to buy
into a lifestyle.
You buy this and you're cool,you're a cool mom, you're doing
great, your kids are going to beawesome because you have this.
It's sort of a marketing kind ofploy when, deep down, we really
(25:20):
have sort of a void that cannotbe filled with material things.
That it's really.
It's like a longing for god, issearching for god, that a lot
of people who may not have evenheard of god, they don't even
know where to look.
Um, how, how can we reach thosepeople?
Should we, should we pray forthem that maybe they will find
(25:41):
somebody like you, find a friendwho might lead them to freedom
from their addiction?
What are your thoughts?
Christie Walker (25:49):
Yeah, I think the key is when we see somebody
struggling, even if we're notsure if they have an attachment,
like a disordered attachment toalcohol or, like you said,
scrolling, or whatever.
It is because we all have food,we all have our things that we
(26:10):
fall back to for comfort and totry to make us feel good.
But essentially, I think thatSometimes people just need
somebody who sees them and whosays but how are you really, how
are you really?
And sometimes that is just theconversation or the opener that
(26:30):
they need, just to feel safe andbe able to share.
I think, yes, prayer isimportant and I think one of the
things that I've learned I'mpart of Encounter School of
Ministry and one of the thingsI've learned is before, when I'm
talking to somebody, especiallywhen I'm speaking with a client
(26:50):
, I just ask God for his heartfor that person and for him to
give me any words that they needto hear, that he wants them to
know, so that I can help him,help them, like through me, just
so that they feel seen, so thatthey feel loved.
And I can tell you when I dothat and I know like that's like
(27:17):
God just prompted, prompted inme.
So if you feel prompted to prayfor somebody, do it, even if
you don't say it out loud tothem, even if it's not a good
time to do it or you're worriedabout it.
Still definitely pray for them.
But when I've had people whoare open, I'll say is it okay if
(27:41):
I pray for you?
Is it okay if I share this wordthat you know?
I feel like God wants you toknow and I do.
I just you can just see likeeither sometimes it'll be tears,
sometimes their lips will bequivering, sometimes they'll get
like a huge smile on their face, and so prayer is so powerful
(28:05):
and just knowing that they areloved and seen by God and by you
and that you're there for themis so invaluable.
Because, honestly, a lot oftimes people come to me because
they don't feel like they canreally tell anybody else or they
don't really know where tostart, and so sometimes I might
be, maybe me and their husbandare like the only people that
(28:28):
even know, but then we work onhow they can find other support
or maybe other people that aresupportive that they haven't
thought about or they're worriedabout.
So that's, that's things thatwe talk about, because really
support is so critical and key.
So just paying attention tothose around you, not being
(28:49):
afraid to just ask somebody howare you really?
I think we can be so I know Ican be just like oh, how are you
?
Oh, great, okay, and then Imove on.
But sometimes God's like nope,you need, she, needs you, she
needs you.
Sometimes it's my kids.
No, he needs you to really lookhim in the eye, look her in the
(29:13):
eye and find out what it,what's going on, and share my
heart with them what it, what'sgoing on, and share my heart
with them.
Sheila Nonato (29:27):
And on that sort of note of you know how faith is
also a source of support, butin terms of if somebody has sort
of it's a medical issue, nowfor them they're having.
You know it's affected them intheir health.
What other sources of supportcan they have?
They can reach out to a doctor.
They can have different, Iguess, sources of support in the
(29:48):
community.
What other source of supportcan they seek in order to be
free of their addiction?
Christie Walker (29:55):
So if somebody is really struggling with
addiction, really strugglingwith addiction, the best thing
to do is talk to your doctor andbe honest with your doctor.
Like it's funny because I justgot like a little survey from my
medical facility that I'venever gotten before and they
were asking questions about likehow much I drink and how you
(30:17):
know and I'm like zero and likeall of that.
But I mean it can be verytempting not to want to tell the
whole truth because you don'twant them to know or like be
worried about you or you knowwhatever it is or think you're
an alcoholic.
But I would say you're doingyourself a disservice if you
(30:39):
aren't completely honest withyour physician.
So even if you feel like youcan't tell anybody else, like
tell your physician.
And then of course there areother resources out there.
There's um.
If somebody is drinking a lotlike every day and getting um
intoxicated every day, the uh,the withdrawal process can be
(31:00):
extremely difficult on a bodyand that does need like
supervision and care, and sothere are facilities for that.
But I would always check withyour doctor.
Let them know about your desireto quit drinking, because then
they will get you the right helpthat you need to slowly do that
(31:22):
so that it doesn't send yourbody into shock.
That's on an extreme level ofdrinking a lot every single day.
And then, if you feel like youhave an addiction and you want
help, other help as well.
There's obviously AlcoholicsAnonymous.
There's Catholic in Recovery.
That's Scott Weeman's group.
(31:46):
It can be a standalone or itcan be used in conjunction with
AA, and they have online Zoommeetings.
You can be very anonymous.
They have in-person meetingsbut they're still growing so
they're not everywhere.
And then, as I mentioned earlier, there's the I Thirst
Initiative and I would look thatup.
(32:08):
They're really working withparishes and lay leaders to
fight addiction and be thesupport addiction and be the
support.
They're trying to get thesupport to the parishes so that
they are equipped to help peoplewith addictions, because that's
the other thing.
(32:28):
It's really hard because a lotof people within the parishes
just don't know or understandaddiction.
So to have these resources issuper important.
And then the work that I do Iusually work with those in
recovery after they've had likeabout a year or so of recovery
and we mostly work on lifecoaching stuff.
(32:49):
And then for the sobrietyportion, that's for people who
are just realizing that alcoholis maybe not an addiction for
them.
They would never findthemselves in a 12-step program.
They don't feel like that'swhat they need.
But that's you know.
We're trying to figure out likecan I maintain it, how much can
(33:11):
I drink, or do I need toeliminate it?
Sheila Nonato (33:17):
Yeah.
So going back to the issue ofyouth and alcohol and teens and
even young adults, you know,when I read the news about
assaults, unfortunately, ontrying to formulate, how do I
explain to them?
You know, alcohol is not just,it is a drug.
It can be a drug if you misuseit, but it's also sort of a
(33:52):
safety issue that if you consumetoo much, that will affect your
brain and your consciousnesssometimes, and if you are out
somewhere and you're not withpeople who are out for your best
interests, you might be in avery unsafe situation.
My husband always tells my kids,you know, or actually
(34:14):
encourages me to write littlenotes to my kids saying whatever
, whatever you do, it doesn'tmatter what you do, you can
always call me, you can alwayscall us.
And whatever situation, howagain just approaching this
topic with my children, becausethey do see, you know, and
parties, it's, it's out there inthe barbecues during the summer
(34:36):
, camping, it's there, right.
So how do I sort of help themto introduce that you know as a
young child?
How do I sort of say to themlook, mommy is having a drink
right now, but you can't, youhave to be a certain age, but
when you are.
(34:56):
I would like you to know theseguidelines.
Is there sort of a guideline inyour program that can sort of be
translated for young people,that can help them to sort of be
aware and, I guess, be armedwith this knowledge so that they
, when they go out to universityor even to, I guess, as
(35:17):
teenagers, in the parties theymight have them there ,too, or
grad parties and stuff like thatwhat kinds of guidelines should
they know beforehand, so thatthey are aware that you know?
In this situation I will havethese sayings, I will have
responses for when people ask meto, hey, do you want a drink?
(35:39):
And then what is my response?
What kind of guidelines can weequip our kids with?
Christie Walker (35:50):
Yeah, that's great.
That's a great question, and Idon't have anything like that,
but I think that that's a greatidea and something that probably
eventually will come about.
Just because I do have a heartfor young people, I will say the
great news is that the youngergenerations do not seem to be as
interested in alcohol, at leastnot right now.
We'll see what marketingtactics that the alcohol
(36:14):
companies come up with to try tolure them in.
I've already seen things likespiked Sunny D, spiked Simply
Lemonade.
They're taking things that wegrew up with or that we've given
our kids in the past, and nowthey're making them spiked and
it just infuriates me to no end.
(36:34):
But the good news is kids arenot drinking as much as like.
I'm a Gen Xer and we are.
We were kind of partiers and soour kids and the other
generations don't seem asinterested yet at least.
So we want to keep it that way.
I think that another positive isa lot of a lot more information
(36:58):
is coming out about how alcoholaffects our bodies and our
brains.
It does mess with ourneurotransmitters.
There's a lot of talk arounddopamine and how we need it and
how it's good, but we have totake care of it.
We can't deplete it, andalcohol actually depletes our
(37:20):
dopamine.
If we continually drink, andthat's why we turn to alcohol is
because we need that dopaminehit and we've conditioned our
brain only to give us thatdopamine hit when we drink
alcohol.
So that's one of those things.
I think that's in Dr.
or Professor Nutt's book aswell, but I think the thing is,
(37:42):
like I said before, justeducating them on the effects of
alcohol, not glamorizing it,because what happens is a lot of
people that I talk to and Iknow this from my experience as
well I saw adults drinking andthey looked oh so sophisticated
and I was told when I was olderI could drink.
(38:03):
So it seemed like a very adultthing to do, like I should drink
now because that makes me anadult, I deserve to drink
because I'm an adult, and sothat's kind of the messaging
that we get like as kids.
But that's not even justanybody's fault.
That's in like movies and TVand like they see it on
(38:27):
Instagram or you know whateveron these people that they follow
.
It's in music.
So it's something that's sointegrated into our culture that
it's a little bit hard tocombat, but I think, as parents,
if we just keep feeding themthat information like this is a
mind altering drug.
It's a psychoactive drug.
(38:48):
If you drink too much of it itwill impair you.
It literally shuts down partsof your brain so that you cannot
think properly and you areimpaired.
And this is so important forour young people, especially
young women.
They just don't think about itand then they put themselves in
(39:09):
like these really scary anddangerous situations and you
know young boys do as well.
But it's just, but it's justit's.
People will say like alcoholdoesn't hurt anybody.
But so many bad things thathappen to people are caused by
people who are drinking andover-consuming alcohol and
(39:33):
misusing alcohol, like childabuse.
It's almost always a parent whoor somebody who has
over-consumed alcohol or they'reon drugs.
I mean, sometimes it's justtheir temperament, but a lot of
times it is because of thesubstance that just causes that.
Not that I mean they're stillresponsible for doing that, but
(39:54):
I'm just saying that the alcoholis just like fuel to that fire.
So I think just educating themlike, keep your wits about you.
If I had a daughter, that wouldjust be my message.
It's my message to my sons,even with, like their phones,
I'm like you got to be lookingup.
You can't just be staring atyour phone.
(40:14):
Somebody could grab you.
Somebody could mug you.
Somebody you know like you haveto be aware of your
surroundings.
Somebody could mug you,somebody you know like.
You have to be aware of yoursurroundings.
And consuming alcohol does notmake you aware of your
surroundings, it just inhibitsyou.
The other thing is people canput anything in your drink.
So if somebody is, if you'reout on a date, somebody could
put something in your drink andyou could just be not there
(40:39):
anymore.
You know, you could just be notwith it and not remember
anything.
And there's even these casesnow where people are putting
cloths on cars that have somesubstance on it and when the
person takes the cloth up andputs it close to their face, it
makes them all dizzy and stuff.
(40:59):
So if they can do that on acloth on your car, imagine what
can happen in your drink.
But you don't even have to havesomebody put something in your
drink to be completely impairedand not know what's going on.
I've been in those situationsand it is scary, it is
frightening and again, by thegrace of God like I feel, like I
(41:21):
was so protective, but thingscould have been a lot worse.
I put myself in some superdangerous situations, so
dangerous, and I just didn'teven think about it because my
brain was just like that part ofmy brain was just turned off.
I didn't think about like whatcould happen.
So I mean I don't think aboutlike what could happen.
So I mean I don't want to likescare people or make our kids
(41:44):
all jaded and stuff, but they dohave to be aware Like this is a
mind altering drug.
You need to be aware with itand aware of your surroundings.
The other thing I do want to sayis like know who your kids'
friends' parents are.
Like know them Because, likewith my boys, I know their
friends, I know their parentsand I was given alcohol at my
(42:09):
friends' house.
My mom never would have allowedme to drink in the home.
She would have if she knew thatI was drinking.
That would have been terrible.
But I went to people's housesand spent the night and their
parents would buy us winecoolers.
We would drink until we threwup.
I mean it was just terrible.
And some parents think, oh, I'mthe cool parent because I let
(42:31):
the kids come over, I let themstay, they play games, they
drink.
You are not the cool parent ifyou do that.
Come over, I let them stay.
They play games, they drink.
You are not the cool parent Ifyou do that.
You're serving underage minors.
It is illegal.
But if I, if I didn't know myfriends, my kids' friends,
parents, that I wouldn't be ableto contact them and know, like,
what was going on.
(42:51):
So it hasn't, thankfully, beenan issue for me.
But sometimes if you just letyour kid go, if they're like I'm
going to go spend the night atSusie's and you don't know
Susie's and you don't know whoher parents are, you don't know
what kind of um.
They could be great people, butthey could also be giving her
alcohol too.
Or maybe her parents aren'thome because they're out of town
(43:13):
and they left them with alcohol.
That happened to us too.
So I think that it's justimportant to be aware, make our
kids aware as much as possible.
That was a lot of information,I'm sorry
Sheila Nonato (43:27):
No, that's great and, um, as you were saying,
it's.
It's good to talk to the, toour kids, about this when
they're young, because because,if the addiction grows, it can
lead to tragedy.
And I'm just thinking about thetwo NHL brothers who were
killed.
at the funeral, their wives toldeverybody they were expecting
(43:47):
I'm tearing up about thisbecause it's just such a tragedy
and it can be avoided if weseek help, as you were saying.
Seek help with your doctor.
If you're comfortable with yourminister, seek help from a
coach like yourself.
Did you want to end with aprayer?
Did?
Christie Walker (44:09):
you have a prayer for our listeners who may
be struggling with this issue.
Oh sure, yeah, I would love topray In the name of the Father,
son, holy Spirit, amen, good andgracious God, we just thank you
and praise you for all the waysthat you protect us and love us
and care for us.
We thank you for your love andfor your mercy.
Today, we just ask for yourblessing and care and protection
(44:30):
over those who are strugglingwith addiction and their
families.
It can be such a verydevastating place to be, but
there is hope.
So, lord, we just ask that youput people in front of them.
Today.
That can be that hope, that canbe that light, that can be that
lighthouse that will guide themto shore, to the safety, to the
(44:52):
freedom that you have for them.
We also again pray for thefamilies of these people, that
they can love them and set thenecessary boundaries that are
needed and they can be thatsupport to them as well.
We just pray for those who maybethey're not addicted but
(45:13):
they're realizing that alcoholis becoming a problem for them.
We ask, lord, that you helpguide them to the information
resources they need so that theycan get to a place where they
have control over their alcoholuse, whether that is reduced or
none at all, so that they canlive a life of freedom, a life
(45:36):
that you have created for them.
We just ask that you turn yourface to us in all of these
troublesome times and be with usin your loving care, and we
thank you for the guidance andprotection of your.
Blessed mother, our mother, whoalways leads us to her son.
Blessed Mother, Our Mother, whoalways leads us to her Son.
(46:00):
We ask for a strengthening ofour spiritual gifts so that we
can resist the temptations ofthis world and of the devil, and
we ask this in Jesus' mostprecious Name, amen.
In the Name of the Father, Sonand the Holy Spirit, amen.
Sheila Nonato (46:16):
Thank you so much , Christie.
Thank you for taking the timeto speak with me and um, I'm
going to pray for your ministryand God bless you in your work.
Thank you for being so uh, openand honest about your journey
and and your um recovery and andwe are all blessed to hear the
story of redemption, and thankyou so much again, God bless.
Christie Walker (46:38):
Thank you for having me on and just for
helping shed awareness on all ofthis.
Thank you.
Sheila Nonato (46:45):
Oh, and before I forget, where can listeners find
you?
Christie Walker (46:49):
Sure you can find me at.
I have a podcast, The CatholicSobriety Podcast.
You can find that on any of thepodcast listening apps.
I also have it on YouTube atthe Catholic Sobriety Coach, and
you can learn more about me onmy website, the Catholic
sobriety coach
Sheila Nonato (47:09):
Okay, thank you, so I'll have that in the show
notes.
Thank you again, Christie.
Have a blessed weekend and takecare.
Christie Walker (47:16):
Thanks, you too .
Sheila Nonato (47:18):
Christie Walker celebrates 25 years of sobriety
and says that, while each storyis unique, the commonality she
(47:42):
shares with other sisters inChrist going through sobriety is
their decision to take actionand to allow the Holy Spirit to
be part of their sobrietyjourney, healing and
transformation.
Christy says alcohol is thecounterfeit version of the
intoxication of the Spirit.
She has found what is real andwhat is true in the authenticity
of her Catholic faith and hercall to help others achieve the
same freedom from alcohol togain freedom in Christ.
(48:03):
We wish you a very blessedChristmas and continued
blessings in the new year.
We pray for inner peace, stepstowards life-giving
transformation and spreading joyto those around us as we
continue to come closer to Him,to the One who made us and who
(48:25):
believes in our full potentialas daughters and sons of God.
Thank you for listening to the.
Co-Hosts (48:46):
Veil and Armour podcast.
I invite you to share this withanother Catholic mom today.
Please subscribe to our podcastand YouTube channel and please
spread the word.
Let's Be Brave, let's Be Boldand Be Blessed together.
I was listening to your interview on Mater Dei
Radio and you were saying thatalcohol as a coping mechanism,
which a lot of people have used,is not our fault because of the
marketing and the messaging.
Can you just tell us, give us aglimpse into since you have a
marketing background what isbeing fed to us in social media,
in ads?
(00:20):
What are they telling us thatwe, why should we drink?
Christie Walker (00:24):
Oh goodness.
Well, I'm going to take thisfrom a woman's perspective
because I will say that thealcohol industry, when they
started to notice a decline intheir male clients, their male
consumers, I should say theywere like what are we going to
do?
We need to go after, let's goafter the female market.
Sheila Nonato (00:46):
A lcohol is tied to glitz, glamour and money.
Not too long ago, global alcoholsales skyrocketed to more than
1.5 trillion US dollars.
Our next guest, Christie Walker, the Catholic Sobriety Coach,
talks about the marketing ofalcohol to women, from the
(01:09):
colour pink to luxe packagingand a message of female
empowerment.
The feminization of alcoholmarketing has been called by the
BBC as quote, patronizing anddamaging.
" Patronizing and damaging.
Even beer, seen as atraditionally male drink, has
(01:29):
not escaped the pink packagingand a new marketing tagline
boasting fewer calories.
Mothers are also on this adlist.
Mommy's time out alcohol andmommy wine time for busy,
timeved and overachieving momshave exploded in popularity.
A troubling trend has alsoemerged which may or may not be
(01:50):
related to this new marketingstrategy A rapid rise in female
binge drinking andalcohol-related illness and
deaths.
In the U.
S.
, according to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention,
binge drinking, or excessivealcohol use, refers to four or
(02:11):
more drinks for women and fiveor more drinks for men at one
time.
How do we stop, prevent or helpsomeone struggling with alcohol
addiction?
Let's hear from Christie, whohas achieved 27 years of
sobriety and coaches Catholicwomen to limit or eliminate
alcohol in her newly launchedSacred Sobriety Lab.
(02:33):
Hello and Welcome to the Veiland Armour podcast.
This is your host, SheilaNonato.
I'm a stay-at-home mom and afreelance Catholic journalist.
Seeking the guidance of theHoly Spirit and the inspiration
of Our Lady, I strive to tellstories that inspire, illuminate
(02:55):
and enrich the lives ofCatholic women, to help them in
living out our vocation ofraising the next generation of
leaders and saints.
Co-Hosts (03:04):
Please join us every week on the Veil and Armor
podcast, where stories comealive through a journalist's
lens and mother's heart.
Sheila Nonato (03:11):
Happy New Year and Happy Feast of the Epiphany,
Sisters in Christ.
Thank you for joining me thisweek and I hope your new year
has started off well andcontinued blessings to you and
your families in the coming year, in 2025.
And I just want to say aheartfelt thank you again for
sharing your time, investingsome of your time with us.
(03:32):
I know how busy motherhood canget and we are extremely,
extremely grateful for your timeand for your support and for
your prayers, and I am honouredand humbled to let you know that
in the beginning of this yearand last week and this week,
Veil and Armour was ranked theTop Motherhood Podcast on
(03:56):
GoodPods, which is a socialmedia app for listening to
podcasts and recommendingpodcasts, and it's an app that
helps to give podcasts like ours, indie podcasters a fighting
chance, promoting and supportingthe Davids among the Goliaths.
So, Thank You to Good Pods andto everyone who recommended us,
(04:20):
and we hope to continue to beable to bring you stories that
can help you in your motherhood,can help to inspire you in your
motherhood, and this week'sepisode is no different.
We have Christie Walker, theCatholic Sobriety Coach, and
Part Two of her story, wherelast week we learned how she
tried to fill a void in her lifethrough alcohol and how she
(04:43):
gained freedom from alcoholaddiction when she gained
freedom in Christ.
And now she is seeking to helpother women, other Catholics, in
their journey of healing andsobriety, helping them achieve
that through the language offaith, their means of faith,
through prayers, through ourdevotions and through support in
(05:09):
prayer and in the lessons thatChristie herself had learned and
had achieved freedom in thischallenging but worthwhile
journey of sobriety and recovery.
And Christie shares in theepisode that she had achieved 27
years of sobriety.
Thanks be to God and we thankGod for Christie and for her
(05:31):
work.
And she also has started in thenew year the Sacred Sobriety
Lab and we will be hearing moreabout that and we will have all
the information in the shownotes.
And please join my daughter asshe prays to Hail Mary as we
start the episode part two withChristie Walker, the Catholic
(05:53):
Sobriety Coach.
Thank you and God bless.
Co-Host (05:57):
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,pre-for sinners now day of our
death.
Amen, in the name of the Fatherand of the Son and of the Holy
(06:21):
Spirit, Amen.
Sheila Nonato (06:24):
When I'm listening to you talking about
the Secret Sobriety Lab, I heardthat the language of Alcoholics
Anonymous, AA, uses sort ofthis language of a higher power,
not necessarily God, but wouldsomebody going through AA would
this be helpful?
Who is a Catholic?
Would this be helpful for them?
Would this be sort of acompanion support system for
(06:46):
them?
Christie Walker (06:46):
sure, yeah, absolutely, it could very well
be what they need, um that.
So the thing with withAlcoholics Anonymous is
interesting.
So it was based in theChristian faith.
So a lot of the well, the 12,the 12 steps, are very.
(07:06):
I just had a?
Um a guest on my podcast,Keaton Douglas.
She's part of she's is theExecutive Director of the I
thirst I thirst initiative andshe was explaining to me how the
12 steps are all scriptural.
And then there's Scott Weeman,who is the founder of Catholics
In Recovery.
He has a book on the 12 stepsare all scriptural.
And then there's Scott Weeman,who is the founder of Catholic
in Recovery.
(07:27):
He has a book on the 12 stepsin the sacraments and actually
when I was going through the 12steps I was so, I guess,
surprised at how very Catholicthe steps were when I was going
through them.
There's, like you know,admitting that you're powerless
(07:47):
and your life has becomeunmanageable, right?
People don't like that.
But at first that is kind ofwhere we're at, and so when we
can admit that we're powerlessand then we need God's help,
like we can't do this on our own, that's just a very Christian
thing.
We turn to God and we allow himto do that.
So if you go through all the 12steps, it's just so Catholic,
(08:11):
so beautiful in its origin.
But the thing is there's a lotof people who have no faith, who
are anti-faith, who areanti-Catholic, and they like to
talk about it in the meetings.
I just had a really difficulttime.
That was something.
(08:31):
One of the reasons that Istepped away from Alcoholics
Anonymous is it was just toomuch for me.
Had there been something, if Ihad a Catholic companion, if I
would have had and I wasn't likeso Catholic at that time, like
I was just in the baby stages ofstarting to come back to my
faith.
But had I had a Catholic mentor, had I had someone who
(08:55):
understood my Catholicity, thatmy faith, I think that it would
have drawn me back a lot sooner.
My faith.
I think that it would havedrawn me back a lot sooner and I
would have felt more understood.
And I didn't always feel that inAlcoholics Anonymous, because I
just felt like they just tellpeople like the doorknob can be
(09:17):
your higher power, this meetingcan be your higher power.
And I understand why they dothat, because they're trying to
reach people.
And Keaton even said likesometimes people will come to
faith and not even realize whythey're coming to faith, because
they're there and they're justkind of picking up what people
are saying.
It was just.
It just wasn't for me.
And I have some clients who dogo to AA and they have me as
(09:42):
their coach as well.
So we can kind of talk throughthose things.
So if they have a really hardtime at a meeting, we just talk
through that, like how can wemanage that when that?
How can you manage your mindaround that?
When that comes up?
Do you need to say prayers?
Do you need to step away?
Do you know?
You know?
So we kind of try to developplans and things because some of
(10:02):
them still really need it orthey still really are getting a
lot out of it.
So I would never tell anybodynot to do it.
Sheila Nonato (10:11):
If it's working for them, okay Well speaking of
support, I'm just curious wasyour husband with you while you
were struggling with alcohol andand how did how has he been
able to help you since that time?
Christie Walker (10:25):
No, my husband was not.
I was about I think I was threeyears sober when we met.
So he's never seen me drunk.
He's never.
My kids have never seen meintoxicated, which is a blessing
for me, a blessing for me.
And but I will say he does drink, so he's not like a big drinker
(10:47):
at all and he and it doesn'tbother me having alcohol in the
house.
So that is something that I'vethat works for some people and
doesn't.
It's just like with moderation,like some people can moderate,
some people can't.
Some people like I can drinknon-alcoholic beer, wine and
things like that and it doesn't,you know, trigger me to want to
(11:09):
drink real alcohol, but forsome people it does.
So that's where that's why Ihave like my lab is, because
it's like experimenting and justgetting really curious about
the things that work for you andthe things that don't.
So for me, having alcohol inthe house isn't a big deal at
all.
And my husband, I've never seenhim drunk.
(11:31):
I've never seen him consumemore than maybe like two or
three alcoholic beverages.
It's usually just one.
And if we go out we've gone outwith our boys before and maybe
he's had a couple of beers andthen he'll have, he'll ask me to
drive.
So he's modeling what it meansto be a responsible drinker for
(11:55):
my kids and I am modeling forthem.
You don't have to drink.
You can have a life withoutalcohol and be completely fine,
like you're not missing anything.
They see me have fun, I go toevents, I am goofy, I, you know
I.
There's nothing that alcoholcould give me that would make my
(12:20):
life better.
And again, for my husband, hejust enjoys a beer or whatever
every now and then and so andhe's not like he doesn't drink
hard alcohol or anything likethat so, yeah, so he's very,
very supportive.
He actually always remembers mysobriety date, like him, and my
mom always remember my sobrietydate.
(12:41):
I for years, for decades,actually did not even think
about it, but they'll likemessage me or give me flowers or
you know whatever.
And ever since that time that,when my mom gave me that my 25
year coin, I have tried reallyhard to celebrate it as well and
(13:02):
see it as the miracle that Goddid grant me and glorify him for
it.
Because, again, I was justtaking it for granted and I feel
like that was.
It was kind of disrespectful toGod in a way, because he
brought me out of that.
(13:23):
It's kind of like theIsraelites, like being brought
out of slavery.
I was brought out of thatslavery and attachment to
alcohol and I wasn't always themost grateful.
Sometimes I'd be like I wish Icould drink like everybody else,
you know, like mumbling, likethe Israelites.
But I have come to really seewhat a gift and a miracle it is
(13:47):
and I appreciate it.
Thank you for sharing that.
Sheila Nonato (13:50):
I'm also wondering as a parent myself how
do, how do I, how do we talk toour children about alcohol,
let's say, when they're youngand then I guess they're they're
pre-teen?
How do we, when do we approachthis conversation?
Actually?
Because they do see us, my that, my kids sometimes see us
having a glass of wine or myhusband having beer.
(14:12):
We, we don't, yeah, we don'tdrink either.
It's really if there's like asocial situation but, um, but
yeah, how do we approach this?
What is?
Is there an appropriate time toapproach this with kids?
Christie Walker (14:23):
I think it's always like I've never hid from
my kids that I don't drinkalcohol and that I struggled
with alcohol.
So there might I mean we havekind of a unique situation
because I can say like don't,this is what happened to me,
don't let it happen to you.
But at the same time I justthink that it's it's a few
(14:45):
things.
I think we need to constantlyhave that conversation.
It's kind of like likeeducation on our, on our bodies,
on sexuality, right it's.
You don't just give it to themall at once, like you.
You give it to them in likelittle parts, in little doses
that are age- appropriate, andgo with it.
(15:08):
That way, and as things come up, it can be a learning tool.
So let's say, you are somewherewhere someone is very
intoxicated.
That would be a great teachingmoment too, instead of being
like, I hope they didn't noticethat.
Or I wonder if that scared them.
I mean because, quite honestly,as a child I remember being
(15:31):
like unsure when adults would bedrinking Like, do they even
remember what I'm saying?
Do they not just drinking, butlike drunk or buzz heavily, buzz
Like?
Or can I trust them?
Can I, you know, like all ofthose things?
So that can be scary,especially if they're not used
to seeing people like that.
So I think, addressing thatlike oh, that's what happens if
(15:53):
you drink too much alcohol,that's why it's good to be
moderate with it, I think if wekind of approach drinking like
we do chastity, you know likeeven in marriage we're called to
be chaste at times and so Ithink if we approach that with
alcohol like alcohol is a gift Iheard Father Mike say this one
(16:15):
time like alcohol is a gift,yeah.
And to over consume oroverindulge, that's when it can
get into like that sinful partbecause it is a mortal sin.
Like intoxication is a mortalsin, drug abuse is a mortal sin
it's in the catechism.
(16:35):
But just having a little bit aslong as your mind is not
impaired is not, it's justseeing it as the gift that it is
and having it in moderation.
So I think it's modeling it,modeling the correct way to
consume alcohol, talking aboutit like not being able, not
being afraid to talk about it.
(16:56):
If you decide like if everybodyis having I don't know having
alcohol, but you've decided likeyou're not going to, then it's
good to just kind of let themknow like yeah, I've decided not
to tonight because of this,just so that they know that it's
it's okay, like it's, there'snothing odd about them if they
(17:17):
don't want to drink.
And alcohol is one of thosethings where we like force
ourselves to like it, like youdon't like it when you very
first I mean I don't want todrink, and alcohol is one of
those things where we like forceourselves to like it, like you
don't like it when you veryfirst I mean, I don't know about
you, but when my kids werelearning about how to take the
precious blood they had, likewine that we practiced with on
unconsecrated wine that wepracticed with at home so that
(17:38):
they wouldn't be like, and theydidn't like it.
But you know, and so to themit's like oh, this is awful, but
we like have it with like allkinds of like fruity things.
That's how, like wine coolersbecame so popular and like all
this stuff that we like put inalcohol to make it taste better
or whatever.
And then we kind of acquiremaybe even we acquire a taste
(18:02):
for it, but more than that, weacquire the feeling that we get
the feeling in our mouth, thefeeling in our brain.
So I think the other thing thatis super important to talk
about is talking about whatalcohol does and learning about
that for yourself.
I recommend this book.
It's called do I even have it?
(18:22):
It's called Drink oh, I do haveit.
It's called Drink the NewScience of Alcohol and your
Health by Professor David Nutt.
I highly encourage anybody toread it because it goes into the
science of what alcohol does toour bodies and how it affects
us.
He isn't anti-alcohol, so don'tthink that it's going to be
(18:46):
like a book that's going toshame you into like not wanting
to drink.
It's just.
I feel like we need to know whatwe're putting into our bodies
and the effects of that, and soa lot of people don't know that
alcohol, for example, uh, canincrease your risk of seven
different types of cancer,including breast cancer in women
(19:09):
, which is huge, and we justdon't know because they don't
put that on bottles, they don'tput that in commercials, they
don't talk about it in themovies or on TV, and it's
something that is just nowreally starting to emerge,
because what I used to hear islike have red wine and it'll
(19:30):
help your heart.
Well, actually, if you havealcohol, it can cause heart
problems.
So I would get thoseantioxidants from other things.
But yeah, so I say, educateyourself, educate your children
about what it is and how itaffects us and yeah, and just be
(19:53):
really open and honest about itin an age- appropriate way.
Sheila Nonato (19:58):
And I just wanted to sort of jump off of that
messaging stream.
I was listening to yourinterview.
Jump off of that messagingstream.
I was listening to yourinterview on Mater Dei Radio and
you were saying that alcohol asa coping mechanism, which a lot
of people have used, is not ourfault, because of the marketing
and the messaging.
Can you just tell us, give us aglimpse into, since you have a
(20:19):
marketing background what isbeing fed to us in social media
and ads?
What, what are they telling usthat we, why should we drink?
Christie Walker (20:28):
Oh goodness.
Well, I'm going to take thisfrom a woman's perspective
because I will say that thealcohol industry, when they
started to notice a decline intheir male clients and their
male consumers, I should saythey were like, what are we
going to do?
We need to go after, let's goafter the female market.
(20:50):
That's when we started to see alot of you know it's in movies,
it's in like TV shows.
It's been.
Influencers are constantly likepushing alcohol down people's
throats, like these verywell-known influencers with huge
audiences are having alcohol.
(21:14):
And then people see like theirlife and they're like, oh, look
at her, she's so sophisticated,or she has so many friends, or
she's so blah, blah, blah.
Her, she's so sophisticated, orshe has so many friends, or
she's so blah, blah, blah.
But there are very strictguidelines for these influencers
from the alcohol companies thatare sponsoring them.
They're very strict guidelines,like you should never I mean
(21:37):
they don't ever want somebody toput a reel or do a post or
anything like that showing anysort of intoxication.
So when you see somebody take aglass of something and just
like, pour the hard alcohol infor like days and days and days
and days before they stop, Ipromise you, they are not
drinking that, they are justdoing it.
They take like a drink of itand then it's to the side
(22:00):
because they don't want to beimpaired or look impaired and
they are probably not drinkingas much as they are making it
seem like they are.
The other thing is we see againall of these beautiful wine
bottles that are aestheticallypleasing to us as women.
(22:20):
We love beauty and we'relooking at them.
Or you see some that areaesthetically pleasing to us as
women.
We love beauty and we'relooking at them.
Or you see some that are likesomething about like sisterhood
or things about friends, andyou're like I wanna have friends
, I wanna be part of a community, and that's how I started
drinking myself, that's what Iwanted.
So I get it, and we do.
Especially as moms.
It can be very lonely being athome with a bunch of littles.
(22:45):
I mean, we love our vocation,we love our children, but it's
just hard sometimes and you wantsomebody who understands you.
And so when you see a mom saylike, oh, my kids are the reason
I drink, or I, you know,whatever they say, these
terrible things they didn'toriginate, that.
It is something that has beenfacilitated by these marketing
(23:09):
companies by big alcohol.
Last thing I will say that Ifind incredibly crazy is all of
these pink drinks, and pinkespecially like during the month
of October, for breast cancerawareness.
And, you see, like all of thesewines specific for breast
(23:30):
cancer awareness.
And, yes, some of the proceedsgo to breast cancer research or
wherever they want it to go.
But don't you think that's alittle ironic, that alcohol
increases your risk of breastcancer?
And here it is on a bottle ofwine.
I mean, I'm just saying so.
Don't be fooled.
Like they are trying to get youto be comfortable.
(23:53):
They will attack yourmotherhood, they will attack,
they will attack your children.
They will say, like you needthis to cope, you need this to
be a good mom.
I hear influencers say like ifI didn't drink, I would be a
terrible mom.
Honestly, I just see it asanother attack on women, family,
men, all of us, children.
(24:18):
It's diabolical really at itscore and that sounds so dramatic
.
But I've done so much researchand I've done so much praying
about it and learning about thistopic and I don't think that
I'm wrong in saying that.
Sheila Nonato (24:36):
Thank you for sharing all that I just feel
like, in terms of alcoholmarketing, now we have have
social media I think both can bean addiction.
Both can be sort of a way offilling a void that we, you know
, oh, I'm not good enough, butif I drink or I, you know,
people like my post, uh, thenI'm worthy, or maybe we are.
(24:59):
You know, we're being taught,we're being conditioned to buy
into a lifestyle.
You buy this and you're cool,you're a cool mom, you're doing
great, your kids are going to beawesome because you have this.
It's sort of a marketing kind ofploy when, deep down, we really
(25:20):
have sort of a void that cannotbe filled with material things.
That it's really.
It's like a longing for god, issearching for god, that a lot
of people who may not have evenheard of god, they don't even
know where to look.
Um, how, how can we reach thosepeople?
Should we, should we pray forthem that maybe they will find
(25:41):
somebody like you, find a friendwho might lead them to freedom
from their addiction?
What are your thoughts?
Christie Walker (25:49):
Yeah, I think the key is when we see somebody
struggling, even if we're notsure if they have an attachment,
like a disordered attachment toalcohol or, like you said,
scrolling, or whatever.
It is because we all have food,we all have our things that we
(26:10):
fall back to for comfort and totry to make us feel good.
But essentially, I think thatSometimes people just need
somebody who sees them and whosays but how are you really, how
are you really?
And sometimes that is just theconversation or the opener that
(26:30):
they need, just to feel safe andbe able to share.
I think, yes, prayer isimportant and I think one of the
things that I've learned I'mpart of Encounter School of
Ministry and one of the thingsI've learned is before, when I'm
talking to somebody, especiallywhen I'm speaking with a client
(26:50):
, I just ask God for his heartfor that person and for him to
give me any words that they needto hear, that he wants them to
know, so that I can help him,help them, like through me, just
so that they feel seen, so thatthey feel loved.
And I can tell you when I dothat and I know like that's like
(27:17):
God just prompted, prompted inme.
So if you feel prompted to prayfor somebody, do it, even if
you don't say it out loud tothem, even if it's not a good
time to do it or you're worriedabout it.
Still definitely pray for them.
But when I've had people whoare open, I'll say is it okay if
(27:41):
I pray for you?
Is it okay if I share this wordthat you know?
I feel like God wants you toknow and I do.
I just you can just see likeeither sometimes it'll be tears,
sometimes their lips will bequivering, sometimes they'll get
like a huge smile on their face, and so prayer is so powerful
(28:05):
and just knowing that they areloved and seen by God and by you
and that you're there for themis so invaluable.
Because, honestly, a lot oftimes people come to me because
they don't feel like they canreally tell anybody else or they
don't really know where tostart, and so sometimes I might
be, maybe me and their husbandare like the only people that
(28:28):
even know, but then we work onhow they can find other support
or maybe other people that aresupportive that they haven't
thought about or they're worriedabout.
So that's, that's things thatwe talk about, because really
support is so critical and key.
So just paying attention tothose around you, not being
(28:49):
afraid to just ask somebody howare you really?
I think we can be so I know Ican be just like oh, how are you
?
Oh, great, okay, and then Imove on.
But sometimes God's like nope,you need, she, needs you, she
needs you.
Sometimes it's my kids.
No, he needs you to really lookhim in the eye, look her in the
(29:13):
eye and find out what it,what's going on, and share my
heart with them what it, what'sgoing on, and share my heart
with them.
Sheila Nonato (29:27):
And on that sort of note of you know how faith is
also a source of support, butin terms of if somebody has sort
of it's a medical issue, nowfor them they're having.
You know it's affected them intheir health.
What other sources of supportcan they have?
They can reach out to a doctor.
They can have different, Iguess, sources of support in the
(29:48):
community.
What other source of supportcan they seek in order to be
free of their addiction?
Christie Walker (29:55):
So if somebody is really struggling with
addiction, really strugglingwith addiction, the best thing
to do is talk to your doctor andbe honest with your doctor.
Like it's funny because I justgot like a little survey from my
medical facility that I'venever gotten before and they
were asking questions about likehow much I drink and how you
(30:17):
know and I'm like zero and likeall of that.
But I mean it can be verytempting not to want to tell the
whole truth because you don'twant them to know or like be
worried about you or you knowwhatever it is or think you're
an alcoholic.
But I would say you're doingyourself a disservice if you
(30:39):
aren't completely honest withyour physician.
So even if you feel like youcan't tell anybody else, like
tell your physician.
And then of course there areother resources out there.
There's um.
If somebody is drinking a lotlike every day and getting um
intoxicated every day, the uh,the withdrawal process can be
(31:00):
extremely difficult on a bodyand that does need like
supervision and care, and sothere are facilities for that.
But I would always check withyour doctor.
Let them know about your desireto quit drinking, because then
they will get you the right helpthat you need to slowly do that
(31:22):
so that it doesn't send yourbody into shock.
That's on an extreme level ofdrinking a lot every single day.
And then, if you feel like youhave an addiction and you want
help, other help as well.
There's obviously AlcoholicsAnonymous.
There's Catholic in Recovery.
That's Scott Weeman's group.
(31:46):
It can be a standalone or itcan be used in conjunction with
AA, and they have online Zoommeetings.
You can be very anonymous.
They have in-person meetingsbut they're still growing so
they're not everywhere.
And then, as I mentioned earlier, there's the I Thirst
Initiative and I would look thatup.
(32:08):
They're really working withparishes and lay leaders to
fight addiction and be thesupport addiction and be the
support.
They're trying to get thesupport to the parishes so that
they are equipped to help peoplewith addictions, because that's
the other thing.
(32:28):
It's really hard because a lotof people within the parishes
just don't know or understandaddiction.
So to have these resources issuper important.
And then the work that I do Iusually work with those in
recovery after they've had likeabout a year or so of recovery
and we mostly work on lifecoaching stuff.
(32:49):
And then for the sobrietyportion, that's for people who
are just realizing that alcoholis maybe not an addiction for
them.
They would never findthemselves in a 12-step program.
They don't feel like that'swhat they need.
But that's you know.
We're trying to figure out likecan I maintain it, how much can
(33:11):
I drink, or do I need toeliminate it?
Sheila Nonato (33:17):
Yeah.
So going back to the issue ofyouth and alcohol and teens and
even young adults, you know,when I read the news about
assaults, unfortunately, ontrying to formulate, how do I
explain to them?
You know, alcohol is not just,it is a drug.
It can be a drug if you misuseit, but it's also sort of a
(33:52):
safety issue that if you consumetoo much, that will affect your
brain and your consciousnesssometimes, and if you are out
somewhere and you're not withpeople who are out for your best
interests, you might be in avery unsafe situation.
My husband always tells my kids,you know, or actually
(34:14):
encourages me to write littlenotes to my kids saying whatever
, whatever you do, it doesn'tmatter what you do, you can
always call me, you can alwayscall us.
And whatever situation, howagain just approaching this
topic with my children, becausethey do see, you know, and
parties, it's, it's out there inthe barbecues during the summer
(34:36):
, camping, it's there, right.
So how do I sort of help themto introduce that you know as a
young child?
How do I sort of say to themlook, mommy is having a drink
right now, but you can't, youhave to be a certain age, but
when you are.
(34:56):
I would like you to know theseguidelines.
Is there sort of a guideline inyour program that can sort of be
translated for young people,that can help them to sort of be
aware and, I guess, be armedwith this knowledge so that they
, when they go out to universityor even to, I guess, as
(35:17):
teenagers, in the parties theymight have them there ,too, or
grad parties and stuff like thatwhat kinds of guidelines should
they know beforehand, so thatthey are aware that you know?
In this situation I will havethese sayings, I will have
responses for when people ask meto, hey, do you want a drink?
(35:39):
And then what is my response?
What kind of guidelines can weequip our kids with?
Christie Walker (35:50):
Yeah, that's great.
That's a great question, and Idon't have anything like that,
but I think that that's a greatidea and something that probably
eventually will come about.
Just because I do have a heartfor young people, I will say the
great news is that the youngergenerations do not seem to be as
interested in alcohol, at leastnot right now.
We'll see what marketingtactics that the alcohol
(36:14):
companies come up with to try tolure them in.
I've already seen things likespiked Sunny D, spiked Simply
Lemonade.
They're taking things that wegrew up with or that we've given
our kids in the past, and nowthey're making them spiked and
it just infuriates me to no end.
(36:34):
But the good news is kids arenot drinking as much as like.
I'm a Gen Xer and we are.
We were kind of partiers and soour kids and the other
generations don't seem asinterested yet at least.
So we want to keep it that way.
I think that another positive isa lot of a lot more information
(36:58):
is coming out about how alcoholaffects our bodies and our
brains.
It does mess with ourneurotransmitters.
There's a lot of talk arounddopamine and how we need it and
how it's good, but we have totake care of it.
We can't deplete it, andalcohol actually depletes our
(37:20):
dopamine.
If we continually drink, andthat's why we turn to alcohol is
because we need that dopaminehit and we've conditioned our
brain only to give us thatdopamine hit when we drink
alcohol.
So that's one of those things.
I think that's in Dr.
or Professor Nutt's book aswell, but I think the thing is,
(37:42):
like I said before, justeducating them on the effects of
alcohol, not glamorizing it,because what happens is a lot of
people that I talk to and Iknow this from my experience as
well I saw adults drinking andthey looked oh so sophisticated
and I was told when I was olderI could drink.
(38:03):
So it seemed like a very adultthing to do, like I should drink
now because that makes me anadult, I deserve to drink
because I'm an adult, and sothat's kind of the messaging
that we get like as kids.
But that's not even justanybody's fault.
That's in like movies and TVand like they see it on
(38:27):
Instagram or you know whateveron these people that they follow
.
It's in music.
So it's something that's sointegrated into our culture that
it's a little bit hard tocombat, but I think, as parents,
if we just keep feeding themthat information like this is a
mind altering drug.
It's a psychoactive drug.
(38:48):
If you drink too much of it itwill impair you.
It literally shuts down partsof your brain so that you cannot
think properly and you areimpaired.
And this is so important forour young people, especially
young women.
They just don't think about itand then they put themselves in
(39:09):
like these really scary anddangerous situations and you
know young boys do as well.
But it's just, but it's justit's.
People will say like alcoholdoesn't hurt anybody.
But so many bad things thathappen to people are caused by
people who are drinking andover-consuming alcohol and
(39:33):
misusing alcohol, like childabuse.
It's almost always a parent whoor somebody who has
over-consumed alcohol or they'reon drugs.
I mean, sometimes it's justtheir temperament, but a lot of
times it is because of thesubstance that just causes that.
Not that I mean they're stillresponsible for doing that, but
(39:54):
I'm just saying that the alcoholis just like fuel to that fire.
So I think just educating themlike, keep your wits about you.
If I had a daughter, that wouldjust be my message.
It's my message to my sons,even with, like their phones,
I'm like you got to be lookingup.
You can't just be staring atyour phone.
(40:14):
Somebody could grab you.
Somebody could mug you.
Somebody you know like you haveto be aware of your
surroundings.
Somebody could mug you,somebody you know like.
You have to be aware of yoursurroundings.
And consuming alcohol does notmake you aware of your
surroundings, it just inhibitsyou.
The other thing is people canput anything in your drink.
So if somebody is, if you'reout on a date, somebody could
put something in your drink andyou could just be not there
(40:39):
anymore.
You know, you could just be notwith it and not remember
anything.
And there's even these casesnow where people are putting
cloths on cars that have somesubstance on it and when the
person takes the cloth up andputs it close to their face, it
makes them all dizzy and stuff.
(40:59):
So if they can do that on acloth on your car, imagine what
can happen in your drink.
But you don't even have to havesomebody put something in your
drink to be completely impairedand not know what's going on.
I've been in those situationsand it is scary, it is
frightening and again, by thegrace of God like I feel, like I
(41:21):
was so protective, but thingscould have been a lot worse.
I put myself in some superdangerous situations, so
dangerous, and I just didn'teven think about it because my
brain was just like that part ofmy brain was just turned off.
I didn't think about like whatcould happen.
So I mean I don't think aboutlike what could happen.
So I mean I don't want to likescare people or make our kids
(41:44):
all jaded and stuff, but they dohave to be aware Like this is a
mind altering drug.
You need to be aware with itand aware of your surroundings.
The other thing I do want to sayis like know who your kids'
friends' parents are.
Like know them Because, likewith my boys, I know their
friends, I know their parentsand I was given alcohol at my
(42:09):
friends' house.
My mom never would have allowedme to drink in the home.
She would have if she knew thatI was drinking.
That would have been terrible.
But I went to people's housesand spent the night and their
parents would buy us winecoolers.
We would drink until we threwup.
I mean it was just terrible.
And some parents think, oh, I'mthe cool parent because I let
(42:31):
the kids come over, I let themstay, they play games, they
drink.
You are not the cool parent ifyou do that.
Come over, I let them stay.
They play games, they drink.
You are not the cool parent Ifyou do that.
You're serving underage minors.
It is illegal.
But if I, if I didn't know myfriends, my kids' friends,
parents, that I wouldn't be ableto contact them and know, like,
what was going on.
(42:51):
So it hasn't, thankfully, beenan issue for me.
But sometimes if you just letyour kid go, if they're like I'm
going to go spend the night atSusie's and you don't know
Susie's and you don't know whoher parents are, you don't know
what kind of um.
They could be great people, butthey could also be giving her
alcohol too.
Or maybe her parents aren'thome because they're out of town
(43:13):
and they left them with alcohol.
That happened to us too.
So I think that it's justimportant to be aware, make our
kids aware as much as possible.
That was a lot of information,I'm sorry
Sheila Nonato (43:27):
No, that's great and, um, as you were saying,
it's.
It's good to talk to the, toour kids, about this when
they're young, because because,if the addiction grows, it can
lead to tragedy.
And I'm just thinking about thetwo NHL brothers who were
killed.
at the funeral, their wives toldeverybody they were expecting
(43:47):
I'm tearing up about thisbecause it's just such a tragedy
and it can be avoided if weseek help, as you were saying.
Seek help with your doctor.
If you're comfortable with yourminister, seek help from a
coach like yourself.
Did you want to end with aprayer?
Did?
Christie Walker (44:09):
you have a prayer for our listeners who may
be struggling with this issue.
Oh sure, yeah, I would love topray In the name of the Father,
son, holy Spirit, amen, good andgracious God, we just thank you
and praise you for all the waysthat you protect us and love us
and care for us.
We thank you for your love andfor your mercy.
Today, we just ask for yourblessing and care and protection
(44:30):
over those who are strugglingwith addiction and their
families.
It can be such a verydevastating place to be, but
there is hope.
So, lord, we just ask that youput people in front of them.
Today.
That can be that hope, that canbe that light, that can be that
lighthouse that will guide themto shore, to the safety, to the
(44:52):
freedom that you have for them.
We also again pray for thefamilies of these people, that
they can love them and set thenecessary boundaries that are
needed and they can be thatsupport to them as well.
We just pray for those who maybethey're not addicted but
(45:13):
they're realizing that alcoholis becoming a problem for them.
We ask, lord, that you helpguide them to the information
resources they need so that theycan get to a place where they
have control over their alcoholuse, whether that is reduced or
none at all, so that they canlive a life of freedom, a life
(45:36):
that you have created for them.
We just ask that you turn yourface to us in all of these
troublesome times and be with usin your loving care, and we
thank you for the guidance andprotection of your.
Blessed mother, our mother, whoalways leads us to her son.
Blessed Mother, Our Mother, whoalways leads us to her Son.
(46:00):
We ask for a strengthening ofour spiritual gifts so that we
can resist the temptations ofthis world and of the devil, and
we ask this in Jesus' mostprecious Name, amen.
In the Name of the Father, Sonand the Holy Spirit, amen.
Sheila Nonato (46:16):
Thank you so much , Christie.
Thank you for taking the timeto speak with me and um, I'm
going to pray for your ministryand God bless you in your work.
Thank you for being so uh, openand honest about your journey
and and your um recovery and andwe are all blessed to hear the
story of redemption, and thankyou so much again, God bless.
Christie Walker (46:38):
Thank you for having me on and just for
helping shed awareness on all ofthis.
Thank you.
Sheila Nonato (46:45):
Oh, and before I forget, where can listeners find
you?
Christie Walker (46:49):
Sure you can find me at.
I have a podcast, The CatholicSobriety Podcast.
You can find that on any of thepodcast listening apps.
I also have it on YouTube atthe Catholic Sobriety Coach, and
you can learn more about me onmy website, the Catholic
sobriety coach
Sheila Nonato (47:09):
Okay, thank you, so I'll have that in the show
notes.
Thank you again, Christie.
Have a blessed weekend and takecare.
Christie Walker (47:16):
Thanks, you too .
Sheila Nonato (47:18):
Christie Walker celebrates 25 years of sobriety
and says that, while each storyis unique, the commonality she
(47:42):
shares with other sisters inChrist going through sobriety is
their decision to take actionand to allow the Holy Spirit to
be part of their sobrietyjourney, healing and
transformation.
Christy says alcohol is thecounterfeit version of the
intoxication of the Spirit.
She has found what is real andwhat is true in the authenticity
of her Catholic faith and hercall to help others achieve the
same freedom from alcohol togain freedom in Christ.
(48:03):
We wish you a very blessedChristmas and continued
blessings in the new year.
We pray for inner peace, stepstowards life-giving
transformation and spreading joyto those around us as we
continue to come closer to Him,to the One who made us and who
(48:25):
believes in our full potentialas daughters and sons of God.
Thank you for listening to the.
Co-Hosts (48:46):
Veil and Armour podcast.
I invite you to share this withanother Catholic mom today.
Please subscribe to our podcastand YouTube channel and please
spread the word.
Let's Be Brave, let's Be Boldand Be Blessed together.
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