The Not Drinking Alcohol Today Podcast

Ladies, have you ever wondered why menopause isn't a subject of everyday conversation, despite its life-altering implications? This episode aims to shift the paradigm, bringing menopause out of the shadows with our special guest, Dr. Rebecca Lewis, a GP and menopause specialist. Together, we untangle the intricate web of hormonal changes that underpin menopause, bringing to light its potential health risks like cardiovascular ...

Ever wondered how ADHD manifests differently in children and adults, or between males and females? In our latest episode, we promise to provide those answers and more with the help of our returning guest, Faye Lawrence. Now a specialized coaching therapist, Faye shares her journey of being diagnosed with ADHD in 2022 and offers a unique perspective on understanding the three types of ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive, and combined. Ge...

In this episode we interview one of Australia's leading lights in managing
anxiety. An educational leader, Dr Jodi Richardson supports
parents and teachers to change their relationship with anxiety,
dial it right down and light the way for their children and students
to do the same.
Jodi is professional speaker supporting whole school communities
around Australia, the best-selling author of the books &a...

What if you could navigate the complexities of menopause with a little help from nutrition and lifestyle changes? Join us for a meaningful conversation with registered nutritionist and author Emma Bardwell, as we delve into the lesser-known facets of menopause and its impacts. Emma provides startling insights into Peri-Menopause, a phase that can span up to 12 years. We uncover how many women, unsure of what to expect during this p...

Join us for Meg's interview for the Sober Summit with Maggie Klaassen's. 

Why can some people take or leave alcohol while others feel trapped in a drinking cycle? 

At 17, a panic attack in front of her class sparked years of social anxiety. At 18, alcohol felt like magic—it stopped the shaking and gave her confidence. Weekend drinks slowly turned into nightly home drinking, eventually reaching two bottles of wine a night.

In...

What happens when we wake up one day and decide that self-destruction isn't serving us anymore? For Faye Hughes, that awakening came on a plane ride home from Dubai after a family wedding gone terribly wrong. The shame, guilt, and regret she felt became the catalyst for a Valentine's Day decision that would transform her life: choosing sobriety as the ultimate act of self-love.

From watching her parents throw alc...

Meg takes a look back at her relationship with alcohol,  where she discovered a profound paradox that changed everything. She was terrified of losing precious moments—yet was drinking them away.

Meg's whole life revolved around preserving memories. She treasured photographs, constantly reminisced about childhood homes, and felt deep aches when thinking about the past. But as her drinking worsened, she began experienci...

What happens when four decades of heavy drinking suddenly stops? Ali Burke returns to share her remarkable transformation from a self-described "party pisshead parent" to a woman fully embracing authentic connection and present parenting.

Ali's drinking story began in her early teens, looking for courage, attention, and a way to fit in. As the youngest of seven children, alcohol became her tool for beco...

Faye Lawrence, Psychologist, offers practical guidance for navigating social situations without drinking. She explores how our social identity and connections play a crucial role in sustaining behavior change around alcohol consumption.

• Discover how family experiences and cultural norms shape our relationship with alcohol
• Challenge commonly held beliefs about non-drinkers 
• Explore the fear of losing friends o...

Rory Kinsella, musician, Vedic meditation teacher and sober coach, reveals how finding inner stillness helped him transform his relationship with alcohol and eventually quit completely. He now teaches others to do the same. We discuss:

• Growing up in alcohol-centric UK culture where drinking was normalised from teenage years and how that lifestyle continued for a while in Sydney
• Rory's progression to an alcohol...

Australian fashion designer Rochelle Gregory shares her transformative journey from alcohol addiction to creative success with her clothing line Rocky Rafaela. In this ep, we cover how:

• alcohol initially provided social connection, but led to dangerous situations and repeated rehab stays
• purpose through fashion design offered moments of peace allowing racing thoughts to disappear
• how learning to be "comf...

Alice's drinking got out of control growing up in Tasmania, drinking to numb complicated feelings associated with being gay in an environment in which it was still illegal to be gay at the time and so she kept her identity hidden from everyone around her.  After bravely going to rehab more than 20 times desperate to find a way out of the destructive drinking cycle she was in, Alice was finally able to stop drinking after readi...

Drink: The Intimate Relationship between Women and Alcohol celebrates 10 years today! Tune in as we talk to the author, Ann Dowsett Johnston, award-winning journalist, TEDx Speaker and Founder of the Writing Your Recovery Workshops about women’s relationship with alcohol 10 years on. Is alcohol still the modern women’s steroid that helps us do the heavy lifting? 

It was a brave act to speak out in the way Ann did 10 years ...

Today, we have the honor of speaking with William Porter, the insightful author of "Alcohol Explained." William spent years in the throes of his own drinking career, unknowingly gathering the research and experiences that would later form the foundation of his life-changing book. In this episode William is  generous in his  knowledge and wisdom. 
 William offers a profound perspective on alcohol that has the power to ...

Dr. Gina Cleo, one of Australia's leading habit change experts, shares her expertise on creating healthier, alcohol-free habit loops. In this recording of Dr Cleo's talk to my (Bella) November Alcohol Freedom Challenge, Dr Cleo discusses the science behind dopamine, a neurotransmitter that drives our reward and pleasure systems. On this note, alcohol provides a significant dopamine surge—sometimes up to 360% above baselin...

I never imagined that so many special memories in my life would be a blur. The harsh reality of alcohol-induced blackouts left a mark on what should have been some of the clearest and happiest days of my life. Tune in as I, Meg, unravel the harrowing connection between these blackouts and anxiety, and the role they've played in my own journey. It's a stark look at the silent battle many face, as the quest to ease social n...

Donna Bennett shares her five-year sobriety journey that began with an "Easter epiphany" during COVID lockdown, revealing how removing alcohol from her life led to profound personal transformation and newfound freedom. We cover so much in this episode, including:

• Recognising how alcohol had "sneakily" increased its influence over the years, particularly during lunchtime socialising
• Experiencing ...

Ever wondered why the notion of being a "normal drinker" weighs heavily on so many of us? Join me, Meg, as I share my personal journey through the maze of societal expectations and personal realisations around alcohol consumption. From questioning my own drinking habits to the pivotal moment of embracing a sober lifestyle, this episode unpacks the unrealistic aspirations many harbour about drinking without consequences. T...

Today we talk to Jen Hirst! Jen is an open book when it comes to her experience with alcohol addiction. She says it like it is and discusses how she recovered with transparency. This is what drew me to Jen. Her honesty about how dark it got has been such an inspiration for many who can relate and say 'yep me too!". Jen now dedicates her time to helping others do the same. She is awesome! This is what attracts her almost 7...