Sober Motivation: Sharing Sobriety Stories

Elisa drank alcohol for 30 years.

What started as relief from childhood trauma slowly turned into alcohol addiction, DUIs, broken relationships, and a life she says she barely remembers.

At eight years old, Elisa testified in court against someone in her own family. Growing up afraid and feeling like she didn’t belong, alcohol became the thing that finally quieted the fear.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Elisa shares her recovery story—how childhood trauma shaped her addiction, why alcohol felt like the answer, her struggles with alcoholism, and...

“I genuinely thought I was a hopeless alcoholic addict with no chance of return.”

That’s where Gio found himself.

After years of success as a hockey player—including a Division I scholarship and a professional career—addiction slowly took over. What started as drinking and partying became something much darker, leading Gio to a gas station parking lot where he finally called his dad and admitted:

“I can’t stop using.”

In this episode, Gio shares his journey through hockey culture, addiction, opiates, losing his identity after hockey, mu...

Manny grew up in New Orleans surrounded by alcohol, but after watching the damage drinking caused in his own family, he wanted nothing to do with it.

That changed later in life.

After marriage, business success, cocaine, alcohol, Hurricane Katrina, divorce, depression, day drinking, and eventually drinking four to five bottles of wine a day, Manny found himself isolated, physically broken, and barely able to walk. What started as social drinking became full-blown alcohol addiction.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Manny shares his powerful story of addiction...

He had a loving family, a private school education, great friends, and every opportunity in front of him. Yet by age 33, Gary was drinking in 7 a.m. bars in Spain, waking up in hostels with no money, and wondering how his life had fallen apart.

In this episode of Sober Motivation, Gary Mairs shares how alcohol slowly took over despite what many would consider the perfect childhood. From teenage binge drinking in England to years of anxiety, financial chaos, broken relationships, and undiagnosed ADHD, Gary opens up about the reality of alcohol addiction and the moment...

Todd looked like he had it all together. He had a good job, a family, a home, and no major public consequences from drinking. But inside, alcohol was taking up more space than he wanted to admit.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Todd shares how weekend drinking, binge drinking, hangxiety, shame, and constantly thinking about the next drink made him question his relationship with alcohol. He talks about trying to moderate, why quitting felt extreme at first, and the moment his son asked if they needed an Uber home from a baseball game.

“I never got a DUI. I never got arrested. I never lost my job. So how could I possibly have a problem with alcohol?”

Mateja didn’t drink until she was 21. She had a successful career, a good family, and from the outside looked like someone who had it all together. But behind the scenes, alcohol was becoming harder to ignore.

In this episode, Mateja shares her journey through college drinking, restaurant culture, blackouts, anxiety, and the realization that you don’t have to hit rock bottom to quit drinking.

We discu...

For years, JB thought he could manage his drinking.

What started as binge drinking slowly turned into drinking every day, hiding alcohol, drinking on the way home, anxiety, shame, and feeling completely trapped inside the cycle.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, JB shares his full sobriety story — growing up in chaos, starting alcohol and cigarettes at a young age, struggling with addiction, daily drinking, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, and what finally pushed him to quit drinking alcohol for good.

This is an honest conversation about alcohol addiction, re...

From the outside, Jessica looked like she had it all together. But behind closed doors, she was drinking 3 bottles of wine every night, blacking out, throwing up before work, and quietly falling apart while trying to convince herself everything was fine.

In this episode of The Sober Motivation Podcast, Jessica shares her journey through hidden alcoholism, mommy wine culture, trauma, undiagnosed ADHD, addiction in motherhood, and the moment she finally realized she couldn’t keep living that way anymore.

We talk about:

• using alcohol to finally feel accepted

• the loneli...

Luke spent 14 years selling alcohol while it was slowly killing him. Three rounds of rehab. Hospital visits. Drinking in the morning. On December 30, 2018, he had his last drink.

In this follow-up, Luke walks Brad through what changed in the seven years since. The scene with his daughter screaming "Dad, don't go" as he drove away in tears.

The AA foundation that carried him through year three. The therapist who leaned in and asked the one question nobody had ever asked him: what about you?

You'll hear about: working in the liquor...

Jimmy used to drive his car around the corner, sit alone, and drink vodka all day instead of going to work. At home, he hid bottles behind the sink and inside the toilet cistern, sneaking off mid conversation to top up.

He started drinking at 14. By his mid twenties he was going through three bottles of wine a night. A miscarriage, lost jobs, and a spontaneous flight to Mallorca all came and went. Nothing stuck until he hit a hospital detox at 40, during COVID lockdown, and decided he was done.

Six years later...

Stephanie never thought she had a serious drinking problem. She was successful, working in healthcare, maintaining relationships, and doing everything she could to keep life together on the outside. But behind closed doors, alcohol slowly became the way she coped with anxiety, depression, grief, loneliness, and major life changes.

What started as gray area drinking eventually turned into hiding alcohol, drinking alone in parking lots, blackouts, hospital visits, rehab, and feeling completely trapped inside her own mind.

In this episode, Stephanie shares her powerful sobriety story, including growing up around alcohol, trying to moderate her...

Ian Madsen grew up in Australia around heavy drinking and alcoholism, Ian shares how alcohol became normalized early in life after losing his mother and how that pattern followed him into professional sprint car racing in America. What started as partying and fitting in slowly turned into isolation, hiding alcohol use, treatment stays, losing relationships, and nearly losing himself completely.

In this episode, Ian opens up about the reality of high-functioning alcoholism, trying to moderate drinking, the fear of quitting alcohol, and the moment he realized he had to get sober for himself.

Support...

You don't need a rock bottom to quit drinking. No DUI. No lost job. No moment where everything blows up. For Paula, life looked great from the outside, a beautiful home in South Florida, two kids, a marriage built in the alcohol industry, and a career soaked in alcohol. Nothing was falling apart on the outside or so she thought. She made every soccer practice. She was the homeroom mom. But the hangovers were getting worse, the blackouts had started, and her kids were beginning to see two different versions of her.

In this episode of...

From the outside everything looked perfect. Behind the scenes alcohol addiction was taking over and one night it nearly ended everything.

In this episode Lauren shares her sobriety story from having her first drink at just 10 years old to years of hiding alcohol addiction behind a life that looked put together.

Her drinking escalates over time leading to serious consequences and a life changing moment that forces everything into the open.

After quitting drinking and starting her recovery journey things begin to improve. But a legal substance called kratom unexpectedly...

Bri is almost one year sober. For the year before that she tried to quit drinking over and over, racking up day ones nobody knew about. Two months sober, then a slip. Two months again, another slip. From the outside she was the picture perfect mom. Accountant, wife, two little boys, a pool in the backyard. Behind closed doors it was shots from the freezer on Christmas, weekend blackouts at her own pool parties, and crying in the shower when everyone went home. Then on Easter she pulled her one year old son aside and told him he'd never...

Dr. Donald Crowe was telling patients they needed to stop drinking. Then he'd go home, open two bottles of wine, and pass out. Every single night.

A physician with 40 years in medicine, Donald started drinking in college and spent the next two decades convincing himself it couldn't be that bad because his career was still moving forward.

A possible ALS diagnosis at 40 gave him the excuse to drink harder. He lost his first marriage. He chose alcohol over her. When legal consequences finally forced him into treatment, three months of sobriety cracked open a...

On New Year's Eve 2003, Martin Lockett ran a red light drunk and killed two women, and severely injured a third. They where all long-time members of Portland's recovery community, one 16 years sober, one 17. They were returning home from a clean and sober New Year's Eve party. Martin served 17 and a half years in prison. Today he's 22 years sober, a certified substance abuse counselor, and a national speaker who's devoted his life to preventing the tragedy he caused.

In this raw, unforgettable episode, Martin takes us back to his first drink at 14, the identity struggles that drove...

Quit drinking is not about willpower. It is about the moment you realize you cannot keep living like this anymore.

For over 25 years, alcohol was part of Paul’s life. From the outside, everything looked fine.

But inside, the anxiety was building, the anger was growing, and he was slowly becoming someone he didn’t recognize.

There was no rock bottom.

Just a quiet realization that something had to change.

In this episode, Paul shares what it really looks like to live that way for deca...

You don’t have to lose everything to question your drinking.

In this episode, I sit down with Ash Butterss to talk about the moment she realized something needed to change—and why you don’t need a traditional “rock bottom” to quit drinking.

Ash shares her sobriety journey, from living a life that looked fine on the outside to realizing she wasn’t truly happy or showing up as her authentic self. We talk about sober curiosity, emotional growth, and what it really takes to build an alcohol-free life.

This convers...

Eric returns to share an update on his sobriety journey after nearly two decades of daily drinking.

From 2008 to 2021, alcohol was part of his everyday life. What started as normal slowly turned into something much more serious—leading to severe withdrawal, hallucinations, and even seizures when he tried to stop.

In this episode, Eric opens up about what it was really like living in that cycle, the denial that kept him stuck, and the moment everything changed.

We talk about the dangers of alcohol withdrawal, why asking for help can sa...

If you've tried to quit drinking and keep relapsing, this episode is for you.

Jason Wahler is known from Laguna Beach, The Hills, and Celebrity Rehab, but behind the cameras he was battling severe alcohol addiction for years. He went through 13 treatment centers, faced arrests, survived suicide attempt, and kept relapsing even when life looked successful from the outside. He also lived with OCD, which made the cycle of addiction even harder to break.

In this raw and honest conversation, Jason shares what relapse actually feels like, and what finally helped him get...

What does it take to finally quit drinking when your entire life revolves around it?

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Megan shares her powerful sobriety journey, opening up about growing up around addiction, losing her father to alcoholism, and how her own drinking slowly escalated into hidden alcohol dependence.

From the outside, everything looked fine — successful career, family, motherhood. But behind the scenes, alcohol became a daily coping mechanism.

This episode dives deep into:

If you’re trying to quit drinking or wondering if you have an alcohol problem, this story will hit home.

Greg shares how a good childhood and successful career turned into alcohol addiction, denial, psych wards, and jail—and how he finally got sober.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Greg to talk about the reality of high-functioning alcoholism and how quickly things can escalate.

On the outside, Greg had everything together. But underneath, he struggled with not feeling like he fit in—and alcoho...

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Jane shares her powerful alcohol addiction recovery story and how she finally quit drinking after alcohol slowly took over her life.

What started as drinking in high school escalated into blackouts, hiding alcohol, drinking in the morning, and living with the chaos of alcoholism. Jane talks about the shame, insecurity, and hopelessness that came with alcohol addiction, including one terrifying night when she rear-ended a car while drunk and fled the scene.

After years of struggling with alcoholism and addiction, hospital visits, and hitting rock...

Alcohol addiction doesn’t always look like rock bottom.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, John shares his story after more than 20 years of drinking and drug use — and the painful realizations that came when he finally got sober.

From the outside, his life looked normal. No arrests. No dramatic collapse.

But inside, alcohol was shaping decisions, regrets, and memories he would carry for decades.

This conversation explores grief, shame, regret, and the realization that some of the biggest consequences of alcohol aren’t the ones p...

Jerzey Mike rode the alcohol train all the way to the last stop. A liter of vodka a day, yellowing eyes, a coma, and doctors who weren't sure he'd make it. In this raw and deeply honest conversation, Mike walks us through the earliest warning signs of liver failure, what life looked like at his absolute worst, and the shame that nearly stopped him from getting help. If you've ever wondered how bad it can really get — or if you're quietly wondering whether you're heading down this road yourself — this episode is for you. Mike survived the last stop. He's...

Jess spent years blacking out from alcohol and convincing herself it was normal. After losing her mom at just 19, drinking became the way she coped — until everything finally caught up with her.

In this episode she shares the reality of alcohol blackouts, addiction, relapse, and the moment she finally admitted she needed help.

Today Jessica is over 20 months sober and rebuilding a life she once believed was impossible.

Topics: alcohol addiction, alcohol blackouts, sobriety, recovery.

https://www.instagram.com/wmmsjustjess/

Sober Mo...

Jon (The Tired Dad) is back with a sobriety update — now 3+ years sober. We talk Dry January to kick things off and why the first year can be the hardest, why moderation didn’t work, parenting as the turning point, and how to build real tools instead of masking emotions. Plus, Jon shares the story behind his upcoming book 100 Reflections on Showing Up for What Matters Most.

Sober Motivation Mobile App: https://apps.apple.com/app/sober-motivation-app/id6759266291

Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com

Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation

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Ashley Jo shares her story of high-functioning alcoholism, grief, shame, and sobriety after years of mommy wine culture and secret binge drinking.

A Christian mom, executive, and outwardly successful woman, Ashley struggled privately with addiction and suicidal ideation before choosing sobriety on August 14, 2020.

This episode covers:

Functional alcoholism, Comparing your drinking to others, Mommy wine culture, Faith and recovery, Self-forgiveness

If you feel like you “should know better” but can’t stop, this conversation will resonate.

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In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Phillip Barbb shares how a DUI at 22 became the turning point that led to 18 years of sobriety. This is a powerful conversation about alcohol addiction, anxiety, grief, and long-term recovery.

Phillip opens up about using alcohol to silence anxiety, growing up under pressure, and how ego and perfectionism kept him stuck. What started as drinking to cope eventually led to arrests and legal consequences — and ultimately a decision to quit drinking for good.

We discuss:

• DUI and the wake-up call that changed everything

• Alcoho...

From Casual Drinking to Liver Failure: Jacob’s Story of Alcoholic Cirrhosis, Sobriety, and Second Chances

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Jacob shares his powerful journey from a normal upbringing and moderate drinking to developing alcoholic liver cirrhosis after a slow, 10-year descent into alcohol dependency.

Growing up in Wisconsin with a loving family, sports, and strong values, Jacob never saw alcohol as dangerous. Drinking started socially and casually — a beer here, wine at dinner, fun with friends. But as stress increased through marriage, business responsibilities, and parenting, alcohol quietly shifted from cele...

Alcohol didn’t crash into Antoine’s life — it slowly became normal.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Antoine shares how drinking started at just 12 years old, was reinforced through culture, school, and social life, and quietly followed him for three decades. From boarding school overseas where alcohol was normalized, to college, hospitality, and years of “functioning” drinking, his story shows how easy it is to miss the warning signs when everyone around you is doing the same thing.

We talk about the pressure to fit in, living with ADHD, blackouts that were brushed of...

Derek shares a raw, unforgettable sobriety story: growing up in a chaotic home, learning early that alcohol was “dangerous,” and still getting pulled into a cycle of binge drinking, DUIs, and arrests. He opens up about the restaurant industry drinking culture, people-pleasing, shame, and how secrecy (“what happens in this house stays in this house”) fueled isolation.

Eventually, alcohol dependence escalated to 25–30 beers per day, severe withdrawal, grand mal seizures, and DTs, leading to hospitalization and a medically critical turning point. Learn how he turns it all around.

We also talk about Derek’s book The Dog Bowl...

“How do I get sober?”

It’s the most common question people ask when they’re struggling with alcohol — and it’s a fair one. But in this solo episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad challenges the idea that how is the real problem.

Instead, he offers a powerful reframe drawn from 16 years of personal recovery and 14 years of supporting people in sobriety:

👉 The real question isn’t how do I get sober — it’s what are you willing to do to get sober and stay sober?

In this honest and reflective episod...

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Destiny for a raw and powerful conversation about addiction, recovery, and the moment everything changed.

Destiny grew up carrying responsibility far too young, learned early how to survive chaos, and spent years believing she was “different” — that addiction wouldn’t take her where it had taken others in her life. What started as partying slowly escalated into something much darker, affecting her relationships, her identity, and her ability to show up as a mother.

A near-fatal overdose became a turning point — not because someone fo...

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Nicole to share a powerful and honest sobriety story. Nicole grew up in California in a home affected by alcoholism, struggled with anxiety and a deep sense of not belonging, and discovered early that alcohol could instantly change the way she felt. What started as weekend drinking eventually became daily drinking, secrecy, relationship chaos, and escalating consequences.

Nicole opens up about how she used alcohol for energy, confidence, and relief—until it stopped working and her life hit a devastating turning point in Jul...

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Ashton to talk about sobriety, party culture, and what happens when alcohol becomes tied to identity, confidence, and belonging.

Ashton shares how growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa normalized drinking as a “rite of passage,” and how a chaotic childhood shaped his ability to adapt—but also made real attachment and emotional safety difficult. He opens up about using alcohol and cocaine to socialize, manage anxiety, and feel confident—until the consequences caught up.

This conversation goes deep into shame, anger, trauma, public backlash...

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Tanya to talk about what it really looks like to get sober and stay sober when your journey isn’t linear.

Tanya shares how she grew up with a stable home and little exposure to alcohol—but still struggled with insecurity, belonging, and wanting to feel “cool,” which made alcohol feel like the solution. What started as binge drinking and partying progressed into DUIs, escalating consequences, and the painful truth many people discover: once the addiction wiring is there, moderation feels like torture.

Thi...

Gray Area Drinking, Binge Drinking, Alcoholism, Alcohol Use Disorder or Problem Drinking? How Do You Know When Alcohol Is the Issue.

In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Brad sits down with Shaz to share a raw and honest story of alcohol's role, blackouts, secret drinking, and pandemic-era daily drinking. This conversation is for anyone who doesn’t see themselves as fitting with a label, but still feels uneasy about their relationship with alcohol.

Shaz walks through how alcohol shifted from social use to binge drinking, how gray area drinking quietly escalated, and how se...

In the final episode of 2025, Brad sits down with Brian, who share's a raw and honest sobriety story that spans decades.

Brian opens up about growing up in Spokane, Washington surrounded by alcoholism, violence, and instability — and how hockey became his escape. As a teenager, alcohol quickly became more than “weekend fun,” turning into blackout drinking, fights, arrests, and a dangerous spiral that ended in a moment that forced everything to change.

Brian shares what finally made him ask for help, why leaving his environment was a key part of getting sober, and what it took t...