Confident Sober Women

AA Skepticism Is A Real Thing In Long-Term Recovery w/Arlina Allen

Shelby Episode 163

Did you get sober using a 12 step program or are you an AA skeptic?


While she was getting sober and in the midst of a series of lost relationships Arlina found some people at work who were also living alcohol free and ushered her into a twelve step program.

Arlina embraced her twelve step program as a “very pragmatic process for sorting out her baggage and gave her an opportunity to redefine what spirituality was to her.”

 Arlina layered on her program things like therapy and personal development to continue to feed her desire to grow.  There is plenty of space for this and does not mean you "aren't in AA",  you are simply growing in long-term recovery.

We talked about the scientific addiction to substances as well as the lies we believe about what those substances do for us. There was a real identity shift for Arlina from being what she perceived as young and fun when she was drinking and her thought was not the fun was over.

We also went over establishing healthy habits as a way to build self-trust. She likes the idea of tiny commitments to create sustainable change.  

There are many hangups people have with AA. One of the major one is the people. Arlina breaks down the typical barriers that people get hung up on about the twelve step programs.

Arlina Allen is a Certified Recovery Coach (IAPRC), Certified Hypnotist CH, the Founder of Sober Life School, and host of the award winning recovery podcast "The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast" with over 300 episodes. She helps busy women quit drinking and create a life they love!

You can find more about her on her, including her book due out this year, www.soberlifeschool.com

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Oh, and by the way, if you didn’t know, my program Sober Freedom Transformation is now open! It is for women who have been sober for a year to many and are ready to discover who they want to be in long term sobreity, develop confidence and improve their relationships.

If you aren't part of the Confident Sober Women Facebook group, it's a great place to be. There are over a thousand other sober women there building lives they don't want to escape from. Come on over and join us.

And if you haven't read my memoir, grab a copy today and maybe a second one for a friend. There is so much hope in recovery, and I shared my story so raw and vulnerably so that others would know they aren't alone and that there is a way to live well, manage relationships, parent your kids, and have a healthy body, all while staying sober. Grab a copy of Recovering in Recovery: The Life-Changing Joy of Sobriety wherever books are sold.