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Confident Sober Women
Join Shelby John, sober since July 1, 2002, for empowering conversations on the Confident Sober Women podcast with women who've found joy and confidence in their alcohol and drug-free lives.
This show is a rally cry for empathetic, resilient, and wisdom-seeking women dedicated to building a life you don't want to escape from after that crucial first year of a sober lifestyle.
Discover how to:
· Build unshakable confidence in your sober life
· Break free from societal drinking norms
· Overcome the shame cycle and emotional numbing
· Resist the glamorized, over-hyped social influences around alcohol
· Create a pure and joyful life beyond recovery
Hear inspiring stories and practical advice on:
· Healing trauma
· Mindful parenting in recovery
· Optimizing physical and mental health
· Building a new, empowered identity
· Transforming your life beyond substance abuse recovery
We dive deep into questions like "Who am I now?" and "How do I pursue my heart's desires?", taking the intimidation out of sobriety and showcasing how to thrive in long-term recovery. This is truly a space for women supporting women in this modern recovery era.
New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now for weekly inspiration on your journey to becoming one of the happiest sober women, free from the cool crowd's pressure to drink.
Please leave a review if you love the show, it helps us on the mission to make the Confident Sober Women community a household name.
Episodes
236 episodes
Healing After Loss: Reclaiming Yourself Through Trauma, Boundaries, and Emotional Sobriety
Some stories stay with you, not because they’re dramatic, but because they’re honest.In this conversation, Shelby sits down with Vivian Moyo, a trauma-informed life coach, to talk about what it really means to heal after deep loss. Vivia...
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Emotional Sobriety, Not Labels: Redefining Recovery for High-Achieving Women
What if sobriety is less about labels and more about how you live, think, and feel each day?In this episode, Shelby sits down with transformation coach Heather Simco to talk about a more honest and grounded approach to recovery. With ov...
Beyond Sobriety: Colette Baron-Reid on Healing, Humility, and Long-Term Recovery
In this episode of Confident Sober Women, Shelby sits down with Colette Baron-Reid for an honest conversation about what long-term sobriety really looks like in real life.With more than 40 years of sobriety, Colette shares her experienc...
Losing Everything and Finding Your Voice with Sarah Barnes Humphrey
In this episode of Confident Sober Women, Shelby sits down with entrepreneur, podcast host, and author Sarah Barnes Humphrey for a conversation about identity, resilience, and rebuilding life after everything falls apart....
What 29 Years of Sobriety Teaches About Nervous System Healing
In this episode of Confident Sober Women, Shelby sits down with recovery advocate and mindfulness teacher Lane Kennedy for an honest conversation about long-term sobriety, nervous system regulation, and what it really takes to build a ...
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Finding Humor, Belonging, and Emotional Sobriety with Carly Schwartz
In this episode of Confident Sober Women, Shelby sits down with writer and journalist Carly Schwartz to talk about addiction, emotional sobriety, and the complicated path to recovery.Carly is a former editor in chief of the San Francisco...
Why Sobriety Is Just the Beginning of Healing
In this solo episode of Confident Sober Women, Shelby John returns after a period of personal and professional growth to share what’s evolving in her life, her work, and the direction of the podcast.Shelby opens up about a seaso...
From Rock Bottom to Recovery: Beth McDonough on Accountability, Trauma, and Staying Sober
In this episode of the Confident Sober Women podcast, Shelby John sits down with Beth McDonough, a former television crime reporter with more than 30 years of experience covering major news stories across the United States.Beth shares he...
The Hidden Scandal in America’s Rehab System with Shoshana Walter
In this eye-opening episode of The Confident Sober Women podcast, host Shelby John sits down with award-winning investigative journalist Shoshana Walter, author of Rehab: An American Scandal. Together, they uncov...
Turning Trauma into Transformation: Renae Van Roekel’s Journey from Prison to Purpose
Today, I sit down with Renae Van Roekel, founder of Connecting to Cope, to explore the journey from childhood trauma and people-pleasing to accountability, healing, and helping others. If you’ve ever felt stuck under shame, guil...
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From Functional Alcoholism to $100M Business Owner: Meg Gluth's Sober Success Story
Join host Shelby John as she sits down with Meg Gluth, a confident sober woman, successful business owner, and advocate for long-term recovery. In this inspiring episode, Meg shares her transformative journey from struggling with alcohol as a c...
Navigating Life's Transitions: 5 Essential Tools for Recovery
Join host Shelby John as she shares powerful strategies for navigating transition times in sobriety. Whether you're dealing with back-to-school stress, seasonal changes, or major life shifts, this episode provides actionable tools to help you t...
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From Suicidal to 27 Years Sober: The Brutal Truth About What Really Works in Recovery
In this episode of the Confident Sober Women Podcast, host Shelby sits down with Emily Sayre Smith, author of "Smartass Memoir of a Mouthy Girl," for an honest conversation about hitting rock bottom and finding redemption through sobriety.<...
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Get Unstuck: Brain Training For Healing After Sobriety
You’ve been sober for a while now, maybe a year, maybe several, but emotionally, mentally, even physically, you still don’t quite feel like yourself.You’ve done the therapy. You’ve worked the steps. You know all the tools. And y...
Transforming Your Recovery: Overcoming Perfectionism's Grip
Dr. Vanessa Klugman shares her powerful 10-year recovery story, revealing how perfectionism and people-pleasing led to prescription drug addiction that cost her medical license. Discover the evidence-based tools she used to transform her inner ...
Spirit-Led Recovery: Finding Freedom Through Faith
Episode Highlights: Paulette Kengg, 67, shares her powerful transformation from a "take it or leave it" drinker to alcohol addiction in her mid-50s, and her ultimate freedom through faith-based recovery. After battling chronic insomnia f...
Emotional Regulation: The Missing Piece in Your Recovery Journey
Feeling Drained Even in Sobriety? Here's Why (And What to Do About It)You got sober. You did the hard work. So why do you still feel completely emotionally exhausted?In this powerful episode of Confident Sober Wo...
Slender for Good: Sustainable Nutrition Over Dieting
In this transformative episode of the Confident Sober Women podcast, Dr. Ginny Trierweiler unveils a deeply personal and scientifically-backed journey of health transformation that will challenge everything you thought you knew about die...
Master Your Emotions: Unlock Calmness in Sobriety Today
In this powerful episode of Confident Sober Women, host Shelby welcomes Julie Bloom, a recovery coach and mental health trainer who shares her inspiring 7-year sobriety journey that began with an unexpected "gift of illness."Episo...
Rewire Your Brain: Practical and Therapeutic Tools For Calming Anxiety in Sobriety
Why You're Always Anxious (And How To Regulate Your Nervous System) Welcome back to The Confident Sober Women Podcast! I’m your host, Shelby John, sober therapist, EMDR therapist, and fellow woman in re...
Breaking Free: Modern Sobriety Paths That Lead To Self-Actualization
In this insightful conversation, Shelby welcomes Amanda Kuda, author of "Unbottled Potential," to discuss different pathways to sobriety and the importance of finding what resonates with you personally.Amanda shares her journey to sobrie...
Rebuilding What Addiction Broke: A Mother's Journey to Reconnection
Rebuilding What Addiction Broke: A Conversation with Janice Johnson DowdIn this powerful episode of the Confident Sober Women podcast, we're joined by Janice Johnson Dowd, author of "Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery." As...
Breaking the Cycle: Sobriety, Boundaries, and Recovery
Maura Casey opens a window into her 39-year sobriety journey with raw honesty and gentle wisdom. As a journalist who worked for prestigious publications like The New York Times and Hartford Courant, Maura's story reveals how professional succes...
The Secret Life of a Sober Professional: Journey to Authenticity
What happens when we finally stop hiding and embrace our authentic selves? For Margie Schaller, living with secret sobriety for 18.5 years came at a significant personal cost—until one transformative moment changed everything. Margie's ...
Reinvent Your Life: Gail Taylor Turns Addiction Into Music
In this powerful episode of the Confident Sober Women Podcast, Shelby welcomes Gail Taylor, a recovery advocate, keynote speaker, and musician who shares her inspiring journey from childhood addiction to successful reinvention.Episode Hi...
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