gray area drinking

In this conversation with "Gray Area" Coach, Speaker, and Corporate Trainer, Kari Schwear, we learn how increased alcohol consumption can sneak up on us, moving into the abuse phase before we even realize it. We talk about the importance of paying attention to any internal questions and the dialogue we have with ourselves, urging us to "question the drink" rather than ignore it.

Kari sheds light on the "gray area" of drinking, a space where many find themselves between social drinking and severe abuse. With six stages of change, she guides us from contemplation to preparation, urging us to find our own "enough." It's a crucial mission, as 50% of alcohol consumers fall into this gray area.

We discuss the benefits of being sober or alcohol-free, which are MANY!  So, if you've ever questioned your drinking, remember, you're not alone, and it's okay not to be okay – start the conversation.

Find Kari at her website: www.graytonic.com

Interested in working on your gray areas in DECIDE 90? Email Kari directly at  kari@graytonic.com

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Are you sober-curious but you don't have a problem with alcohol? Typically, the message we get in our society is that you only stop drinking IF you have a problem with it. My guest today, Amanda Kuda, decided to stop drinking, not because she had a problem with alcohol, but because she understood that alcohol was dulling her potential and getting in the way of her living her best life! I absolutely love Amanda and her incredible story and you will too! 

TODAY'S GUEST:
Amanda Kuda is an alcohol-free lifestyle expert. She’s a holistic life coach, speaker and author living, working and playing in Austin, TX. As a coach, Amanda helps ambitious, soul-centered women stop drinking and start manifesting the life they deserve and desire.

She teaches a modern approach to personal development, self-actualization and spiritual enlightenment through the lens of elective sobriety. Amanda’s first book, Unbottled Potential: Break Up With Alcohol And Break Through To Your Best Life is out now (Penguin Random House / Avery) 

Website: https://amandakuda.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandakuda/
Book - Unbottled Potential: https://amzn.to/3MTmW2S
Quiz - Are You A Comfort Zone Drinker: https://amandakuda.com/quiz
Free Mini-Course - Awakened without Alcohol: https://amandakuda.podia.com/awakened-without-alcohol-free-series

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A few years ago, I took a 90-day break from alcohol that changed my life. 

You know what was the hardest part? The social events!

I was dating, so that felt super terrifying and vulnerable.

I traveled and stayed with family for a few days, which is always kind of stressful. (Not because they aren't lovely, but because my nervous system gets really jangled when I don't have my own space.)

I usually meet my friend at the same brewery to catch up, and we kept that tradition all through my break. 

I didn't have a work trip or a wedding during that time. But if I did, it would have felt like the final exam. The PhD defense.

So if you're taking a break from drinking (or cutting back or quitting), this episode is for you!

(In fact, you can use it for any behavioral change you're making that really challenges your brain.)

In this episode, I'm going to walk you through some tips to prepare you ahead of time for drinky social events where you plan to be dry.

And then I'll actually lead you through a self-hypnosis template you can use to practice being different in that situation (and also anticipate how awesome it's going to feel after).

Enjoy!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Dr. Higgins’ Story
• Is addiction genetic?
• The fascinating discoveries of epigenetics
• How to work with your DNA
• How trauma changes our physiology
• The relationship between mental health challenges & addition
• How to get tested

Founder and CEO of Wired For Addiction®, Dr. Evelyn Higgins is a recognized international expert in the epidemiology of addiction.  As a Certified Addictionologist, Diplomate of the American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders, and Diplomate of the American Board of Disability Analysts specializing in pain management, Dr. Higgins has had the honor of advising the U.S. Surgeon General, producing and hosting a Gracie Award winning nationally syndicated health and wellness terrestrial radio program, and serving as a 1996 Olympic Team Doctor and Olympic torch bearer. 
 
With 35 years in clinical practice, Dr. Higgins has designated over 16 years to Research and Development in the science of addiction recovery. A TEDx Speaker (her TEDx Talk can be found here), panelist at the 2022 International Society of Substance Use Professionals Annual Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the 2022 International Gambling Conference in Auckland, New Zealand, and a 2021 Nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Innovators in Healthcare, Dr. Higgins finds herself at the nexus of epigenetics, neuroscience, and addiction.

To learn more, visit: https://www.wiredforaddiction.com/

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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment

In this episode, we discuss:

• Donny’s addiction recovery journey
• Recovering from relapse
• Small shifts that amount to big change
• Redefining success in recovery
• Being of service
• Embracing vulnerability 
• Pain as part of the shared human experience
• The power of community

Donny Starkins is an international yoga instructor, mindfulness teacher, speaker, personal development coach and host of the Comeback Stories podcast. As a former D1 Baseball player, his journey into mindfulness and personal Development started after seven knee operations and an addiction to pain killers. He has been sober for over 10 years and now helps others get unstuck, find purpose, and live a more present life.

See the links below to connect with Donny and learn more about his work:

Website: https://donnystarkins.com/
Instagram: @donny_starkins
Podcast: Comeback Stories

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To join the Sun & Moon Community Membership: https://sunandmoonsoberliving.com/membership/

Follow on IG @sunandmoon.soberliving
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment

In this episode, we discuss:

• Addiction in the family
• People-pleasing & perfectionism 
• The “hole in the soul”
• Ash’s experience in rehab
• How to live authentically
• The benefits of yoga & meditation 
• Finding the right guidance & support

Ashleigh Butterss is a well-being mentor and the creator and host of Behind The Smile – a recovery podcast designed to expose and remove the stigma around mental health, trauma and addiction.

After making the decision to get sober in 2020, Ash set out on a mission, quitting her corporate job and diving deeply into the world of self-development and recovery. Her mission is to smash through the stereotype that surrounds addiction and to help people live a fulfilled life connected to their purpose. 

Website: https://www.ashbutterss.com/ 
Instagram: @ashbutterss
Podcast: Behind the Smile
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Follow on IG @sunandmoon.soberliving
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment

Kari Schwear is an Executive Lifestyle Gray Area Coach specializing in the many gray areas we have in our lives. Her zone of genius is in habit creation, communication, intentional living, and leadership development.

As a former gray area drinker, Kari founded GrayTonic, and Question the Drink, in 2018 after her own experience of “living in the gray” led her to the service of others. She offers bespoke coaching for business leaders seeking wellness, peak performance, and thriving relationships without alcohol. Kari has also co-authored two anthology books, The Successful Mind, along with her second book, Limitless, a WSJ #1 Bestseller.

Website: https://www.graytonic.com/
Free E-Guide on Self-Regulation: https://graytonic.kartra.com/page/10Ways
Free mini-course, Think Through the Drink: https://www.graytonic.com/tttd/

Free private Facebook Group, Question the Drink: https://www.facebook.com/groups/quest...

Social Media Platforms:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karischwear/
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Allow me to introduce you to Jen Butler.  She is a self-proclaimed imperfectionist, who wanted to reach some of her own personal goals, but she knew deep down that her wine habit was going to hold her back from being successful.  

Removing alcohol is a courageous act of self-care, and she made the decision at the end of 2017 to hand sauvignon blanc a pink slip and started her sober journey.  Jen wants to help other women find their joy in a sober curious or sober serious life through 1:1 and group coaching.

This wife, mom, and kick boxing enthusiast has a fun and refreshingly self-deprecating approach that makes her a relatable and true supportive partner for women wanting to go alcohol-free.   Her BYOB (Build Your Own Break) 31 Day self-paced, online course is a great place to start!

Gray area drinking is a term often-used these days, but how exactly is it defined?  

1. You silently worry and fret about your drinking.
2. You aren't drinking one glass of champagne at a party a few times a year, nor have you hit rock bottom.
3. You can stop drinking and have done so - maybe even for weeks at a time, but you easily fall back into your old habits.
4. People around you don't see that you have a problem with drinking, but it still creates anxiety for you. 
5. You've lost count how many times you've woken and said to yourself, "Never again. I can't keep drinking like this."

In this episode Jen Butler and I discuss:
- The catalyst for making the decision to go alcohol-free
- How chronicling her journey on social media kept her accountable
- Resources she used to stay on track
- The first things she noticed both physical and emotional when she quit drinking
- Her thoughts on moderation
- Why she became a sobriety coach

Check out Jen's engaging and motivating social media at https://www.instagram.com/jenbutlercoach/ 

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Have you ever felt trapped in a cycle of alcohol consumption, feeling like you're in a 'grey area' where your drinking might be more than just casual, but you're not sure where to turn for help? Are you looking for an effective, self-managed technique that can help you alleviate stress and anxiety without resorting to a glass of wine or a pint of beer?

In this episode of the me&my health up podcast, hosted by clinical nutritionist and lifestyle medicine specialist Anthony Hartcher, reveals a transformative method to deal with these challenges. In an engaging conversation with Alcohol-Free Lifestyle Coach, Cindy Johnston, the power of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is explored. Inspired by traditional Chinese medicine, EFT or 'tapping' offers a practical and efficient approach to manage stress, anxiety, and even help reduce alcohol cravings. So, if you're ready to take control of your health and well-being, tune in to this episode and discover how EFT can change your life.
 
Watch the video of our interview here:
 Break Free from Alcohol Addiction with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) | Cindy Johnston  https://youtu.be/MeTFpn9jTHw

About Cindy Johnston TLCC:  

• Dip. Life Coaching 
• Specialist Grey Area Drinking (GAD) Coach  
• Jolene Park GAD Master Coach  
• Accredited, Certified EFT Practitioner (EFT International)  
• Reiki Level 2  
• Conscious Hypnosis, NLP Practitioner 

Connect with Cindy Johnston TLCC:
 
Website: https://soulsobriety.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulSobrietyCoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soul.sobriety_coaching/ 

About me&my health up & Anthony Hartcher 

me&my health up seeks to enhance and enlighten the well-being of others. Host Anthony Hartcher is the CEO of me&my health up which provides holistic health solutions using food as medicine, combined with a holistic, balanced, lifestyle approach. Anthony holds three bachelor's degrees in Complementary Medicine; Nutrition and Dietetic Medicine; and Chemical Engineering.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Podcast Disclaimer
Any information, advice, opinions or statements within it do not constitute medical, health care or other professional advice, and are provided for general information purposes only. All care is taken in the preparation of the information in this Podcast. [Connected Wellness Pty Ltd] operating under the brand of “me&my health up”..click here for more

In this episode, we discuss;

• What is dissociation?
• Ways we all dissociate 
• The relationship between trauma, addiction and dissociation
• Practices for grounding and safety
• Exploring various pathways to healing
• Removing the stigma
• The gifts of dissociation 
• Resources

Dr. Jamie Marich (she/they) describes herself as a facilitator of transformative experiences. A clinical trauma specialist, expressive artist, writer, yogini, performer, short filmmaker, Reiki master, TEDx speaker, and recovery advocate, she unites all of these elements in her mission to inspire healing in others. She began her career as a humanitarian aid worker in Bosnia-Hercegovina from 2000-2003, primarily teaching English and music while freelancing with other projects. Jamie travels internationally teaching on topics related to trauma, EMDR therapy, expressive arts, mindfulness, and yoga, while maintaining a private practice and online education operations in her home base of Warren, OH. Jamie is the author of numerous books on trauma recovery and healing, with many more projects in the works. Marich is the founder of The Institute for Creative Mindfulness.

To connect with Jamie and learn more about her work, visit:

Jamie's Website: https://www.drjamiemarich.com/
Dissociation Made Simple Book Website: https://redefinetherapy.com/
Instagram: @drjamiem

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For free resources, group and 1:1 coaching to support your sober journey, visit sunandmoonsoberliving.com and follow @sunandmoon.soberliving on Instagram.

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 

Jen Butler, MBA, CPC, CPRC, SRCD, spent a decade as a stay-at-home mom before becoming a Certified Professional Life and Recovery Coach and SHE RECOVERS® Coach. To cope with the rollercoaster of motherhood and enabled by wine mom culture, Jen was stuck in the fog of gray area drinking until 2018.

As a coach, she provides connection and accountability – the very keys that helped her start her own journey to alcohol freedom – to gray area and heavy drinkers who struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, and overwhelm. Jen empowers her clients to create change, nix negative self-talk, rediscover self-trust, and live with authentic purpose. A graduate of Brown University and the University of Cambridge (UK), Jen lives in Chappaqua, NY with her husband, two children, and three dogs.

In this episode, our team member Kelly Fitzgerald Junco has a lively conversation with Jen all about the perils of mommy wine culture, Jen's definition of gray area drinking, and how we can reach more people in these populations who may need help. Jen speaks about recovering from perfectionism and the benefits of helping women as a Coach.

Find Jen Butler on the web here >> https://www.joyinduring.com/

The SHE RECOVERS FOUNDATION is a grassroots movement and non-profit public charity with a community of women in or seeking recovery from substance use disorders, behavioral health issues and/or life challenges. This lifeline organization connects women through its virtual platforms and in-person community networks, provides resources and supports women to develop their own holistic recovery patchworks, and empowers them to thrive and share their successes. All efforts are designed to end the stigma and shame often associated with recovery so that more women may heal and grow.

SHE RECOVERS has launched a partnership with BetterHelp to provide accessible and individualized mental health therapy to those seeking healing. We are honored to offer our listeners a 35% discount on the first month of therapy at BetterHelp until December 31, 2022. Register at betterhelp.com/srf.

SHE RECOVERS is grateful to BetterHelp for making a $30,000 donation in support of our mission in 2022. Find out more and donate here: https://sherecovers.org/

In this episode, Bella shares her personal story which lead to her becoming an alcohol free woman and a This Naked Mind Certified Coach.    Bella's story addresses her experiences with alcohol in her legal career, in becoming a mum and step-mum and how she leapt into mummy wine culture with wild abandonment only to hit rock bottom and end up with a wake-up call in rehab.  Bella opens up about the 4 themes that have been ever present in her life involving confidence, finding her tribe, her voice and anxiety which she believes she drank alcohol to overcome but which she then had to deal with head-on in order to successfully become alcohol free.  Bella is the founder and counsellor and coach of Isabella Ferguson Counselling & Coaching.  She supports women in mid-life and parents and teenagers in relation to issues involving alcohol, life balance and diet culture. 

Bella can be found at: https://isabellaferguson.com.au and welcomes all enquiries.
Instagram: @letstalkalcoholaustralia
Instagram: @kidsandalcohol

MEG & BELLA

Megan Webb: https://glassfulfilled.com.au
Instagram: @glassfulfilled

Isabella Ferguson: https://isabellaferguson.com.au
Instagram: @alcoholandstresswithisabella
Instagram: @kidsandalcohol

SoberSis founder Jenn Kautsch explains how millions of women are stuck in the "detox-retox loop" and are "gray-area drinking" their way through life. My conversation with Jenn dives into these topics and explains how her online program - "The 21-Day Resent" - has helped thousands of sisters kick the loop, and live a sober-minded life.  Join the SoberSis 21-Day Reset Now

Jenn's Bio: I'm Jenn (aka SoberSis). I'm a new empty-nester and people ask me all the time what I'm going to do in this next season of my life. Well, you're looking at it. I feel passionate about making it safe for women to have a conversation about alcohol without judgment, labels, or rules. 

I'm a retired "grey area" drinker. Around the middle of my 40's, I was tired, feeling stuck on auto-pilot, and ready for a change. I didn't want to enter the big 5-0 the way I did 40. I took a closer look at my life. My health...mental, physical, and spiritual. I began to find out ways to have more energy, better sleep, and really stay present in my own life. I began to realize wine wasn't doing me any real favors. In fact, it was undoing a lot of my hard work during the day (I call it the detox just to retox loop). It had also become like an emotional crutch to lean on during times of anxiety or even boredom! 

So, I started the 21-day reset for women because I wanted to share what I have learned and experienced first hand. Currently, over 2,000 women from all over the world have participated. We're more of sisterhood, and a real community of women pursuing being present and sober-minded. Each person has the opportunity and space to renegotiate their relationship with alcohol. We are not a sobriety club although many of us do choose to enjoy an alcohol-free lifestyle. 

I've spent time taking a break from drinking without having to use willpower or feeling deprived. In fact, I'd say it has turned into more of a mindful lifestyle. Learning the science behind what my body/mind was experiencing has empowered me to make different choices. It's like I was living a somewhat divided life, constantly feeling in conflict and stuck in an internal tug-of-war. God really brought me freedom by bringing together the mind-body-spirit connection so I could live a more wholehearted life. 

That's how I want to live as I get closer to my 50's and beyond. Produced by K-Line Media Group

Join the SoberSis 21-Day Reset Now

Download the Free Survival Guide   

SoberSis Links: Free Video Series

Follow on Facebook and Instagram @sobersis 

In this episode I want to talk you through a way to think about these moments and share tips to help you navigate them in a way that help you move towards the new relationship you want to have with alcohol. 

For support taking what you are learning here head over to JumpseatCoaching.com

In today's episode Lorna, a fellow This Naked Mind Sr. Certified Coach, and I share her story. Her ups and downs with attempting to exit the cycle as well as how she exited the cycle. 

Listen in to this story because it will help you. You'll learn you aren't alone. You'll discover possibility and hope. 

Lorna believes that each of us has a yearning to be fulfilled, a desire to feel safe and strong in the decisions we make, and a right to find a ‘clarity of purpose’ as we move through our lives. Through her own life experiences Lorna learned first-hand what alcohol can do to your body, mind and spirit.

For support exiting the cycle of drinking, over drink shame or regret reach out to either one of us.

Connect with Lorna here: LornaWilsonCoaching.com

Connect with Debi here: JumpseatCoaching.com