Alcohol Free Superpowers

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“What happens when the family rules are: look good, don’t talk, and keep the peace — even when everything inside you is falling apart?”

In this week’s AF Superpowers episode, Coach Allie Clark (@soberdreamteam) shares the first half of her powerful sobriety story. From the outside, she was the fun, high-achieving, straight-A kid. Inside, she was carrying trauma, fear, and family dynamics she couldn’t name until decades later.

Allie walks us through losing her mom at 20, the traumatic Thanksgiving that rewired her nervous system, and how wine became her way to survive emotions she didn’t understand. She opens up about motherhood, panic attacks, the Joplin tornado, mixing Xanax and alcohol, and the moment she realized, “This could be me and my kids.”

Part 1 ends at the turning point — the day she finally surrendered and agreed to medical detox.

We explore:

• Why perfectionism and silence can keep you stuck for years
• How early trauma shapes drinking long before you notice
• The moment alcohol shifted from “fun” to emotional escape
• Grief, guilt, and the Thanksgiving blackout she repeated for 16 years
• Motherhood, panic, and daily wine creeping into the routine
• How Xanax and alcohol intertwined in a dangerous cycle
• Emotional flashbacks, breakdowns, and the wake-up moment
• The intervention that changed everything

🎧 Part 2 drops in early December! 

Key Moments

00:01 — Early drinking rules and first blackout
 01:18 — Telling her story and breaking generational cycles
 02:44 — Connecting trauma and drinking
 03:48 — Complex PTSD diagnosis
 05:00 — Family rules and silence
 06:49 — Her mom’s cancer diagnosis
 08:13 — Guilt and emotional overload
 09:22 — The call: “I think this is it.”
 13:41 — The moment alcohol becomes relief
 14:31 — Thanksgiving trauma and blackout coping
 19:26 — Motherhood and panic attacks
 23:27 — Joplin tornado and escalating symptoms
 25:13 — Xanax, wine, and survival mode
 27:15 — Holiday breakdowns
 29:52 — “This could be me and my kids.”
 31:31 — Intervention in the closet
 32:38 — The boundary
 32:53 — Saying yes to medical detox (end of Part 1)

Connect with Allie:

Instagram: @soberdreamteam

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What really happens inside a relationship when one partner decides to stop drinking and the other doesn’t?

In this AF Superpowers episode, Jenn sits down with Coach Jaime Andersen (@amazinglyalcoholfree) for a candid and relatable conversation on partners, drinking dynamics, emotional triggers, and the work required to stay aligned when alcohol is no longer shared.

Jaime shares her own story of waking up hungover on July 5th, 2022, realizing she was wasting her life, and committing to a 30-day break that turned into over three years alcohol-free. She opens up about her husband Luke’s drinking journey, how his relationship with alcohol naturally shifted, and what it looked like to rebuild a nearly 20-year relationship that had been centered around drinking.

Topics covered include:
 • What to do when your partner still drinks
 • How to communicate your “why” without judgment
 • Setting boundaries that actually work
 • Navigating triggers when someone drinks around you
 • Creating a sober sanctuary at home
 • Driving separately when it protects your peace
 • How to model the change instead of forcing it
 • Why different choices don’t mean the relationship is doomed
 • Building new forms of connection and fun
 • How sobriety strengthened Jaime’s marriage and communication

This episode is for anyone navigating sobriety inside a relationship, whether your partner drinks regularly, occasionally, or not at all. Change is possible even when you are the only one changing.

Key Moments:
00:27 – Why partners and drinking is such a big topic
00:59 – Jaime’s drinking history with her husband
01:49 – The moment she knew she had to take a break
03:10 – How her husband’s drinking naturally decreased
04:29 – Rebuilding their routine after 20 years of drinking together
05:16 – Why this is one of the hardest challenges for women
06:08 – Communicating without blame or judgment
06:55 – The “Boundary Sandwich” framework
08:00 – Creating a sober sanctuary
09:10 – Staying focused on your own growth
11:24 – How their relationship improved alcohol-free
12:59 – Dating sober and authentic connection
15:04 – Building new shared experiences
17:00 – Practical tools Jaime teaches clients

Connect with Coach Jaime:

•  Website 
•  Instagram

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•  Instagram

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What happens when the identity you’ve built is tied to drinking — but your life stops working while alcohol is still at the center?

In this episode, we’re joined by Joshua James, founder of Ocean Beach Café in San Francisco and creator of Josh the Non Alcoholic. After years in the restaurant and bar industry — from Hawaii to Alaska to New York — Josh built a career, a lifestyle, and a community deeply connected to alcohol. But behind the scenes were blackouts, lost jobs, burnout, and a growing awareness that something needed to change.

Josh shares how taking short breaks from drinking revealed who he could be without alcohol, why self-awareness alone wasn’t enough to quit, and how inpatient treatment, sober living, and community support reshaped the course of his life. He also opens up about what happened when he returned to drinking — and why quitting the second time was harder and more intentional.

We explore:

•  Identity, lifestyle, and drinking culture in hospitality
•  The difference between “knowing” and changing
•  Building a non-alcoholic bar and bottle shop before it was mainstream
•  The rise of the NA movement as part of a larger wellness shift
•  How environment shapes cravings and coping
•  What sobriety made possible in his creativity, business, and relationships

This is a story about clarity, courage, and choosing the life that actually supports who you want to become.

Key Moments

00:01 — Early drinking and restaurant culture
03:27 — Bartending, lifestyle identity, and escape
 06:02 — Breaks from drinking and glimpses of clarity
 08:45 — Inpatient treatment, community, and sobriety foundations
 09:36 — Building Josh the Non-Alcoholic + Ocean Beach Café
 12:09 — Burnout, leadership lessons, and delegation
 15:03 — Returning to drinking and the emotional consequence
 17:12 — Quitting again — and why it hit different
 20:03 — The non-alcoholic movement and cultural shift
 23:47 — Pushback from the wine industry
 29:07 — The documentary vision
 30:43 — The most surprising benefit of not drinking
 33:05 — Where to find Josh and get involved

Connect with Josh at: 

• YouTube 
• Personal Instagram 
• Ocean Beach Café Instagram 
• Website

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In today’s episode, we’re joined by Coach Ashley Howard (@coach_ashley88), a Mindset and Recovery Coach who helps women find sustainable wellness, confidence, and clarity through an alcohol-free lifestyle.

Ashley shares her journey from early experimentation and high-functioning drinking to finally choosing freedom, peace, and purpose. After years of holding it all together on the outside, she began working with a life coach, took short breaks from drinking, and ultimately made the decision to stop for good.

We talk about how sobriety reshaped her marriage, parenting, creativity, and career—and how she’s now using her platform to build community, support sober-curious women, and lead transformational wellness retreats. Ashley’s story is proof that you don’t need a rock-bottom moment to create lasting change—just the courage to start.

Key Moments:
00:25 – Ashley’s early experiences with alcohol
03:00 – Functioning success while quietly struggling
06:45 – The role of coaching and inner healing
08:30 – Sharing her story publicly for the first time
10:00 – Sobriety, creativity, and business clarity
13:00 – How going alcohol-free improved her marriage
15:30 – Parenting with presence and patience
16:40 – Creating sober-friendly wellness retreats
18:30 – Building community through education and support
22:00 – Nutrition, fitness, and sustainable wellness
25:40 – Why 30 days can change your life

Connect with Coach Ashley:
  Instagram: @coach_ashley88

Connect with us at:
afsuperpowers.com
@afsuperpowers

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What if stress isn’t just “in your head,” but a nervous system response your body is desperately trying to manage? 

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jen Bourgeois, a Doctor of Pharmacy, Integrative Health Practitioner, and Fellow of the American Institute of Stress. After over a decade in community pharmacy and experiencing personal burnout, she shifted her approach to focus on the root cause of stress, dysregulation, and what she calls “dis-ease.” 

We explore how stress truly works in the body, what triggers are and why they’re subjective, the nervous system’s green/yellow/red ladder, and how to bring more “glimmers” into your day for regulation and healing. Jen explains how alcohol creates a false sense of relief while actually increasing anxiety and keeping people stuck in dysregulation. She also shares steps for mapping your own stress patterns and choosing healthier coping strategies. 

Key Moments:
 00:22 – Jen’s background and burnout story
 06:15 – Alcohol, stress, and nervous system physiology
 07:53 – Mapping: stress switches, triggers, and coping
 09:25 – What triggers are and how the body remembers
 13:30 – Green (regulated), Yellow (fight/flight), Red (shutdown/burnout)
 18:02 – Regulation vs. dysregulation
 20:11 – “Glimmers” and how to return to calm
 22:52 – Boundaries, tolerance, and personal agency
 25:44 – Benefits of reducing alcohol on the nervous system
 30:21 – Mommy-wine culture and stress normalization
 33:13 – Setting boundaries without increasing stress 

Connect with Dr. Jen:

• Website: https://www.drjenbourgeois.com/
• Instagram: @drjenbourgeois
• LinkedIn: Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois 

Connect with us at:

• afsuperpowers.com
• @afsuperpowers

🎧 Listen, share, and subscribe to AF Super Powers for weekly stories, mindset tools, and real talk about living alcohol-free.

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In this powerful, relatable conversation, Heather Lowe of Ditch the Drink joins Jenn  to share how grief, anxiety, and a lifetime of “high-functioning” drinking led her to the moment she left a glass of wine half full and walked away from alcohol for good.

From her first drink at twelve to her final one at forty-two, Heather’s story shines a light on the quiet disconnection so many women carry behind perfect jobs, homes, and smiles. She opens up about the losses that broke her heart, the anxiety that fueled her drinking, and the night everything changed.

You’ll hear:
 • The moment she realized she was “high-hiding,” not high-functioning
 • How anxiety meds and alcohol collided in a dangerous way
 • What happened the night she left her wine glass half full
 • How she found healing through community (even as a self-proclaimed non-joiner)
 • Why fun is now one of her top sober values—and how sobriety made her life bigger

If you’ve ever looked like you had it all together on the outside while struggling quietly on the inside, this conversation will remind you—you’re not alone, and it’s never too late to begin again.

🎧 Tap play. Share it with the friend who’s questioning her relationship with alcohol. And follow AF Super Powers for more honest conversations that celebrate courage, connection, and the freedom to live life fully present.

Key Moments:
• [00:00] Heather’s first drink at twelve and growing up surrounded by alcohol
• [05:10] Grief, corporate culture, and drinking to cope
• [12:09] The “it’s just anxiety” diagnosis that made things worse
• [14:31] The Memorial Day wake-up call
• [16:01] Leaving the glass half full—the moment everything shifted
• [20:29] Building a new life and becoming a coach
• [24:26] The power of community for “non-joiners”
• [33:18] The surprising truth: sobriety is actually more fun

Resources Mentioned:

 • Heather Lowe: ditchthedrink.com
• Follow Heather: @ditchedthedrink

Connect with us at:

afsuperpowers.com

@afsuperpowers

Mentioned in this episode:

• International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches (IAPRC)
• Dare to Dream course for sober coaches and creators at ditchthedrink.com

🎧 Listen, share, and subscribe to AF Super Powers for weekly stories, mindset tools, and real talk about living alcohol-free.

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In this raw, relatable conversation, Kristen, Jaime, and Jenn unpack what it really takes to quit drinking when it's entangled with your identity, your relationships, your motherhood. And how to begin again—imperfectly, but powerfully.

You’ll hear:
• The heartbreaking moment Kristen realized she had to stop drinking
• How sobriety gave her marriage a second chance
• The ripple effect on her family—even the dog changed
• What she tells her daughter now about those painful years
• How she’s using her past to help other women rewrite their future

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to change, or what sobriety really looks like beyond the memes and mocktails—this is the episode you didn’t know you needed.

🎧 Tap play. Forward it to the friend who’s quietly struggling. And follow for more honest conversations that pull back the curtain on becoming who you’re meant to be.

Key Moments:
• [05:12] The day Kristen’s daughter found hidden wine bottles
• [14:47] Rebuilding trust in her marriage—starting with awkward sober dates
• [27:19] Navigating family and friendships when you’re the “only one” not drinking
• [33:57] How Kristen copes now when life gets heavy—without alcohol
• [36:26] Her biggest advice for women stuck in shame and silence

Resources Mentioned:

 • Kristen’s Coaching: mocktailsandmarathons.com
• Follow Kristen: @mocktailsandmarathons
• Related Episode: “Jenn x Jaime Andersen: How Motherhood Made Me Rethink My Drinking”
• Lighthouse Sobriety  (with Jen Hirst)

Connect with us at:

afsuperpowers.com

@afsuperpowers

@amazinglyalcoholfree ( Jaime Andersen )

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In this powerful conversation, Jenn sits down with Margy Schaller, co-founder of Sober Life Rocks, who shares her remarkable 20-year journey from secret drinking to secret sobriety - and finally to authentic living. Starting with her first drink at age 8 from her mother's endless scotch and water, Margy takes us through decades of functional alcoholism, a life-changing intervention, and the unexpected challenge of hiding her sobriety for nearly two decades.

Margy reveals the pivotal moment at a women's conference when she discovered 15% of the room didn't drink - people she knew well but had never shared this truth with. This realization sparked her mission to normalize sobriety and led to the creation of Amplify Sober Voices, a groundbreaking conference designed to help others find their voice in the alcohol-free space.

Whether you're questioning your relationship with alcohol, living authentically, or simply curious about breaking free from societal expectations, Margy's story offers profound insights into the power of showing up as your whole self.

Key Topics Discussed:

• First drink at age 8 and progression through college "chug champ" days
• Learning wine "etiquette" and the rule about finishing bottles being "respectful"
• Single motherhood and using alcohol to cope with divorce stress
• The wake-up call: crashing parents' car into telephone pole
• Family intervention disguised as "alcohol education weekend"
• 60 days at Betty Ford and the revelation: "What I lost was me"
• 18+ years of hiding sobriety in professional and social settings
• The corporate wine dinner dilemma and social anxiety without alcohol
• Conference revelation: 15% of women didn't drink but kept it secret
• Formation of Sober Life Rocks and mission to normalize sobriety
• Amplify Sober Voices conference (January 15, 2026, Orlando)
• From "high functioning" to realizing she was "barely hanging on"

Resources Mentioned:

• Sober Life Rocks: SoberLifeRocks.com
• Amplify Sober Voices Conference: AmplifySoberVoices.com
• Location: Orlando, FL - January 15, 2026 (includes full PodFest access)

Find Margy Schaller Here:

Instagram @margyschaller

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In this Jenn x Jaime AF Chat, host Jenn Reed sits down with co-host Jaime Andersen for a candid conversation about sober shaming - the judgment, comments, and social pressure people face when they choose not to drink. Both share raw, personal experiences of being on both sides of this issue, from distancing themselves from non-drinking friends to facing criticism and lost friendships after getting sober. They explore why sober shaming happens, discuss the impact it can have on people in early recovery, and offer practical tools for handling these challenging social situations. This honest discussion reveals how alcohol is so normalized in our culture that choosing sobriety can trigger uncomfortable reactions from others, and provides valuable insights for anyone navigating social situations without alcohol.

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Meet Mo, aka "Mocktail Mo," whose journey to alcohol-free living began not with recovery, but with a medical mystery that took years to solve. After experiencing severe illness that doctors couldn't properly diagnose, Mo discovered she had developed alcohol intolerance - a condition that completely changed her relationship with drinking and ultimately led to her calling as a non-alcoholic beverage consultant.

In this candid conversation, Mo shares how exclusion from traditional celebrations sparked her passion for creating inclusive drinking experiences, the surprising community she discovered in the alcohol-free space, and her mission to help restaurants and bars create thoughtful mocktail menus that go beyond "fancy soft drinks."

Key Topics Discussed

Mo's Medical Journey

• Years of unexplained severe illness after drinking
• Misdiagnosis and medical gaslighting
• The friend who finally helped solve the mystery
• Understanding alcohol intolerance vs. allergies

The Birth of Mocktail Mo

• Missing connection and celebration traditions
• The "wall of exclusion" that changed everything
• Learning to respect different approaches to sobriety
• Why some people prefer club soda and lime

The Alcohol-Free Industry

• Current state of restaurant mocktail offerings
• The difference between "fancy soft drinks" and true craft mocktails
• Working with establishments to improve their NA menus
• The challenge of solving problems restaurants don't know they have

Community and Connection

• The supportive alcohol-free community
• A powerful story about finding alcohol-removed wine during her mother's final days
• How restaurants can provide emotional support through inclusive menus

Memorable Quotes

"I was put in this place by fate"

"A very big wall of exclusion popped up for me of no, no, this is not for you"

"You cannot impose what you want on everybody"

"It felt like someone had thrown out a lifesaver to me personally"

"If you're interested in it, there's a reason that you are interested in it"

About Mo (Mocktail Mo)

Mo is a non-alcoholic beverage consultant and mocktail expert who became alcohol-free due to alcohol intolerance. She works with restaurants and bars to create elevated non-alcoholic drink experiences and is passionate about ensuring everyone can participate in celebration and connection, regardless of their drinking status.

Upcoming Events

Fall Into You Retreat

• Date: October (one-day event)
• Location: Chicago
• Time: Noon to 8 PM
• Partners: Heather Lowe (Ditch the Drink) and Kate Denage (Clarity Zero Proof)
• Includes: Arboretum hike, picnic lunch, workshops, mocktail demonstrations, dinner, and wellness activities
• Registration: HERE

Resources Mentioned

• Alcohol intolerance vs. alcohol allergy
• Asian flush syndrome
• Alcohol-removed wines and non-alcoholic beers
• Ditched the Drink
• Clarity Zero Proof

Connect with Mocktail Mo

Website - MocktailMo.com

Instagram - @Mocktail.mo

Youtube - Zero = More

Substack - Mo's Mocktail Diaries

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