Dealing with difficult emotions is the number one reason that people report turning back to alcohol after they've stopped drinking.

When you've used alcohol for many years to numb all of the feelings that come up in life, facing them sober feels overwhelming. The highs are incredible - joy, excitement and happiness like you haven't experienced in years. But the lows are exhausting, and can oftentimes come out of seemingly nowhere.

When alcohol was your only coping mechanism for a long time, learning new skills to handle emotions sober can feel more than a little bit daunting.

In this episode, we've invited Dr. Joanne Ketch, author Jon Siedel, and Rachael Pioltini, creator of the Addict With Purpose community to join us in a conversation about what it means to be "emotionally sober" - how to move through big emotions in healthy ways. There are two parts to emotional sobriety - understanding why you react to certain things the way you do, and then finding new ways to respond so that you aren't causing yourself even more heartache.

This conversation is for anyone who finds themselves feeling overwhelmed by emotions sometimes, to make it just a little easier to get through them.

As promised, click here to dowload the worksheet Julie mentions that will help you understand and process your emotions.

In this episode:

---

Joanne Ketch: I’ve walked through most of the major seasons of adult life sober. My own journey inspired me to dedicate my career to transforming the treatment of substance use disorder. Through my master’s and doctoral work, I developed a passion for empowering people to own their recovery and breaking down misinformation and stigma around addiction. I believe recovery is about building a full, rewarding life, and I’m honored to share a bit of my story today. You can find more of my work at www.drjorecoverycoaching.com.  

 [email protected]

---

Jon writes, speaks, and consults on the power of storytelling, radical vulnerability, faith, mental health, and addiction. His personal story—from spiraling into addiction to how he climbed out of it— is the focus of his next book, “Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic,” slated for release in the fall of 2025. His previous book on anxiety, “Finding Rest,” instantly became a #1 Amazon bestseller, topping the charts in several categories like anxieties and phobias, mood disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Originally from Wisconsin, he now resides in Frisco, TX, with his wife and two kids.

 jonseidl.com 

theveritasdaily.com

https://www.instagram.com/soberwisconsin

https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl

---

My name is Rachael and I’m a proud to say I’m in long term recovery from both drugs and alcohol. My recovery date is 7/30/2017. I have chosen not to be anonymous and to use my voice and passion to help others like me find a solution. I am a harm reductionist and a certified peer support specialist in 2 states as well as recovery advocate. I am passionate about helping and inspiring others to better themselves which is why I created my page  Addict with Purpose. https://www.facebook.com/addictwithpurpose/

---

Keep in touch with Julie & Steve at throughtheglassrecovery.com 

You'll find a full list of podcast episodes, free resources, blog articles, and information about private sober coaching.