In this episode, Mandy talks to sober shero and coach Jo Walduck. Jo Walduck (she/they) @zesobercoach @jowalduck loves long naps, white chocolate, social justice, walks on the beach and fluffy cats. Currently working remotely, she lives in Lyon, France but has grand plans to relocate to the seaside as soon as possible. Sober since October 2019, her journey to sobriety came off the back of burnout from teaching, and retraining as a life and business coach.

After taking one month off the booze to boost the launch her company, she realised the tip of the iceberg had just been scratched in terms of the benefits and lessons that can come from sustained sobriety, and since then has navigated quitting nicotine, coming out as trans, living with chronic illness, losing friends and family to isolation, illness and death, and of course, the adaptation to life in a pandemic. She works on herself and with women and queer folk as a coach, exploring the hindrances to sustained sobriety and the shadows that can appear when the sober light gets stronger.

Her support group (The Deep Duckpond) is currently only in English, but she works 1:1 with clients in English and French and hopes, *once things settle down* to be more actively involved in the alcohol free world in France, and to produce more resources and supports for members of the queer community who struggle with addictive substances and behaviour. Community, therapy, boundary work (inward and outward-facing), non-violent communication, and radical self-love and self-care (it's not all fluffy slippers) are the cornerstones of her sobriety, healing and recovery.

Grab a cuppa and let's chat.

M & K 

Website: www.jowalduck.com