Hello everyone! I took a little hiatus with the pod, not on purpose, but it happened. And while I was away I turned 5! 5-years sober that is :).

The last 5 years have been the best years of my life🥰. The freedom of not having to think about the next drink is like no other.

If you are struggling please know there is help. There is hope. AA is a wonderful resource, sober coaches like @thrivealcoholfree @the_sobermommy @soberincentralpark @beckyparkerrr are wonderful for 1:1 help. And @shewalkscanada is the perfect community for women if AA isn’t your thing.

If listening to sober stories is helpful, my conversation with @sober.for.the.health.of.it on my podcast is incredible! And there are many others there as well. @tiffanyleegaston @mocktailmommy @thelykkeviking @sober.for.the.health.of.it @thrivealcoholfree @christyfreddo @jessicaduenas24 @shewalkscanada @alexandra_bos @annamaluskitzmann @kelz_living_well

Cheers to 5 years!!!

Kate Eldean is back! And this time she is here to dive deeper into bipolar disorder so you can better understand your loved ones (or yourself!) and to show that people affected by this can lead a full and beautiful life!

Kate is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and a Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in Trauma Recovery, EMDR, Neurotherapy, and EFT for Couples. She is licensed in SC, CA, and soon will be licensed in Michigan!

With over 21 years of mental health experience, she provides a nurturing and non-judgmental warmth to her patients as they journey together along a solid path of healing and wholeness. Kate works with patients who struggle with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, abuse and neglect, addictions, grief and loss, eating disorders, and chronic medical conditions such as Type 1 Diabetes.

Kate is also an author and co-founder of the Gracie Brave book and Foundation. Gracie Brave was created by Katie and her mom to inspire and empower children and families to find hope and healing from depression and other emotional challenges. 

Gracie Brave is the art of connection and community. Gracie Brave is a catalyst for breaking down the stigma of mental illness and helps families discover hope, healing, and freedom. 

In her spare time, Kate loves running, surfing, boating, doing cross-cultural missions in East Africa, and many arts and crafts!

NOTE: When Kate talks about medications, it is important to note that she is medication-resistant. THIS EPISODE IS NOT MEANT TO TREAT MENTAL ILLNESS or recommend medications, it is simply about awareness. Please consult your doctor if you feel you need help.

Education
Michigan State University, BS in Psychology, Minor/Specialization in Health & Humanities (1994-1998)
Antioch University Los Angeles, MA in Clinical Psychology (1999-2001)
Wheaton College, Trinity University and Bethel Seminary Classes towards M.Div and Christian Formation and Ministry Degree
License, Certifications & Awards
MFT Licensure Granted Dec. 2010

Additional Training
Gottman Couples Therapy Level 1: Bridging the Couple Chasm: A Research Based Approach
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)
The International Centre For Excellence In Emotionally Focused Therapy
EMDR Part One & Two Training Completed.  Certification to be complete Winter 2016.

Professional Activities and Memberships
CAMFT CA Assoc. of MFT's
American Association of Christian Counselors
CAPS~ Christian Assoc. of Professional Studies~ North County San Diego CAPS Leadership team and steering team.
ANAD~ Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders Community Support Group Leader

You can find more about Kate on her websites or on instagram!

https://www.kateeldean.com/
https://www.graciebrave.org/
@graciebrave on instagr

This is one of the most beautiful, heart-wrenching, and sometimes unbelievable sober story I have ever heard. Thank you Erica, aka, sober.for.the.health.of.it, for your vulnerability, your honesty, your openness, so that someone out there might be spared from this dreaded disease of alcoholism. 

I needed a drink when I didn't have what I needed.

It has been a long road to get to where I am. It took years for me to be open and honest about my recovery. Years for me to let people see what I was hiding for so long. I was ordering diet cokes and being told that that shit would kill me. 🤣 Little did they know. I was removing myself from conversations when it turned towards alcohol. I tried not to scream and rip my hair out when someone would talk about people who struggle with addiction and/or mental health. I cowered and shrank into my comfort zone, full of shame and hurt. I felt like a fraud.

I was sober, but I still didn't have what I needed. At a little over 3 years, I was coming close to letting it all go. I was working as much as I could, filling my time with busyness, hoping everything would just work out.

I didn't have a community. I didn't have friends I could share my story with. I was lucky I had a supportive family, but I needed someone who related. When I created this account, I didn't know what to expect. I never thought I'd connect with so many amazing people that I could relate to so much. It's a freeing feeling when you can talk about some of the crazy shit you did and laugh with someone because they did it, too. I began to find acceptance, and I was learning how to love myself.

It's true when they say, "Connection is the opposite of addiction." Being part of a community has changed my life. If you're struggling to find yours, please reach out. There are so many amazing people wanting to connect❤️

On January 3, 2021, about 6 months after a wake-up call amid the pandemic, Rachel decided to try Dry January. She was the heaviest she had ever been, she was unemployed, had no motivation, and was in a marriage that had been done for a while.

As Dry January moved into February, February into March... Rachel drastically changed her lifestyle and replaced alcohol with alternatives, like water and walking (to Central Park of course), and began making better decisions about her nutrition. Though not always easy, sobriety brought so many benefits and rewards. Rachel's mental health improved and in turn, her depression and anxiety became more manageable. And what about all the walking around and in Central Park? She lost 100lbs!

As Rachel started following and communicating with other sober women on social media, she realized she could make a difference if she were to share her story "OUT LOUD" and so began Sober In Central Park. What began as a “Dry January” experiment has now blossomed into a Sober Career! She has become a life coach, a N/A brand spokesperson (bringing N/A drink brands to restaurants in NYC!), a motivational speaker, and now a sober retreat leader! The sky is the limit for Rachel, and it can be for you too!

More information about Rachel and how to live a thriving alcohol-free life:

Website:  https://www.soberincentralpark.com

Instagram:  @soberincentralpark

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/soberincentralpark

Pay close attention in this episode to where Christy talks about her daughter’s trauma PTSD from her abusive father. This could be triggering for some but also inspiration if you’re in an abusive relationship with children. Please reach out to Christy if you need resources. Xoxo. 

In 2011, in a span of six months, Christy Freddo freed herself from the gilded cage that was her high-paying, glamorous but toxic corporate job that everyone envied. She left a decade-old abusive marriage to a seemingly charming man (that everyone loved) and finally admitted to herself that she was an alcoholic and ultimately got sober after 20 years of hardcore drinking!

Within two years of leaving her marriage and getting sober, Christy:
 ❤️did a 180 and shifted gears into the world of entrepreneurship and began running a profitable business.
❤️met a wonderful, kind man who she would later marry and blend her family with.
❤️swapped cocktails for yoga!

AND NOW... Christ is a transformational life coach, has written a book, and has created a 12-week program for those wanting MORE for their lives.

From Christy:

Welcome to the Create Your Best Life 12-week coaching program. This is not just a program, it’s a transformational journey to your most extraordinary life. Whether you’re feeling stuck, seeking deeper fulfillment, or looking to make a change, I’m here to guide you. Together, we’ll harness the boundless potential of your mind, rewrite the inner narratives that no longer serve you, and usher in a beautiful, more fulfilling life — one that may, until now, have existed only in the whispers of your heart.

Let’s dive into the details of the transformative process:

#1: Personalized Reinvention Roadmap: Together, we’ll embark on a deep exploration of your current situation, your challenges, and your aspirations. We’ll chart a course from where you stand now to the future you’ve envisioned. I’ll provide you with the tools to recognize obstacles, gain crystal-clear clarity on your goals, navigate through change, and craft a customized roadmap. Expect weekly assignments to keep you moving forward on this transformative journey.

#2: Expert 1:1 Coaching: Get ready for personalized, weekly coaching sessions tailored just for you. We’ll confront your challenges head-on, arming you with strategies crafted uniquely for your journey, so you can overcome obstacles and shape a life that fills you with love and joy.

#3: Direct Access to Yours Truly: Reach out via email between our sessions. Have a question? Need to brainstorm? I’m right here with you, every step of the way. You’ll have the founder and creator of this program by your side, ensuring you never navigate this path alone.

#4: Personalized Meditation with Abundance Affirmations: You’ll receive a completely customized guided meditation carefully curated for your soul’s evolution. This daily meditation will guide you through the visualization of your new life, exactly as you’ve envisioned it in your Reinvention Roadmap. These sessions will cultivate inner peace and help you visualize and manifest your most abundant life.

#5: Bonus monthly master class: We’ll delve into a range of topics like meditation, manifestation, breaking through change cycles, and so much more.

Get ready to embrace the journey of your life – your best life is awaiting you!

For more information, you can visit Christy on her website:

https://bestlifemindset.com/

Follow her on instagram: @bestlifemindset

Grab her e-book! https://bestlifemindset.com/e-book/

Meet Katey Armstrong!

I was first introduced to Katey when she was on the YOU ARE NOT BROKEN Podcast with Dr. Kelly Casperson talking about Menopause and her experience with prolapse, (when 1 or more of the organs in the pelvis slip down from their normal position and bulge into the vagina). As soon as I started listening I knew I had to have her here on SHARING OUT LOUD because I too am experiencing menopause, AND I experienced prolapse as well (we think no one talks about menopause - NO ONE talks about prolapse!!!).

Katey and I talked about everything...

• Taking her power back with MENOPAUSE by being fully educated with what's going on in her body and demanding the best care from her doctor (she is on HRT).
• Picking herself up by the bootstraps to reinvent herself after a shocking discovery in her marriage.
• Being the ultimate STRONG grandmother so that she play with her grandchildren as they grow!
• Working with the elderly in extended care facilities to change their mindset on not giving up on what they can do to change their bodies physically -- you CAN get stronger with movement, even at 80!
• Building and motivating an online fitness community with LIVE ZOOM classes each week.

 
Katey is one amazing, unique, and powerful woman❤️, a woman who cares so deeply for others, all she wanted to do was talk about her ZOOM fitness clients and her elderly fitness clients whom she has been motivating in extended care facilities for YEARS! These are the people that bring her absolute joy. They are the REASON she is motivated to take charge of her health! She needs to be the best she can be so that she can go on having the energy to keep them motivated.

I know you are going to love Katey as much as I do so go follow her on social media and be sure to check out her ZOOM exercise programs on her website!

Follow Katey on Instagram @healthyevolutionbykatey

Visit her website: https://www.healthyevolution.ca/

THANK YOU DUPE for a wonderful chat for the Sharing Out Loud Podcast! So much has changed since I got Sober a year before the Pandemic hit -- now there is so much more than AA available to help people live a life without alcohol.

About my guest:
Dupe spent many years drinking, as that’s what society and being in the corporate world had told her was normal. She realized she wasn’t enjoying it and it got to the point where she knew deep down ditching drinking would help in some way.

After 20+ years of drinking, she decided to take a 21-day break from alcohol, she never intended to stop for good but this led to her now being 3 years alcohol-free, running a marathon, practicing yoga and gratitude daily, being more present, lots of personal growth, being a bestselling Author of an award-winning book, launching and hosting a podcast and being an Alcohol-Free Wellbeing and Transformational Coach.

She now helps women who know they want to stop drinking, and make alcohol insignificant, so they can explore an alcohol-free lifestyle, discover who they really are, dream again, and thrive in every area of their lives.

For more information on her coaching visit Dupe's website: www.thrivealcoholfree.com

Follow her on Instagram: @thrivealcoholfree

Listen to her podcast: Thrive Alcohol Free

Buy her book: A Cocktail of Clarity: https://www.amazon.com/Cocktail-Clarity-Drinking-Identity-Alcohol/dp/B0C2SPYYTH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=a+cocktail+of+clarity&qid=1706643172&sr=8-1

Meet Kate Oakley! Personal Trainer and Menopause Warrior🤩.

Kate Oakley had a job she loved for over 20 years -- Director of HR for a Global Company. She never understood people who had those feelings of dread on a Sunday... she enjoyed her job, she was great at it! Until one day she DID have that feeling of dread and she knew she had to make a change. Not only did Kate have to make a change with her career, she realized she had to make a change with her health as well. Why? Because perimenopause symptoms were creeping in and she was starting to feel like a stranger to the woman she had always been:

• Joint pain
• Brain fog/memory loss
• Disturbed sleep
• No libido
• Erratic mood swings

The mood swings were the straw that broke the camel’s back. Kate felt out of control, and If she didn't do something quickly to solve her issues, she wondered long her husband and kids would put up with her. Plus, life wasn’t much fun and Kate had always been the person who was on the move! Planning trips with her family, being social, etc.

SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANY WOMEN OUT THERE IN PERIMENOPAUSE OR MENOPAUSE?

Instead of sitting back and letting PERI take over, Kate threw herself into researching all things menopause -- she learned what types of exercise she should be doing – for short and long-term health, she learned how and why to adapt her nutrition, manage stress better and prioritize sleep. She also did her due diligence in researching HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and after much consideration, started taking it and while the impact wasn't instantaneous, she started to feel "normal" again (after about 4 months). Her body AND her mind had changed for the better in a truly amazing way -- she felt back in control.

So while the road getting to Kate's "second act" wasn't easy, she is actually thankful to perimenopause, because without it, she wouldn't have made the huge decision at aged 50, to leave her 25-year corporate career behind to follow her love for fitness and become a Personal Trainer to women in the second half of their lives!

For more information on Kate you can find her:

On her website: https://www.yourfuturefit.com/

​On Instagram: @yourfuturefit

She is taking on new clients, from anywhere! You don't have to be in the UK. Her afternoon is our morning in the U.S. so if you're a morning person that might work beautifully for you!

Meet Lindsay Sutherland Boal, FOUNDER OF SHE WALKS CANADA.

Lindsay Sutherland Boal is a force for positive change wielding her knowledge and expertise of sober living initiatives and women's issues. In 2021, Lindsay founded She Walks Canada—a movement to engage and empower sober and sober-curious women to change their relationship with alcohol. In its second year, She Walks Canada impacted over 1,000 women transitioning away from alcohol, and as a community, met and exceeded the circumnavigation goal of 40,070 kms (24,900 miles) achieving 44,058 (27,379 miles). The 2024 Walk begins February 19, 2024.

As a personal empowerment coach, Lindsay is set to revolutionize how individuals confront their barriers with her innovative “Uncovery Method.” Her program will soon be accessible via an app! Innovative Solution: The Overcoming Over-Drinking App is the culmination of her (and her team's) dedication to supporting women on their path to alcohol-free living. This app is dedicated to empowering women to overcome over-drinking through three core pillars: community, coaching, and connection. It will provide educational content, masterclasses, and a robust community engagement platform.

Lindsay's journey, the the journey of this ALL VOLUNTEER movement, SWC is a testament to the power of transformation, resilience, innovation, and community. It exemplifies the profound impact of collective action, the significance of inclusivity, and the potential for substantial change in addressing AUD (ALCOHOL USE DISORDER), with a particular emphasis on women.

Additionally, Lindsay is an executive at Urban Outline Building Group; an athlete; mother; wife; friend; sister; mentor; public speaker; former podcast host and producer of The COVID Chronicles Canada; professional opera singer; and actor on stage and television. Lindsay is a graduate of the Jay Shetty Certification School, Brandon University, the Vancouver Academy of Music, Toronto Film School, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She has also completed sessional studies at the University of Manitoba; the Cabaret Conference at Yale University; the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar in Germany; the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in the Czech Republic; the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada; and others.

Lindsay is the recipient of over 15 awards, most recently as “Distinguished Alumni” at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She has been featured across numerous print channels as well as major networks, leading conversations that impact women everywhere.

Please visit She Walks Canada online for more information on the initiative: www.shewalkscanada.com

To sign up for FREE coaching visit: https://www.shewalkscanada.com/coaching/

You can also find her on Instagram: @shewalkscanada

Meet Jodi Echakowitz! Thank you for the wonderful conversation. You are not only an incredible example of taking control of your health, but you are a breath of fresh air with your optimism and sheer joy when you speak about your life and where you are now. For anyone looking to make a change in their mindset and physical health, head over to Jodi's Instagram page! @jodi.echakowitz

From Jodi:

I was battling severe brain fog, was constantly exhausted, and was struggling to find the energy to even think about exercising.
 
 I was stuck in a cycle of unhealthy eating, insufficient sleep, and neglecting my body’s need for movement.
 
 And the excess weight I was carrying — much of it in my 40” waist — put me at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
 
 Fast forward to today, and I’m so incredibly proud of my transformation.
 
 I’m proud of the hard work I’ve put in, the discipline and focus I’ve had, and the consistency of my efforts to ensure that I am healthy and in the best shape of my life.
 
 One of the biggest lessons learned is that the physical changes I wanted to see and feel in my body needed a mindset shift.
 
 I had to rewire my thoughts, challenge my limiting beliefs, confront self-loathing, uncover what’s been holding me back, and embrace a growth mindset.
 
 I did the hard work.
 
 And now I’m reaping the rewards.
 
 In addition to this being the first time in my life where I’ve maintained a healthy weight, one of the things I absolutely love about my journey is how I’ve uncovered a passion for weightlifting.
 
 I’m lifting heavier weights than I ever have and the work I’m doing is completely reshaping my body in ways I never thought possible.
 
 It’s helping to build a stronger, healthier me.
 
 In these two years, I’ve reframed my relationship with food, exercise, and self-care.
 
 I now understand that it’s about nourishment, strength, and overall well-being.
 
 What an incredible journey it’s been! And I’ve truly never been more excited for what the future holds.
 

Follow Jodi on Instagram: @jodi.echakowitz
Part of Team @thewonderwomenofficial 🏋️‍♀️|  Coach: @yourhealthyhedonista

linktr.ee/jodi.echakowitz