Sober Banter

Sober Banter Trailer

About Sober Banter
Sober Banter is a recovery podcast hosted by Rachel and Colin, a married couple who got sober together in November 2021. The show focuses on life after alcohol, recovery in real time, and the conversations people do not always say out loud. We believe there is no one right way to get sober and that laughter still belongs in recovery.
New episodes every Thursday.

Stay Connected: Listen, Subscribe, and Share
 🎧🎙️Listen to Sober Banter
Available wherever you get podcasts 

🌐 Visit the Sober Banter Website

Following the show or leaving a review helps more people find these conversations.

💌 Join Our Email List

Get new episodes, updates, and bonus content delivered straight to your inbox.

🤝 Support the Show

Help us keep Sober Banter independent and listener supported.

📚 Alcoholics Anonymous

Explore AA as one possible recovery resource.

📩 Email us!

[email protected]

📱 Follow Sober Banter on Social Media

Instagram: 

Facebook: 

TikTok: 

X: 

Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Disclaimer

Sober Banter is not a medical or clinical podcast. We share lived experience, not professional advice. If you are navigating alcohol withdrawal, mental health concerns, or need additional support, please seek help from a qualified provider or trusted recovery resource.

In this episode of Sober Banter, host Rachel sits down with Heather Trumpfheller, a tech startup professional and world traveler, for an honest conversation about modern sobriety, identity shifts, and reclaiming life without alcohol.

Heather shares how quitting drinking led her to also walk away from busyness, a decade long career that no longer aligned with her values, and patterns rooted in anxiety, people pleasing, and burnout. The conversation explores early sobriety, grief and loss, dating and traveling alcohol free, resentment, stigma, and why community is essential in recovery.

This episode is a powerful reminder that sobriety is not a punishment. It is freedom. And it is never too late to choose yourself.

Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded in July 2025 when Heather was 18 months sober. She is now over 2 years sober as her sobriety date is November 13, 2023.

• (00:00) - Welcome + Heather’s Sobriety Story

Connect with Heather

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/htrumpfheller

💼 LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathertrumpfheller/

📧 Email
[email protected]

Stay Connected: Listen, Subscribe, and Share
 🎧🎙️Listen to Sober Banter
Available wherever you get podcasts 

🌐 Visit the Sober Banter Website

Following the show or leaving a review helps more people find these conversations.

💌 Join Our Email List

Get new episodes, updates, and bonus content delivered straight to your inbox.

🤝 Support the Show

Help us keep Sober Banter independent and listener supported.

📚 Alcoholics Anonymous

Explore AA as one possible recovery resource.

📩 Email us!

[email protected]

📱 Follow Sober Banter on Social Media

Instagram: 

Facebook: 

TikTok: 

X: 

Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Disclaimer

Sober Banter is not a medical or clinical podcast. We share lived experience, not professional advice. If you are navigating alcohol withdrawal, mental health concerns, or need additional support, please seek help from a qualified provider or trusted recovery resource.

In this episode, hosts Colin Casey and Rachel Casey sit down with writer and recovery advocate Kristen Crocker for an honest conversation about parenting, sobriety, and modern recovery. Together, they talk about quitting drinking, navigating sobriety while raising kids, and how stigma, labels, and recovery culture shape the way parents seek support.

• (00:00) - Meet Kristen Crocker

Connect with Kristen

Kristen writes Recoverettes, a Substack focused on normalizing recovery from alcoholism among strong, smart women. Her work explores motherhood, step-motherhood, staying sober through hard seasons, twelve-step recovery, neuroscience, and anything that actually works.

Substack: https://recoverettes.substack.com
Profile: https://substack.com/@kblantoncrocker

🎧 Listen & Subscribe to Sober Banter
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sober-banter/id1805475969
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3A51zCDyW8K927va0adaby

💌 Join Our Email List
https://mailchi.mp/soberbanter.com/2026

🤝 Support the Show
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/soberbanter

📚 Alcoholics Anonymous
https://www.aa.org

📱 Follow Sober Banter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soberbanterpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sober.banter
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soberbanter
X: https://twitter.com/soberbanter

Disclaimer

Sober Banter is not a medical or clinical podcast. We share lived experience, not professional advice. If you are navigating alcohol withdrawal, mental health concerns, or need additional support, please seek help from a qualified provider or trusted recovery resource.

What happens when the bet stops being about money and starts being about control?
When does gambling shift from entertainment to survival mode?

In this episode of Sober Banter, Rachel and Colin sit down with Adam Lyons, host of The Modern Meeting, for a direct conversation about compulsive gambling and long term recovery.

Adam shares nearly twenty years of chasing losses, normalizing chaos, and living inside the illusion of control. Together, they unpack how gambling culture, online platforms, and social media quietly glorify risk, and how that normalization fuels addiction.

This episode explores what desperation really looks like, how enabling can hide as support, and why recovery requires structure, accountability, and humility.

In this episode, you will hear:

• How early poker shaped the illusion of control
• When gambling crosses the line into addiction
• Why chasing losses becomes the trap
• The impact of YouTube and gambling influencers
• The reality of living with addiction
• What real recovery looks like beyond willpower

If you are questioning your relationship with betting, supporting someone who is, or trying to understand gambling addiction in today’s culture, this conversation is honest and grounded.

We are not clinicians. We are two people in recovery sharing lived experience. This podcast is not a substitute for medical or mental health care. If you are struggling or in crisis, please seek qualified professional support.

• (00:00) - Early Gambling and the Illusion of Control

Connect with Adam

🎙 The Modern Meeting Podcast
Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts

📧 [email protected]
🔗 https://linktr.ee/modernmeetingpod
📱 https://www.instagram.com/modernmeeting

Recovery Resources

Learn about Gamblers Anonymous https://www.gamblersanonymous.org

Learn about Alcoholics Anonymoushttps://www.aa.org

🎧 Listen to Sober Banter
Apple Podcasts: 

Spotify: 

💌 Join Our Email List

🤝 Support the Show

📚 Alcoholics Anonymous

📱 Follow Sober Banter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soberbanterpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sober.banter
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soberbanter
X: https://twitter.com/soberbanter

You can also email questions or topic ideas to [email protected]. We read every message.

Episode Summary (Re-Released episode)
Sober Banter hosts offer advice for Sober October, emphasizing realistic expectations, support systems, and self-compassion.

Chapters
00:00 Managing Expectations and Social Pressure
01:21 Finding Support and Accountability
03:32 Health Benefits and Personal Growth
07:19 Tips for a Successful Sober October

This episode is a re-release and goes back to our early catalog, before most people even knew Sober Banter existed. We are bringing it back because the advice still matters. Sober October is not about perfection, it is about managing expectations, leaning on accountability, and giving yourself compassion along the way.

Please give us grace on any audio hiccups. I (Rachel) touched it up as best I could, but wanted to share it for the message, not polish it into perfection. Between college, parenting, and chronic illness, I overworked myself and had to step away. It was the right choice for my sobriety and emotional health.

I also have a backlog of unreleased interviews. If one of those is yours, it will be out as soon as possible. I am pacing myself this time and will send updates by email. Thank you for your patience.

The good news is that Colin and I are still sober, and we plan to record a new episode soon to share how we have stayed grounded.

For now, enjoy this short audio-only throwback about Sober October. Let us know what you think, and remember to take it one day at a time.

Stay Connected
💌 Subscribe at soberbanter.com
💬 Leave a review or comment to help others find us

Leave a comment

🔄 Share this episode with someone who might need it

Share

📱 Follow on Instagram: @soberbanterpodcast
☕ Support the show: Buy us a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/soberbanter or Venmo at venmo.com/u/Soberbanter
🌐 Questions or feedback? Visit soberbanter.com or email Rachel at [email protected]

• (00:00) - Managing Expectations and Social Pressure

This is an early Sober Banter episode brought back for Sober October. We were new at this, so you may hear a few hiccups. The lessons still land. We cover the hardest parts of Sober October and the simple habits that kept us steady. Think of this as day one support with honest talk and practical steps. It also shows how far we have come as hosts and as people in recovery. If you are here to start strong or find your footing again, press play.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Sober Banter
00:43 Personal Sobriety Stories
03:33 Challenges of Sober October
06:36 Daily Check-ins and Support
08:58 Reflections and Rationalizations
15:07 Cultural Perspectives on Drinking
16:06 Conclusion and Wrap-Up

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Let’s stay connected!

💌 Subscribe to Sober Banter so you never miss an episode.

💬 Leave a review or a comment because your thoughts mean the world and help others find us.

🔄 Share this episode with someone who might need it.

📱 Follow us on Instagram: @soberbanterpodcast

☕️ Support the show: 

·       Buy us a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/soberbanter 

·       Make a donation at https://www.venmo.com/u/Soberbanter

Do you have questions or feedback? Contact us at soberbanter.com or email Rachel at [email protected]

• (00:00) - Introduction to Sober Banter

In this inspiring episode of Sober Banter, Rachel welcomes David McMenimen, who shares his remarkable 41-year journey of sobriety. David discusses pivotal moments that led him to AA meetings, including DUIs and a life-changing car accident. He candidly shares the challenges of early sobriety, the transformative impact of consistent attendance, and how the 12 steps provided spiritual and practical tools for recovery. David explores alcoholism as a threefold disease—physical, mental, and spiritual—and how this understanding reshaped his approach to addiction and recovery. He reflects on how sobriety strengthened his relationships, shifted his outlook, and connected him to a supportive community. This episode delivers powerful wisdom and hope for those in recovery, sober curious, or supporting someone on their journey.

• (00:00) - – Introduction and Guest Welcome: David M.

Resources & Links:
🎧 Listen & Subscribe to Sober Banter:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sober-banter/id1805475969
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3A51zCDyW8K927va0adaby?si=f43451ae0fa44ef2

💌 Join our email list:
https://soberbanter.com/subscribe

🤝 Support the show:
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/soberbanter

📚 Learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous:
https://www.aa.org

📱 Follow Us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soberbanterpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sober.banter
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soberbanter
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/soberbanter

Disclaimer

Sober Banter is not a medical or clinical podcast. We share lived experience, not professional advice. If you are navigating alcohol withdrawal, mental health concerns, or need additional support, please seek help from a qualified provider or trusted recovery resource.

What if addiction is not about alcohol at all?
What if the real root is trauma wired into the brain long before the first drink?

In this episode of Sober Banter, Rachel and Colin sit down with Dr. Robb Kelly for a direct conversation about neuroscience, childhood trauma, identity, and what permanent recovery actually requires.

Episode 46 | Originally Released July 1, 2025

Dr. Kelly shares how he went from homelessness to becoming an internationally recognized addiction expert, and why he believes most treatment models miss the real issue. With a reported 98 percent success rate, his 90 day recovery program goes beyond traditional talk therapy, using brainspotting, 9D breathwork, subliminal messaging, and structured behavioral change to help rewire the brain for long term sobriety.

With a 98% success rate, his 90-day recovery program goes far beyond talk therapy, using brainspotting, 9D breathwork, subliminal messaging, and more to rewire the brain for long-term sobriety.

This conversation breaks down the connection between unresolved childhood trauma and chronic relapse, the difference between white knuckling sobriety and true transformation, and what it actually means to heal the addicted brain.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why trauma is often the real gateway drug
• What a structured 90 day recovery program looks like
• How breathwork and brain based interventions support healing
• The myth of being “one drink away”
• Whether alcoholics are born and addicts are made
• What long term recovery demands beyond motivation

If you keep starting over, feel stuck in relapse cycles, or want to understand the science behind addiction in plain language, this episode will meet you there.

We are not clinicians. We are two people in recovery sharing lived experience. This podcast is not a substitute for medical or mental health care. If you are navigating alcohol withdrawal, trauma, or a mental health crisis, please reach out to a qualified professional.

• (00:00) - – Dr. Robb Kelly: From Homelessness to Addiction Neuroscientist

About Dr. Robb Kelly

Dr. Robb Kelly is an internationally recognized addiction expert known for blending neuroscience, trauma recovery, and structured behavioral change. His work focuses on addressing root causes rather than surface behaviors, helping individuals build sustainable recovery from the inside out.

🌐 Website: https://robbkelly.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrobbkelly
🌬 Breathwork & Healing: https://breathbox.studio

Listen to Sober Banter

Website: https://soberbanter.com
📩 Join the email list: https://soberbanter.com/subscribe

Follow Sober Banter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soberbanterpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sober.banter
X: https://x.com/Sober_banter
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soberbanter

💛 Keep This Going

Sober Banter runs on real stories and listener support.

If this conversation helped you, share it. Text it to someone who needs it. Leave a review.

That is how these stories reach the next person who is quietly struggling.

Eryka V. is a queer, sober, first-generation founder and the co-creator of Namari—a non-alcoholic digestif rooted in intention, ritual, and bold flavor.

In this episode, we talk about what happens when you quit alcohol, meat, and caffeine all at once—and how that radical choice led to clarity, creativity, and the launch of something revolutionary. From finding community to letting go of ego, Eryka shares wisdom on building a brand (and a life) that actually feels good. We dig into identity, connection, the power of ritual, and what it means to create something that tastes like love and intention—not just trend.

If you’re craving depth, joy, or just a better non-alcoholic drink—this episode delivers.

1:21 – How Eryka Got Sober (Dry January… Plus No Meat, No Caffeine)

4:52 – The Band-Aid Rip: Goodbye Booze, Meat, and Coffee

7:46 – Building Namari: A Drink With Intention

11:52 – You Can Taste the Love (Like a Lemonade Stand in Summer)

17:19 – Finding Your People in Sobriety

22:12 – Saying “I Don’t Drink” Without Apology

29:16 – Choosing What Serves You (and Letting Go of the Rest)

33:58 – The Best Way to Drink Namari (Spoiler: Pineapple, Lime or Neat)

Namari Website: https://drinknamari.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/drinknamari

More Sober Banter: https://soberbanterpodcast.transistor.fm
Join Our Community: https://soberbanter.mn.co

Love What You Heard?
here’s how you can support Sober Banter:

💬 Leave a review on Apple or Spotify—it seriously helps new folks find us. Just one or two sentences makes a difference.

💌 Subscribe soberbanter.com so you never miss an episode.

🔄 Share this episode with someone who might need it.

📱 Follow us on Instagram: @soberbanterpodcast

☕️ Support the show:
Buy Me a Coffee or Venmo

Thanks for being part of the Sober Banter fam. We’re here, we’re laughing, and we’re doing recovery our way. 💛

• (01:21) - – How Eryka stopped drinking

In this episode of Sober Banter, Rachel is joined by Brenton Sconce, the meme genius behind @OfficeRecovery, a former pastor, and a fierce sober ally. Brenton opens up about his path to sobriety, beginning with rehab in July 2022 and evolving through deep aftercare, spiritual reflection, and a whole lot of humor. He shares the moment he finally admitted he was an alcoholic, how the pressures of ministry shaped his addiction, and how The Office went from background comfort to a powerful language of recovery and connection.

• (00:00) - – Introduction and Guest Intro

🔗 Connect with Brenton / Office Recovery
📸 Instagram – @OfficeRecovery
https://www.instagram.com/officerecovery
🌐 Linktree – All Brenton’s links
https://linktr.ee/officerecoveryig
🛍️ Office Recovery merch
https://www.etsy.com/shop/OfficeRecovery
🐻 Bloomsday Bear Crawl on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thebloomsdaybearcrawl
📘 Bloomsday Bear Crawl on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560276862353
🌍 Support the Bloomsday Bear Crawl
https://linktr.ee/thebloomsdaybearcrawl

Stay Connected: Listen, Subscribe, and Share
 🎧🎙️Listen to Sober Banter
Available wherever you get podcasts 

🌐 Visit the Sober Banter Website

Following the show or leaving a review helps more people find these conversations.

💌 Join Our Email List

Get new episodes, updates, and bonus content delivered straight to your inbox.

🤝 Support the Show

Help us keep Sober Banter independent and listener supported.

📚 Alcoholics Anonymous

Explore AA as one possible recovery resource.

📩 Email us!

[email protected]

📱 Follow Sober Banter on Social Media

Instagram: 

Facebook: 

TikTok: 

X: 

Apple Podcasts
Spotify

Disclaimer

Sober Banter is not a medical or clinical podcast. We share lived experience, not professional advice. If you are navigating alcohol withdrawal, mental health concerns, or need additional support, please seek help from a qualified provider or trusted recovery resource.