Is “Drink Responsibly” Just a Marketing Scam?

What if the phrase “drink responsibly” isn’t about safety—but about shifting blame? In this eye-opening episode of the Sober & Lit Podcast, Ruby and Susan peel back the glossy layers of alcohol marketing to reveal what’s really behind that familiar tagline. Why does the alcohol industry promote moderation while knowing there’s no safe level of alcohol, according to the World Health Organization? Who benefits when drinking is glamorized and normalized in everything from college ads to Christmas dinner?

With Ruby’s 20 years inside the wine business, and both hosts’ experience helping women break free from drinking, this conversation dives into media manipulation, coping culture, and the myth of moderation. They explore how alcohol ads target us young, how “responsibility” gets weaponized, and how the sober curious movement is finally flipping the narrative.

If you're ready to challenge the status quo, rethink your relationship with drinking, and embrace an alcohol-free lifestyle that’s vibrant, joyful, and empowered—this one’s for you. 

P.S. You may have noticed we changed the name of our podcast to Sober & Lit. 
It’s still us — Ruby and Susan — showing up each week to share real talk for women exploring alcohol-free living in all its messy, magical, and empowering glory. The only thing that’s changing is the name. Everything else — the stories, the insights, the laughs, and the support — is staying exactly the same! 

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Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What if that nightly glass of Chardonnay wasn’t really relaxing you—it was slowly unraveling you? In this powerful episode of the Feel Lit Alcohol Free Podcast, Ruby and Susan sit down with guest Allison Barber: former Division I gymnast, mom of three, Christian woman, and one-time Chardonnay queen who looked like she had it all together—until the cracks started showing.

Allison shares her raw, unfiltered story of using alcohol to cope with parenting, perfectionism, and pain she didn’t even know she was suppressing. From hiding her drinking to navigating a failing marriage, her journey is a masterclass in emotional courage, self-responsibility, and faith-led freedom. How do you reclaim yourself when wine feels like your only escape? Tune in to find out—and prepare to laugh, cry, and feel deeply inspired.

Allison shares powerful insights about becoming a role model for her daughters, the importance of emotional honesty, and why choosing yourself is the first step toward helping everyone around you.

Resources & Connect with Allison:
Instagram & Facebook: @insideoutfreedom
Website: theinsideoutfreedom.com

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

Welcome back to the Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast! Today, we’re kicking off our brand-new “Alcohol-Free Myth Busters” series by tackling a juicy one: “Do sober people judge drinkers?”

If you’ve ever wondered what your alcohol-free friend really thinks when you pour that second glass—or if you’ve felt awkward, defensive, or even misunderstood in social situations since going sober—this episode is for you.

Ruby and Susan get real about what it’s like to be the alcohol-free one at parties, family gatherings, and professional events. From wine gifts to backhanded comments, they share the surprising (and often tender) moments that come with living out loud in a world that still normalizes drinking.
But here’s the twist: instead of judgment, they’ve found compassion. Instead of isolation, connection. Could choosing sobriety actually make you more understanding?

Plus, in our “Feel Lit” segment, we share the simple summer rituals that are keeping us grounded and glowing—no booze required.

So…are sober people judging you? Or are we just quietly rooting for you to feel lit in your own way? Let’s find out. 

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What if giving up alcohol wasn’t about what you’re losing—but everything you’re about to gain?
In this episode of the Feel Lit Alcohol Free Podcast, we’re joined by clinical psychologist Silvia Subirana, Unconscious Moderation's Head of Content Development, —who’s on a mission to make alcohol-free living more approachable, science-backed, and downright joyful. 

Silvia opens up about her own quiet decision to stop drinking, and how tuning into her body—not hitting “rock bottom”—was the game changer. Hosts Susan and Ruby dive into the surprising power of hypnotherapy, the neuroscience behind habit change, and how small mindset shifts can lead to massive breakthroughs.
They explore:

• How can hypnotherapy help you stop drinking?
• Why does alcohol-free living feel scary at first—and how do you move through it?
• Can rethinking “fun” unlock more connection than drinking ever did?
•  What if you didn’t have to do it alone?

If you’re exploring sobriety, feeling stuck, or just ready to understand the “why” behind your habits—this episode delivers a fresh, hopeful take on reclaiming your joy, your health, and freedom.

Guest Bio and Links:

Silvia Subirana, is a clinical psychologist and the Head of Content Development at Unconscious Moderation (former MyDry30), an innovative app designed to help users take control of their relationship with alcohol– but it's so much more than that! Unconscious Moderation helps people discover greater meaning, happiness, and fulfillment in their lives so they can become a healthier version of themselves. To help users achieve this, the app integrates tools like hypnotherapy, journaling, readings, and many other exercises to support lasting change.

Website: https://um.app/
Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/drink-less-alcohol-with-um/id6471595788?mt=8
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mydryjourney&referrer=af_tranid%3DPMHHQhpl6uyJz-rwDUJ3Qw%26c%3Dwebsite+home+page+button%26pid%3Dwebsite+home+page+button&pli=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/um_app_/ 

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What if aging could feel expansive instead of limiting? What if breaking free from alcohol in midlife wasn’t a crisis—but a launchpad?
In this episode, Ruby Williams and Susan Larkin sit down with their guest the fiercely wise and funny Debi Talbert—a former flight attendant turned alcohol-free mindset and longevity coach—who’s helping women age with purpose, power, and pleasure.

Debi gets real about her own drinking story, the “invisible middle years,” and how we can flip outdated narratives on aging. She shares her signature tools—the Oxygen Mask Framework and Aging Flip Flight Plan—to help you rewire limiting beliefs, ditch shame, and finally feel lit from the inside out.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in habits you didn’t choose or wondered, "Is it too late to reinvent myself?"—this conversation is your permission slip to change everything.

Resources & Mentions:

• Debi Talbert’s Website & Coaching: agingflipped.com
• Connect on Instagram: @agingflipped
• Debi on LinkedIn: Debi Talbert
• Books Mentioned:
  • Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
  • Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields
  • Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

"What do I do when I’m not feeling lit after quitting drinking?"

In this refreshingly real episode of Feel Lit Alcohol Free, hosts Ruby and Susan tackle a question so many sober-curious and alcohol-free women secretly ask: “Why don’t I feel lit after quitting drinking?” You ditched the booze, expected fireworks… and instead? You're feeling flat, foggy, or just plain uninspired.
What gives?

Together, Ruby and Susan unpack this emotional hangover of sorts—the crash after the “pink cloud,” the disappointment when sobriety doesn’t fix everything, and the truth about healing in a world that still revolves around drinking. Through honest stories, client insights, and practical mindset tools, they’ll help you reframe the blah as a sacred part of the process—not a sign you’re doing it wrong.

What if this uncomfortable pause is actually where the magic starts?
If you’ve ever wondered when the sparkle returns—or how to reignite it—this episode is your permission slip to slow down, get curious, and reclaim joy on your own terms. Let’s get into it. 

Resources & Links

• Song Recommendation: Kinder by Copper Wimmin (find the link in our Facebook group!)

Check out our new Feel It 4 Life group — for those in the “now what?” phase after quitting drinking. We focus on authentic friendship, self-compassion, purpose, and building a life you love. 

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

Welcome back to the Feel Lit Alcohol Free Podcast! In this episode, hosts Coach Susan and Coach Ruby are thrilled to sit down with Jolene Park, a sought-after speaker, functional nutritionist, and creator of the revolutionary NOURISH Method ™ for alcohol-free living. Jolene is perhaps best known for her groundbreaking TED Talk, which introduced the concept of “gray area drinking”—the space between occasional drinking and end-stage alcohol dependency. With more than 350,000 views, her talk has become a cornerstone for those who don’t identify as having hit “rock bottom,” yet know their relationship with alcohol isn’t serving them. 

Jolene defines clearly what gray area drinking is and isn't and introduces her NOURISH Method ™, a physiology-first approach to healing that replaces guilt and deprivation with real, replenishing tools. From morning sunlight to magnesium, connection to curiosity—this isn’t about white-knuckling. It’s about resources.

Have you ever asked, "Is my drinking really a problem?" Or wondered why quitting feels so hard—even when you want to? This episode is your permission slip to get curious, not judgmental—and finally understand why alcohol might be numbing what actually needs care.

Episode Links & Resources:
Jolene Park’s TED Talk and Website: https://grayareadrinkers.com

Follow Jolene on Instagram: @jolene_park  Substack: https://substack.com/@jolenepark
Find a Gray Area Drinking Coach: https://grayareadrinkers.com/find-a-coach/

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What happens when one of New York’s top bartenders goes sober—and gets even better at his craft?
In this episode of Feel Lit Alcohol Free, Ruby and Susan sit down with award-winning bartender Chris Cardone, who’s flipping the script on what it means to thrive behind the bar—without drinking a drop. From winning the Diageo World Class US Bartender of the Year after going sober, to facing stigma in an industry where alcohol is king, Chris shares the raw truth about sobriety, success, and staying fully present in high-pressure spaces.

We dive into:

• What it’s really like to be a sober bartender
• How Chris is leading a movement to make bars more inclusive for alcohol-free guests
• Why your sobriety can actually elevate your creativity and connection (yes, even in the hospitality world!)

If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate social settings without alcohol, or you’re curious about how the drinking culture is evolving, this one’s a must-listen. Hit play and find out how living alcohol-free is no longer the exception—it’s the upgrade.

Connect with Chris Cardone:

• Continuous Beverage Solutions: Helping the hospitality world embrace alcohol-free inclusivity www.ContinuousBev.com
• Instagram: @continuousbev
• Email: [email protected]

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What happens when you stop drinking—but the rest of your world doesn’t? In this episode of Feel Lit Alcohol Free, we’re diving into the heart-pounding moment every sober-curious soul eventually faces: telling friends and family, “I don’t drink anymore.”
Coaches (and co-hosts) Ruby Williams and Susan Larkin get real about the fears, awkwardness, and surprising freedom that comes with “coming out AF.” From dodging wine club gifts to crafting your alcohol-free elevator pitch, they’ll share the mindset shifts, boundary-setting tools, and hilarious stories that can turn dread into empowerment.
💭 How much do you share—and with whom?
💬 What if they react weirdly?
💡 Can this actually deepen your relationships?
Whether you’re brand new to alcohol-free living or quietly plotting your exit from wine culture, this episode offers the script, the courage, and the laughs you need to start owning your choice—on your terms. 

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.

What if the first step to drinking less wasn’t quitting—but sitting still? In this episode of Feel Lit Alcohol Free, we’re joined by Rory Kinsella, a former hard-drinking musician turned Vedic meditation teacher and sober coach. Rory shares how meditation helped him effortlessly shift away from alcohol—before he even planned to quit.
From backstage hangovers to inner stillness, Rory’s story reveals how stress relief, not willpower, changed everything. We explore the power of Vedic meditation, why “clearing your mind” is a myth, and how his “Wise Monkey Way” helps quiet the chaos within.
Ready to trade the wine for something way more powerful? Let’s dive into the calm that could change your cravings.

• Visit Wise Monkey Way to learn about Rory Kinsella’s meditation programs and access a free introductory lesson.
• Follow Rory Kinsella on social media for updates and inspiration: @rorykinsellameditation

We Love Hearing From You

Don't forget to follow and subscribe and leave a review! It helps to get the word out that living sober is lit! 

Listeners have said that our podcast has helped them get alcohol free!
Join our private community! 

Connect with the Podcast Hosts:
Susan Larkin Coaching https://www.susanlarkincoaching.com
Ruby Williams at Freedom Renegade Coaching https://www.freedomrenegadecoaching.com/

Follow Susan: @drinklesswithsusan
Follow Ruby: @rubywilliamscoaching

It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice regarding your health before attempting to take a break from alcohol. The creators, hosts, and producers of the The Feel Lit Alcohol Free podcast are not healthcare practitioners and therefore do not give medical, or psychological advice nor do they intend for the podcast, any resource or communication on behalf of the podcast or otherwise to be a substitute for such.