Dr Alice Kerby is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Health Consultant, Holistic Health Practitioner, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in training. She uses her decades of experience and training  to focus on the stress response from an autonomic nervous system and physiological perspective.

She helps her clients to identify areas where they feel stuck, and provides a well regulated and supportive environment for them to begin gently touching past trauma or overwhelm, and heal these states through presence and awareness of the body in the present moment.

She specializes in working with sober and sober curious women who are seeking additional tools to manage stress, increase a sense of calm, and move forward in creating their lives. 

Learn more at www.kerbymethodconsulting.com and checkout her podcast Beyond The Pink Cloud

For links to resources mentioned in this episode, click here

Host Jean McCarthy blogs at UnPickled. Her latest books are available at www.jeanmccarthy.ca/books

Sean McCann and Andrea Aragon are the husband and wife team who co-wrote the recovery memoir “One Good Reason.”  Sean McCann rose to fame as a founding member of the multimillion selling folk group Great Big Sea. But all of that performing and partying allowed Sean’s alcoholism to flourish in plain sight, as he drank to cope with the long-buried pain of childhood abuse by a trusted family priest—a secret he kept until 2014 when he shared his truth and began using his music and stage presence as a mental health advocate. “One Good Reason” includes the parallel narrative of Sean’s wife, Andrea Aragon. Her balancing insights give this memoir extraordinary insights into the nuanced and complex effect of addiction on the family.  For more information visit www.seanmccannsings.com Host Jean McCarthy's blog UnPickled is at www.unpickledblog.com and her latest books are available at www.jeanmccarthy.ca/books For more episodes of The Bubble Hour please visit www.thebubblehour.com

Looking back, Deb can see that she was self-medicating mental health problems with alcohol. When she entered a partial hospitalization program to assess and treat her symptoms of anxiety and depression, it was necessary to address the issue of alcohol use disorder that had developed as a result. She describes quitting alcohol as 'low hanging fruit' that made way for prescription drugs and therapy to work more effectively. Deb's diagosis is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), sometimes called 'emotional hypersensitivity.' She says that with BPD, "every emotion feels like a knife to the chest."   (To hear another Bubble Hour interview about BPD, check out "Michelle's Story" Season 5, Episode 5) For links to resources mentioned in this episode, click here. Host Jean McCarthy's books and blog can be linked to through her website www.jeanmcarthy.ca

Kelly created a self-image as a party girl that became eventually an uncomfortable way to live. Self-centered partners who also drank problematically appeared one after another. She leaned on others for her self-worth and thought, “if you like me then I’m less broken." Now she realizes that her biggest relationship problem was with herself. Today Kelly is standing in her authenticity and learning to love and appreciate herself as a sober woman. “It’s one of the best things that I’ve ever done for myself.” “Therapy is like peeling the layers back trying to get to the root issue, because if you don’t get to the root out you’re likely to relapse. It’s really painful drudging up all of the old stuff but after suppressing it for so long, there was just so much to work through…” “I’ve gotten comfortable in my own skin and actually enjoy being around myself so I don’t have this desperate need to be with somebody like I always had.” Click here for links for the resources mentioned in this episode: https://jeanmccarthy.ca/2021/02/01/the-bubble-hour-s9e5-kellys-story/ Host Jean McCarthy's blog and books are available through her website www.jeanmccarthy.ca

Matt Salis shares his story and insights on recovery. Matt and his wife Sheri have co-authored a book about marriage and recovery, Sober Evolution: Evolve into Sobriety and Recover Your Alcoholic Marriage. They also host a podcast together called UnToxicated. Visit www.soberevolution.org to learn more about their work, download free resources, and connect to Matt's blog Sober and Unashamed. Learn more about their recovery programs SHOUTSobriety and its partner program Echoes of Recovery at www. shoutsobriety.org Host Jean McCarthy's blog is www.UnPickledBlog.com and her latest books are available at www.jeanmccarthy.ca/books

As a little girl, Nichol was not protected the way a child should be. The abuse she suffered left emotional wounds that she kept hidden from the world. Through her teens and adult years, she leaned on alcohol to cope and, despite a strong work ethic and deep love for her daughters, dependency unfolded. Her pattern was unpredictable and she suffered frightening blackouts frequently. Then came an experience that changed everything. Nichol woke up one morning caked in blood and did not recognize the disfigured face in the mirror. A drunken fall the night before nearly ended her life, but she summoned her strength to use the experience as a catalyst for change. Nichol recently celebrate her 50th birthday and a 3-year milestone of sobriety. She shares her story in hopes of taking away some of the stigma and shame others might feel who have been through similar experiences. For links to resources mentioned in this episode, click here: https://jeanmccarthy.ca/2021/01/18/the-bubble-hour-s9e3-nichols-story/ * Host Jean McCarthy's blog is UnPickledBlog.com and her latest books are at www.jeanmccarthy.ca/books

Getting sober is just the beginning for recovery coach and therapist Shelby John, who believes that we can then go on to reach higher for a more joyful, fulfilling life than we ever imagined.  Now 18+ years sober, Shelby recognizes that she not only hit a bottom with her addiction but also then hit what she calls a "sober bottom"; a point at which she saw a need to live differently. Learn more about Shelby at www.shelbyjohncoaching.com and check out her podcast https://confidentsoberwomen.buzzsprout.com. Shelby has created a Facebook group for women in recovery here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/confidentsoberwomen * Host Jean McCarthy's blog is UnPickled and her latest books are available at www.jeanmccarthy.ca/books

Welcome to Season 9 of The Bubble Hour! Host Jean McCarthy shares some thoughts about this special time of year, looks back over 9 years of this podcast and offers inspiration for the days ahead. Recovery is better together and The Bubble Hour is honoured to be part of your recovery toolkit! Jean shares excerpts from her books, which are available at www.jeanmccarthy.com/books. Jean's blog is www.unpickledblog.com.

Darcy noticed she was becoming increasingly reliant on alcohol to relax after her twin boys were born. Then came the double trauma of a miscarriage followed by a devastating decision to end another ill-fated pregnancy.  Darcy tried to push through her emotions, carrying on with her job and meeting the demands of parenting her young sons. She began using alcohol to cope, and the progression took off. She began to question her own value and when she wondered if her family might be better off without her, she knew it was time to ask for help. After some time of being alcohol-free, as well as a joyfully successful pregnancy, Darcy contemplated moderation and found that her drinking returned to previous patterns. It was alarming and quick. Soon she was back in care and determined to do whatever it might take to be free of the hold that alcohol had over her. * Host Jean McCarthy's blog is UnPickled and her lastest books are available via www.jeanmccarthy.ca/books

Kathy's busy, active life was disrupted abruptly when her husband was diagnosed with a dibilitating and ultimately fatal disease at a young age. The stress of being a caregiver led her to lean on alcohol and the pattern continued into her second marriage, which also ended in tragic loss. Grief and lonliness fuelled Kathy's reliance on alcohol even more, until the day she decided to take her power back. https://jeanmccarthy.ca/2020/12/21/the-bubble-hour-s8-e47-kathy-l * Learn more about host Jean McCarthy through her blog UnPickled and find her latest book releases at www.jeanmccarthy.ca/books