If you’ve ever started the week with a real intention to drink less — and then found yourself standing in the kitchen on Friday evening reaching for the same glass again — you are not alone.

In this episode of The Catholic Sobriety Podcast, Christie walks through why Fridays can feel like the hardest day of the week when you’re trying to change your relationship with alcohol.

This isn’t just about willpower.

There are real brain patterns, emotional build-up from the week, and even spiritual dynamics that make Friday evening a powerful habit trigger.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why the urge to drink on Friday is often built all week long
• The dopamine habit loop that gets activated by the end-of-week ritual
• Why alcohol promises rest but rarely actually delivers it
• The deeper emotional need that often sits underneath the Friday craving
• The spiritual dimension of temptation when we’re tired and depleted
• One simple 10-minute reset practice you can use before the evening begins

If Friday evenings are where your intentions tend to fall apart, this conversation will help you pause, reset, and approach the moment with more clarity and freedom.

Grab this FREE guide to join my email list, and you will start receiving my Friday Reset emails too: https://the-catholic-sobriety-coach.myflodesk.com/drinkless-guide

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I’m republishing one of the most informative conversations I’ve had on the podcast because I continue to share this episode with clients again and again.

If you are a woman who is trying to drink less or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, this episode will help you understand something many women are never clearly told: alcohol can have a significant impact on hormones, sleep, mood, stress, blood sugar, gut health, energy, and the way you experience perimenopause and beyond.

In this revisited conversation, I’m joined by Leah Brueggeman, a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner who specializes in helping women get to the root of hormonal imbalance through functional lab testing, nutrition, and lifestyle support.

We talk about how alcohol affects women differently from men, why it can worsen symptoms many women blame on hormones alone, and why taking a break from alcohol can reveal more than you think.

In this episode, we discuss:

• how alcohol impacts women’s hormones across different stages of life
• the connection between alcohol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and FSH
• why alcohol can make perimenopause symptoms feel worse
• the effect of alcohol on dopamine, anxiety, mood, and motivation
• how alcohol disrupts blood sugar, sleep, liver function, and recovery
• why many women do not feel better after only 30 days alcohol-free
• common health habits women try that may actually work against their hormones
• better ways to support rest, sleep, and nervous system regulation without alcohol

Leah also shares practical insight on why women need a more informed, whole-body approach to health rather than just chasing symptoms one by one.

If this conversation resonates, share it with a friend who has been trying to understand her body better and may not have considered alcohol as part of the picture.

You can find out more about Leah on her website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/

Be sure to check out her podcast: The Balancing Hormones Naturally Podcast

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 I just rebuilt my Sacred Sobriety Kickstart — new content, new structure, all built on the four pillars I actually coach from. Five free days to get real clarity on your "why," your triggers, and the tools to stop white-knuckling it. Click the link to sign up!

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

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What happens when you start questioning your drinking… but your husband doesn’t?

Many women begin reducing or eliminating alcohol while their spouse continues drinking as usual. He may be supportive, confused, or simply carrying on with the same habits you’ve always had together.

In this episode, Christie talks about how to navigate marriage when you’re changing your relationship with alcohol and your husband isn’t. She shares why spouses aren’t always the best accountability partners, how to handle date nights and social situations, and why focusing on your own choices (“stay in your lane”) often leads to the most peace.

You’ll also hear why many women are surprised to find that, over time, their husbands often begin drinking less too.

If you’re trying to drink less in a relationship where your spouse still drinks, this episode will help you feel less alone and more confident in your own path.

In This Episode

• What women don’t always anticipate when they start reducing alcohol
 • Why husbands often keep drinking normally
 • The “thought spiral” that happens when your spouse orders a drink
 • How to stay focused on your own choices
 • Navigating date nights and connection without alcohol

Mentioned in this Episode: 

Drop us a Question or Comment

 I just rebuilt my Sacred Sobriety Kickstart — new content, new structure, all built on the four pillars I actually coach from. Five free days to get real clarity on your "why," your triggers, and the tools to stop white-knuckling it. Click the link to sign up!

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

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Visit my Website: https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.com

In this episode, I’m sharing something that came up in a recent coaching call inside the Sacred Sobriety Lab—because I know it’s not just one woman’s struggle.

When family dynamics and stress collide, alcohol can start to feel like the fastest “off switch.” Not because we love alcohol for alcohol’s sake, but because it offers relief. It works in the moment. And that’s why our brains keep going back to it.

We talk about:

• Why urges get louder when your nervous system is already activated
• What “wine chatter” is and how it takes up so much mental real estate
• Why white-knuckling makes it harder (not easier)
• Two grounding questions that change everything: What am I feeling? What do I need?
• How to prepare for family gatherings and stressful situations ahead of time
• Gentle ways to calm your nervous system without using alcohol as the off switch

This episode is especially for you if you’ve ever thought:
 “I don’t even want to drink this much anymore… but it’s taking up too much space in my head.”

Drop us a Question or Comment

 I just rebuilt my Sacred Sobriety Kickstart — new content, new structure, all built on the four pillars I actually coach from. Five free days to get real clarity on your "why," your triggers, and the tools to stop white-knuckling it. Click the link to sign up!

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

👉🏻 Book a Clarity Call
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Visit my Website: https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.com

Alcohol impacts women differently in midlife—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In this episode, we explore why drinking feels harder now, what it quietly takes from your energy and peace, and how midlife can be a threshold into a clearer, more awake way of living. If you’ve been wondering why your habits feel heavier in this season, this conversation is for you. 

What if this Lent could be the season that changes everything? The Freedom 46 Lenten Challenge isn’t just about giving up alcohol; it’s about stepping into a deeper connection with your faith, your purpose, and the freedom Christ desires for you.

This challenge is your opportunity to break free from old patterns and rediscover the woman God created you to be.  Join today!

Drop us a Question or Comment

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

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https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.mykajabi.com/clarity-call

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If you’ve ever tried to step away from wine, food, or any habit that helps you cope — and suddenly everything feels harder — you’re not imagining it.

Cravings get louder. Emotions rise. Resistance shows up in your thoughts, your body, and even your prayer life. And most women assume that means something has gone wrong.

In this episode, I’m joined again by Denise Jelinek to talk about why resistance often appears right when healing is beginning — and how to respond with awareness and surrender instead of shame or control.

This conversation is for women who are trying to change their relationship with alcohol, food, or any comfort habit and find themselves discouraged when the struggle intensifies. We talk about what’s actually happening when comfort is removed, how to recognize spiritual resistance and stay with the work when it gets hard (because it will!)


About my guest:

Denise Jelinek is a Catholic food freedom coach who helps women stop managing themselves and start paying attention. Her work is centered on awareness, surrender, and learning how to respond to cravings, emotions, and resistance without restriction or shame. 

She’s been on the podcast many times, and every conversation takes us deeper into what real freedom actually looks like. You can find out more about Denise and her programs but visiting her website https://weightlosswiththeholyspirit.com

Drop us a Question or Comment

 I just rebuilt my Sacred Sobriety Kickstart — new content, new structure, all built on the four pillars I actually coach from. Five free days to get real clarity on your "why," your triggers, and the tools to stop white-knuckling it. Click the link to sign up!

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

👉🏻 Book a Clarity Call
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Visit my Website: https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.com

Fasting from alcohol for Lent is becoming a powerful spiritual practice for many Catholic women. In this episode, Christie explains why this fast is biblical, how it affects the body, and how to approach it gently as an offering to the Lord. 

If you feel drawn to try this fast, I created a simple Lenten devotional called Into the Desert. It’s a daily companion for women fasting from alcohol, with Scripture, reflection, and guided journaling to help you stay attentive to what God is doing as you set wine down.

The devotional opens on February 15th, three days before Ash Wednesday, with a gentle preparation period to help you ease into the fast. From there, each day opens one at a time, right when you need it—like a Lenten calendar—so you’re not getting ahead or overwhelmed, just showing up for today.

You can find the link below:
https://courses.drinklessornotatall.com/courses/into-the-desert

Drop us a Question or Comment

 I just rebuilt my Sacred Sobriety Kickstart — new content, new structure, all built on the four pillars I actually coach from. Five free days to get real clarity on your "why," your triggers, and the tools to stop white-knuckling it. Click the link to sign up!

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

👉🏻 Book a Clarity Call
https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.mykajabi.com/clarity-call

Visit my Website: https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.com

If you’re stuck in the cycle of quitting alcohol and starting again, you’re not alone. In this episode, I share what actually worked to help me stop drinking and stay sober for 28 years—without willpower, shame, or doing it alone. 

What if this Lent could be the season that changes everything? The Freedom 46 Lenten Challenge isn’t just about giving up alcohol; it’s about stepping into a deeper connection with your faith, your purpose, and the freedom Christ desires for you.

This challenge is your opportunity to break free from old patterns and rediscover the woman God created you to be.

https://courses.drinklessornotatall.com/courses/into-the-desert

Drop us a Question or Comment

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

👉🏻 Book a Clarity Call
https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.mykajabi.com/clarity-call

Visit my Website: https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.com

In this episode of The Catholic Sobriety Podcast, I’m joined by Christian life coach and longtime Al-Anon member Sallee New. Sallee shares her story of growing up in a home shaped by alcoholism and how faith, healing, and community helped her move from chaos to peace. 

Together, we explore what it means to love someone struggling with addiction without losing yourself, how to set calm, faith-based boundaries, and the difference between compassion and enabling. 

We also talk about forgiveness as an ongoing practice, breaking generational patterns, and how prayer and the sacraments play a powerful role in healing families touched by addiction. 

📺 Learn more from Sallee and Faith Forward Coaching on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@SalleeNew

Drop us a Question or Comment

 I just rebuilt my Sacred Sobriety Kickstart — new content, new structure, all built on the four pillars I actually coach from. Five free days to get real clarity on your "why," your triggers, and the tools to stop white-knuckling it. Click the link to sign up!

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

👉🏻 Book a Clarity Call
https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.mykajabi.com/clarity-call

Visit my Website: https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.com

If cutting back on drinking hasn’t brought the relief you hoped for, you’re not alone.

In this episode, I talk about why moderation works for some women—and quietly exhausts others—and how to discern what’s actually right for you.

This is a practical, faith-grounded conversation for the woman who’s tired of guessing, resetting, and negotiating with herself.

👉🏻 Book a Clarity Call
https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/packages/38683

Drop us a Question or Comment

 I just rebuilt my Sacred Sobriety Kickstart — new content, new structure, all built on the four pillars I actually coach from. Five free days to get real clarity on your "why," your triggers, and the tools to stop white-knuckling it. Click the link to sign up!

👉🏻 Get started with my FREE 5-Day Sacred Sobriety Kick Start
https://www.thecatholicsobrietycoach.com/5-day-sacred-sobriety-kick-start

👉🏻 Book a Clarity Call
https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.mykajabi.com/clarity-call

Visit my Website: https://thecatholicsobrietycoach.com