Alcohol was at the center of the world that Gillian grew up in, and the things she witnessed made her feel very unsafe. That lack of safety stayed with her into adulthood and ultimately became the main driver of her own drinking. Gillian’s first drink at 13 gave her a sense of cozy warm peace that she desperately craved, and from that moment she was hooked. 

After over a decade of being the life of the party, Gillian’s first break from alcohol came during pregnancy. That taste of sobriety felt so surprisingly good that she fleetingly considered quitting after she gave birth. It was a thought that only lasted two hours into the birth of her son when someone brought champagne to her hospital room. 

For years, Gillian was able to push aside any thought that her drinking was problematic. She ‘didn’t have a problem’. She could still show up for her life, her fitness and her family! Yet, as she aged, these things started to change. Hangovers and blackouts upended her once manageable lifestyle, and with it cracks began to appear in her work and her family. 

One day, Gillian accidentally listened to a podcast about the benefits of going alcohol-free, and she had a shocking epiphany: Alcohol was the source of all of her problems. Yet, sobriety felt terrifying. She didn’t know who she was without alcohol. It seemed central to her entire personality. Despite it all, though, she found the courage to try. 

Gillian is now 9 ½ months sober and has experienced a full transformation. She doesn’t even recognize the person that she was anymore. She is now out and proud about her sobriety. She’s found so much meaning in influencing others (including her mom!) to stop drinking. She encourages you to share your sobriety journey too! 

Enrollment for the next Sober Mom Retreat is now live, and you’re invited! We’ll be gathering at the Mountain Shadows Resort in Arizona from Feb 27-Mar 2, 2025. If you’re looking for community and self care in sobriety, this retreat is for you! Book your spot here. 

I started The Sober Mom Life Cafe so women just like you can find connection in sobriety. We have 4 Zoom Peer Support meetings every week, a monthly book club, and a private Facebook group so you can connect all day long.  Join us here, now. ❤️

Get Your Copy of my book  The Sober Shift 

Follow on Instagram  @thesobermomlife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.