The Sober New Yorker

In this episode, Gabe shares his powerful journey from slipping to standing tall. A proud West Texan and member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Gabe began his alcohol-free path in May 2024. After a slip just three months in, he now celebrates 10 months of continuous sobriety.

From setbacks to strength, Gabe opens up about recovery, identity, and his dream of creating alcohol-free travel experiences and retreats. This is what resilience in recovery really looks like.

Be sure to follow him on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/outandaboutaf/

Alvin Jones went from battling addiction to leading boardrooms—and never looked back. Now 25+ years sober, this Brooklyn-born strategist, NYU Stern MBA candidate, and President of New York Toastmasters shares how recovery fueled his rise. Tune in for hard-earned wisdom, unstoppable drive, and the story behind his powerful book Looking in the Mirror.

https://www.instagram.com/raherakthy7/

[email protected]

Looking in the Mirror, now available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Looking-Mirror-Self-Examination-Critical-Thinking/dp/0578868849/ref=sr_1_6?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0IGeAefyHnuWd0XarRhB_YR5mjaAnX-_F8w4Dh885LYK6ZPZeueIiQjtfNyQO3Q5xDK8pqZVIuridHWJ5CwN2vExoRw4cAsdZtF_jw8g5zEGKr9XMNjIFQYF8puJ8LLO1Dgl3EgnuYJBwxvdgfJokpf0rXzi6E8QUPlulxp2SlYVKQRRsxpSwnR5yTIX7fRY6A3ByeNacwQAtncqErxXluQAc3cQRUZZbnxh6LbkDMc.N1dVXgt8OJJG9xqBnhdyNwEDXQcVbh_F98RKiZptVhk&dib_tag=se&qid=1750093726&refinements=p_27%3AAlvin+Jones&s=books&sr=1-6

In this solo episode, I take you across the pond to London, where I spent a week with my daughter soaking up the sights—and observing just how deeply alcohol is woven into British culture. From cozy corner pubs on every block, to wine at the theater, to beer-soaked football matches, drinking isn’t just common—it’s expected. Once upon a time, I wondered if I could ever navigate a trip like this without alcohol. But experiencing it all sober—with clarity, presence, and my daughter by my side—turned out to be something truly special. Tune in as I reflect on the highs, the culture shocks, and the unexpected joys of seeing London through sober eyes.

https://www.instagram.com/thesobernewyorker/

A daily drinker for over 30 years, Josh is proud to say that as of this podcast recording, he is

over 15 months alcohol free! Josh attributes much of his success to the recovery coaching he

received, online social media and meetings within the recovery community, countless hours of

recovery podcasts, reading quit-lit like This Naked Mind, and most importantly DOING THE

WORK. Originally from Wisconsin, Josh and his wife currently reside in rural central Virginia.

Josh enjoys gardening and cooking, taking walks in the woods with his dog, spending time with

his wife of 19 years, and playing the saxophone. Josh is proof that an alcohol-free free life can

be not only possible, but amazing!

Be sure to follow Josh on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/josh.quits.forever/

After drinking heavily from 2011-2022, Morgan chose sobriety on October 15, 2022 at the age of 31. After relocating across the country twice in 12 months, she finally realized that she couldn't outrun herself. Her drinking had escalated from bad to alarming and her body was screaming for it to stop. Since that day, she's worked hard to transform her life—from seeking any excuse to drink to embracing the realities of a completely sober lifestyle. She joined the Instagram community to not only learn from others, but to also share her story and serve as testament to the possibilities and beauty of a sober lifestyle.

Be sure to follow her inspiring content on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/morgantaylorsober/

Today I am joined by Jane, who proves you don't have to hit rock bottom to decide you're worth a life free of alcohol fueled drama.

Jane Ballard, LCSW-S, CEDS, PMH-C, is a licensed psychotherapist, wellness advocate, and founder of Jane Ballard Wellness, a practice dedicated to supporting women’s mental health across the lifespan. With over 20 years of experience, Jane is passionate about empowering women through life’s transitions, with a focus on the hormonal changes that impact well-being. She offers therapy, coaching, and clinical supervision in person in Dallas, TX, and virtually worldwide. Jane also leads Living Your Purpose Retreats in Bali and co-hosts Mindful Sobriety: The Podcast, creating space for honest conversations around mental health, sobriety, and self-care.

https://www.janewballard.com/

https://www.instagram.com/janewballard/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindful-sobriety-the-podcast/id1723723551

If you're ever in Palm Springs, Kurt and his architecture tours are AMAZING!

https://www.psmodsquad.com/

Today I am joined by Liz, a Santa Barbara native and former tech career woman who decided at age 33 to start a new career in psychology. She is currently in practicum, focused on trauma work at a local organization working with families and young people.

She loves to travel and most recently that travel has become ALCOHOL-FREE! She also loves reading, listening to podcasts, cooking and exercising.

You can follow her adventures on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/cozy.ikebana/

Hello my faithful listeners,

Join me today as I tell you about the retreat I took part in last weekend in "Drunk Disneyland" New Orleans! Have you ever been? I got to share my sober reinvention story for the women of the retreat and I even experienced a big A-HA moment and something sort of "Woo Woo" with a black crow.

BE BOLD is an acronym I think you will all be able to relate to if you have ever gone through any kind of change or reinvention of your own.

I will be 600 days alcohol free on April 5th and it remains one of THE best decisions I've ever made!

Interested in alcohol free coaching? Two spots just opened up in my 1:1 program. Book a Discovery call today.

The Spring is a perfect time to begin your sober reinvention story!

https://thesobernewyorker.com/coaching-packages

Megan Swan is an integrative wellness coach, author, and podcast host. She works with high impact women globally who know that wellness-alignment is the wave of the future: a non-negotiable strategy in life and business. With twelve years of experience in the wellness industry and a proven track record of helping female founders make wellness a way of life. Megan empowers women to be fit, fresh. and fierce while they build legacy impact.

A strict yoga regimen allowed her to get curious about what an alcohol free life might look like, but she always ended up dipping her toe back in the water. that is, until one night when she was driving home with her two young sons and felt herself nodding off after a night of drinking wine. That night was her last night of drinking...seven years ago!

https://www.instagram.com/meganswanwellness

https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-swan-wellness/

New book: Marinating In Chaos: Live Intuitively & Make Bold Authentic DecisionsAt 30 Megan set out on her own twisted Eat, Pray, Love journey - Latin Style where she ended up living as an expat in Mexico for 15 years. This book is part memoir - part roadmap for women who are serious about getting healthy - for good, not just for a season. It is for the women who are tired of feeling tired and deep down know there is an inner fire just waiting to be lit. Megan takes you on a comical, vulnerable and relatable journey from party girl looking to escape negative narratives on replay to empowered wellness leader looking to change how women everywhere view themselves. This book is for all the women who quite simply are ready for something more.

Born & raised in Appleton, WI Melissa graduated from UW Platteville with a degree in Forensic Investigation. She lived & worked in northern VA for a short period of time and then settled back in Appleton.

As a typical WI party girl, alcohol suited her for many years, but when her falls became more frequent (including a full hip replacement at age 31) she started testing out dry January stints and then longer breaks from alcohol throughout 2023. These breaks ultimately led her to give sober life a try and has been living "outside of the box" since February 2024.

https://www.instagram.com/mam_i_am1/

Melissa's podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weighing-into-reality/id1745186858