The Unruffled Podcast

This week on the podcast, Tammi and Sondra are excited to bring you a conversation with Dana Bowman. Dana is an author, teacher and speaker who sends Moms everywhere who struggle  with alcohol a message of strength and hope through her books, speaking engagements and television appearances. They also talk about perfectionism, marriage, relapse and writing...it’s a very juicy episode. You can learn more about Dana on her blog, https://momsieblog.com/ , see her Today Show appearance and buy her books, Bottled: A Mom’s Guide to Early Recovery and How to Be Perfect Like Me, while you’re there.

This week Dana shares three items from her Unruffled Toolbox: (1) Persistence; (2) Patterns; and (3) Keeping a ratty journal.

Today, Tammi and Sondra are excited to share a conversation with artist, author and teacher, Sabrina Ward Harrison. Although Sabrina has had a prolific creative career, she came to a point in her life where she felt alcohol was holding her back and today, she shares her sobriety story publicly for the first time. Tammi and Sondra are honored to hold this space for her and they hope that her message and her art inspire you beyond this interview. You can learn more about Sabrina at https://www.sabrinawardharrison.info/, where you can also learn about her new online class, Untether. You can also catch her on her own podcast, Room in the Trees that she co-hosts with Trent Reynolds or on Instagram @sabrinawardharrison.

This week Sabrina shares three items from her Unruffled Toolbox: (1) Poet John O’Donohue interview with Krista Tippett on On Being; (2) Moving my body; and (3) Tiffany Han’s Raise Your Hand Say Yes podcast.

In this episode, Tammi and Sondra revisit their time at the She Recovers event in LA. They talk about their favorite parts (the silent disco, duh), which events had the most impact and what left them inspired to take action. Though they both had different take-aways, they both agreed that the best overall part was meeting The Unruffled Podcast listeners. They hope this episode sends good energy out to not just those that were in attendance but especially to those that weren’t.

This week Sondra and Tammi share three items from their Unruffled Toolboxes: Sondra: (1) The famous Beverly Hilton Hotel swimming pool; (2) Saying NO; and (3) Hugs + laughter. Tammi: (1) Being prepared; (2) Purse toolbox kit; and (3) My travel wife.

Today, Tammi and Sondra bring you a conversation with Niki Hale. Niki is a multi-passionate Californian and when she’s not providing trauma-informed massage therapy, she’s making, sewing, cooking, gardening, connecting and creating a rich and meaningful life. With alcohol no longer holding her back, Niki is a force to be reckoned. If you’d like to learn more about Niki and her offerings, visit her beautiful website https://starsalignbodywork.com/.

This week Niki shares items from her Unruffled Toolbox: (1) My privilege; (2) Compassionate curiosity; (3) Mynoise.net; (4) Replacement beverages; (5) What’s up? - A Mental Health App; and (6) SOBRIETY is her biggest tool of all.

Tammi and Sondra catch up on two of four subjects today, as filtered through the lens of Summer: family and sobriety (check last week’s episode for health and creativity). They talk about teenagers, aging parents, sobriety milestones and service. The summer of slowing down, self-indulgence and the Sober Sister Summer Series was a success!

This week Sondra and Tammi share three items from their Unruffled Toolboxes: Sondra: (1) Library card; (2) Writing my face off; and (3) Prayer and meditation. Tammi: (1) Social media hiatus; (2) Morning pages; and (3) Newsletters.

Tammi and Sondra catch up on two of four subjects today, as filtered through the lens of Summer: health and creativity (come back next week for family and sobriety). They talk about hormones and anxiety, painting, making, writing and even job hunting. They also reflect on the success of the Sober Sister Summer Series and their respective themes of slowing down and self-indulgence. No Unruffled Toolbox items for this week, as they are saving them for the end of Part 2.

Rounding out the Sober Sister Summer Series, Tammi and Sondra are happy to bring you a conversation with their friend, Susan Sainsbury. Susan is a creative, sober sister from another Mother, tucked into the Catskills with her family and animals, she has the kind of creative prowess that inspires envy. From her quaint farmhouse, studio and garden, her found object art to her community work, Susan has crafted a beautiful life in recovery. She lives with so much intention now and to see more of what she is up to in her day-to-day, you can catch her on Instagram @susansainsbury_themakinghour.

This week Susan shares items from her Early Sobriety Unruffled Toolbox: (1) Stop Drinking Now by Allen Carr; (2) Podcasts about sobriety; (3) Ginger syrup beverages; and (4) A therapist. Today, her current Unruffled Toolbox consists of: (1) Podcasts; (2) In real life community; and (3) Alone time.

With a few more episodes to go in their Sober Sister Summer Series, Tammi and Sondra are excited to share a conversation with their friend, Lara Frazier. Lara is a writer, speaker and recovery advocate with a strong voice in the recovery community. She has a very powerful story that’s she’s told on a couple of favorite podcasts, so if you want to hear Lara’s complete journey to sobriety, you can catch that on the Home podcast, Ep. 70. In this episode, the ladies wanted to focus on all of the important work Lara is up to now, including writing and specifically her latest essay on leaving a Twelve Step program and how she is doing two years after that decision. It can often be a polarizing topic that can come loaded with controversy, but they take their time weighing in on why the program works for some and not for others, as well as ideas for those for whom it does not resonate. You can read more of Lara’s work at https://larafrazier.com/ or see what she’s up to on the daily on Instagram @sillylara.

This week Lara shares three items from her Unruffled Toolbox: (1) Macklemore; (2) Elena Brower’s: Ritual of Recovery; and (3) Social media.

In this week’s episode and as part of the Sober Sister Summer Series, Tammi and Sondra talk to their friend, Sarelle McCoard. Sarelle is a sober Mama living in Ohio and is someone who really works hard on her recovery, and it shows. Always a student, she began a new career as a chemical dependency counselor at 48 and there is hardly a creative challenge that she isn’t willing to take on. Sarelle’s life explodes in full color now, and she makes sobriety look so good. You can see more of Sarelle’s beautiful life and projects at www.stichmeastory.wordpress.com or follow her in Instagram @sarelle_mccoard

This week Sarelle shares three items from her Unruffled Toolbox: (1) Gratitude; (2) Community + Connection; and (3) Making.

Adding to the Sober Sister Summer Series, Tammi and Sondra are excited to have their friend Diana Unlu on the show. Diana is a sober Mama, passionate and thriving in Austin, where she is busy creating a life from which she no longer wants to escape. Through her beautiful travels, home and family, her life is Instagram-worthy, but it is the changes that she’s made on the inside through recovery that she’s most proud. And it’s the hard work she’s put in to make these changes, through yoga teacher training, nutritious eating and mindful living, that they know you will find most inspiring. You can witness Diana’s passion for yoga, cooking and wellness over on Instagram @mysoulandbowl or follow her @dianaunlu, where she shares more of her journey to sobriety.

This week Diana shares three items from her Unruffled Toolbox: (1) Physical movement; (2) Meditation; and (3) Find your passion.