The Weekend Sober

A new series: member's of Sober in the Suburbs share their personal stories with our audience. Allison Deraney tells us about her path to sobriety. Visit her substack: Dare To Be Dry: https://allisonderaney.substack.com/

Kim and Kezia speak with addictionologist Dr. Evelyn Higgins from Wired for Addiction.

Dr. Higgins is an expert in the epidemiology of addiction. If you could identify the brain chemicals that cause alcohol or drug addiction in your brain, then what would be the next step? What if you could start at a young age by creating different habits if you had the scientific knowledge to prepare you to do so? What gets a person to that place of addiction? If you actually knew that you didn't have to stay in that dark place, would you? If you could have had your DNA tested at a young age to see if you were predisposed to substance use disorder, would you have done so? If you knew what lay ahead, what would you have done differently?

"Does your DNA predispose you to substance abuse? New research suggests that addiction is a biological condition. How would knowing your risk for alcohol or drug dependency impact your choices? Dr. Evelyn Higgins, CEO & Founder of Wired For Addiction®, is an international expert in the epidemiology of addiction. She believes the way we perceive, treat, and manage mental health and substance use disorders needs to evolve to reflect what we now know about human physiology. Technological advances have given us the genetic tools to identify the biomarkers of addiction. So why aren't we using that knowledge to improve treatment protocols? We can change the lens through which society views addiction by acknowledging its biological components and promoting science-based solutions." 

Founder and CEO of Wired For Addiction®, Dr. Evelyn Higgins is a recognized international expert in the epidemiology of addiction.  As a Certified Addictionologist, Diplomate of the American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders, and Diplomate of the American Board of Disability Analysts specializing in pain management, Dr. Higgins has had the honor of advising the U.S. Surgeon General, producing and hosting a Gracie Award winning nationally syndicated health and wellness terrestrial radio program, and serving as a 1996 Olympic Team Doctor and Olympic torch bearer.   With 35 years in clinical practice, Dr. Higgins has designated over 16 years to Research and Development in the science of addiction recovery. A TEDx Speaker (her TEDx Talk can be found here), panelist at the 2022 International Society of Substance Use Professionals Annual Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the 2022 International Gambling Conference in Auckland, New Zealand, and a 2021 Nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Innovators in Healthcare, Dr. Higgins finds herself at the nexus of epigenetics, neuroscience, and addiction.

https://www.wiredforaddiction.com/

https://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_higgins_am_i_wired_for_addiction

Kim, Suzanne and Audrey (from The Sober Mom Life) return from Laura McKowen's Push Off From Here wellness retreat at Kripalu in the Berkshires. It was a wonderful weekend, and they share with Kezia all about their incredible, transformative experiences. The ladies describe the entire weekend, and also all about how the retreat hangover is legit a real thing.

Read about it here!

Kim and Kezia talk with Vanessa Royle, the co-founder of Tilden, a non-alcoholic drink company. The ladies discuss how the company came to be, Vanessa's journey with sobriety and how the evolution of the N/A industry has evolved over the last few years.

Kim and Kezia chat about one of their favorite buzzwords: the "Glimmer." Most people understand what a "trigger" is, but not many people look for the opposite - a glimmer. A glimmer is a tiny moment in your day to day life that takes you by surprise and it can bring about feelings of joy or peace.

Do you experience glimmers? How do impact your sobriety? Let us know!

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Kim and Kezia interview Dr. Rachel Sayko Adams who shares all about her studies in alcohol research.

Rachel Sayko Adams, PhD, MPH is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Law, Policy & Management at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH). She is a proud alum of BUSPH where she completed her Master in Public Health in Health Policy & Management followed by a PhD in Social Policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Dr. Adams is a health services researcher with expertise studying substance use, disparities in treatment, and morbidity and mortality outcomes in high-risk populations (e.g., military/Veterans, persons with traumatic brain injury, women). 
https://www.bu.edu/sph/profile/rachel-adams/

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-06-23/binge-drinking-in-middle-age-has-wine-mom-culture-gone-too-far
https://www.bu.edu/sph/news/articles/2023/women-without-children-at-age-35-are-at-highest-risk-of-binge-drinking-alcohol-use-disorder/

Welcome to season 3! We are back after our summer break. We are ready for a whole new round of interviews, random chatter and lots of hysterical moments.

This week, we hear from Kezia all about Tristan's wonderful birth story. Kim also shares about her summer with her three kids, which was not quite as eventful as Kezia's.

The ladies both commiserate over how they feel as if they are stuck in a childhood mentality at times. As moms, they struggle alongside their own children to just get through the day.

How is sobriety like being a child for you? Do you find yourself relearning some basic concepts and fundamental people skills you should have mastered years ago?

Kezia and Kim sometimes just feel like little kids.

Send us DMs on instagram and shares your own personal stories! @asoberandstrongmom @thesoberelephantchronicles

Kim and Kezia talk about the final weeks of Kecia's pregnancy and reminisce about the early days of motherhood when they were drinking. They discuss the triggers of summer and why they are grateful once again for their sobriety. Thank you for following along with them for season 2. Thank you also to our guests who have shared their stories and wisdom! See you back here in September. We can't wait!