What if reprogramming your brain after quitting drinking could transform your entire emotional experience? 

That’s what Fran and Carol are discovering in this powerful episode with Coach Lisa. Fran, the youngest of eight, grew up associating alcohol with love, celebration, and anxiety. Her emotional wiring around alcohol began in early childhood and has run the show for decades—until now. Carol, a longtime health coach, used alcohol to unwind and cope with anxiety and depression. After 13 weeks alcohol-free, she’s realizing the emptiness she once filled with wine is now an invitation to feel deeply and live authentically. Through coaching, reflection, and resilience, both women are proof that our emotional landscape isn’t fixed—it can be rewired.

In Fran’s session:

How childhood experiences with alcohol shaped Fran’s identity

Unpacking the dual associations of celebration and fear tied to drinking

How early panic sensations created a pattern alcohol numbed out

Reprogramming your brain after quitting drinking through micro-disruptions

Fran’s experiment with being sober around family and staying present

How the narrative of alcohol as “connection” can be replaced with real joy

The role of curiosity, compassion, and repetition in lasting change

and other topics…

In Carol’s session:

Navigating major life events like surgery without reaching for alcohol

Feeling “empty” in early sobriety and learning to sit with discomfort

Finding joy through nature, faith, and relationship with her husband

Why being alcohol-free opened the door to emotional clarity

How Carol is learning to design joy without relying on external substances

Realizing that joy is a choice, not just a feeling

and more…

Lisa Kwiatkowski is a Certified Senior This Naked Mind Coach and Designing Your Life Coach. After breaking free from daily drinking in 2018, she now helps high-achieving women overcome anxiety and disconnection through intentional, alcohol-free living. Lisa’s coaching blends science-backed mindset work with practical life design strategies, guiding women to create lasting change and authentic joy. With over two decades of leadership in international sport, she brings a grounded, compassionate presence to clients navigating burnout, reinvention, and self-discovery.Learn more about Coach Lisa: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/lisa-kwiatkowski/

Related Episodes:

EP 448: What I Wish I Knew Before My First Drink – The Thief of Joy - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-448-what-i-wish-i-knew-before-my-first-drink-the-thief-of-joy/

EP 578: Reader’s Question – Why is it hard to imagine being happy after going alcohol-free? - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-578-readers-question-why-is-it-hard-to-imagine-being-happy-going-alcohol-free/

EP 669: Naked Life Story – Megan W. - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-669-naked-life-story-megan-w/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 
Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!