Why does drinking seem to escalate every holiday season — and why does it feel so lonely for

What happens to holidays as alcoholism progresses?

Do you dread the holidays because money feels out of control — and no matter how hard you plan, budget, or prepare, something always sabotages your efforts? When you're married to someone struggling with alcoholism, the financial stress of the holiday season hits different. You’re trying to manage Christmas gifts, family events, groceries, travel… all while navigating a spouse who is secretly spending, overspending, or using money to support an addiction.

And because both of you aren’t on the same page, you feel like you're doing something wrong — like if you just budgeted better or tried harder, things would work.

But here’s the truth:

👉 You cannot manage money effectively with someone who is also managing their addiction.

👉 You are not failing — alcoholism is destabilizing the home, not you.

👉 You have very little control over financial chaos caused by drinking.

In this episode, we’ll talk about:

• Why holiday money stress is so intense in homes affected by alcoholism

• The emotional shame spiral wives fall into (“Why can’t I fix this?”)

• Why budgeting with an addicted spouse rarely works — and why it’s NOT your fault

• How to release the belief that you’re supposed to “hold it all together”

• A simple truth to anchor in when the financial chaos feels overwhelming

• How understanding lack of shared reality can lift a massive burden off your shoulders

If you’ve ever blamed yourself for financial stress caused by addiction, this episode will help you breathe again.

👉 Questions for the show? Email me at [email protected]

Search: Financial Infidelity, Money Management, Dave Ramsey, Budgeting 

Are you the only functioning parent in your home during the holidays? Do you carry the entire load—planning, preparing, protecting the kids, managing emotions—while your husband’s drinking increases and his presence decreases?

This episode dives into the heartbreaking exhaustion Christian wives face when they are emotionally and practically parenting alone, even though their spouse still lives in the home. You’ll hear why the holidays intensify this burden, why you feel so drained, and why the invisible load you carry is real, valid, and seen by God.

If you’ve ever collapsed into bed thinking, “I can’t hold this together alone,” this episode will meet you right where you are.

📩 Questions: [email protected]

📅 Book a session: Email to be added to the waiting list.

Are you wondering if your husband’s drinking or behavior has crossed the line from “social” to something more serious? Maybe you’ve ignored the warning signs because you didn’t want to believe you were living with addiction. In this episode, we’re unpacking the red flags of addiction—what they look like in marriage, why we overlook them, and how codependency and love can cloud our judgment. 

You’ll learn:

✅ My real definition of addiction—and why it’s not just about how much he drinks or uses.

✅ Why so many wives and partners miss or excuse red flags in early relationships.

✅ Early warning signs that often show up before the problem is fully visible:

• Past attempts at sobriety or rehab stays

• A history of addiction in the family or previous relationships

• Alcohol or drugs present at nearly every social event

• Heavier use than others around him (but hard to see if your circle normalizes drinking)

• Encouraging you to drink or use more than you normally would 

We’ll talk about how codependency can disguise itself as love or loyalty—keeping you stuck in denial while addiction quietly takes over your marriage. You’ll also gain biblical insight and emotional tools to start seeing the truth clearly, without shame or fear.

When you understand the red flags of addiction, you can begin replacing confusion with clarity—and take your first step toward peace, wisdom, and recovery for your family. 

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Connect & Next Steps

👉 Have a question for a future episode? Email me at [email protected]

👉 Need personal coaching to spot addiction patterns and end codependent cycles? My 1:1 sessions are open with very limited availability. Feel free to email me if everything is booked and we can see what options we can come up with:)

If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “How did I get back to this again?” — this episode is for you. That question means you’ve just gone through the cycle of gaslighting — and you may not even realize it.

In this episode, we break down what gaslighting in an alcoholic marriage really looks like, why it’s so powerful, and how it keeps you trapped in a cycle of confusion, guilt, and self-doubt. You’ll learn how to recognize the cycle, accept what’s happening, and take your first steps toward breaking free through truth and faith.

We’ll cover:

When you finally see the cycle for what it is, you can stop spinning in it. You can protect your peace, rebuild your confidence, and walk in the clarity that comes from God’s truth — not the lies of addiction.

Want to connect? Email me at [email protected]

When your husband is struggling with alcohol use, but life still looks mostly normal… it can be incredibly confusing.

He may be:

Holding down a good job

Active in church or community

Present with the kids at times Charming and “fine” around family and friends

And when you express concern?

He says you’re overreacting.

Or that things aren’t that bad.

Or he can stop anytime.

🎯 This is the world of high-functioning alcoholism — where dysfunction hides behind a polished exterior.

You begin to wonder:

Is he really an alcoholic?

Why does his drinking affect me so much?

Am I the problem?

Is this normal for a marriage?

How do I know if his drinking has crossed a line?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ How alcohol reshapes your husband’s brain around compulsion and denial

✅ Why gaslighting and blame-shifting increase over time

✅ How family members slip into codependency and survival roles

✅ Why emotional safety declines even before a crisis hits

✅ Five clarity questions to help you see addiction for what it truly is

Even in seasons where he is “high functioning,” alcohol always creates:

Spiritual disconnection

Emotional unpredictability

Increased anxiety for the whole family

Loss of trust, safety, and intimacy Subtle — but escalating — abuse patterns

You do not need rock-bottom to validate your pain. If alcohol is affecting your peace, your marriage, or your children — it is already too much. Your intuition is a gift. You deserve to see the truth clearly.

💛 You Don’t Have to Walk Through This Alone

If anything resonated, I’d love to support you.

I welcome your questions, stories, and prayer requests.

📩 Email me: [email protected] 🗓️ Book a clarity coaching session: https://calendly.com/wifeontherocks/1hrcoachingsession

You are not imagining the dysfunction. You are not overreacting. You are not alone.

If your husband is finally getting help for his addiction, you may be wondering: How long should he stay in treatment? 30 days? 60 days? 90 days? Longer? And what does detox have to do with rehab?

Today, we’re breaking down the difference between detox and rehab in a simple, helpful way — and we’ll talk about why staying longer can make a big difference in your husband’s ability to recover well.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

✅ Detox vs. Rehab — why detox alone isn’t enough.

✅ What actually happens in rehab (it’s not just sitting in a room!).

✅ Why 30 days is often just the beginning of healing.

✅ The brain science behind why staying longer improves recovery outcomes.

✅ How treatment gives wives peace of mind and breathing room.

✅ The tension between missing him at home vs. wanting him to fully heal.

✅ Why this moment is a marathon — not a sprint.

I also share my own experience of what it felt like when my husband was finally in a safe place getting help — the relief, the emotional crash, the grief for my kids — and how I learned to stay focused on the long-term goal, not the quick fix.

Because while it is hard to solo parent and navigate the emotional rollercoaster of treatment… you have prayed for this moment. And now is not the time to rush the healing.

Sobriety isn’t surface-level change. Recovery means going deep enough to face the root. And sometimes… that takes more time.

✨ LAST CALL: Holiday Survival Course

There are 3 live sessions still coming up, and you’ll receive instant access to the first two via recording — plus all the printable resources, homework, and support materials inside the private course hub.

If you want practical support and spiritual strength throughout this holiday season, I’d love to help you stay grounded in God’s peace and protect what matters most.

👉 Join the Holiday Survival Course here: https://calendly.com/wifeontherocks/holiday-survival-course.

💌  Have a question for a future episode or want to share what God is doing in your life? Email me anytime at: [email protected]

Need personal support? 1:1 coaching spots are open now — link in the show notes to schedule! https://calendly.com/wifeontherocks/1hrcoachingsession

You’re not alone in this, friend. There is hope — and healing — even here. Take a breath. Let’s walk this together. 💛

Have you ever asked yourself, “If he really loved us, why won’t he stop drinking?”

In this episode of Wife on the Rocks, we unpack the truth about the addicted brain and why love alone can’t undo addiction. You’ll hear:

✅ Why addiction hijacks the brain’s survival system—and why it’s not a matter of willpower or love.

Understanding this doesn’t make it easier—but it helped me stop taking the pain personally. There is always hope, because God is still working behind the scenes in ways you can’t see.

IT IS NOT TOO LATE!

📩 Have a question you’d like answered in a future episode? Want to share anything with me? Email [email protected].

Have you ever found yourself drawn into a heated or emotional conversation with your husband after he’s been drinking—only to regret it the next day when he doesn’t remember, denies it happened, or twists your words? In this episode of Wife on the Rocks, we’ll talk about why refusing to engage in conversation when alcohol is involved is not cold or controlling—it’s wise, protective, and biblical. Learn about the ONE boundary that I had to set in our home when addiction was taking over everything! Come along on this journey where co-dependency develops boundaries to deal with alcoholism in a way that can protect in the hard moments of gaslighting and conversations that spiral quickly!

You’ll learn:

If you’ve ever felt stuck between silence and chaos, desiring to have a close relationship rooted in healthy communication, but instead wind up in an argument that goes nowhere, this episode will help you choose peace—and know that walking away doesn’t mean giving up. It is an essential boundary at times to protect your heart.

👉 Join the Holiday Survival Course to learn practical ways to navigate this season. 

https://calendly.com/wifeontherocks/holiday-survival-course 

We are not helpless in this cycle, although it often feels that way, there are many things that we can be doing to walk in peace TODAY. Everything that I talk about on the Podcast and SO MUCH MORE!! The best part is that I am teaching LIVE for these 5 weeks and with interactive components, you can reach out for help and support as we go along! At the end of the 5 weeks you will have worked through the common traps this time of year and have built a plan specific for your family that you can rely on any day of the year!

It is like having the podcast (and me) in your pocket. Encouragement for 5 weeks straight!! Wrapped in beautiful paper and tied with a bow. A GIFT for YOU this Christmas!! 

1) Guarding your mind from Gaslighting and walking in Truth 

2) Recognize unhealthy patterns and how to break them

3) Parenting Challenges, A Child’s Perspective, Traditions and Scheduling 

4) Boundaries that WORK for YOUR family 

5) Protecting your mind from the mental spiral on the hard days

Don’t walk this path alone again! Find support, connection, and hope as we navigate the unpredicatability together, build a road map that works for your family, and have a plan designed especially for YOU in the moments that are too painful for words. Get your Hot Cocoa and snuggly blanket and let’s talk about how this year could look different!

Course begins in ONE Week on October 21st. Click here for full details and to grab your seat!!

https://calendly.com/wifeontherocks/holiday-survival-course 

 👉 Need personalized support? Book a 1:1 coaching session!

https://calendly.com/wifeontherocks/1hrcoachingsession 

Send your questions to [email protected]. There are a few spots left before Thanksgiving!