Dear Vernon

The Luckiest Club

Dear Vernon is a sobriety podcast brought to you by The Luckiest Club. Each episode tackles real questions about sobriety, recovery, and life—submitted by members of the TLC community and listeners who are navigating it all in real time. The Luckiest Club (TLC) is a global sobriety support community founded by Laura McKowen, bestselling author and a leading voice in modern recovery. With daily meetings, proven programs, and a thriving community, TLC provides a compassionate, dogma-free space for people to get sober, stay sober, and thrive in a life of recovery.

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    EP 3: Are You Ever Recovered?

    In this episode of Dear Vernon, Laura McKowen and Eric Johnson respond to a listener question: "Are you ever actually recovered, or are you in recovery forever?" Laura reflects on what recovery means to her now, more than a decade into sobriety — how it’s shifted from something effortful and front-of-mind into something deeply integrated. Eric dives into the difference between sobriety (not drinking) and recovery (learning how to live, cope, and regulate without alcohol). Together, they talk about: The difference between being sober and being in recoveryWhy early sobriety can feel so heavy, and why it doesn’t stay that wayHow recovery evolves as it becomes part of who you areEmotional sobriety, regulation, and learning healthier ways to copeAnd why recovery isn’t about arriving somewhere perfect This is a conversation for anyone who’s wondered:“Will this always feel like work?”“Do people really do this forever?”“Does it ever get easier?” Want more support?We offer three 13-week programs designed to meet you exactly where you are in sobriety:👉 The Sober 90 by The Luckiest Club — The Luckiest Club👉 The Sober Steady — The Luckiest Club👉 The Sober Life — The Luckiest Club Not a member yet?You can explore everything inside The Luckiest Club with a free 7-day trial:👉 Start your free week Have a question for Dear Vernon?Submit it here — anonymously — and it might be featured on a future episode. If the show resonates, leave a review and share it with someone who needs it.

    25 min

  2. JAN 29

    EP 2: About Those New Drinking Guidelines…

    Welcome back to Dear Vernon, where we answer real questions about sobriety without pretending it’s simple or one-size-fits-all. In this episode, Laura McKowen and Eric Johnson dig into a question a lot of you have been asking lately: What do we actually think about the new Surgeon General alcohol guidelines? 💭 And maybe more importantly… why do they feel so confusing? We talk about: What actually changed in the guidelines (and what didn’t)Why vague public health messaging can be frustrating, especially if you’re already questioning your drinkingThe idea of alcohol as a “social lubricant” (and why that framing matters)How people tend to cherry-pick guidance when they’re already strugglingWhat the research and data really says — including the landmark 2018 Lancet studyWhy clarity matters more than ever in a culture that already minimizes alcohol’s impact This isn’t about shaming, fear-mongering, or telling anyone what to do. It’s about context, honesty, and helping you make informed choices, especially if sobriety is already tugging at you. As always, we’ll keep having these conversations, because the questions don’t stop once you stop drinking. Want support beyond the podcast?If this episode stirred something up, you don’t have to sit with it alone. Here’s how you can plug into TLC: The Sober 90 — for getting sober and building a strong foundation👉 https://www.theluckiestclub.com/the-sober-90The Sober Steady — for the messy middle (staying sober, learning regulation & resilience)👉 https://www.theluckiestclub.com/the-sober-steadyThe Sober Life — for long-term sobriety and emotional growth👉 https://www.theluckiestclub.com/the-sober-lifeTry TLC free for a week (meetings, community, real support)👉 https://www.theluckiestclub.com/free-weekResearch MentionedThe 2018 Lancet Study on Alcohol Use & Health👉 https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(18)31571-X/fulltextVivek Murthy Paper👉 Our Epidemic of Loneliness and IsolationHave a question you want us to answer on a future episode?Submit it anonymously here— we might talk about it next. And if this episode helped, made you think, or made you feel less alone:Leave a review, share it with a friend, or send it to someone who’s quietly questioning their relationship with alcohol. We’ll be back soon. 💛

    27 min

  3. JAN 23

    EP 1: So... Who The Hell Is Vernon?

    Welcome to the very first episode of Dear Vernon. We know. You probably have questions.Like… who is Vernon?And why are people writing letters to him?And how did this turn into a podcast? In this episode, Laura McKowen and Eric Johnson sit down to talk through the why behind Dear Vernon—where the idea came from, what it’s meant to be (and what it’s not), and why creating a space for honest questions about sobriety felt necessary. This isn’t a show about having all the answers.It’s about making room for the questions. The ones people are already asking themselves quietly. You’ll hear us talk about: Why sobriety isn’t a straight line—and never has beenWhat we mean when we say “Dear Vernon”Why advice isn’t always the point (and listening usually is)How community, curiosity, and honesty have shaped our own recoveryWhat you can expect from future episodes This podcast is meant to feel like pulling up a chair—not tuning into a lecture. Thanks for being here.Let’s see where this goes. Have a question for Vernon? You can ask it here 👈 Get a FREE week of sobriety support meetings at The Luckiest Club 🐦‍⬛ Next round of The Sober 90 starts February 2nd, 2026. Join The Sober 90 Follow us on Instagram

    32 min
  • 3 Episodes

About

Dear Vernon is a sobriety podcast brought to you by The Luckiest Club. Each episode tackles real questions about sobriety, recovery, and life—submitted by members of the TLC community and listeners who are navigating it all in real time. The Luckiest Club (TLC) is a global sobriety support community founded by Laura McKowen, bestselling author and a leading voice in modern recovery. With daily meetings, proven programs, and a thriving community, TLC provides a compassionate, dogma-free space for people to get sober, stay sober, and thrive in a life of recovery.

Information

  • Creator
    The Luckiest Club
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Luckiest Club
  • Show Website
    Dear Vernon

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