This Naked Mind Podcast

Bestselling author Annie Grace invites you to explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture without rules, pain, or judgement. Ready to make a change? Join The Alcohol Experiment - a FREE 30-day challenge designed to deliver happiness, wellbeing and self-respect. Check out The Alcohol Experiment at alcoholexperiment.com For ad inquiries, please reach out to: Network+TNM@yapmedia.com

  1. 2d ago

    Deb's Naked Life | EP 920

    Deb's Naked Life | EP 920 If you're thinking about stopping drinking in your 60s but keep telling yourself you're too old, too set in your habits, or too far gone, Deb's story is the one you need to hear. She was a registered nurse who had directed a hospital addiction recovery program and still didn't see herself in it. She was caring for a dying parent, married to a heavy drinker, and drinking three to four glasses of wine every night before a single book changed the entire frame. She became alcohol-free at 62 and hasn't looked back once. Deb and Coach Cole discuss: Growing up alcohol naive, not drinking until her late 20s, and watching it quietly become a nightly habit, she barely chose Directing a hospital addiction recovery program and still telling herself she wasn't like the patients in it Reading This Naked Mind cover to cover with wine in hand, crying at the parts that felt like her own story Stopping drinking while caregiving for her mother with dementia, and finding she could finally be present in those visits Staying alcohol-free while her husband continued to drink, kept trying to pull her back, and what the honest reckoning that followed looked like Talking herself out of the This Naked Mind coaching program four years in a row before finally committing at 62, after years of retirement Why a slip isn't a relapse, it's a data point, and the language of growing and evolving versus changing And more on curiosity, caregiving, and what it means to build a life you don't want to escape from… Episode links: thisnakedmindinstitute.comfullheartcoaching.net Related episodes: Self-Awareness Around Alcohol | Dr. Gina Slejko - Naked Life Story | EP 535 — https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-535-naked-life-story-dr-gina-slejko/ I Quit Drinking But My Spouse Has Not — Any Advice? | EP 48 — https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-48-reader-question-i-quit-drinking-but-my-spouse-has-not-any-advice/ Using Alcohol Over 60: Lorna Wilson | EP 418 — https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-418-coaching-questions-with-scott-pinyard/  CTA Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

  2. 6d ago

    Who Am I Without Alcohol? - Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 929

    ⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode contains references to domestic violence and a mental health crisis. Who am I without alcohol? Does that question sound eerily familiar? Steph and Nicole both find themselves grappling with that very idea and wondering what the answer will mean for them. Steph is 55, and alcohol has been by her side and has helped define her for most of her adult life.  Nicole looks to alcohol for the answers and to smooth the rough edges, and isn’t sure if she’s capable of being herself with a glass in her hand. Coaches Cole and Hayley help provide guidance and hope in this week’s episode. Steph discusses: Why "loss of identity" became the real subject of her coaching call, not just the drinking The belief that she'd failed herself and her friends, and how that belief kept her stuck Why chasing a "finished" identity by a deadline backfires The threshold metaphor, and why stepping into the unknown feels safer than staying somewhere familiar but unwanted Her plan to resign from teaching by May 1st, and what she's choosing to let go of first Nicole discusses: How alcohol became tangled with her identity before she ever turned 21 The seven-year relationship and the night that ended with her in a hospital for three days November 5, 2025: the day she sat in her car and decided something had to change Why grace and curiosity did more for her than willpower ever did What she calls her "2D glasses" moment, and what she sees now that alcohol's gone And more…  Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning. Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/ Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Hayley understands how tough change can be and provides a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/ Episode links: More on this episode: https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/who-am-i-without-alcohol-alcohol-freedom-coaching-ep-929/Join The Path: nakedmindpath.com Related episodes: How To Uncouple Alcohol and Identity | Naked Life Story | EP 549 -https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-549-naked-life-story-andrew/Who Am I Without Wine?: Identity & Sophistication | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E801 - https://thisnakedmind.com/creating-a-new-identity-after-quitting-drinking-alcohol-freedom-freedom-coaching-e801/Why Do I Feel Detached When I’m Not Drinking? | Reader’s Question | EP 122 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-122-reader-question-feel-detached-im-not-drinking/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff

  3. Aug 1

    The Life You Stop Needing to Escape - Where Are They Now - Donna | EP 928

    What does building a life you don't want to escape from actually take? Donna joined The Path in March 2021 after a COVID grocery store moment she couldn't unsee and hasn't had a drink since. Now five years in, she's back with Coach Hayley to share what's genuinely changed, what she's still working through, and a question that keeps getting more interesting. Donna and Coach Hayley discuss: That COVID grocery store moment, four wine clubs in a week, and what she calls "the gift COVID gave her" The beta reader who said her memoir should have said more about her drinking, and what she heard two weeks later Why confidence was her number one benefit from stopping, and how alcohol was worsening her anxiety while she believed it was helping The 90-second rule for processing difficult emotions without numbing, and the morning practice she's built over five years Why building a life you don't want to escape from is still the deeper work at year five And more on forgiveness, gratitude, and what five years of alcohol freedom actually sounds like... Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related episodes: Naked Life Story — Donna | NLS | EP 465 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-465-naked-life-story-donna Why Does Drinking Alcohol Make Me Anxious? | Reader Question | EP 684 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-684-readers-question-why-does-drinking-alcohol-make-me-anxious/ The Cost of Fitting In | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 785 - https://thisnakedmind.com/the-cost-of-fitting-in-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e785/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

  4. Jul 28

    How to Give Yourself Grace About Drinking - Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 927

    ⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode contains references to childhood abuse, parental alcoholism, and the death of a parent from alcohol-related illness. Most of us were never taught how to give ourselves grace about drinking, only how to judge ourselves for it. Kelly and Amber are proof that the shame and guilt show up no matter how different the situation looks. For Kelly, it shows up after a weekend of drinking that went further than she planned. For Amber, it shows up the moment someone she's dating asks why she's not drinking, and a much older fear takes over. Kelly discusses: Why her biggest data point yet, a full night out at a friend's timeshare, left her more unsettled than any smaller one had The real difference between "I've proven I can" drink moderately and "I've proven I can" have a great time without it Why Coach Hayley adds the word "yet" every time Kelly says she can't figure out why she drinks Admitting she's skipped a Path call because she didn't want to say out loud that she'd had a fun night of drinking Using the ACT technique on the belief "it's part of my culture," and what that opens up Amber discusses: Why she can turn down a drink at work without blinking but freezes the second a date asks why she doesn't drink The exact body sensation she calls "bracing for impact," and the part Coach Cole admits he carries too Asking the part of her that calls itself broken what it's actually trying to protect her from The Sharon Salzberg line about meditation that becomes her new mantra for catching herself mid-spiral The exact phrase Amber swaps in for "I'm broken," and why it changes how she shows up on a date And more… Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Coach Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach trained through the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Learn more about Coach Hayley: thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/ Coach Cole Harvey is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach and habit change and mindset coach. Learn more about Coach Cole: thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/ Episode links: More on this episode: https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/how-to-give-yourself-grace-about-drinking-alcohol-freedom-coaching-ep-927/ The Path: nakedmindpath.com Related Episodes: Alcohol Addiction and Shame - Hayley's Naked Life - EP 679 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-679-naked-life-story-hayley-s/ Healing Through Self-Love - Cole's Naked Life - EP 737 - https://thisnakedmind.com/healing-through-self-love-coles-naked-life-e737/ How Do I Get Over the Fear of Being Kind to Myself? - Reader Question - EP 552 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-552-reader-question-how-do-i-get-over-the-fear-of-being-kind-to-myself/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, Shopify, Zazzle, and OSEA. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind⁠ Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠ Shopify: Sign up for free trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠ Zazzle: Save 25% on your first order at ⁠zazzle.com⁠ OSEA: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at ⁠OSEAMalibu.com⁠

  5. Jul 25

    When Using Alcohol to Self-Soothe Stops Working - Zita’s Naked Life | EP 926

    Trigger warning: This episode contains references to drunk driving, DWIs, and thoughts of not wanting to live. Zita was in her kitchen in 2017, working up the nerve for a hard conversation with her boyfriend, when the thought arrived: "You know what would make this easier?" She took a shot to self-soothe before the conversation, and it worked so well that her brain filed alcohol away as the answer to hard moments from then on. She's a registered nurse in her mid-30s who felt nothing when she watched other people drink, all the way through nursing school, with no reason to think that thought would change anything. It did. Three years and several DWIs later, one blacked-out night finally made her stop and ask what she was doing. Now approaching five years alcohol-free, she shares her story. Zita and Coach Cole discuss: How one shot before a hard conversation taught her brain a lesson it never unlearned Why year two brought DWIs and car accidents, then a family intervention she wasn't ready to hear The hiding stage, and what it costs to act unaffected while drunk around people who love you Waking up unable to remember the night she drove food to her sick brother Why she never missed a nursing shift while everything else came apart The promise to her mom she couldn't keep, and what that finally broke open How one addiction specialist's number, 90 days, became the only thing she could hold onto And more on faith, filling her own cup, and what it really means to find your own path to alcohol freedom… Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Episode links: thisnakedmind.com/book More on this episode: https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/using-alcohol-to-self-soothe-zita-naked-life-ep-926/ Related episodes: Naked Life Story | Simone | EP 207 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-207-naked-life-story-simone/ How Do You Deal With Stress Without Alcohol? | Reader Question | EP 158 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-158-how-do-you-deal-with-stress-without-alcohol/ When Alcohol Is The Only Coping Tool You Know | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 917 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-stop-using-alcohol-to-cope-alcohol-freedom-coaching-ep-917/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff

  6. Jul 21

    The Real Reason You Drink - Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 925

    ⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode contains references to psychological and emotional abuse in a marriage.  The answer to "why I use alcohol to cope" is rarely what you expect. For Will, it’s buried in a need for control he's carried since a chaotic childhood. For Kathleen, it comes from decades of being the one everyone else leans on. Coaches Cole and Zoe help Will and Kathleen take steps towards freeing themselves from that weight. Will discusses: Decades of using alcohol to quiet a busy brain, and what happens after the first beer Why knowing the pattern isn’t enough The childhood fear of instability that shows up as a desperate need for answers and control Coach Cole’s reframe: curious versus combat, connect versus control A body scan moment where he notices tension in real time and releases it The video game map metaphor — taking the next step without needing to see the whole path Kathleen discusses: Being introduced to alcohol at 16 as a social crutch when she moved to a new town What her mother modeled, and how she replicated it without realizing it for decades The hero child dynamic — being her father’s favorite and her mother’s confidant, and what that cost her A 28-year emotionally abusive marriage, and how alcohol became her numbing agent Learning to ask for what she needs directly, rather than hoping her husband picks it up The unexpected parallel: she’s now modeling her mother’s behavior by going alcohol-free …and more Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Cole Harvey is a certified Naked Mind Senior Coach. As a habit change and mindset coach, Cole helps men understand themselves, build better habits, and find meaning. Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/ Zoe Ewart is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who brings her experience and understanding to help with the tricky parts of life's big changes. Her coaching gives you an enjoyable, light-hearted, and safe environment to effortlessly take back control of alcohol so you can feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. Learn more about Coach Zoe: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/zoe-ewart/ Episode links: More on this episode - https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/why-i-use-alcohol-to-cope-alcohol-freedom-coaching-ep-925 Start your alcohol freedom journey: https://nakedmindpath.com Related episodes: Healing Through Self-Love: Cole’s Naked Life — E737 — https://thisnakedmind.com/healing-through-self-love-coles-naked-life-e737/ Healing Emotional Pain Without Alcohol - Reader’s Question - EP 706 – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-706-readers-question-healing-emotional-pain-without-alcohol/ Reclaiming Your True Self: Alcohol Freedom Coaching — E770 — https://thisnakedmind.com/reclaiming-your-true-self-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e770/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, Shopify, Zazzle, and OSEA. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind⁠ Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠ Shopify: Sign up for free trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠ Zazzle: Save 25% on your first order at ⁠zazzle.com⁠ OSEA: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at ⁠OSEAMalibu.com⁠

  7. Jul 18

    How Grief Built Perfectly Made AF - Interview with Kelly Davis | EP 924

    Trigger warning: This episode contains references to the alcohol-related death of a family member. Is it possible to build something meaningful out of the worst loss of your life? For Kelly, the answer arrived just five months after she got free from alcohol herself. That's when her brother died from the same thing she'd spent years measuring her own drinking against. She built Perfectly Made AF in response, a nonprofit funding alcohol freedom scholarships in his memory and an annual Boulder gala designed to prove an alcohol-free life is anything but boring. Kelly's Naked Life story traces how she got there, from years of comparing her own drinking to his, to the two days after his funeral when she had to choose what came next. Kelly and Coach Cole discuss: What almost happened two days after her brother's funeral, five months into her own alcohol-free life Why "I'm not him" was the comparison that let her avoid her own drinking for years The message she wrote her brother a month before he died, and why it came too late How a scholarship fund turned into a full nonprofit with 18 people currently enrolled The thinking behind this year's Perfect Gala, from a mobile planetarium to a "grounding portal" Why Kelly keeps the scholarship recipients anonymous, even from herself What she's hoping to build next, from new partnerships to content for schools And more on decision fatigue, mommy wine culture, and what it really means to find your own path to alcohol freedom… Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Episode links: nakedmindpath.com https://www.perfectlymadeaf.com/ More on this episode: https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/how-grief-built-perfectly-made-af-ep-924/ Related episodes: Naked Life Story: Paul Churchill | EP 61 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-61-naked-life-story-paul-churchill/ Reader Question - Do I Need to Quit Drinking Forever? | EP 296 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-296-reader-question-do-i-need-to-quit-drinking-forever/ Reclaim Your Life | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E762 - https://thisnakedmind.com/reclaim-your-life-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e762/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff

  8. Jul 14

    Are You Drinking To Escape? - Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 923

    Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of traumatic brain injury.  Are you drinking to escape your life? Catherine was. She called it the escape room. Rachael didn't use those words, but she'd no doubt agree with them. If you're drinking to escape a life that feels like too much, too heavy, and too demanding, you'll want to tune in. Catherine and Rachael work with Coaches Hayley and Zoe to stop seeing alcohol as a way out, and start learning how to stay present even when life feels like too much. Catherine discusses: The "escape room" she built around wine and what happened when she closed the door for good The in-control/out-of-control list Coach Hayley walks her through, and why it matters Grieving the life she thought her daughter would have, and what getting stuck in that future costs her The turnaround: "I'm willing to consider things might be okay if I don't try to fix it" Rachael discusses: Why she's more nervous about Saturday night than Friday night, and what that tells her The reference library metaphor Coach Zoe uses to explain why stopping drinking doesn't reset old patterns Her alive goal, which came out of the session word by word, and how alcohol dropped off the moment she said it out loud How the conversation with her husband changes when she stops assuming what he's thinking Hayley Scherders is a certified TNM Coach with training from the Canadian Addiction and Mental Health Association. Drawing from personal experiences, Hayley understands how tough change can be and provides a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space where her clients can feel supported. She believes that with the right mindset, anyone can change their life at any time. Learn more about Coach Hayley: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/hayley-scherders/ Zoe Ewart is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who brings her experience and understanding to help with the tricky parts of life's big changes. Her coaching gives you an enjoyable, light-hearted, and safe environment to effortlessly take back control of alcohol so you can feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. Zoe taught Pilates for 15 years. She has four adult children and more animals than the Ark ever had. Learn more about Coach Zoe: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/zoe-ewart/ Episode links: nakedmindpath.com Related episodes: How To Break The Habit Of Drinking Due To Stress | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | EP 776 – https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-break-the-habit-of-drinking-due-to-stress-enough-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e776/ How To Turn Your Brain Off Without Drinking | Naked Life Stories | EP 804 – https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-turn-your-brain-off-without-drinking-e804/ EP 114: Reader Question – How Do I Handle My Social Anxiety Without Alcohol? – https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-114-reader-question-reader-question-handle-social-anxiety-without-alcohol/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, Quince, Shopify, Zazzle, and OSEA. BetterHelp: BetterHelp is offering our listeners 10% off at ⁠betterhelp.com/nakedmind⁠ Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠quince.com/naked⁠ Shopify: Sign up for free trial at ⁠shopify.com/mind⁠ Zazzle: Save 25% on your first order at ⁠zazzle.com⁠ OSEA: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code NAKEDMIND at ⁠OSEAMalibu.com⁠

4.7
out of 5
2,484 Ratings

About

Bestselling author Annie Grace invites you to explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture without rules, pain, or judgement. Ready to make a change? Join The Alcohol Experiment - a FREE 30-day challenge designed to deliver happiness, wellbeing and self-respect. Check out The Alcohol Experiment at alcoholexperiment.com For ad inquiries, please reach out to: Network+TNM@yapmedia.com

More From YAP Media

You Might Also Like