The Sober Connection

Abi King
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Health & Fitness

Hosted by Abi King, an ex-daily drinker turned sobriety coach based in New Zealand, this podcast is for people who are curious about a sober life. Episodes will discuss a variety of sobriety related topics with the aim of helping people understand the dangers of a regular drinking habit. With a mixture of short "tips & tricks" episodes, and longer guest interviews, The Sober Connection podcast hopes to provide you with a glimpse into a life without alcohol, proving that being sober is anything but boring.

  1. 7h ago

    Season 4 - Episode 3: What If You Just Tried 30 Days?

    What if you didn’t have to decide about forever? When we start questioning our relationship with alcohol, it’s easy to jump straight to the big questions: Am I never drinking again? What about Christmas? Birthdays? Holidays? And suddenly, making any change at all feels enormous. In this episode, I’m talking about taking forever off the table and simply trying 30 days - not to prove anything, but to get curious. What happens when alcohol isn’t an option? When do you miss it? When don’t you? What feels better? What feels harder? And what can those 30 days teach you about the role alcohol is actually playing in your life? You don’t need to have the rest of your life figured out. Maybe you just need to give yourself 30 days to find out. Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn't working for you anymore but you're struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching designed around you, your life and what's keeping you stuck. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you're at and whether coaching could be right for you: https://calendly.com/hello-levelupsobrietycoaching/ Prefer to start on your own? "30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset" is my self-paced programme to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

  2. Oct 22

    Season 4 - Episode 2: What If You Didn't Wait Until January?

    It’s October… so why are we already telling ourselves we’ll sort our drinking out in January? In this episode, I’m talking about the weird permission slip we give ourselves towards the end of the year: Christmas is coming, there’s no point starting now, I’ll enjoy myself and deal with it in the New Year. But what if you didn’t wait? This isn’t about quitting today, swearing off alcohol forever or trying to have the “perfect” sober Christmas. It’s about getting curious now instead of handing the problem over to January-you. Because “I’ll stop in January” can sound like you’ve made a decision… when sometimes, all you’ve actually done is postpone one. Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn't working for you anymore but you're struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching designed around you, your life and what's keeping you stuck. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you're at and whether coaching could be right for you: https://calendly.com/hello-levelupsobrietycoaching/ Prefer to start on your own? "30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset" is my self-paced programme to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

  3. Oct 15

    Season 4 - Episode 1: Maybe You Don't Need Another Reason To Stop

    Maybe You Don't Need Another Reason to Stop You've read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Googled whether you drink too much. Promised yourself you'll cut back, take a break or stop altogether. So what if more information isn't actually what you're missing? In the first episode of Season 4, I'm talking about that strange place where you already know alcohol isn't really working for you anymore, but you keep searching for another answer, another reason, or something that will finally make changing feel easier. At some point, gathering more information can become another way of putting off taking action. Maybe you already know enough. Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn't working for you anymore but you're struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching designed around you, your life and what's keeping you stuck. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you're at and whether coaching could be right for you: https://calendly.com/hello-levelupsobrietycoaching/ Prefer to start on your own? "30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset" is my self-paced programme to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

  4. Sep 18

    Season 3 - Episode 20: My Chat with Corin Dann

    What do you do when you’re worried about a loved one's drinking? In the final episode of Season 3 of The Sober Connection, I’m joined by New Zealand journalist and broadcaster Corin Dann for a conversation from a perspective we don’t hear from nearly as often – the person standing alongside someone whose relationship with alcohol is becoming a concern. Corin’s wife, Lotta Dann (a guest in Season 1), has just celebrated 15 years of sobriety. Corin shares what her drinking looked like from his side, what changed when she stopped, and what it has been like watching her life – and their family life – evolve over the years since she chose a sober life.  We also talk about Corin’s friendship with Paddy Gower and the conversation Paddy has credited with helping change his life (Season 3/Episode 2). Corin takes us back to what he was noticing, why he became worried, and what happened when an on-camera conversation between two mates suddenly became very real.  We talk about how difficult it can be to tell someone you’re worried about them, why appearing “high functioning” doesn’t mean alcohol isn’t causing harm, the importance of making space for people who don’t drink, and how to approach these conversations from a place of care rather than judgement.   A really thoughtful conversation about friendship, family, drinking culture – and sometimes having the courage to say something. Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn’t working for you anymore but you’re struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching to help you understand what’s keeping you stuck and build a life where alcohol takes up less and less space. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you’re at and whether coaching could be right for you: www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com Prefer to start on your own? 30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset is my self-paced programme designed to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

    Season 3 - Episode 20: My Chat with Corin Dann

  5. Sep 11

    Season 3 - Episode 19: When Sobriety Stops Being The Goal

    When you first stop drinking, sobriety can feel like the entire project. You count the days. You plan for weekends. You think about triggers, cravings, social events and what you’ll say when someone offers you a drink. But eventually, something can shift. Alcohol gets quieter. Not drinking becomes less something you’re actively doing and more simply part of who you are. And that leaves space for a much bigger question: If staying sober isn’t the goal anymore… what is? In this episode, I’m talking about what happens when sobriety moves from the centre of your life into the background, and you start thinking less about how to stay alcohol-free and more about the life being alcohol-free allows you to build. Because sobriety didn’t magically give me a perfect life. It made my life available. And maybe sobriety was never meant to be the finish line. Maybe it’s the foundation that allows you to start building everything that comes next. Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn’t working for you anymore but you’re struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching to help you understand what’s keeping you stuck and build a life where alcohol takes up less and less space. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you’re at and whether coaching could be right for you: www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com Prefer to start on your own? 30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset is my self-paced programme designed to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

  6. Sep 4

    Season 3 - Episode 18: My Chat with Sam Phillips

    Sam Phillips is just days away from celebrating five years sober, but his journey to get here was anything but straightforward. Sam started drinking at just 13, discovering very quickly that alcohol could quiet the health anxiety and intrusive thoughts he’d been struggling with for years. What began as weekend drinking eventually progressed to daily alcohol use, cocaine and a cycle of addiction, sobriety and relapses that lasted for years. In this episode, Sam shares incredibly openly about his final relapse, the moment he realised he was giving up on his life, and the friend who quite literally waited for him outside a shop and asked: “Do you want some help now?” We also talk about the slightly bonkers challenge that became Dare to Dip - getting into the North Sea every single day for a year to raise awareness for mental health - and how cold water, honesty and connection became a huge part of Sam’s recovery. Nearly five years on, we talk about what long-term sobriety actually looks like: dealing with life without numbing it, finding healthier ways to cope, becoming a present dad, and learning that there is no single “right” way to recover. This is a conversation about addiction, mental health, relapse, connection and second chances, and what can happen when you decide to get back up one more time. Sam Phillips - Instagram @dare_to_dip Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn’t working for you anymore but you’re struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching to help you understand what’s keeping you stuck and build a life where alcohol takes up less and less space. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you’re at and whether coaching could be right for you: www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com Prefer to start on your own? 30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset is my self-paced programme designed to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

    Season 3 - Episode 18: My Chat with Sam Phillips

  7. Aug 28

    Season 3 - Episode 17: So You Drank Again... Now What?

    You decided you weren’t going to drink. You were doing well. And then… you drank again. So now what? In this episode of The Sober Connection, I’m talking about what happens after a slip, and why the story you tell yourself afterwards can matter just as much as the drink itself. We’ll talk about the all-or-nothing thinking that can turn one night into a weekend, a month or longer; how to look at what happened with curiosity rather than shame; and why the alcohol-free days that came before it still count. Because yes, your consecutive day count might go back to one. But you don’t go back to square one. You know more now. You’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, what your triggers might be and where you may need more support. You’re not starting again from scratch. You’re starting again from experience. Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn’t working for you anymore but you’re struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching to help you understand what’s keeping you stuck and build a life where alcohol takes up less and less space. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you’re at and whether coaching could be right for you: www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com Prefer to start on your own? 30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset is my self-paced programme designed to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

  8. Aug 21

    Season 3 - Episode 16: My Chat with Nic

    What if alcohol wasn't just something you drank – but something you'd unknowingly been using to regulate your brain? In this episode, I'm joined by Nic from Nourish Not Numb for a raw and fascinating conversation about neurodivergence, addiction and recovery. Nicola is autistic and has ADHD, but didn't receive her diagnosis until after she got sober. Looking back, she can now see how alcohol, drugs and prescription medication became ways of quietening an incredibly busy brain, coping with overwhelm, masking and functioning in a world that often felt too much. We talk about Nic's progression from teenage drinking and drug use to severe alcohol dependence, the experience that eventually led her into rehab, and why traditional approaches to recovery didn't always make sense to her neurodivergent brain. We also explore what happened when she removed alcohol and her neurodivergent traits became even more apparent, the relief – and grief – that came with finally receiving a diagnosis, raising neurodivergent children, learning new ways to regulate, and why recovery for Nicola has ultimately meant simplifying her life rather than constantly trying to cope with one that doesn't suit her. Neither Nic nor I are trained professionals in neurodivergence or addiction, and this conversation isn't intended as medical advice or diagnosis. It's simply two women sharing lived experience and asking an important question: when alcohol has become your way of switching off, what might be underneath the need to switch off in the first place? Nic - Instagram @nourishnotnumb Ready for some support with your drinking? If you know alcohol isn’t working for you anymore but you’re struggling to make the change stick, I offer personalised 1:1 sobriety coaching to help you understand what’s keeping you stuck and build a life where alcohol takes up less and less space. Book a free, no-pressure call with me to talk about where you’re at and whether coaching could be right for you: www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com Prefer to start on your own? 30 Days to Freedom - A Gentle Reset is my self-paced programme designed to help you take a break from alcohol, understand your patterns and start changing your relationship with drinking. www.levelupsobrietycoaching.com/30-days-to-freedom-reset/ Connect with me Instagram: @levelup.withabi Email: hello@levelupsobrietycoaching.co.nz Music credit Music from #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/in-motion License code: N5GLWPT8QQSRU7D2

    Season 3 - Episode 16: My Chat with Nic
See All (63)

Ratings & Reviews

About

Hosted by Abi King, an ex-daily drinker turned sobriety coach based in New Zealand, this podcast is for people who are curious about a sober life. Episodes will discuss a variety of sobriety related topics with the aim of helping people understand the dangers of a regular drinking habit. With a mixture of short "tips & tricks" episodes, and longer guest interviews, The Sober Connection podcast hopes to provide you with a glimpse into a life without alcohol, proving that being sober is anything but boring.

Information

  • Creator
    Abi King
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Sober Connection
  • Show Website
    The Sober Connection

You Might Also Like