273 episodes
Soberful Veronica Valli & Chip Somers
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- Health & Fitness
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4.9 • 401 Ratings
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Veronica Valli and Chip Somers are experts on recovery. Chip Somers was most recently described by Russell Brand in his book 'Recovery' as a 'right social liability.' Together they have been sober for almost 50 years and have a LOT of stories, messes, experience and occasionally helpful advice to share on living in sobriety. They bring all of that (and more) to the Soberful podcast. This podcast is for anyone who wants to live an alcohol-free life, is struggling to get sober or who is in long-term recovery.
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Microdosing- Is It Just High End Drinking?
Veronica and Chip discuss the rise of microdosing. Is microdosing just high-end drinking? Dressed up drug taking? Or, does it have the ability to help people navigate life and heal trauma?
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How the Alcohol Market is Changing with Laura Willoughby
Laura Willoughby from Club Soda joins Veronica to discuss how the alcohol market has changed and continues to change. They start by remembering what drinking was like for them in the 1990's, how they were encouraged as women to drink until they passed out. They then look at how much the culture has shifted, with young people either choosing not to drink or drinking occasionally. Laura explains that the alcohol-free market is continuing to expand and that, yes, you can get a good alcohol-free wine. Because of these changes, how we socialise has changed a lot, with people wanting to have experiences and food rather than just drinking to get drunk. They end by emphasising how important it is to have alcohol-free spaces and how they are growing in England, America and even France.
To learn more, visit the show notes.
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The Blame Game
When we get stuck in blame, we become powerless. Chip and Veronica explore how we blame circumstances and other people for our alcohol problem. Blaming is a psychological defence mechanism to justify our drinking behaviour, but it also means we stay stuck in a harmful place. Everybody has 'stuff'. Lots of people who have a drug or alcohol problem had childhood experiences that were harmful, hurtful or abusive. These need to be validated and acknowledged so healing can take place, but ultimately, we get to a point where we need to consider: It's not what happens to you but how you choose to respond to what happens to you that really matters.
To learn more, visit the show notes.
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Mother Daughter Relationships with Hilary Mae
The mother-daughter relationship is one of the most important and powerful relationships of our lives. But it can also be one of the hardest. From the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers to navigating when daughters change from children to adolescents to women. Daughters learn what being a woman is like from their mothers, and they may not necessarily want to be like their mothers. Hilary Mae is a therapist who specialises in the mother-daughter relationship and helps women navigate communication and healing. She discusses ways we can communicate with each other and how to listen to what our mother or daughter needs from us. A powerful conversation about complicated relationships.
To learn more, visit the show notes.
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The Fear of Missing Out
The biggest obstacle to getting sober is the Fear Of Missing Out (or FOMO). But what are we scared of missing out on? In this episode, Chip and Veronica explore how feelings of missing out are very human because we are programmed to belong and connect. When we analyse what we are afraid of missing out on if we stop drinking, it is very undefinable. We have a fantasy in our heads about how we think drinking is going to be, but the reality is very different. Chip and Veronica also explore how alcohol makes us miss out on so much in life. That you don't miss out on the sobriety you gain.
To stay sober, we have to shift our perceptions. When we perceive that alcohol is the best way to have fun, relax and reward ourselves, stopping will feel hard. But if our perception shifts and we see that the cost of our drinking far outweighs any benefit, we no longer feel like we are missing out. We see that alcohol is causing us to miss our lives.
To learn more, visit the show notes.
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Social Media Addiction with Dr. Nicholas Kardaras
Social media is addiction by design. Dr. Nicholas Kardaras joins Veronica to talk about social media addiction and how it was deliberately designed to hijack our dopamine system and get us hooked. It's digital candy and we are enticed into displaying our idealised internal lives. Dr. Kardaras explains how predatory algorithms work and how they are responsible for creating a mental health crisis for young people.
To learn more, visit the show notes.
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Customer Reviews
great information love love love the soberful concept
the latest episode is amazing with Peg O’Conner listening gave me a refreshed perspective and some new material to explore 🌺🥰 Veronica and Chip are the best for long term sobriety folks like me trying to keep it growing 🪷
Great Topics for Recovering from Anything
I find that trauma is the biggest gateway to addiction, and although the addiction is not always alcohol, we have a lot in common. The hosts are very personable and relatable, so I feel like a part of a team instead of being lectured.
I’ve learned a lot about how alcohol affects are society because it’s become so socially accepted and it’s great to be a part of a team who wants to lift each other up. I feel freer listening to these topics, thank you for helping to set me free.
Incredibly helpful
I discovered Soberful a few weeks into sobriety. I had been white-knuckling it day by day, feeling as if life was going to be miserable without booze. Veronica & Chip promised that life would not only get better, but that sober living would open up a whole new joyful world for me. They were right. I joined groups at Soberful and worked with Veronica and over two years later I am truly grateful for my sobriety every day. Make a commitment to listen to some of these episodes. It might just change your life.