As we continue our re-release schedule for the summer, we're excited to bring back this super important topic that seems to affect nearly all of us. If you find yourself wrestling with the pros and cons of social media now that you've created an alcohol free lifestyle, this episode will shine a light on the challenges and help you see everything more clearly.

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One “transfer addiction” that gets overlooked all too often is social media. And while social media has many benefits, it certainly also poses many dangers, especially when it comes to addiction recovery and mental health. In this week’s episode, we’re chatting with our friends Robbie, Britt, and Vanessa about how social media shows up in our lives, in our recoveries, and its impact on our emotional and mental wellbeing.

Key topics in this episode:

• Taking a break from social media
• The dopamine hits that come with posting and getting interactions
• How to curate your feed to create a positive experience
• Using social media to find true connection
• Recognizing the different between real connection and surface connection online
• The hidden dangers of external validation
• Using social media to create drama and chaos when sobriety feels boring
• Tools for managing social media use
• Setting your intention when using social media
• How comparing yourself to others on social media can damage mental health
• AI and its detrimental effects on creativity, emotional intelligence, and relationships

To learn more about our guests, check out the full show notes

Visit our website for tons of sobriety resources:

• A full library of podcast episodes
• FREE support meetings on Zoom
• 1:1 Sobriety coaching with Julie or Steve
• No Alcohol Needed blog

We're continuing our summer re-release schedule with a throwback all the way to Episode 7 from 2022.

This conversation was so good we didn't want to stop, and ended up releasing it as a two part series. If you love the first half (and we know you will) you can find the second half here.

We hope you enjoy it! Make sure you subscribe to Through the Glass Recovery Podcast so you don't miss the rest of our summer re-releases, and the new episodes we've got coming in September.

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Everything we wish someone would’ve told us in the first 30 days of sobriety.

The first 30 days are some of the hardest on the recovery journey. In this episode – the first of a two part series – we talk with John, Kris, and Ashley about early sobriety. Everything we wish someone would’ve told us as we headed into the first 30 days of getting sober.

We talk a lot about the work of sobriety here on Through the Glass. But before anyone gets to the point of doing that emotional work, they’ve got to get through the early days – the days when withdrawals are wearing them down, cravings are constant and brutal, and it seems like you think about drinking – or not drinking – about once every minute.

Listen as we share what worked for us, and what didn’t. We talk about withdrawals – the physical misery that accompanies a decision to quit drinking, and the emotional struggles as well. Steve and Julie talk about fearing just leaving the house, wondering how they’d find the strength to drive past the liquor store instead of stopping. Kris talks about the importance of sleep, and needing more than she expected. Everyone agrees that there is a lot of crying that often happens in the early days, and that crying is where the healing begins, no matter how uncomfortable it is.

Julie and Steve talk about deciding to tell others in your life or not. Julie didn’t tell anyone, Steve told everyone. They discuss the pros and cons of both options and how they affected their sobriety early on. Ashley shares about her worries that life wouldn’t be fun anymore, when alcohol is everywhere and permeates every part of life, especially for the younger crowd. Julie talks about wondering who she is at all without alcohol, and Steve says it felt like losing his best friend.

Everyone agrees that finding support in a recovery community was the most important part of getting through the early days of recovery – and continues to be the most important part of their recovery paths. As John says, “It’s really hard to be facing that kind of eternity without someone there.”

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Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for access to our weekly sober support meeting on Zoom, and weekly insights and advice to support your recovery. You can sign up at throughtheglassrecovery.com.

We're continuing our summer re-release schedule, where we repost our most popular episodes from the past three years of recording.

In this podcast episode, we dive deep into the hidden challenges of cross addiction and transfer addiction. You’ve worked hard to get sober, but now a new struggle may arise - swapping one addiction for another. Transfer addictions often sneak into our lives without us even realizing it. Stay tuned for a conversation with Daniel, Robbie, and Nadine, where we uncover some cross addictions and talk about how to tackle those, now that alcohol is out of the picture. We’ll help you recognize the signs of cross addiction, understand why it happens, and explore proven strategies for overcoming it.

In this episode:

• What it means to have an “addictive personality”
• Recognizing the patterns when addictive behaviors show up
• Why society tries to tell you that “healthy addiction” is okay
• Facing what’s under the addiction
• Temporary fixes and why they don’t work
• The implications and dangers of social media addiction
• Finding a balance with behavioral addiction
• Escaping by helping others so you don’t have to face your own problems
• Shedding unhealthy behaviors and continuing to grow
• Recognizing when something is no longer serving you

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To learn more about our guests, click here.

Visit our website for tons of sobriety resources:

• A full library of podcast episodes
• FREE support meetings on Zoom
• 1:1 Sobriety coaching with Julie or Steve
• No Alcohol Needed blog

People often say they drink alcohol to calm their anxiety. As we start to understand that alcohol actually contributes to our anxiety, we have to start learning healthy ways to cope with it. It’s not easy. In this episode, we talk with Travis, Antje, and Zoe about how we deal with anxiety in recovery, and we all walk away with some valuable new ideas. We hope you do, too.

Some of the concepts we cover include:

• How to stop ruminating
• The power in identifying anxiety
• Learning to name feelings
• Using creativity to cope and to explore feelings
• Signs of childhood anxiety
• Skin picking
• Tools for dealing with anxiety
• Recognizing what doesn’t work
• Self care as crisis prevention
• Medication assisted treatment

Travis mentions grounding exercises often used for anxiety. You can find more info here.

Julie mentions the I Am Sober app. You can learn more about the app on their website.

Antje and Julie talk about how much the book Alcohol Explained by William Porter helped them understand the connection between anxiety and alcohol.

Meet Our Guests:

Antje first discovered drinking as a way to “fix” her eating disorder. She thought that drinking was more acceptable than binging and purging all of her meals. When drinking grew more and more out of control, she reluctantly considered sobriety in January of 2022. Soon after, she found connection and support in an online sober community. She is so glad to that she took that first, scary step and gave sobriety a chance.

Get in touch:

Visit our website for tons of free resources including

Free weekly zoom support group

Full library of podcast episodes

Weekly sobriety inspiration newsletter

1:1 recovery coaching

About your hosts:

Julie Miller is the founder of No Alcohol Needed, a recovery community supporting women in all stages of recovery from newly sober to recreating the life that's been waiting for them. She is a certified Recovery Coach Professional and has been coaching since 2023. Visit her website at noalcoholneeded.net

Steve Knapp is a men's mental health advocate. He's the co-host of the Forged in Silence podcast and he is passionate about helping men develop the emotional intelligence and resiliency to create meaningful, connected lives.

If you’ve ever dated sober, or intend to start dating sober, this is the episode for you! We turn the show over to five of our friends who are all active in the sober dating world, and give them a chance to tell all. They talk about everything from dealing with getting rejected and breaking up, to recognizing red flags and deal breakers, to the awkwardness of sober intimacy. Listen and laugh with us… and you’ll probably learn some things along the way, too!

• Online dating apps
• Being uncomfortable when your date drinks
• Your date being uncomfortable when you don’t drink
• Recognizing an unhealthy need for attention and validation
• Learning to communicate honestly and effectively
• Addressing a partner’s substance use
• Higher standards for conversation and connection
• Struggling with insecurity
• The older you get, the harder it seems to get
• Showing up authentically, flaws and all
• Taking things slowly
• Learning to appreciate solitude
• Learning to cope with loneliness

Visit our website for tons of free resources including:

Free weekly zoom support group

Full library of podcast episodes

Weekly sobriety inspiration newsletter

1:1 recovery coaching

About your hosts:

Julie Miller is the founder of No Alcohol Needed, a recovery community supporting women in all stages of recovery from newly sober to recreating the life that's been waiting for them. She is a certified Recovery Coach Professional and has been coaching since 2023. Visit her website at noalcoholneeded.net

Steve Knapp is a men's mental health advocate. He's the co-host of the Forged in Silence podcast and he is passionate about helping men develop the emotional intelligence and resiliency to create meaningful, connected lives.

(This episode was first published June 2, 2024)

With summer upon us, it seems everyone is wondering is to have sober fun – without missing alcohol! The warm weather seems to bring its own set of triggers. We invited Rich and Shana to join us this week, to talk about how they’ve learned to not just survive summer, but to truly enjoy it.

In this episode:

• How mocktails can still make summer events feel special
• Preparation: how to know you’re ready for whatever it is you’re wanting to do
• JOMO – letting others be your reminder for why you’re glad you’re sober
• Working through the fear of upcoming situations
• Sharing your goals with others for increased accountability
• Painting a new picture: it’s always looked the same, but now is your chance to decide how it will look going forward
• Sober travel – how to make it fulfilling
• The value of an adrenaline rush when you’re sober
• How to make sure you still have fun, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out

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Meet our guests: https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/how-to-have-sober-fun/

Want more inspiration for having fun without alcohol? Check out this blog post: https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/how-to-have-fun-when-youre-sober/

Come hang out with us on Zoom on Monday nights: https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/meeting-faqs/

Need one on one support? We can do that, too! Get more info here:

https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/recovery-coaching/

It's just Steve and Julie this week, and we're talking about the past and the future of Through the Glass Recovery Podcast.

We're getting ready to take a summer break - a longer one that usual - and we'll take the time to discuss the evolution of TTG. As we both move down new paths and our own recovery stories continue to evolve, so will the podcast. We'll still be here behind the scenes though, and we'll still keep most of our free and paid resources available.

From our hearts to yours, thanks to all of our incredible, loyal listeners for always supporting us as we continue this journey. We wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for all of you.

Through the Glass Recovery Resources:

• Monday night Zoom support group (free)
• Facebook page
• Instagram
• Blog
• Podcast episodes
• 1:1 Recovery coaching

Julie's resources:

• No Alcohol Needed blog
• Get the free 40-page e-book

Steve's podcast:

Forged In Silence

What does spirituality really mean in recovery—and do you have to be religious to be spiritual? In this heartfelt and wide-ranging conversation, Julie and Steve are joined by Matt, Corina, and Jamie for an honest, down-to-earth exploration of how spirituality shows up in their sober lives.

From Buddhist philosophy and Bible stories to daily rituals and unexpected symbols of peace, each guest shares a unique path toward meaning, connection, and healing. Whether you’re religious, spiritual-but-not-religious, or just curious—this episode will meet you where you are.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Redefining spirituality outside of religion
• Daily practices that connect us to something greater
• Accidental spiritual awakenings
• Finding meaning in suffering and recovery
• How different faith traditions shaped our sobriety journeys
• The importance of curiosity, open-mindedness, and community
• Using spiritual tools to stay grounded in sobriety

This one is warm, funny, and full of insight. If you’ve ever wrestled with the idea of spirituality in recovery—or avoided it altogether—this is a gentle invitation to explore what might be waiting for you.

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To learn more about our guests, view the full show notes at https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/spirituality-and-sobriety/

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For information about 1:1 Recovery Coaching, visit https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/recovery-coaching/