4SoberChicks Podcast

S3 Ep 38 Alex McRobs

In this episode, author Alex McRobs shared her excitement about the upcoming release of her book, "Sober Yoga Girl," a project she has dedicated the last five years to. The book chronicles her personal journey through mental health, addiction, and recovery, taking readers on an experience that spans from Canada to Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Bali. 
"Sober Yoga Girl" not only tells Alex's story but also emphasizes the transformative role yoga can play in the recovery process. The book is uniquely structured around the seven chakras, weaving in yoga philosophy concepts throughout the narrative. Alex described the work as her "baby" and a true labor of love.
During her appearance on the show, Alex expressed her eagerness to discuss several topics related to her writing journey, including how the writing process aided her recovery—particularly in relation to the 4th step of making an inventory. She also hopes to explore the delicate balance between speaking her truth and ensuring no harm comes to those mentioned in her story, linking this to the 9th step of making amends.
Additionally, Alex plans to share insights on how the book evolved alongside her personal growth, the intriguing connection with her ex-husband, who is also five years sober and writing a book about their shared experiences, and the chakra framework that underpins the book's structure. The conversation promises to be enlightening, offering listeners a deeper understanding of Alex's journey and the inspiration behind "Sober Yoga Girl."

S3 Ep 37 - Mary Beth O’Connor

Mary Beth has been sober since 1994. She also is in recovery from abuse, trauma, PTSD, and anxiety. Her story is chronicled in her memoir From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction. She’s had essays in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and Recovery Today.
 
Mary Beth is a Director for She Recovers Foundation and LifeRing Secular Recovery. She regularly speaks on behalf of these organizations and about multiple and secular paths to recovery. She develops relationships with other organizations, such as Women for Sobriety. And Mary Beth trains attorneys and medical professionals about substance use disorder and recovery.
 
Six years into her recovery, Mary Beth attended Berkeley Law. She worked at a large firm, then litigated class actions for the federal government. In 2014 she was appointed a federal Administrative Law Judge, from which position she retired early in 2020.

S3 Ep 36 Renee LoCascio

Renee is a 30+ year trial attorney and mediator who could not figure out how to succeed at living a life worth living. Although her career was and still is fulfilling, she was a single mother raising a daughter, and her life looked successful by all accounts.  Yet she could not make sense of all that was happening wrong in her life. Seeking a solution to fix herself, she went to a therapist. It was her therapist who suggested she go to just one AA meeting over 16 years ago.
 
To contact Renee: Reneelocascio@gmail

S3 Ep 33 Danya Yusep

Danya Katrina, sometimes known as “Dani” in the Recovery Space: is a filmmaker, poet, writer, painter, and creator of the series, The Lighthouse Projects. A documentary series focusing on leadership, transformation, and spiritual awareness. Some of her greatest inspiration comes from the places she has lived and studied; from quaint Island cities to magical mountain towns. Dani’s nature is to connect with the people and places where she feels most free. Dani believes that when we surrender to what no longer serves us, we can open our hearts up to all the beautiful, wild possibilities in this life; as we continue to seek out our inner truth and begin to make an impact with our stories and experiences. To learn more about Danya you can find her on FB: Danya Yusep on IG:@Justbreathethedocumentary.

Soul Sisters United! Welcome to Episode 35!

Shelly-Anne Mckay is a compassionate and intuitive food addiction coach with a Master Certified Coach (MCC) designation from the International Coaching Federation. After a 24-year struggle with alcohol and street drug addictions, she found sobriety and surprisingly discovered she struggled with ultra-processed food addiction. Her dedication to overcome and heal from this led to creating a Professional Food Addiction Coach Certification program. The program is certified by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC USA), the International Association for Professional Recovery Coaches (IAPRC USA), and the Health Coach Alliance (HCA Canada). Shelly-Anne's mission is to educate wellness professionals to effectively support those struggling with food addiction and to end the suffering many experience navigating their relationship with food. She believes the path to recovery is highly individual. In March 2023, she founded Soul Sisters United, an online secure and private community platform making recovery accessible to women, particularly in underserved, remote, or unsafe communities. The platform offers a sisterhood of support with a team of compassionate, highly credentialed professionals, each dedicated to helping women live joyfully, healthily, and free from emotional eating and food addiction. As a recognized expert, Shelly-Anne has shared her insights on numerous podcasts and in magazines, covering topics like food addiction, mental health, and holistic wellness. She upholds the highest coaching standards globally, serving as the Director of Coach Credentialing and Certification with the International Association for Professional Recovery Coaches (IAPRC). In this role, she trains and mentors hundreds of addiction recovery coaches globally, contributing to the highest standards in recovery coaching worldwide. With over three decades of experience in coaching, business, media, and communications, Shelly-Anne is also a mentor coach, speaker, and producer in film, television, and digital media. She co-founded a Boutique Holistic Wellness agency specializing in bespoke private coaching services, workshops, and retreats for organizations with a desire to support individuals in their care to prevent addiction and preserve mental health. Living the philosophy she preaches, Shelly-Anne is deeply committed to her personal recovery journey, demonstrating resilience, hope, and healing. She aims to help others heal from trauma and is open to innovative healing modalities. Elena Garcia - I´ve always used food as a self-soothing mechanism. Childhood has its ups, but downs as well. Resorting to food after a rough patch with the family once or twice doesn´t sound that bad right? Multiply the number of rough patches across the years though, and I now understand why in my early 30s I got to wear 4x pants and could eat a whole family-size cheesecake by myself, sitting in my car in a parking lot to cope with work-related burnout. After a stress breakdown, moving countries, and releasing some weight, I started prioritizing my mental health. I got so intrigued about how it works that it led me to pursue a degree in Psychology. I learned how thoughts and emotions influence our decisions and conduct, from deciding what to eat for dinner to neglecting our bodies for years. I now hold a Masters in Clinical Psychology and have a private practice as a Licenced Holistic Therapist. When I met Shelly-Anne, her idea of building a new relationship with food inspired me to embark on a journey to heal my mind and body: I became a Professional Food Addiction Coach, and with the knowledge and skills I acquired to help others, I was able to help myself as well. I released 155 pounds of stress and poor decisions, reclaiming my healthy body and experiencing the vitality I felt was missing, in a compassionate, mindful way. This journey further reinforced the importance of mental and physical well-being and inspired me to help others with similar challenges. Now, my passion as Vice President of Soul Sisters United is to build a supportive community for women, and create safe spaces for my clients to work on their ways to heal. In these sacred spaces, we team up to address damaging paradigms and habits that might be affecting mental and physical health intending to foster strategies for a thriving, joyful, and compassionate life.

For Sober Chicks S3 Ep 34 Stacey Hine

Stacey Hine is ABC Nevada’s Director of Professional Development Programs and Initiatives. She is the driving force behind the chapter’s Leadership Institute, which focuses on providing educational opportunities for Nevada’s construction industry professionals. In addition to being certified as a trainer for VitalCog Suicide Prevention in Construction and an Adult Mental Health First Aider, Stacey is a speaker who has created training programs on addiction and recovery. Prior to joining ABC Nevada in 2016, she spent over a decade working in education as both a teacher and administrator. She believes in using education as a conduit for the betterment of individuals and businesses within the construction industry.

Ep 32 Season 3 - Betsy Spier Rainbow Hill Recovery

Betsy is a licensed marriage and family therapist with more than 30 years in the field of mental health and addictive disorders. She is also a woman in recovery with over 39 years of sobriety! She has a unique perspective on Psycho Trauma (movement and action) and helping her clients through trauma to a more healthy and purposeful life.
 
Take a listen and be inspired by our next guest! You can find more information on her at www.betsyspier.com.

Is A Sober Retreat In Your Future?

The absolute incredible plans we are building in the next year are too exciting to keep a lid on! For one... sober retreats! Make sure to stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

S3 Ep 31 Pamela Rueda

Pamela was born in Mexico and migrated to the US in her 20s. She is on the 15th year of a journey of recovery from alcohol addiction, codependency, immigration trauma, and PTSD.
As a certified recovery coach and SHE RECOVERS coach, Pamela helps humans escape the toxic patterns that keep them voiceless and small. Through compassion, clarity, and ownership, she empowers them to recover their voice and reclaim the pen that writes their story. She sees recovery as the path “back home to our heart and the door to our (r)evolution.” Pamela’s mentorship is on her platform, My Badass Recovery, and Insight Timer.

4 Sober Chicks Season 2 Episode 29 Dr. Church

This is the SECOND time we have interviewed the FABULOUS, Dr. Sarah Church! In the first episode, Dr. Church lightly touched on the subject of ADHD while in recovery. It was a topic we knew we needed to address. This is that episode! Make sure to tune in to this weeks episode!
@wholeviewnyc @Wholeview Wellness