The official kickoff of the holiday season, Turkey Day, can be tricky. Especially the first one.  Family, friends, food, and often a lot of booze. What could go wrong? Lisa ended up flat on her back beneath a green bean casserole. Anna spent her first sober Thanksgiving freezing to death in a motorhome in a San Diego parking lot. (True!)Check out all things Lisa and all things Anna.

Just because we’re sober doesn’t mean we don’t still want to have fun wherever we hang out. But being comfortable in bars and clubs isn’t automatic. Lisa took a pass for a long time and only goes on rare occasions. Anna spent her first year sober as Premiere magazine’s “Party Girl,” which involved going out every night among the shiniest of people and the most open of bars. Amazingly, the experience only enhanced her commitment to sobriety more. Check out all things Lisa and all things Anna. 

Legend has it that drugs and alcohol have spawned some great works of art, including books. But evidence shows that numbing ourselves out actually stifles creativity. Anna and Lisa talk about what it was like to first feel that spark and flow of an idea without the booze. Anna was terrified that just sitting in front of the computer was going to trigger cravings and was shocked to discover that writing was actually a million times easier sober than high. Lisa felt it straight out of the detox unit. Check out all things Lisa and all things Anna. 

It’s bound to happen. At some point in our early or not-so-early sobriety, something is likely to trigger that overwhelming feeling of anxiety or even panic. Maybe it’s in a situation we’d drink our through or maybe it’s out of nowhere. For Lisa, it was the latter. For Anna, smoking cigarettes eased her newcomer sobriety—until she realized it was only exacerbating the issue. Check out all things Lisa and all things Anna. 

Our first vacations in sobriety should be occasions to relax and let loose. And ours were! Just not without some pre-planning and flexibility on the fly. Anna found herself abandoned in the woods when she tried to find a meeting in New Zealand while Lisa found sober support in the City of Lights. Check out all things Lisa and all things Anna.  

Let’s get straight to it. Sober sex for the first time is a big deal! Some of us had never even done it before. We talk about our experiences – from what we were told to what we expected, and what it was actually like. Lisa had an eventful trip to Utah and Anna, well, let’s just say she ignored all that advice about not dating for the first year.Check out all things Lisa and all things Anna.

Picking up where the original Recovery Rocks left off, this next era of the podcast is all about how we make the most of our lives in sobriety. Co-hosts Lisa Smith and Anna David dig into all the beauty, mess, creativity, laughs, tears, and joy of leaving the booze behind.  We’ll kick it all off with some of our own stories, how we bonded ten years ago, and a series on our “sober firsts.” Check out all things Lisa and all things Anna. 

What would the last Recovery Rocks episode be without a focus on music? Tawny and Lisa talk all about the role music plays in their recovery and their lives in general. Tawny talks about seeing some of her favorite bands over the summer as research for her next (music-themed!) book project. The ladies extend all their gratitude and love to the listeners over the last seven years. Stick around on this feed for Sober Living, the new podcast Lisa will co-host with OG recovery queen, Anna David.  Subscribe to Tawny's newsletter https://tawnylara.substack.com/ "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Check out and support Road Recovery  Order The Sobriety Deck Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner             Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar 

Tawny and Lisa talk with their friend Chris Marshall, the creator of Sans Bar, the first non-alcoholic bar in North America. Sans Bar broke new ground in creating IRL sober spaces and providing support for soberpreneurs. They talk about how getting sober is an act of liberation, and Chris shares how his sobriety has led to all kinds of personal revelations and creativity. They also talk about his memoir, Faster Than Light.  Music Minute features Vivaldi’s “Seasons,” Mozart, Laufey’s bossa nova, and alt country Order The Sobriety Deck  Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Subscribe to Tawny's newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar   

Laura Silverman, cartographer and creator of Zero Proof Nation, a global map of non-alcoholic bars and bottle shops, joins Tawny and Lisa for a stroll down memory lane. They talk about the non-alcoholic drink movement and how far it has come in the last seven years.  Music Minute features outlaw country music, Emily Nenni and Joshua Hedley Sign up for Laura’s Substack  Find Laura on Instagram and LinkedIn  Check out Clean Cause  Order The Sobriety Deck  Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Subscribe to Tawny's newsletter  "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar   

After seven years and nearly 300 episodes, Tawny and Lisa are saying goodbye to Recovery Rocks. But they’re not going anywhere! Lisa will still be in this podcast feed with a new show, Sober Living, along with OG recovery queen Anna David. And Tawny will be everywhere with her non-al spirit, (parentheses), writing classes and coaching, and a new book in the works! They look back on the show and look forward into the future. Music Minute features RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Beatles Order The Sobriety Deck  Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner Sign up for Tawny’s Writing Classes Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Subscribe to Tawny's newsletter  "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar   

Tawny and Lisa interview Jill Sirianni, co-host of the podcast Frugal Friends, which aims to change how we think about frugality. It does not mean being cheap. Frugal living intersects with minimalism, simple living and sustainability. Many of us have financial stress, often left over from when we abused substances. They talk about how practicing curiosity around finances can help identify priorities in developing a plan. Music Minute features Thrice. Check out Frugal Friends podcast website, which also offers a newsletter and free tools. Find Frugal Friends on Instagram.  This episode is sponsored by the sober entrepreneurs at Sour Humanoid vinegar. Add a splash of these artisanal vinegars to your dinner to brighten up the flavor of your protein and veggies. Order a bottle today at sourhumanoid.com and follow them at @sourhumanoid. Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage" Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Tawny and Lisa talk to Art Alexakis, frontman for Everclear, one of the defining bands of the 1990s, still going strong. Art has almost 35 years of recovery, living very much one day at a time. They talk about recovery and Art’s writing process, including the iconic song, “Father of Mine.” They also discuss what it takes to know when you’re done with drugs and alcohol, to ask for help, and to live in humility and gratitude.  Music Minute features Everclear and The Beatles Check out all things Everclear  Find Art on Instagram  Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar 

Tawny and Lisa talk about Tawny’s recent Beyond Liquid Courage newsletter, "People Pleasing is Over."  She learned through years of recovery and therapy that her people-pleasing is tied to her codependency. Lisa learned in early recovery that if she didn’t stop always trying to please others, she wasn’t going to be able to stay sober. People pleasing is more nuanced than just doing something for a loved one because you want to. It’s about doing something for someone else because you fear disappointing them at the risk of your own mental and physical health. Oh, an apparently Anne Hathaway’s done with people pleasing, too!Music Minute features Ricky Nelson and Jay-Z with Linkin Park. Check out the Anne Hathaway's interview with The New York Times. Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Sign up for Tawny’s newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Sign up for Nonfiction Book Proposal 101 with Tawny here. Sign up for Tawny’s Nonfiction Book Proposal Boot Camp here. Order Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Tawny and Lisa talk about addiction as a family disease. Whether it’s with your birth family or your chosen family (or both!), healing individually and as unit can break cycles of addiction and unhealthy behaviors. They both talk about their experiences with their families and how it’s an imperfect journey that never really ends. Music Minute features Sister Sledge, Everclear, The Killers and Billie Eilish. Find support at Al-Anon and Co-Dependents Anonymous.  Tawny recommends these books on boundaries and codependency: The Origins of You, Set Boundaries, Find Peace, The Book of Boundaries Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Sign up for Tawny’s Nonfiction Book Proposal Boot Camp here. Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar   

Tawny and Lisa talk with Ted Mandell, Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre. Tawny has been a guest speaker for Ted’s class, “Drunk on Film: The Psychology of Storytelling with Alcohol and its Effects on Alcohol Consumption.” They talk about the reasons kids drink more when they get to college, the persistence of the excessive drinking culture, and ways to reframe how students think about alcohol. Music Minute features a one-week course Ted taught with Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductee Todd Rundgren.  Check out the PBS Newshour feature about “Drunk on Film.” Check out the Drunk on Film website Preorder The Sobriety Deck Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Tawny and Lisa talk with Hilary Sheinbaum about her new workbook, GOING DRY: A Practical Guide to Drinking Less and Living More. The workbook takes readers through all phases of a sober or sober-curious journey, ranging from assessing your relationship with drinking to setting realistic expectations to discovering new experiences that bring you joy without booze. Music Minute features Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, and Flow State on Substack  Get GOING DRY: A Practical Guide to Drinking Less and Living More  Get The Dry Challenge: How to Lose the Booze for Dry January, Sober October, and Any Other Alcohol-Free Month  Check out Hilary’s TED Talk, Dry Dating: Why and How  Check out Hilary’s GoingDry.co event series. Find Hilary on IG: @hilarywritesny and @goingdry.co  More on socials: #goingdrybook Preorder The Sobriety Deck  Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze. Sign up for Tawny’s newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Order Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Tawny and Lisa talk with Lindsay Sutherland Boal, a coach, advocate, and the founder of both The Uncovery App and She Walks Canada, which support women overcoming problematic relationships with alcohol. They chat about gray-area drinking and the concept of “rock enough,” the acknowledgement that you don’t need a “rock bottom” crisis to quit drinking. The Uncovery App is dedicated to the pursuit of alcohol-free living through self-investigation and support. She Walks Canada organizes walks around the world to support recovery and foster community.Music Minute features Lindsay’s opera career and tropical lounge music. Check out The Uncovery App Learn about She Walks Canada On Instagram: @theuncoveryapp and @shewalkscanada Order The Sobriety Deck  Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze. Sign up for Tawny’s newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Order Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Tawny and Lisa are taking a summer break from the podcast, but encore episodes will air until they’re back in September. They talk about how it feels to pause and what they’ll be doing. It’s an opportunity for play and a chance to reset and reflect. But giving themselves time off brings up different emotions for both of them. They go deep on their feelings about routines, financial insecurity, and perfection.Music Minute features Sheryl Crow, The White Stripes, and EminemOrder The Sobriety DeckListen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah GardnerOrder Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the BoozeSubscribe to Tawny's newsletter https://tawnylara.substack.com/ "Beyond Liquid Courage"Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses) Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

City girls love nature, too! Tawny and Lisa talk about the role it plays in their recoveries. Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being. But you can also bring nature into the home with herbs, plants, flowers or anything that connects with you. And nature is not just the mountains or the ocean – it can be anywhere you feel connected, like a dog park in the city!Check out the APA article Music Minute features Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and SoundgardenOrder The Sobriety Deck Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah GardnerOrder Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the BoozeSubscribe to Tawny's newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage"Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar