What if going alcohol-free wasn’t just about you… but about everyone who comes after you? In this New Year kickoff episode of Sober & Lit, co-hosts Susan and Ruby step into their third year of the podcast with a raw, heart-opening conversation about legacy, healing, and the quiet ripple effect of choosing sobriety. They reflect on the moments that changed everything—conversations with their kids, patterns they didn’t realize they were modeling, and the powerful shift that happens when som...

What if New Year’s Eve didn’t end with a hangover… but with pride, clarity, and real connection? In this episode of Sober & Lit, Susan and Ruby flip the script on New Year’s Eve and Dry January, inviting you to question everything you’ve been taught about celebration, alcohol, and “starting fresh.” 5 ideas to help you ring in the New Year—feeling clear, connected, and truly "lit" alcohol-free: Question the champagne myth Who decided alcohol = celebration anyway? We unpack how culture, ad...

When the wine is flowing, the pressure is on, and you’re wondering—can I really do this alcohol-free and still feel joy? In this festive but very real episode, Susan and Ruby open up about the awkward moments, the grounding tools that saved them, and how their sober holidays have actually become the most meaningful ones yet. When you’re the only one at the Holiday table not drinking… Listen in for Real-Life Tips to stay sober this Christmas or Hanukkah: You’ll walk away with powerful strat...

Is it even really the holidays without the clink of champagne or spiked eggnog? Or… could this be the year you discover a deeper kind of joy—one that doesn’t come in a glass? In this feel-it-to-heal-it episode, Susan and Ruby dive into the messy, magical middle of the holiday season—where cravings collide with traditions, and the pressure to be “merry” can trigger the urge to drink. They ask the big question: What actually makes the holidays feel good… and what are we ready to leave b...

It’s our 100th episode — and we’re celebrating with a powerful dose of alcohol-free vitality! In this milestone conversation, Ruby and Susan welcome the radiant Patricia Becker: a sober yoga teacher, plant-based nutrition coach, and wellness guide helping women 50+ feel strong, flexible, and lit from within. If you’ve ever wondered how to age gracefully without alcohol… or how breathwork, chair yoga, and gut-healing foods can reignite your energy and self-love, this one’s for you. Patricia sh...

Send us a text How do you show up at a holiday party without showing up with a drink? That’s the big question—and in this episode of Sober & Lit, your hosts Ruby and Susan are unpacking the real talk behind office mixers, family dinners, and every bubbly-filled soirée in between. If you’ve ever clutched a club soda while dodging awkward small talk or wished for an invisibility cloak after the third “Why aren’t you drinking?”—this one’s for you. We’re swapping out shame for sparkle and p...

Send us a text Is wine culture keeping you stuck—and lying to you? In this episode of the Sober & Lit podcast, Ruby and Susan sit down with Meg Geisewite, author of Intoxicating Lies, to unpack the myths women are sold about drinking. From “mommy needs wine” memes to emotional manipulation masked as self-care, we explore the dangerous messages keeping women locked in gray area drinking—and how to break free. Meg shares her raw story of alcohol dependence, recovery, and empowerment, whi...

Send us a text How do you handle a holiday centered on gratitude… when everyone around you is sipping wine? In this powerful Thanksgiving episode of the Sober & Lit Podcast, your hosts Ruby and Susan crack open the truth about navigating one of the most triggering holidays on the alcohol-free journey. Is it your first sober Thanksgiving? Or maybe you're feeling the tug of tradition, social pressure, or the emotional weight of family dynamics? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to white-k...

Send us a text What if the best parts of you were just waiting on the other side of your last drink? In this episode of Sober & Lit, your hosts Susan and Ruby—alcohol freedom coaches with two very different journeys—reveal the surprising, unfiltered reasons why they chose to ditch alcohol for good. From Ruby’s past life in the wine industry to Susan’s search for deeper spiritual connection, this isn’t just another “why I quit drinking” story—it’s a powerful reframe of what you gain when y...

Send us a text Ever wonder what happens when you stop running from your truth—and start creating something powerful with it? In this episode of Sober & Lit, your hosts Coach Susan and Coach Ruby sit down with Tamar Routly—podcast producer, recovery advocate, and co-author of Sober for Dummies—for a candid and deeply inspiring conversation about what it really takes to go from high-functioning drinking to full-blown transformation. Tamar shares how she went from secretly struggling in a co...

Send us a text Ever lost time after a night out and thought, “Wait… what did I say?” You’re not alone—and it’s not just “part of drinking.” In this episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan pull back the curtain on a topic many avoid: alcohol-induced blackouts. From stories of forgotten conversations and tricky gray areas to the terrifying reality of memory loss after just a few drinks, we shed light on the neurological impact of alcohol and why some people are more susceptible to blackouts ...

Send us a text What if giving up alcohol wasn’t the end of fun—but the beginning of a rebellion? In this facinating episode of Sober & Lit, Susan and Ruby sit down with the vibrant and unfiltered Abby Calabrese—creator of the Alcohol Free Rebellion podcast and Instagram community. From late nights in New York’s “work hard, play hard” scene to building an empowered, sober-curious life, Abby shares the real story behind her decision to ditch drinking—and what happened next. Think: awkward...

Send us a text “Is weekend drinking really harmless—or is it quietly stealing your energy, health, and joy?” In this episode of the Sober & Lit Podcast, Ruby and Susan dive straight into the truth about binge drinking, especially the kind so many of us laugh off as “just weekend fun.” What actually counts as binge drinking? Why do oversized wine glasses, happy hour specials, and “work hard, play hard” culture trick us into thinking it’s normal? And what are the real costs—even if you only...

Send us a text How do I help someone I love who’s struggling with addiction—without ultimatums, power struggles, or losing myself in the process? We’re joined by the incredible Amber Hollingsworth—licensed professional counselor, master addiction counselor, and creator of the viral YouTube channel “Put the Shovel Down.” Drawing from her 20+ years of experience and her own journey growing up in an addicted family, Amber reveals how families can outsmart addiction with empathy, boundaries, and ...

Send us a text You quit drinking, you’re feeling lit, and suddenly… real life crashes back in. Now what? In this milestone 90th episode of Sober & Lit, Coaches Susan Larkin and Ruby Williams get radically honest about the messy, beautiful, non-linear reality of life after alcohol. Because yes—sobriety brings clarity, joy, and deep transformation… but it doesn’t come with a magic wand. What happens when the unicorns disappear and you’re still dealing with family tension, career pivots, sle...

Send us a text What if ditching alcohol is the exact thing that sets your creative fire ablaze? In this electrifying episode of Sober & Lit, Coaches Ruby and Susan sit down with actor, writer, and founder of Creative Sobriety, Kristen Baer—a powerhouse voice redefining what it means to be an alcohol-free woman in a world soaked in wine culture. From stage lights to mom life, Kristen shares how choosing sobriety in February 2020 became the radical act that set her free—from self-doubt, per...

Send us a text Are Sober People Missing Out… or Finally Tapping In? Welcome to Sober & Lit! In this episode, Ruby and Susan bust one of the biggest lies about sobriety: that going alcohol-free means missing out on fun, freedom, and connection. Is it true—or have we just been sold a clever illusion? What if the real fear isn’t missing out—but never fully showing up? What if quitting drinking is the invitation to finally feel lit from within? We unpack the FOMO myth, spill honest stories ab...

Send us a text What if eating more could actually help you feel better, weigh less, and ditch the drink for good? In this powerful episode of Sober & Lit, Susan and Ruby sit down with Dr. Ginny Treeweller—a psychologist, certified health coach, and author of Slender for Good After 50—to unpack the radical idea that you don’t need restriction, calorie counting, or alcohol to feel lit, vibrant, and free. Ginny gets real about her own midlife transformation: facing down chronic pain, predi...

Send us a text What if your story—the one you’re scared to tell—is the very thing that could set you free? In this powerful episode of Sober & Lit, Ruby and Susan sit down with Ann Dowsett Johnston, bestselling author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol, whose work cracked open the cultural myths around "mommy wine culture," female high-functioning drinking, and the billion-dollar marketing machine targeting women. With raw honesty and journalistic fire, Ann shar...

Send us a text What if your “wake-up call” didn’t have to be a disaster? In this powerful episode of the Sober & Lit Podcast, Coaches Ruby and Susan shatter the outdated belief that you need to hit rock bottom to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol. Do you really have to lose everything to want more for yourself? What if feeling meh is enough of a reason to start feeling lit? With raw honesty and hard-earned wisdom, they unpack the real reasons high-functioning women stay stuc...