After loving every second of creating Not Drinking Today, Meg and Bella are ready to branch out and continue their alcohol-free journey in new ways. We’ve cherished the incredible conversations with our guests and are so grateful for every listener who tuned in and supported us along the way. While Meg and Bella won’t be recording new episodes, you can still revisit all your favourites anytime on your preferred podcast platform. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! MEG Web: https:...

Join us for Meg's interview for the Sober Summit with Maggie Klaassen's. Why can some people take or leave alcohol while others feel trapped in a drinking cycle? At 17, a panic attack in front of her class sparked years of social anxiety. At 18, alcohol felt like magic—it stopped the shaking and gave her confidence. Weekend drinks slowly turned into nightly home drinking, eventually reaching two bottles of wine a night. In this conversation, Meg shares how hidden traumas and core ...

What happens when we wake up one day and decide that self-destruction isn't serving us anymore? For Faye Hughes, that awakening came on a plane ride home from Dubai after a family wedding gone terribly wrong. The shame, guilt, and regret she felt became the catalyst for a Valentine's Day decision that would transform her life: choosing sobriety as the ultimate act of self-love. From watching her parents throw alcohol-fueled parties to experiencing her first blackout at fifteen, Faye's relati...

Meg takes a look back at her relationship with alcohol, where she discovered a profound paradox that changed everything. She was terrified of losing precious moments—yet was drinking them away. Meg's whole life revolved around preserving memories. She treasured photographs, constantly reminisced about childhood homes, and felt deep aches when thinking about the past. But as her drinking worsened, she began experiencing blackouts during the very moments she was desperate to remember. Th...

What happens when four decades of heavy drinking suddenly stops? Ali Burke returns to share her remarkable transformation from a self-described "party pisshead parent" to a woman fully embracing authentic connection and present parenting. Ali's drinking story began in her early teens, looking for courage, attention, and a way to fit in. As the youngest of seven children, alcohol became her tool for becoming "the funny one." This evolved into a forty-year relationship with alcohol that saw ...

Faye Lawrence, Psychologist, offers practical guidance for navigating social situations without drinking. She explores how our social identity and connections play a crucial role in sustaining behavior change around alcohol consumption. • Discover how family experiences and cultural norms shape our relationship with alcohol • Challenge commonly held beliefs about non-drinkers • Explore the fear of losing friends or missing out when stopping drinking • Discover your authentic social pre...

Rory Kinsella, musician, Vedic meditation teacher and sober coach, reveals how finding inner stillness helped him transform his relationship with alcohol and eventually quit completely. He now teaches others to do the same. We discuss: • Growing up in alcohol-centric UK culture where drinking was normalised from teenage years and how that lifestyle continued for a while in Sydney • Rory's progression to an alcohol-free life and how discovering Vedic meditation changed his relationship with s...

Australian fashion designer Rochelle Gregory shares her transformative journey from alcohol addiction to creative success with her clothing line Rocky Rafaela. In this ep, we cover how: • alcohol initially provided social connection, but led to dangerous situations and repeated rehab stays • purpose through fashion design offered moments of peace allowing racing thoughts to disappear • how learning to be "comfortable with being uncomfortable" was crucial to maintaining sobriety • sobriety ha...

Donna Bennett shares her five-year sobriety journey that began with an "Easter epiphany" during COVID lockdown, revealing how removing alcohol from her life led to profound personal transformation and newfound freedom. We cover so much in this episode, including: • Recognising how alcohol had "sneakily" increased its influence over the years, particularly during lunchtime socialising • Experiencing frightening blackouts and memory gaps during drinking sessions • Using COVID lockdown as an op...

Lauren O'Hanlon shares her powerful journey from teen blackouts to a turning point that reshaped her life. Navigating the pressures of motherhood, “mommy wine culture,” and a near-divorce, she realised something had to change. Now two and a half years alcohol free, Lauren opens up about transforming her relationship, healing her identity, and finding freedom in making alcohol “small and irrelevant.” Tune in to hear how she turned pain into purpose as a sobriety coach helping others do the sam...

Dr. Shamistra Barathan breaks down the science of midlife weight gain and reveals the three missing pieces of the puzzle for women struggling despite diet and exercise changes. Some key points: Weight loss struggles are often tied to hidden hormonal imbalancesCalories-in/calories-out model outdated – it's about hormones telling your body to store or burn fatInsulin resistance can exist for years despite normal blood sugar readingsChronic stress creates cortisol patterns that tell your body to...

What happens when the wine you use to take the edge off becomes the very thing keeping you on edge? Julie Lively, alcohol freedom coach and This Naked Mind coach, shares her powerful journey from being caught in mummy wine culture to discovering true freedom beyond the bottle. With four children in six years and a frequently-traveling husband, Julie's nightly wine ritual seemed like the perfect escape—until it wasn't. Without experiencing a dramatic "rock bottom" moment, Julie recognised som...

Maz Compton just makes the alcohol-free decision feel like a no brainer! Today Maz talks to Bella's Alcohol Freedom Group about her powerful journey from being a successful radio host secretly struggling with alcohol dependence to living ten years alcohol-free and discovering her authentic self along the way. Maz covered many wonderful topics in this chat: Reaching career success while experiencing internal turmoil and alcohol dependenceUsing alcohol to manage social anxiety in a fast-p...

In this episode, Meg & Bella address the pros and pitfalls of moderating alcohol. Everybody who drinks or has drunk has practiced it but not many succeed at it! We talk about alcohol moderation in the context of Dry July, this being the second day of it, when thousands of Australians dip their toe into the alcohol-free water and try their hand at giving up the booze for a full 31 days. Why this topic? Well, firstly, because most people who sign up for Dry July are having trouble moderatin...

Darcy shares her powerful journey from teenage drinking to finding freedom from alcohol without traditional recovery programs or labels. Her story weaves through decades of substance use, career changes, grief after losing her brother to suicide, and ultimately discovering a path to sobriety that works for her unique needs. In this episode, Darcy approaches sobriety not as rigid perfection but as a journey of self-discovery. When cravings arise, she asks what's really missing—often discoverin...

Do you know how much alcohol impacts our gut health, hormones, peri and menopause symptoms, contributes to increased inflammation levels, stress management and drastically reduces our energy levels? Do you want to know what steps you can take to heal your body after drinking? Trish Tucker May joins Bella's Alcohol Revolution 6 Week Program as a guest speaker and shares her insights on the liver’s role in hormonal balance and offers practical strategies for nurturing both gut and liver health....

Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Libby Weaver as we explore the hidden impact of alcohol on nutrition and overall well-being. From the crucial role of zinc in immune health to alcohol’s effects on hydration, minerals, and cravings, Dr. Libby breaks down the science in a way that’s easy to understand. Plus, discover practical strategies for transforming food behaviours and supporting your body with whole-food supplements. Whether you're alcohol-free or simply curious, this epis...

On the eve of celebrating five years of sobriety, Seana Smith joins Bella for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about recovery, resilience, and rewriting her story. In this riveting episode, Seana opens up about the profound impact of her father’s alcoholism on her childhood and how it shaped her journey toward healing. She shares how embracing emotional sobriety, building a strong support network, and writing her memoir, Going Under, became transformative steps in reclaiming her li...

What if breaking free from alcohol could lead to a deeper connection with yourself and others? Join us for a powerful conversation with Rina, a fellow Naked Mind coach, who shares her inspiring journey of quitting alcohol independently before discovering the transformative power of community support. We explore how she initially struggled with emotions and irritability despite the benefits of an alcohol-free life, and how finding a support network during her coach training became a pivotal mo...

Meet Tara Hurster, a remarkable voice in addiction treatment, as she shares her empowering journey and insights from The Tara Clinic in Sydney. From grappling with insecurities about her height in school—turning to smoking as a coping mechanism—to discovering her passion for helping others as a mediator between students and teachers, Tara's path was shaped by unexpected twists. Her story is a testament to how personal experiences can lead us to our true calling, offering a fresh perspective o...