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The Big Drink Rethink

Anna Donaghey

The Big Drink Rethink is a podcast for anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol - whether you want to quit, drink less, take a break, or just explore the role alcohol plays in your life.
Hosted by Alcohol Mindset Coach and Author, Anna Donaghey, each episode blends lived experience, psychological insight, and powerful tools to help you create change - gently, intelligently, without pressure, and in a way that opens up your life.
Featuring expert guests, real stories, and practical strategies, this podcast offers a refreshingly smart, non-judgemental space to reflect, grow, and explore the life you want.
Because rethinking your drinking isn’t about missing out. It’s about tuning in.
It’s not about restriction - it’s about making space.
To feel clearer, live more fully, and ask one honest question:
What are you really thirsty for?

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#138
Thursday · 50 min
Ep 138: Pain Pushes Until Vision Pulls | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if the life you’re chasing, and the drinking that comes with it, are both keeping you from the life you really want? In this honest conversation, Anna Donaghey welcomes recovery and transition coach Alina Roselli, who shares her journey from living “outside-in” - seeking validation, people-pleasing and pushing through burnout, to soul-led sobriety and deep self-acceptance. Together, they explore why we can lose ourselves trying to meet other people’s expectations, how burnout and exhaustion can force us to question the life we’re living, and why transformation isn’t simply about giving up alcohol, it's about discovering who you are without it. They also explore self-worth, radical honesty, the trap of external validation and practical ways to start living more “inside-out”. For anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol, their sense of purpose, or whether there could be more to life, this episode offers an invitation to stop chasing approval and start coming home to yourself. Highlights: 00:00 Welcome & introduction to Alina Roselli 00:40 Alina’s unraveling, burnout, alcohol and not knowing herself 02:46 The culture of drinking and starting at 15 05:55 Seeking belonging and landing in “image-driven” circles 10:07 What is “outside-in” living and how it shaped Alina’s self worth 12:28 When alcohol shifts from fun to medicine 15:46 How self-image creates our lives (and can keep us lost) 16:43 Burnout as a wake-up call 17:40 Trying everything (yoga, therapy, self-help) but not getting better 23:27 Filling the “God-shaped hole” - how misaligned living leaves us empty 26:04 Making hard changes and letting go of old identities 28:46 Why inside-out living is terrifying and ultimately liberating 30:10 “Pain pushes until the vision pulls”: learning to listen to your soul 32:43 Finding calm, silence, and the right conditions to truly meet yourself 34:19 Discovering introversion, the need for solitude, and creative renewal 36:29 How the small actions revealed a bigger self and a life worth keeping 39:32 How to reconnect with your needs and stop abandoning yourself 41:36 The courage in honesty and the gifts waiting in the unknown 43:42 Acceptance, creativity, and the joy of simply feeling okay 46:35 Becoming yourself changes the world around you 49:33 People have no idea how amazing they are 50:19 How to join The Big Drink Rethink community. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Alina Roselli: Alina is a recovery and transition coach who believes we are in an epidemic of not knowing who we truly are. Through her recovery and coaching work, she is witnessing firsthand how most people are living as smaller versions of themselves without knowing it. She's developed Soul Coordinates, a portrait that bypasses the mind entirely and reveals who you actually are underneath the survival strategies. Her online community and course, The Naked Soul Path on Skool, is an accessible way to come home to yourself in community. Her own journey through burnout, addiction recovery and self loss is the source of everything she offers Connect with Alina: https://www.alinaroselli.com/
#137
August 20 · 20 min
Ep 137: The Beliefs Driving Your Drinking | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if your drinking habits aren’t really about alcohol at all, but about the quiet, powerful beliefs sitting beneath the surface? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey dives into the “Pyramid of Belief”, a simple framework that explains how deeply-rooted feelings of “not enough” shape much of our behaviour, including drinking. Using lived experience and insights from Dave Gray’s "Liminal Thinking," Anna breaks down how our early experiences, the culture we grow up in, and the swirl of online comparison, all reinforce beliefs like “I’m not smart enough,” “I’m not interesting enough,” and “I’m not enough, full stop.” She explores why alcohol so often becomes the go-to answer for the emotional discomfort those beliefs trigger and guides listeners through the first, vital steps to uncovering what they’re really thirsty for. Highlights: 00:00 Welcome & intro 00:40 The "not enough" beliefs we rarely examine 01:13 Why this episode isn’t (really) about alcohol at first 02:14 What is the Pyramid of Belief 05:04 How our minds filter reality 05:57 How a single shame-triggering moment forms a core belief 09:03 Why you’re not flawed and how “not enough” beliefs got there 10:30 Anna Donaghey’s own formative “not smart enough” moment 13:39 The modern "comparison machine" 14:20 How alcohol soothes the “not enough” wound 16:15 Key question: “What is my drinking actually trying to answer for me?” 16:27 Find your own “I’m not enough” belief 17:47 What “I need...” before a drink reveals about your core beliefs 17:59 Why pinning down beliefs (not just thoughts) is tricky 18:42 Announcing a series exploring specific “not enough” beliefs 19:37 None of this is your fault 20:23 Resources & how to join The Big Drink Rethink community. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#136
August 13 · 59 min
Ep 136: The Alcohol - ADHD Connection | Rethinking Alcohol |
Why does alcohol seem to have a different, more intense pull for some people - and could undiagnosed ADHD be the missing piece of the puzzle? In this episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Matt Wing, a midlife mentor who spent over 30 years in a cycle of high achievement and high-functioning drinking, before a late ADHD diagnosis reframed everything. Together, they explore the misunderstood relationship between ADHD and alcohol use, bust the myth that it’s a simple willpower problem, and break down the real, neurological drivers behind compulsive drinking. Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Meet Matt Wing, midlife mentor, exploring ADHD and alcohol 01:13 Decades of "normal" drinking and the invisible exhaustion under it 04:45 Compulsive self-fixing, failed solutions, and obsessive searching 06:12 The pink book, ADHD traits, and why self-help didn't always land 10:21 ADHD as a chronic dopamine deficit 11:08 Instant dopamine hits: why nothing's enough 12:44 Why attempts to cut down usually fail: it's not a "willpower" issue 15:03 Alcohol's social acceptance hides its true addictiveness 18:02 ADHD drinking: urgency, intensity, and chasing the unattainable 23:19 Why 4pm is the real problem, not "having a drink problem" 24:16 Racing head syndrome: alcohol as the only "off switch" that works 29:19 Hyperfocus, the evening crash, and alcohol as relief not reward 31:13 Rejection sensitivity and rejection-sensitive dysphoria in ADHD 33:28 Why social drinking feels so necessary (and so hard to quit) 34:38 "Time blindness": why the ADHD brain struggles with "forever” 43:04 The missed ADHD generation: making sense of the past 46:22 New ways to soothe the nervous system 51:40 Growth mindset: you're not stuck, and social skills can be learned 53:37 ADHD as a superpower if you channel it right 56:40 Where to find Matt Wing and resources to get support. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Matt Wing: Matt Wing is the founder of Midlife Mentor, a coaching and content brand for midlife adults who want to change their relationship with alcohol without calling themselves an alcoholic or sitting in a recovery group. He's the creator of the 4PM Reset Method, built around the idea that most people don't have a drinking problem, they have a 4PM problem: the daily window where old habits take over. Matt speaks from experience, not theory, and has helped clients through his 30-Day Reset, 90-Day Deep Work, and 1:1 coaching programmes. He shares free tools and weekly insight through his newsletter, The Friday Feeling, and on Instagram @midlife.mentor, where he's built a community of over 100,000 followers. Connect with Matt: Website: https://www.midlifementor.me/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlife.mentor
#135
August 6 · 56 min
Ep 135: What Have You Got To Be Unhappy About? | Rethinking Alcohol |
Why do high-flying CEOs, investors, and ultra-successful leaders, people with every resource at their fingertips, still end up stuck, lonely, and reaching for a drink? In this episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Lindsey Frances, a leadership psychologist. Together they unpack the universal experience of feeling trapped by drink, the myth that outer success delivers inner fulfilment, and why human suffering pays no attention to your bank balance. Is the pull to drink really about stress, status, or socialising, or is it something deeper: unmet needs for purpose, connection, and calm? As Lindsey and Anna discover, real change starts with a single question: what are you truly thirsty for? Highlights: 00:00 Intro: High achievers & high-functioning alcohol use 02:03 What boardrooms and AA rooms have in common 05:15 The trap: shame, disconnection, and feeling unworthy 06:09 Why suffering feels the same in £1000 shoes or 99p flip-flops 09:36 Success as an external “cage”; failing on the inside 12:14 Coping at the top: alcohol and other numbing strategies 13:32 Addiction is disconnection, so what comes first? 15:13 Alcohol as a (false) shortcut to connection and significance 17:06 What are people really thirsty for? Purpose, enough-ness, & joy 22:30 Why high achievers can’t just “stop” 26:12 Sophrology and imagining a life beyond work (and drinking) 30:27 What does constant “fight or flight” feel like? 36:31 Why you can’t biohack your way out of pain 40:08 Universal issues, whether you run hedge funds or trim hedges 45:08 Simple, accessible tools for regulating your nervous system 48:01 “Simple, but not easy”: choosing your hard 49:20 Lindsey’s own journey - making sense of emotions after quitting 54:09 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s story: why sobriety trumps career success 54:55 Serving others, and the real sources of flourishing 55:23 Where to find Lindsey Frances and resources for sophrology Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Lindsey Frances: Lindsey Frances is a clinical sophrologist, legacy and wealth psychologist, preventative health expert and data-led performance coach, helping high performers, CEOs and investors master financial and emotional stress, sleep and self-regulation through a unique blend of sophrology, biometrics and behaviour change psychology. In 2021, she opened a private sophrology cabinet on the Alpine French-Swiss border, where she has since guided clients ranging from cross-border executives and athletes to burnout recoverers towards calmer nervous systems and more sustainable performance. Connect with Lindsey: Website: https://www.lindseyfrances.co.uk/
#134
July 30 · 12 min
Ep 134: Drowning in Data But Starved of Insight | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if all the sleep scores, step counts, and readiness reports in the world still leave you missing the point? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the paradox of our “self-quantified” age: we collect endless data about our bodies, yet remain confused about why we reach for that Friday night drink. Why do so many of us meticulously track our health and download optimisation apps, but still pour a glass (or two) at the end of the week even though the data says it’s a bad idea? Anna explains why metrics alone can’t change behaviour and why the real question isn’t “What does the data show?” but “What are you truly thirsty for?” Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Obsessed by health data but still drinking? 00:44 The archetype: data-obsessive, wine-on-Friday person 02:04 We’re more quantified, and less self-aware, than ever 03:21 Data isn’t enough to change behaviour 05:30 We’ve stopped asking about causes and focus on numbers instead 06:53 The wine and wellness routines: same job, different means 07:33 Understanding your body is useful but it’s only the doorway 08:23 The answer is found in your life, not your data 09:45 The core unmet needs that drive drinking 10:06 Meeting your deeper needs transforms your relationship with alcohol 10:44 The real question: what is this drink telling me about my life? 11:29 Next week: Lindsey Frances using data as the start, not the end, of self-discovery 12:11 The question to sit with: not your sleep score but what are you thirsty for? Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#133
July 23 · 50 min
Ep 133: Why Waiting Until You’re Ready Rarely Works | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if the real reason you feel stuck around drinking isn't a lack of willpower or information, but simply that your thinking can't yet see another way? Anna Donaghey is joined by Doug Fleener, author of "Start with What If" and creator of the "What If Rule", a simple, three-step practice for creating new perspectives in real time. Drawing on his own journey from addiction to leadership roles at Bose Corporation, Doug shares how change really happens: through interruption, curiosity, and asking different questions. Together, he and Anna explore why curiosity trumps willpower, and how tiny shifts - like asking, "What if I just didn't drink today?" can unlock entirely new possibilities. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Welcome to The Big Drink Rethink 00:45 What if what keeps you stuck isn’t willpower? 01:01 Meet Doug Fleener 02:14 The “What If Rule”: change in real time, not ‘someday’ 03:23 Doug’s 30,000ft wake-up call 06:09 The power of interruptions and rock bottoms 07:11 Why it feels easier to change your state than change your life 15:15 The real impact of asking “What if I didn’t drink just today?” 16:21 Why avoiding forever/never thinking makes change possible 17:47 “I’ll tackle it when I’m ready” - and how action actually creates clarity 23:10 The What If Rule explained: Pause, Question, Go 31:43 Why one pause matters even if you still have the drink 33:13 How identity, habit, and depletion drive drinking autopilot 37:52 Future journaling: setting intentions for who you want to be 41:12 Drinking as a default off-switch for discomfort 43:08 How to sit with feelings (instead of pushing them down) 45:42 “Nobody ever wishes they drank more” 46:47 The permission to start small 49:12 You don’t need a plan, just the next question. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Doug Fleener: After years of struggle with addiction and self-doubt, Doug rebuilt his life from the inside out. And his journey shaped his belief that transformation begins with one simple question: What if? As the author of “Start With What If” and “The Day Makes the Year (Makes a Life)”, and the creator of The What If Rule, Doug helps people see challenges, habits, and everyday moments in a new light. His insights are practical, hopeful, and deeply human - showing how anyone can create better perspectives and possibilities starting today. Connect with Doug: Website: https://www.dougfleener.com/ Book “Start with What If?”: https://www.dougfleener.com/dougsbooks
#132
July 16 · 17 min
Ep 132: Why Doesn't Summer Feel Like a Break? | Rethinking Alcohol |
Summer is supposed to be the easy season, so why does it so often leave us more tired, pressured, and frazzled than ever? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the myth of the "restful summer" and the invisible standards that pile up as the weather warms: be the memory-maker, the joy-creator, the calm presence. It's a pressure that fuels depletion and quietly drives the urge for an evening drink, not for pleasure, but as an off-switch when rest feels out of reach. Drawing on psychologist Donald Winnicott's idea of the "good enough" parent, Anna reframes what it means to do summer well, and shares practical questions to help you carve out genuine breaks, lower the pressure, and gently move away from alcohol as your only way to switch off. If your summer doesn't feel like the break you were promised, this episode will show you you're not alone and point you toward a kinder, more sustainable way through. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why can summers be exhausting 01:20 The real summer vs. the Instagram version 03:20 Family life: chaos of young kids or grownup kids at home 05:07 The “gap” between summer’s promise and reality 05:26 Feeling the pressure to make memories 06:03 Why we feel guilty when we finally get a break 06:31 Evenings as the first off-switch and how that cues drinking 08:03 Introducing Winnicott’s “good enough” concept 09:52 Chasing the perfect summer sets up the craving for relief 10:14 Good enough is actually enough 11:27 Once you lower the bar, the craving (and pressure) loosens 12:32 What your evening self actually needs 13:47 What would actually make summer feel like a break for you? 14:39 Specific examples for reclaiming space and calm 15:47 “Good enough” as the true standard, not a consolation prize 16:07 The real summer is messy (and that’s enough) Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#131
July 9 · 13 min
Ep 131: Q&A: I'm Drinking Less on Mounjaro. This Is Good News, Right? | Rethinking Alcohol |
"I'm drinking less on Mounjaro, should I see this as a win?" It's a question landing in Anna Donaghey's inbox more and more, and in this listener Q&A episode, she gives it the thoughtful answer it deserves. Medications like Mounjaro, originally prescribed for diabetes and weight management, are quietly dialling down people's desire for alcohol often without them even trying. Anna explores what the emerging research tells us about GLP-1 drugs and the brain's reward system, why the effect on cravings may not last, and why it's so important not to skip the deeper work of understanding your relationship with alcohol, even when the urge has gone dormant. Because here's the real opportunity: this "hiatus of desire" is a rare window for self-enquiry, not a shortcut. Anna shares her perspective on the risks of treating pharmaceuticals as a simple fix, and offers practical reflection prompts for anyone noticing their cravings have changed. If your desire to drink has suddenly gone quiet, this episode will help you ask the question that really matters: what was it saying in the first place? Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: The rise of questions about Mounjaro and drinking 01:05 The listener question: Drinking less and craving less, now what? 02:23 How GLP-1 drugs (Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy) work in the body 03:39 What research is saying about reduced cravings and reward 04:45 Animal trials, human reports, and what’s not FDA approved 06:06 The real opportunity: getting curious about why you are drinking 07:12 Why “the drug quietens the craving, but doesn’t explain it” 07:26 Why the effect isn’t permanent, dose reduction and recurrence 08:04 The “hiatus of desire” and what you can do with this rare space 10:00 Warning: Why “Mounjaro helps you quit drinking” is a risky narrative 10:44 Addressing the myth of an instant pharmaceutical solution 11:13 Practical advice: Get curious about what’s under your habits 12:08 Plans for a deeper dive with expert guests coming soon FREE WEBINAR: How to Get Unstuck: A Year Inside a Community That's Changing Lives. Anna and fellow coach Tabbin Almond are excited to announce they’re hosting a free webinar on Thursday 9 July to share what they’ve learnt about what women actually need when they want to change their relationship with alcohol. You can register to grab your spot here: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/webinar Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#130
July 2 · 51 min
Ep 130: What Your Holiday Is Telling You | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if your next holiday could tell you more about your drinking than any ordinary day? Anna Donaghey is joined by travel writer and longtime non-drinker Teresa Bergen to explore why holidays are such a flashpoint when it comes to alcohol. They unpick the cultural scripts that equate travel with "letting go," the invisible pressure to drink in airports, at resorts, and on work trips, and how travel can act as a mirror for your relationship with alcohol. Teresa shares decades of sober travel, surprising lessons from writing The Sober Travel Handbook, and the vividness of seeing the world clear-headed. Listen to rethink your travel story and design holidays that match what you actually want. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Rethinking drinking on holiday 01:29 Teresa’s story: 38 years as a non-drinker and the “holiday script” 05:19 Why do we link travel to different rules around alcohol? 10:13 The bizarre normality of airport drinking at dawn 14:12 “No drink = no fun” & what it’s like to break the social norm 18:11 Why holidays reveal our biggest beliefs and fears about alcohol 23:30 The benefits of holidays without drinking 27:11 Building holidays around your real interests, not just the booze 46:48 Practical tips for a non-drinking holiday 49:00 Find links to Sober Travel Handbook & travel ideas in the show notes 50:02 How to rethink your “holiday script” and try something new. FREE WEBINAR: How to Get Unstuck: A Year Inside a Community That's Changing Lives. Anna and fellow coach Tabbin Almond are excited to announce they’re hosting a free webinar on Thursday 9 July to share what they’ve learnt about what women actually need when they want to change their relationship with alcohol. You can register to grab your spot here: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/webinar Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Teresa Bergen: Teresa Bergen is a travel writer and long-time sober person who wants to help others in recovery see the world without picking up a drink. She's the author of Sober Travel Handbook: Navigating the World Alcohol-Free, in which she shares tips for avoiding airport bars, business networking without the booze, navigating well-meaning friends who want you to drink with them, and many other common situations. She helps non-drinkers strategise and plan for travel so that they can confidently experience other places and cultures and have new adventures while minimising their chances at relapse. Connect with Teresa: Teresa’s website: https://teresabergen.com/ The Sober Travel Handbook: https://teresabergen.com/easy-portland-outdoors/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresa.bergen/ Some sober travel links recommended by Teresa can be found in The Big Drink Rethink Toolkit here: https://www.thebigdrinkrethink.com/toolkit-optin
#129
June 25 · 26 min
Ep 129: What Does Curiosity Look Like This Summer? | Alcohol Coaching |
What if summer didn't have to be scripted by booze? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey answers a listener's question: "What does it actually mean to get curious about my drinking this summer?" Anna dismantles "summer scripts", the invisible associations between alcohol and fun, relaxation, or connection. Instead of forcing abstinence or restriction, she offers a gentle, practical process: What are you really looking forward to at each event? What job are you asking alcohol to do? What meaningful moments might you notice if you step out of autopilot? Whether you want to quit, cut back, or just understand your habits, this is about empowered choice, not deprivation. Expect relatable validation, zero judgment, and practical reflection tools you can use straight away. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Anna welcomes listeners to a summer Q&A episode 01:30 Listener question: “What does being curious mean?” 02:20 How curiosity became Anna’s most powerful tool 03:54 How watching, noticing, and observing can make occasions richer 05:25 The energy drain of strict “quitting” vs. the freedom of curiosity 06:29 How the drinks industry scripts our summer 09:06 What are your “summer scripts”? 10:53 Why simply SEEING the script changes everything 12:17 Practical reflection: Questions to ask before, during, and after events 15:26 What job are you giving alcohol? Stress relief, connection, or ritual? 18:11 Experimenting with non-drinking, not as a rule, but as a test 19:28 What do you remember about these events? 20:41 Setting a feeling-based intention for your summer 22:12 Tiny experiments that help you learn what you really want 24:06 Pick one event this summer to do differently 26:23 How one curious occasion can change your entire perspective Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#128
June 18 · 43 min
Ep 128: Rewriting the Summer Drinking Script | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if summer didn’t have to be “powered by” alcohol? In this episode, Anna Donaghey invites sobriety and life coach, Casey McGuire Davidson, to unpack why the summer and its long evenings, and sunny terrace, feels so tangled with the urge to drink. Is it really about the Aperol Spritz… or are we longing for something deeper, like freedom, nostalgia, or a younger version of ourselves? Together, they challenge the myth that summer is for “letting go” and drinking, and instead explore the possibility that these months could offer more: clarity, energy, presence, and real joy. If you’re worried you’ll be missing out or feel resistance to change, this episode delivers validation, surprising science, and practical ways to romanticise sobriety rather than alcohol. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why is summer so “loaded” with drinking? 01:04 Meet Casey McGuire Davidson: podcast host & ex-corporate high-achiever 04:47 How we don’t realise how much we’re missing by focusing on alcohol 07:10 Romanticising alcohol vs. romanticising sobriety 08:29 Sober travel: what’s really possible when you’re present 10:40 The discomfort and magic of your first sober summer 12:17 The “sober summer bucket list” approach 13:11 Why summer is the best time to rethink your drinking habits 16:42 Are we craving the drink, or a lost version of ourselves? 23:42 How the drinks industry scripts our summer fantasies 27:09 Alcohol’s real deception: convincing us we’re not enough without it 28:00 “Why isn’t this moment enough?” Getting honest about cravings 30:15 The science behind why alcohol seems to make us happier 37:09 The “joy of missing out”: freedom, energy, and real presence 41:00 What’s the biggest surprise on the other side? Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Casey McGuire Davidson: Casey McGuire Davidson is a Life & Sobriety Coach, speaker, and host of the Top 100 Mental Health show The Hello Someday Podcast for Sober Curious Women. Featured on Good Morning America, NPR, HuffPost, The New York Times, NBC News and more, she helps high‑achieving women change their relationship with alcohol so they can drink less and live more. Connect with Casey: Website: Hello Someday Coaching Podcast: The Hello Someday Podcast for Sober Curious Women Instagram: @caseymdavidson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelloSomeday/
#127
June 11 · 58 min
Ep 127: Same Feeling, Different Fix: Co-dependency Explained | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if sobriety was just the beginning, not the destination? In this episode, Anna Donaghey sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Sarah Michaud, who draws on over 40 years of recovery and professional experience to explore the deep link between codependency, control, and unfulfilled needs. While getting sober is a huge step, Sarah reveals why the work often starts after the drinking stops as we swap one “fix” for another: relationships, work, food, or anything to soothe an uneasy mind. Together, they explore where codependency begins, how it shows up in everyday choices (from dinner to major life patterns), and why true freedom starts with honesty, first with yourself, then with others. If you find yourself always looking outside for relief or suspect that “people pleasing” is costing you your peace, this episode offers validation, hope, and practical first steps toward a healthier relationship with yourself. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Recovery is about more than drinking 00:51 Meet Dr. Sarah Michaud: psychologist, author, and 42 years sober 03:20 Getting sober didn’t fix everything; the real work starts after alcohol 06:01 The cycle, looking for the next relationship, job, or fix 12:05 What is codependency? Explained simply, and why it matters 13:33 A brief history: codependency in addiction recovery 14:23 The inability to be yourself out of fear of others’ reactions 21:01 How unmet needs drive both drinking and codependency 22:30 Childhood patterns, why we bring old survival tactics into adulthood 24:07 Why many people swap addictions after sobriety 33:37 How community and reality checks break denial 35:00 Compassion is essential, but so is responsibility for your experience 50:17 You can know the truth and still take your time deciding what to do 52:54 “I am responsible for my thoughts, feelings, and behaviours” 54:42 Start by letting go of one thing you do for others 56:58 Don’t scroll past self-recognition; this is where the work starts. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Dr. Sarah Michaud: Dr. Sarah Michaud is a clinical psychologist who has worked in the field of addiction and co-dependency for over 30 years. She is also the author of One psychologist's recovery from co-dependency and addiction: A memoir and manual for freedom. She has been sober for over 40 years and brings her humour, directness, compassion and insight to support folks in recovery. She is also the cohost of a youtube channel called Leaving Crazytown with her best bud Finn where they talk all things recovery and have lots of laughs. Connect with Sarah: Website: https://drsarahmichaud.com/
#126
June 9 · 31 min
Ep 126: BONUS EPISODE: The Version Of You On The Other Side with the Gavin Sisters | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if rethinking your relationship with alcohol wasn't about restriction, but about discovering a new version of yourself? Anna Donaghey introduces a raw and funny conversation between the Gavin Sisters, who went from "beer-swigging, Chinese takeout comedy double act" to thriving, teetotal vegan wellness entrepreneurs. Starting with Sharon's health crisis, the Gavin Sisters share how identity naturally shifts when you let go of the rituals that no longer serve you. Through illness, single motherhood, and career shakeups, they show how quitting drinking can open up a bigger life. If you worry you won't be "you" without alcohol, this episode offers a hopeful, relatable new script. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: The “identity question” behind drinking habits 02:14 The Gavin Sisters’ old routine: comedy, wine, and takeout 04:08 Sharon Gavin’s illness, diagnosis, and the wake-up call 08:19 Loretta Gavin on why she couldn’t imagine life without alcohol 10:40 How pressure and pain pushed both sisters to make a change 11:45 Why quitting alcohol was the “biggest needle mover” 14:35 Firsts: sober holidays, Christmas, hens, and the surprising joy 16:07 Sobriety doesn’t fix everything but it brings energy for real problems 22:15 How stories about “who you are” can limit or liberate you 25:02 Key advice for anyone in an identity shift: give it time 28:37 Sharon Gavin on seeing wine as “anxiety in a glass” 29:00 Fourteen years alcohol-free: real freedom and zero regrets 30:00 Why it’s okay to just give up for a month 30:45 Gratitude for Anna Donaghey and the journey Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About the Gavin Sisters: Sharon and Lauretta are an acclaimed comedy double act who have appeared in numerous TV and stage productions and written plays for the West End. They went from red wine-drinking, Chinese take-out aficionados to advocates of a plant-based lifestyle. Sharon's diagnosis of a rare autoimmune disease was the turning point. Covered head to toe in a chronic rash and at times wheelchair-bound, with her husband gone and Lauretta, also a single mum, stepping in to care for them all, the sisters transformed their lives together. They transitioned to a plant-based diet, gave up alcohol and processed foods, and Lauretta retrained as a natural vegan chef. Sharon is now off all medication and back running. In 2018 they set up The Detox Barn, named by Condé Nast as one of the best wellness retreats in the UK for 2023 and 2024, and later launched Funki Coffee and the Gavin Sisters Wellness Show podcast. Connect with the Gavin Sisters: Website: https://gavinsisters.co.uk/ The Detox Barn: https://gavinsisters.co.uk/pages/retreats-the-detox-barn
#125
June 4 · 25 min
Ep 125: Breaking The 'Wine O'clock' Habit | Alcohol Coaching |
Is your evening drink a true choice or just a well-worn ritual your brain expects at the end of every day? Your host Anna Donaghey breaks down the hidden psychology behind the “wine o’clock” habit. She explains the science of habit loops, why willpower alone can’t break the cycle, and offers a step-by-step framework for gently rewiring your automatic drinking response. Discover practical, compassionate tools to recognise your real needs and build a life that genuinely satisfies them with no white-knuckling required. If you feel stuck in the routine of pouring a drink as the sun goes down, this episode shows you how (and why) to change the script. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why we reach for a drink between 5–7pm 01:24 The “witching hour” and the automatic pull toward alcohol 02:18 What is a habit loop? 04:26 The craving isn’t for alcohol, it’s for relief, calm, and transition 06:14 Understanding neural pathways and why habits feel automatic 08:21 The reward script: why your brain believes drinking is the solution 09:19 Why willpower doesn’t work at “wine o’clock” 21:33 What did you drop when alcohol became the answer? 22:24 A new way through the evening, one day at a time 23:46 Listen to Ep 124 with Beverly Meyer (GABA + the biology of stress) 24:50 Find all the resources on Anna’s website, www.thebigdrinkrethink.com. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#124
May 28 · 48 min
Ep 124: Wired, Tired, and Reaching for Wine | Rethinking Alcohol and Your Nervous System
What if that evening glass of wine isn't just a habit, but your body reaching for balance it's missing elsewhere? Anna Donaghey is joined by certified clinical nutritionist Beverly Meyer to decode the neuroscience behind our relationship with alcohol, specifically GABA, the nervous system's key calming neurotransmitter, and why modern life is quietly depleting it. Beverly shares practical, food-first strategies to genuinely restore GABA levels and explains why your body is always trying to help you, never sabotage you. If you've ever wondered, "Why can't I just say no to that drink?", this episode is for you. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Alcohol and why nervous system regulation matters 01:06 Meet Beverly Meyer: clinical nutrition and the missing GABA link 05:14 GABA 101: The neurotransmitter explained in plain English 10:05 Does alcohol “pretend” to be GABA? 12:22 Are you GABA deficient before you ever pick up a drink? 16:24 When alcohol “parks” on GABA receptors and why that matters 18:13 Alcohol as a solution, not the problem- the real story about depletion 20:00 Changing the drinking conversation 21:09 Why food matters most 25:00 Paleo eating and asking “What did humans evolve to eat?” 28:18 Why Beverly ditched Wi-Fi and breakfast cereal 40:09 Herbal strategies for sleep and stress 45:27 Your body is on your side, learn to listen and support it 47:15 Where to find out more. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Beverly Meyer: Beverly Meyer is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN) who has been in practice since 1985. Her journey into functional health began in the 1970s when, facing a debilitating virus that traditional medicine couldn't resolve, she sought out alternative practitioners - and never looked back. Hospitalised twice with Epstein-Barr Virus and living with chronic pain, hormonal issues, severe anxiety and poor sleep, she didn't just study these conditions. She lived them. In 2016, told to put her affairs in order after a mysterious health crisis, Beverly did what she has always done - researched her way to an answer, identifying a rare genetic disorder herself and finding the treatment she needed. Today she shares her knowledge through her website, consultations, and her long-running podcast Primal Diet - Modern Health, and is particularly known for her work on sleep, anxiety and the adrenals. Beverly’s website contains hundreds of articles, a free eBook, a newsletter and an online store that offers supplements to support a huge range of health needs Find out more: https://www.ondietandhealth.com/
#123
May 21 · 20 min
Ep 123: How Big Is Your World? | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if alcohol isn’t just a habit, but quietly shrinking the size of your world, dulling joy, and making ordinary pleasures feel like “not enough”? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey shares honest insights from her own journey, exploring how drinking can subtly narrow both what you do and how much you feel. She unpacks the concept of the “hedonic threshold,” showing why your favourite activities may start feeling flat, and how even small milestones (like a child’s birthday) come to feel incomplete without a drink. Anna also gets real about what happens when you start to cut down: why everything can feel dull at first, why that’s normal, and how given time, colour and excitement quietly returns to the things you love. This episode is for anyone curious about changing the way they think about alcohol. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: When the world starts to shrink 01:19 The subtle ways alcohol “shrinks” your world 04:44 When joy becomes muted and life feels flat 06:14 The hedonic threshold: Why dopamine matters 07:55 Why ordinary pleasures start feeling not enough 09:53 The key questions to ask yourself 10:15 How activities drop away when drinking more 11:46 When drinking becomes the point 12:35 A sharp illustration: Prosecco at a one-year-old’s birthday 16:27 Why giving up alcohol feels flat at first 17:59 How your world starts to expand again 19:32 A gentle prompt: Is your world quietly contracting? 20:03 How to connect, find resources, and support. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#122
May 14 · 45 min
Ep 122: Building a Life You Don't Want to Escape From | Rethinking Alcohol |
What if rethinking your drinking didn’t start with “giving up” alcohol, but instead you created the kind of life you don’t want to escape from? In this episode, Anna Donaghey sits down with adventurer and educator Belinda Coker to explore how rediscovering adventure, nature, and forgotten passions can quietly make alcohol fade into the background, no willpower or rock bottoms required. They talk honestly about growing up with normalised drinking, the “aha” moment that prompted Belinda to get hiking boots back on, and now teaching others how action, not theory, builds real confidence. She shares practical advice from her own journey, how immersing herself in adventure, house-sitting, and creativity helped her let go of drinking, and how to navigate tricky emotions (and triggers) in sobriety. Whether you’re just curious, stuck in a rut, or ready for a big change, this story has uplifting lessons for anyone wanting a richer, more expansive life with or without alcohol. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Meet Belinda Coker: Rethinking drinking isn’t always about alcohol 01:25 Belinda’s story: adventure, midlife, and rediscovering passions 02:58 Realising I had a drinking problem, only in hindsight 05:19 Divorce, difficult periods, and drinking to cope 07:00 Hiking becomes the new reward 10:22 What adventure offers that alcohol can’t 11:27 How new routines slowly nudged out drinking 13:43 Returning to what you loved before alcohol 14:41 When Friday nights become about flow, not wine 18:12 Simple living, big happiness (and saving money) 20:47 Why Belinda finally chose to stop drinking alcohol for good 21:30 Recognising emotional triggers for drinking 23:31 How she handles hard days now 28:00 Why being honest about difficulties matters 29:55 The “hike your own hike” philosophy for sobriety 36:19 Out in the wild: zero desire for a drink 41:29 How to get unstuck 42:26 Where to find Belinda Coker and her work. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want" is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Belinda Coker: Belinda Coker is an Australian hiker, writer, and educator who helps women rebuild confidence through practical adventure and responsible travel. She has completed solo hikes from Australia’s Red Centre to crossing Greenland’s Arctic Circle, experiences that shaped her belief that confidence grows through action, not theory. Through her platforms, Soul Treader and The House Sitting Collective, she teaches how structure, trust, and responsibility create genuine freedom and stability in life. Connect with Belinda: Website: https://soultreader.com/
#121
May 7 · 28 min
Ep 121: Toolkit '101' - How to Party Without Alcohol
Parties are supposed to be fun. So why does going alcohol-free feel so hard in a room full of drinkers? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey draws on years of experience as an alcohol mindset coach and as someone who still actually goes to parties, to give you the toolkit she wishes she'd had. This one is practical from start to finish. Anna walks you through how to prepare before you arrive, what to bring, how to handle the "just have one!" brigade, and how to manage that rising self-consciousness when the energy in the room starts to shift. She also talks honestly about the drunk gap, why it exists, why it's not your fault, and how to stop letting it ruin your night. You'll leave with real scripts for declining drinks, strategies for those tricky social moments, and a reminder that waking up clear-headed the morning after a party is actually kind of wonderful. Whether you're newly alcohol-free, sober-curious, or just exploring what a night out could look like without drinking, this episode has you covered. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why parties without alcohol feel daunting 01:24 “But what do I actually do?” Why practical tools matter 02:13 The importance of a “before” plan – know your WHY for the night 05:44 Arrive calm, don’t underestimate your pre-party state 06:16 Why you need a drink in your hand within 30 seconds 07:01 Always have an exit plan (and travel independently) 07:57 No more “performative suffering” - enjoy your alcohol-free drink 09:55 You don’t owe anyone an explanation (scripts for awkward questions) 12:21 Seek out “real” conversations (and the power of good questions) 16:40 When others act weird about your not drinking 16:25 Understanding the party “arc” when the “drunk gap” opens 18:12 Missing out, or a sign it’s time to go? The case for an early exit 21:20 Why caring what others think fades over time 24:02 The underrated joy of a hangover-free morning after 25:10 The essential party toolkit 27:08 How sober socialising becomes second nature Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
#120
April 30 · 53 min
Ep 120: The Shortcut To Belonging | Rethinking Alcohol |
Why does alcohol feel essential to parties, celebrations, and big social events? And what’s really at stake when you rethink your drinking in those spaces? Anna Donaghey is joined by Evan Cudworth, a self-described “party coach,” who shares his personal journey through alcohol-fueled confidence, alter egos, and radical new rituals. Together, they explore why we outsource energy and confidence to booze, how nostalgia can keep us stuck, and why the real “party” has to start within. Evan Cudworth breaks down his unique framework for building confidence and joy without alcohol and offers stories from both wild raves and deep silence at Burning Man. Whether you’re worried you can’t party sober (or just curious how presence can replace performance), this episode shares new possibilities. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: The myth that drinking is the party 01:16 Why parties without alcohol feel unimaginable 07:21 Creating alter egos: who are we trying to access? 09:31 The “alcohol is a credit card” analogy 11:42 How social norms & culture shape drinking 14:44 Parties as rituals: St. Patrick’s Day and celebration engines 20:30 The act of doing shots and what it really signifies 24:42 Sober rituals and the power of intention 29:56 The party within: reclaiming confidence and aliveness 33:59 Building new evidence: is partying sober actually crap? 34:44 The 7-stage “Party Within” framework 44:41 Stop chasing nostalgia, what if you created joy instead? 48:22 “Live more, numb less”, a new party philosophy 51:05 The ultimate invitation: be the energy you want to see 52:03 When it’s not about you: making others feel they belong Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Evan Cudworth: Evan Cudworth is, as far as anyone can tell, the world's first & only party coach - and he believes partying will save humanity. A nerdy UChicago graduate who came up in the underground rave & music scenes. Alongside his own struggles with validation, alcohol, & substances, in the post-pandemic chaos he created The Party Within, a 7 step framework for high-achieving adults who've been sold the lie that optimisation and fun are opposites. His argument is simple and a little heretical: the wellness industrial complex has made us more isolated, more rigid, and worse at being in a room together -and the cure is learning to actually party in our modern world. He's inspired thousands to libertate their social lives from anxiety, scrolling, & substances, and his work has appeared in GQ, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Teen Vogue. He's here to make the case that partying might be the thing that saves us. Connect with Evan: Website: https://partycoach.me/
#119
April 23 · 35 min
Ep 119: The Act of Showing Up | Alcohol Coaching
What does it really mean to “show up” in your life and how is that different from simply “turning up”? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey explores one of the most honest motivations she hears from people rethinking alcohol: the desire to be present. She shares why presence goes so much deeper than physical attendance. Alcohol is often used as an emotional buffer, and what’s possible when you start showing up as the unfiltered version of yourself at home, at work, and in every room you enter. Anna offers a powerful reframe: real presence is not just a skill for parties, but a life skill that transforms relationships and the texture of daily life. This episode is packed with gentle invitations to experiment with being genuinely present for yourself and the people who matter most. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Today we’re exploring the quest for true presence 01:32 The difference between turning up and showing up 03:41 How alcohol acts as a costume, buffering us from authenticity 07:05 Alcohol, performance, and the “gap” we’re trying to bridge 10:55 Children and loved ones can feel when you’re only “half there” 11:54 A new version of attention is possible 13:13 The surprising gifts of ordinary, real-time connection 14:19 Why social events can feel the hardest 17:06 Learning to trust your own presence 20:06 Reframing sobriety: not deprivation, but a richer experience 23:26 Real presence includes awkwardness and dullness 24:14 Letting your actual energy lead is both vulnerable and enough 27:35 Real confidence versus performed confidence 30:07 Showing up is a gift to others, not just yourself 34:37 Final question: will you turn up or show up? 34:46 What’s coming next: unpacking the cultural architecture of alcohol and social life. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

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