Author: Contributor to The Sober Curator

Katie Mack brings a refreshing approach and vitality to storytelling through her craft of acting, writing, and Webby award-winning podcast F*cking Sober: The First 90 Days Podcast, described as an “unflinching semi-comedic mostly nonfictional narrative podcast about the first 90 days of being f*cking sober.” Over a decade of experience in theater, TV, and film, Katie not only elevates the stage with her creative input, but she is also outward about her addiction recovery and reaching two years of sobriety. Follow Along with Katie Mack: Follow along with Mei McIntosh in all of the digital spaces and places Support +…

Decidedly Dry is a positive, uplifting, sober podcast where the focus is on the good. Hosted by Jess Steitzer, a coffee-slurping, messy bun wearing, boy-mom who strives to keep it real and bring a smile to your face. What’ll you find here? Hopefully more than a few dashes of entertainment, a lot of DRY humor, and plenty of real conversations. Sober Style With Sober Curator & Fashion Editor Kate Vitela Kate is a mental health professional, a sober badass, and a fashion editor for The Sober Curator. Her column, Walk Your Talk, is entertaining, inspiring, and absolutely fabulous.  More about…

Pivotal Moments in life are those moments that change our lives forever. They change the course of who we are and what we do. They often occur at a crossroads where we must choose and take an irrevocable step forward. Pivotal moments can be anything from realizing you have achieved what you want to getting fired from your job to getting married. They can be turning points that have both positive and negative impacts. However, they often shape our lives and help us grow as individuals. As we start off the second season of the Don’t Touch My Mindset Podcast, on pivot…

By Elizabeth Ross Hubbell Growing up in a small town without a lot of money was a motivator for me—to do better in school, to be the first on my mother’s side to finish college, to seek a new life in a vibrant, diverse city on the other side of the country. I leased a top-floor apartment in a boho neighborhood. I educated myself about wine, bought monogrammed linens, and discovered a love of jazz. I was finally an adult and having a blast! As my life progressed from single woman to married professional and my disposable income grew, that…

Originally from the west coast of Canada, singer and songwriter Michelle Reid blend dark soul-baring honesty in her lyrics with glitchy electronic production and catchy pop melodies. She releases original music under her solo artist project, “Sorcia”, where she also advocates for mental health awareness, specifically in terms of OCD, eating disorders, and alcohol recovery. Michelle got her start as a singer, dancer, and actress in the theatre, touring Canada, the US, and Europe with shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Superman, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She writes music for film and TV placements as well as…

Despite what society wants you to believe, being overwhelmed and burnt out isn’t normal and no, not all the cool kids are doing it. Being burnt out can have a negative effect on our health. It can cause elevated stress, insomnia, depression, memory issues, increased irritability, weakened immune system, and lack of productivity, just to name a few. Who knew that trying to overwhelm yourself with more tasks can actually yield opposite results! Before you know it, you’re snapping at your loved ones, can’t remember where you left your glasses (have you checked the top of your head?) and your…

Mother’s Day is special to me because…I’m a mom. But not only that, it reminds me of why I decided to cut alcohol from my life. If I hadn’t had my son, I’m not quite sure that I’d be a non-drinker today. In fact, I’d probably be going out to bars regularly and trying to relive the glory days of my early 20s. I had a blast back then – but I’m glad I’ve moved on and that I’m living my life alcohol-free. So, back to Mother’s Day – most people who take on the mother role in a child’s…

How solo travel can be an opportunity for growth and a total sober trip.

“Whose bag is this!?” I shouted to the room one Sunday at a sober gal’s brunch in Seattle. I slung the Louis Vuitton Multi-Pochette over my shoulder and began playing with it. “It’s mine,” said Nicole Ghazal with a laugh. I should have known as she was impeccably dressed in notable yet understated style. Ghazal graciously took the time to show me how all three accessory pouches were detached serving to maximize the bag’s use. It was obvious this was a very intentional purchase. “It was kind of expensive,” she told me. “But I bought it resale and I did…

S.C. Jensen is a Canadian fiction writer, sci-fi and horror enthusiast, and literary advocate. She lives with her husband, children, and various fuzzy friends on an acreage in The-Middle-of-Nowhere (a.k.a. Northern Saskatchewan). She spends most of her days crafting stories about ordinary people forced to act in extraordinary situations and is perpetually rooting for the underdog. That’s because she used to be the underdog in her own story. Since quitting drinking on August 31, 2018, she’s come into her own as a sober creative and hopes to share her experiences with fiction lovers from all walks of life. Jensen dabbles…

For sober people, as if trying not to drink isn’t hard enough, we also have to live in a world that is filled with alcohol. It’s everywhere we turn; we can’t get away from it even if we want to. Unless you choose to live off the grid, I suppose. But, if you’re like me and live very much on the grid, you know that having confidence in your choice to live without alcohol doesn’t come easy. Drinking is normal. Not drinking isn’t.As they say in some circles, it works if you work it. The same goes for being secure…

3 Pop- punk favorites, Avil Lavigne’s love story and an inspiring recovery journey from punk rocker, Mod Sun.

Hi, my name is Kate, and I am a fast-fashion-aholic. The first step in my journey was admitting I was powerless over $10 shirts from H&M, Zara, and Top Shop. The second step for me was figuring out what the hell to do with the reams of clothing that overflowed my walk-in, my cloffice, and my laundry room. Then there were the shameful drops at the Goodwill of bags upon bags of my discards. I even took to throwing clothes in the garbage. Yep folks, on the spectrum of a fashion use disorder, I was severe. So, I am publicly…

Meredith earned her Bachelor’s Degree from ULL in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in English. Her work has been featured in Poets Choice, Anti-Heroin Chic, and the anthology “Storealities.” She is the subject of an Artist’s Feature in Hatchlings Publishings. She headlined and produced the event, A Night of Poetry, created and produced the Flood Relief Fundraiser with Paige Daye to raise over $5K for victims of the 100 Year Flood in Acadiana, has shared her work in readings at The Warehouse, Feed N Seed, Glide Dance Studio, The Warehouse Project, (Lafayette, LA) Readings on the Pike (VA), Poetry in…

Over the last four decades, Lesley Zwick @comebackzwick has been a standout in the fashion industry, and she has done it all sober. You did the math correctly, folks. This fashionista boasts a staggering forty-one years of continuous sobriety. Now residing in Florida, Zwick’s journey in the industry started in New York City, the fashion capital of the U.S. She said, “when I look back, it was during the time of Studio 54, and the party scene was crazy. It was glamourous on the outside but hazardous up close.” She told me that she had already been to rehab gotten sober by…

Jessica Jeboult is a Sober Girl. After trying to get sober for nearly 10 years, Jessica is here to share her experiences along the way to complete and utter sobriety. From health and fitness to relationships, dating and even having sex sober, this hilariously witty and casual approach to an otherwise daunting subject is sure to give you some solid tips to getting and staying sober. Mei McIntosh: The Creative Sober Mei walks us through her sobriety journey that includes relapsing after 5 years sober. She explains how this time around is different and how her podcast, The Creative Sober,…

Friendships. What are they? Why do we need them? And why do we get so darn upset when they change? We’re humans, that’s why. And change is hard. Change is uncomfortable. But change is also inevitable, and at times, it’s something we can’t control. Sometimes, change can even be good. The Big Bang Theory – The Friendship Algorithm Let’s Define Friendship What is friendship, anyways? The dictionary has a definition for it, but who cares. We all get to decide for ourselves what it means to be a good friend. We’re all different, which means we have different wants and…

Sustainability has undoubtedly become a fashion buzzword, and brands big and small are working on ways to reduce the waste of excess materials and even produce less volume. As a result of this altruistic shift, the notion of re-purposing garments, upcycling clothing, and GASP…buying used goods has received a lot of attention as of late. I have even heard the word “stigma” being thrown around on the fashion scene as a means to overcome the snobbery around the description “gently used.” As a woman in recovery, I eat stigma for breakfast; therefore, pre-worn fashion doesn’t have anything on me. In…

Model Gabby Fé @iamgabbyfe knows her way around the center stage. She has modeled for big names like Target, Calvin Klein, and has been featured in a global commercial for TJ Maxx.  In addition, she is multi-talented as a singer and songwriter. You can check out a few of her songs on Spotify. And as I write this piece, she continues to rack up her accomplishments, reminding me that those mentioned above may be just the beginning for Gabby Fé. Now living in LA as an NYC transplant, Gabby is getting accustomed to more than just the sunshine. “I am working…

I woke up in a sunlit room at the Hotel Hendricks in midtown and starred at the skyline. I had my quintessential I love NY coffee mug in hand. It was Monday, February 14th, and Valentine’s Day was the farthest from my mind. It was the long-awaited day of the Break Free 2022 NYFW showcase. My friend and designer Alexandra Nyman @iamladycat had fitted me immediately when I landed in the city. I was looking forward to my first time walking a major runway. While packing my “model kit” (nude heels, iced coffee, and a ton of snacks) I…

Wow. Four whole years without alcohol. I never imagined I’d have the life I have now. I didn’t know much about myself before I quit drinking. I wasn’t aware that people like me existed. What I’ve learned in the last four years is that although there is only one Blair, my story is not unique. This fact keeps me telling my story. It keeps me creating. It keeps me writing about things that matter. It keeps me growing. Four years ago I needed to hear that living a life without alcohol was OK. I needed someone to tell me the…

The Creative Sober Podcast is a collection of interviews with sober creatives from all walks of life who inspire and continue to create in sobriety and is hosted by Sober Curator, DJ Missing Mei. *Trigger Warning: With consent to release, the following is a recorded interview with Martin Lapid before his passing in Dec 2021. Topics include substance use disorder, self-harm, and alcoholism. Las Vegas resident Martin Lapid was a graphic designer, business owner, and co-founder of the recovery brand Serenitees Collection. He shares about his design career during the past 20+ years, how he found life in recovery and…

Self-trust is one of the most important parts of healing and growth. For us to move forward, we first have to trust that we are safe outside of our comfort zones. As trauma survivors, as people in recovery, as human beings, we all need to feel safe. Safety is important for our survival; it’s innate in all of us. When we go through a traumatic experience, it can cause us to feel like we can’t trust the world around us, and sometimes, not even ourselves. We live our lives in our small bubble, in survival mode. But for us to…

Author, professional speaker, substance abuse counselor, and podcast host Mike Gliem shares his in-depth story about his 20+ years battling addiction and the depths it took him. This is a raw and real read. If you’re in recovery or know anyone who is, or who may be struggling this is a MUST read! Mike writes about his struggles, trials, and tribulations, the lessons he learned from them, and how to overcome them. “The MEANING of my life was to find my purpose, my PURPOSE of life is to give it away.” Break yourself free from the bondage of addiction. We…

Wait, what’s your name? I said while I was scrambling to open my computer. “It’s Jenn, but fashionistas call me Firty. It stands for fifty is the new thirty!” F*ck, yes, I thought. I cannot wait to learn more about this woman. And being the die-hard fashionista that I am, I will refer to her as Firty. Meet sober model, entrepreneur, and fashion influencer Jenn Ancelin. She is the creative fixture behind the brand and logo Firty @firtyfashion. With over a hundred thousand followers on Instagram, she has made a big splash on the fashion forefront. The Firty trademark combines…

We live in a time when “mental health” is a pandemic buzz phrase. So, it’s no shock that people are coming out of the woodwork to participate in Break Free NYFW. A fashion showcase dedicated to mental health and addiction recovery. Regardless, I have remained adamant that I interview people with true stories and real-life experiences. No offense to the bandwagon fans (#mentalhealthmatters), but I continue to seek out those with witness authority. Fortunately, I crossed paths with photographer Rob MacNeil @robmacneilphoto who has a personal and professional commitment to this work. MacNeil will be photographing the event, and he…

Tuesday Tunes Song of the Week: Daisies Artist: Katy Perry Early recovery for me was a bit of a war zone sometimes. When I drove up the driveway to the treatment center, I had a feeling come over me that I just knew this was my one shot at a new life. I entered treatment with the plan to accept all the opportunities given to me there (not always with a smile on my face or gratitude in my heart, LOL). I wanted a better life, and I was willing to work for it. The naïve me didn’t know that…

I spent the past 12 months experiencing life without alcohol. While addiction isn’t a part of my story, I never truly realized what big role alcohol played in my life and the lives around me until I decided to give it up. The original plan was to do Dry January as solidarity to my friends in recovery and a challenge to myself. Every once in a while, I like to do challenges…I always discover new things about myself. Most of them are mental challenges, and interestingly enough, I learned that I’m much better at not doing something I want to…

Tuesday Tunes Song of the Week: Brighter Days Artist: Blessing Offor It’s here…2022. If you are anything like me, you have a little hope for the new year. I, for one, welcome this energy shift. 2021, I’m so read for you to be over. I felt the weight of the world for most of 2021. It became unbearable some days. Did anything horrible happen to me or my life, no but grief was a heavy backpack I wore most days toward the end. In my quest to be inspired for 2022 I found this song, Brighter Days by Blessing Offor. …

“I gotta run; I’m late for my treatment team meeting,” I said to my husband. Gulping down the last bit of cold brew, I shoved some dry cheerios in my mouth. I was wearing pleather pants and a Ramones logo tee with a pair of scuffed-up Doc Martins. My outfit was topped off with a distressed denim jacket and my signature array of eight-hundred gold bracelets. I was off to save the world, lip gloss in tow. Allow me to introduce my authentic sober self… If you are wondering what professional setting in corporate America allows me to roll up…