Author: Contributor to The Sober Curator

I’m Lindsay, and I live in Knoxville, TN – well, Maryville, pronounced mur-vull, a smaller town between Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I’ve been alcohol-free since June 2021, and I’m just now breaking out into the world of mocktails, NA beers, sober safe spaces, and socializing sober. Thankfully, being sober in Knoxville comes with an amazingly supportive sober community – complete with a sober bar, designated sober safe space coffee shop, and recovery-centric weekly yoga classes. When I started running the @soberinknoxville Instagram page, I didn’t know it would bring me in contact with the kind of…

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Juniper Waller is a singer, songwriter, and vocal empowerment coach from Oakland, CA. Her main musical project is her funk-soul band, The Gold Souls. Juniper comes from a long line of singer-songwriters and also has a background in holistic healing, social justice work, and poetry. She has been sober since October of 2018, and much of her journey has been about learning to create in recovery. Juniper is also a vocal empowerment coach and breathwork guide helping people free their voices through guided vocalization and meditation practices. Through her business Voice Body Spirit, Juniper supports people in reclaiming their voices from past…

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Day 90. This housewife wants to commemorate her ninety-days of continuous sobriety with a her very first … tattoo. This is our last episode of SEASON 2 BETSY. Featured Music by Jessica Wilde, Francis Lung, Judah Kim, Katie Burke, ⁠Jon Jeremy⁠,⁠ Natalia Zukerman⁠,⁠ Anne Heaton⁠, ⁠Pop Buchanan⁠, Matt the Electrician. Voice Talent by Katie Segal, Otis Gray, Bryan Fitzgerald, Socks Whitmore, Brooke Robichaud, Courtney Halford, Philip Vitela, & Katie Mack Executive Produced & Sound Design by ⁠⁠⁠Katie Mack⁠⁠ ⁠ Written by⁠ ⁠⁠Kimberly Kearns⁠⁠⁠Story Development by ⁠⁠EmJ Hova⁠⁠, Dillon Heape, and⁠ Katie Mack⁠Associate Produced by Brianna Janae & Maggie Stiggers SPECIAL THANKS to Alysse Bryson, The Sober Curator, Intentional Sidekick Training,…

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This is an exciting time to be sober or sober-curious, and it’s easier than ever to find delicious alcohol-free fare in beverage superstores, specialty bottle shops, grocery stores, and online. But, if your town is like mine, it’s not so easy to find more than one or two alcohol-free beer brands on the menu at a bar or restaurant. So, what’s an AF fan to do? Here are some ideas… and I encourage you to try them out! 1. Name it to claim it! Many bar and restaurant managers think that because guests don’t specifically ask for alcohol-free options, they…

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Smoking is the leading preventable cause of chronic disease and premature mortality. Considering how much harm it does to the human body, smoking cessation is the best way to minimize the risk of illness and early death. The National Cancer Institute’s report on quitting highlights how stopping smoking can significantly reduce the risk of cancer and lung disease— cutting the risk of lung cancer by 30% to 50% after ten years compared to people who continue to smoke. In addition, cutting cigarettes out can improve cardiovascular health and fertility. However, it can be challenging to quit cigarettes due to their…

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The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness. The foundation of The Creative Sober is our stories and keeping an open mind toward recovery. Creative expression is a fundamental part of what we put into the world. It takes real courage to share this with others. Duality and Art – Interview with Cate Blanchard, The Sober Painter After stopping drinking in 2019, @thesoberpainter from Manchester, UK, decided to swap a pint glass for a paintbrush and hasn’t stopped since! Naming pieces after the numbered days of their…

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Cinco de Mayo may have a bad reputation as a “drinking holiday,” but in the Valley of the Sun, there are many ways to celebrate sans alcohol! Check out this curated list of fun sober activities to do by Contributor Kristin Horstman, Founder of Brighten Your Life Coaching. Sober Cinco De Mayo Events Worth Checking Out! Fetching Dog Fetching Dog is a locally owned, family pet food, toys and supplies store. Owners, Becci and Bryce Scott have been involved in animal rescue work, here in the valley, since the mid 1990s. You can stop by their new Barkery cafe all…

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Get out of your own way so you can be the artist you’re here to be. Use the power of Subconscious Reprogramming, Somatic Practices & Toltec Wisdom to Activate Abundance Make your work, let money flow, release blocks holding you back. Backed by Neuroscience & Psychology Saturday, May 6th @ 10:30am (PDT) on Zoom *Recorded for everyone who signs up We all know what it’s like to talk ourselves out of living the life of our dreams and not making the art we ache to create. We negotiate with ourselves why it won’t work out for us – it’s never…

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The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness. The foundation of The Creative Sober is our stories and keeping an open mind towards recovery. Creative expression is a fundamental part of what we put into the world. It takes real courage to share it this with others. Jardine Libaire Jardine Libaire has published six novels, including HERE KITTY KITTY (Little, Brown) and WHITE FUR (Hogarth), and the nonfiction essay collection about sober hedonism called THE SOBER LUSH in 2020. She also collaborated on the creative documentary…

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Calvin Robinson is a singer/songwriter and owner of @superdupersoberclothing with 26 months, clean & sober, dedicated to sobriety, and working at the Rehab Center that he graduated in detox. His addiction started in 2008 when his father passed away. Not knowing how to deal with that pain, he turned to alcohol. In 2017 he committed an assault & robbery crime that would ultimately change him. Calvin took a deal that gave him a strike. He didn’t straighten up until 2018, after his life went downhill by doing meth & cocaine. He got caught on a warrant in October 2018 and stayed in…

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Blackout Orchestra mastermind Ben VanBuskirk was going through a transitional period after years of ups and downs. At the end of a troubled relationship, he found himself two musical projects (the critic-approved death-obsessed shoegaze-pop band The Dearly Bereft, and feminist grunge provocateurs Green Girl), and at the end of his rope. Depression, anxiety, and alcoholism had him metaphorically. And on one night, literally, staring down the tracks at the lights of an oncoming train. He wasn’t sure he wanted to get out of the way. With the help of some close friends, he started to manage these issues that once…

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Day 60. Betsy forces family time with a visit to the city for the first time since the pandemic began and since she got sober. Featuring music by ⁠Anne Heaton, Matt The Electrician⁠, Michael Lamendola aka King Sting, and Jacob Derwin.Voice Talent by Kate Segal, Maggie Stiggers, Otis Gray, Socks Whitmore and Bryan Fitzgerald. Executive Produced & Sound Design by ⁠Katie Mack ⁠ Written by Kimberly Kearns Story Development by EmJ Hova, Dillon Heape, and Katie Mack Associate Produced by Brianna Janae & Maggie Stiggers All artists are compensated for their amazing work. All artists involved have their own story with recovery. If you…

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Allie K. Campbell (she/her/hers) is a digital content creator and entertainer on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. To date, she has uploaded over 300 videos on the topics of sobriety, queerness, ADHD, and how the three often (hilariously) intersect. Allie has a burgeoning audience of 15K followers across platforms. She hopes to triple her reach in 2021 with more speaking engagements, new approaches to content creation, and the launch of her first publication, The Sober Hobbies Activity Book & Journal. Follow Allie K. Campbell: Instagram @alliekcampbell Youtube Allie K. Campbell Follow The Creative Sober on Instagram! Hosted by Mei McIntosh Sober…

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Sabrina is an International British Writer, Expressive Artist, and Entertainer. She has been spreading her creative sparkle and words of inspiration throughout America for the past 15 years. Going wherever the wind whispers to her heart, meditating to the beat of her drum, and blazing through her barriers, be they emotional, mental, or physical. She is an overcomer, and spiritual warrior fueled with a passion for reaching out to others creatively and shining the light where they may only see darkness. Her first mental health memoir is on its way to being published in the Fall of 2021. It deals…

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This question has been the most consistent of all questions that come through our community, “Can I be sober and still create?” Working through the “Ad”versity It’s human nature to want to see proof to spark a belief inside of us that something is to be accurate or sometimes the opposite. Alcohol consumption is promoted as a regular part of our society. Image and media are such powerful tools that it’s hard to believe that only 26 years ago, the ban on TV/Radio liquor ads was lifted after being in place for almost 50 years. Some shocking numbers to take in is…

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Ben Boden is 3-years sober, an LGBTQIA+ musician, life coach, and creative practitioner from England. He currently works within Education and as the Creative Director for The Lighthouse Bali, a rehab facility in Bali, Indonesia. Including awards such as Yahama’s ‘Unsigned Artist’ and ‘Best Entertainer’ at Northampton’s Diamond Awards, as well as starring in SKY1’s reality talent show Showboaters, his music has been hailed as ‘one to look out for’ by BBC Introducing, with his latest release ‘Ghost’ sitting at the No.1 spot on Q32’s LGBTQ global chart for multiple weeks. Ben has first-hand experience of the arts supporting his…

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Ahoy Sober Matey! Carnival Cruise Line recently revealed its partnership with Lyre’s on March 14, 2023, to offer non-alcoholic cocktails while hitting the wide-open sea (source). Now nondrinkers can have the inclusive feeling that drinkers do with a full range of adult beverage choices sans alcohol. Although many refer to this growing demand for alcoholic alternatives as a trend, this NA movement is here to stay. The Alchemy Bar is the place to be aboard Carnival Cruise ships if you like to be entertained by mixologists showing off their craft. Seven NA cocktails will be available: the Martini Seduction, Spicy…

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Day 45. Betsy contemplates moderation while coming out of self imposed isolation. Featuring music by Silent Nancy (ft. Zoe Mazah), Natalia Zukerman, Ana Ege & Bryan Thomas, Judah Kim, and Matt The Electrician. Voice Talent by Kate Segal, Otis Gray, Courtney Halford, Katie Burke, Alysse Bryson, Brooke Robichaud, Brianna Janae & Maggie Stiggers. Executive Produced & Sound Design by Katie Mack Written by Kimberly Kearns Story Development by EmJ Hova, Dillon Heape, and Katie Mack Associate Produced by Brianna Janae & Maggie Stiggers All artists are compensated for their amazing work. All artists involved have their own story with recovery.…

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By Contributor Sonia Kahlon Over time, connecting with others in recovery has become a significant part of my lasting sobriety. When I initially stopped drinking, I didn’t tell anyone. I had been covering up my problem with alcohol for so long and so well that mentioning I was ‘getting sober’ would have been like hanging a sign around my neck indicating there had been an issue in the first place. With hidden bottles in closets, I poured wine into sports bottles. I went to the bar to do a shot when no one was looking. Drinks and more drinks are…

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Day 30. Family is weird, even Betsy’s. Featuring music by Katie Burke, Natalia Zukerman, Melissa Ferrick, Francis Lung, and Judah Kim. Voice Talent by Kate Segal, Otis Gray, Socks Whitmore, Linda Storm, Padraic Lilis, and Caleb Wells. Written by Kimberly Kearns, Story Development by EmJ Hova, Dillon Heape, and Katie Mack. Associate Produced by Brianna Janae & Maggie Stiggers All artists are paid for their amazing work. All artists involved have their own story with recovery. If you like what we do, consider supporting us to give us momentum to continue on. This is a homegrown passion project made with one…

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Here’s another throwback out of our sober archives by Tonix Mocktails. Nik Popkow is serving up a very creative, DIY, zero-proof mocktail recipe you can make at home called “The Wednesday”. Inspired by Christina Ricci from the Addams Family circa 1991, this drink will dazzle and delight. I guess one could consider this a wellness drink of sorts! What’s in the Mix with Tonix Mocktails? Ingredients: Check out additional posts from Tonix Mocktails:

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Day 14, BETSY. Betsy dabbles in the online world of truly anonymous alcohol support groups and realizes her support system in IRL in gone. Featuring music by Jacob Derwin, Jon Jeremy, Natalia Zukerman, Jessica Wilde, Matt The Electrician, and SomedayMaybe. Voice Talent by Kate Segal, Otis Gray, Socks Whitmore, Bryan Fitzgerald, Justin Lamb, Alexandra O’Halloran, Courtney Halford, Kimberly Kearns & Katie Mack Written by Kimberly Kearns Story Development by EmJ Hova, Dillon Heape, Katie Mack Associate Produced by Brianna Janae & Maggie Stiggers All of the artists involved with F*cking Sober have their own stories with recovery. Want to support? VENMO…

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Sober days in the Pacific Northwest are nothing short of beautiful. From Tacoma, you can look at all four directional points and see something completely different. You may want to bring a rain jacket or hat and don’t forget your sunglasses. Let’s start in downtown Tacoma. The Tacoma Art Museum (the TAM) always has wonderful exhibits. It provides discounts for students, military personnel, UW Alumni, and EBT card holders. Because of its location—right across from the University of Washington, Tacoma campus—there are many places to park and multiple ways to get there. Also nearby is the Train station, a historical…

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Day 2, BESTY. Betsy watches the love of her life pour out the other greatest love of her life. This is day two of sobriety in the suburbs. Featuring music by Matt The Electrician, Natalia Zukerman, Jacob Derwin, Judah Kim, Ana Egge, Pop Buchanan, SomedayMaybe Voice Talent by Kate Segal, Otis Gray, Socks Whitmore, Bryan Fitzgerald, Tawny Lara & Shaune Jessemay Written by Kimberly Kearns Story Development by EmJ Hova, Dillon Heape, Katie Mack Associate Produced by Brianna Janae, Ewan Newbigging-Lister All of the artists involved with F*cking Sober have their own stories with recovery. Want to support? VENMO @fckingsoberpodcast or…

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This year Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California, celebrated forty years of helping people recover from substances. Betty Ford was a courageous voice in the recovery community and stood loud and proud when she recovered from her addictions to alcohol and prescription medications. After detoxing on my own, I went to the BFC in November of 2020 and went straight into their residential sober living homes on Daisy Lane, about a mile from the BFC. There I participated in high-intensity outpatient treatment for my alcoholism while living in a house with five other women. I was there for three…

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Imagine a world where anything you desire is possible, and your wildest dreams come true. It sounds like a fantasy, but it’s not. The main ingredient to living this dream is the power of your mind and will. One day at a time, our thoughts create our reality, and we can use that as an advantage to live the life we want! You are the master of your destiny, and anything is possible. There are no limits to what you can accomplish, and it doesn’t require special skills, opportunities, or money. If you want something, you must take the first…

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Kiola Raines is a Precision Nutrition certified coach, and a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified trainer. https://www.kiolaraines.com Kiola earned her BS in Kinesiology at CSU Fullerton and her MS in Exercise Psychology at CSU Long Beach. Over the past 12 years, she has developed a coaching philosophy based on building a knowledge base for her clients. Kiola’s intention in coaching is for her clients to gain confidence in their nutrition and fitness programs, so much confidence that they will never need to hire another professional after her. In addition, Kiola wants her clients to LEARN and gain wisdom to…

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Zero Proof Experiences hosted its 3rd Sober in the City event in Austin, Texas, in November of 2022. The official check-in began at the Hyatt Place Hotel Friday afternoon, November 11th, 2022. Amidst thunder and lightning, volunteers set up shop to welcome the Sober in the City guests. Friday Night Shenanigans There were reunions and many new introductions as the group marched to Revolucion Coffee & Juice to listen to the Friday evening panel. The panel included: Victoria Towery, Beth Bown, and Cathy Charles. Thanks to Friday’s sponsors, Jeff Graham (@bac.2.zero) and Dry Drinkery (@dearatx). Grüvi (@getgruvi) showed up loud…

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