Why Listen?
Welcome to the Confident Sober Women podcast, your go-to source for real-life talk on healing trauma, building confidence, and thriving beyond recovery. Hosted by a witty middle-aged woman balancing the chaos of parenting young adults, marriage, and business, each episode feels like a coffee chat with your best friend who’s also a therapist and coach. Since July 1, 2002, our host has been on a journey of sobriety, dedicating her life to helping other sober women.
Tune in for personal stories, teenage mishaps, and professional insights into natural wellness and clinical practices. Join us as we share practical tools for managing emotions and living a life you no longer want to escape from, inspired by the spirit of Stevie Nicks, Carrie Underwood, and Sheryl Crow. Let’s thrive in long-term recovery together!
Confident Sober Women
Join Shelby John, sober since July 1, 2002, for empowering conversations on the Confident Sober Women podcast with women who’ve found joy and confidence in their alcohol and drug-free lives.
This show is a rally cry for empathetic, resilient, and wisdom-seeking women dedicated to building a life you don’t want to escape from after that crucial first year of a sober lifestyle.
Discover how to:
· Build unshakable confidence in your sober life
· Break free from societal drinking norms
· Overcome the shame cycle and emotional numbing
· Resist the glamorized, over-hyped social influences around alcohol
· Create a pure and joyful life beyond recovery
Hear inspiring stories and practical advice on:
· Healing trauma
· Mindful parenting in recovery
· Optimizing physical and mental health
· Building a new, empowered identity
· Transforming your life beyond substance abuse recovery
We dive deep into questions like “Who am I now?” and “How do I pursue my heart’s desires?”, taking the intimidation out of sobriety and showcasing how to thrive in long-term recovery. This is truly a space for women supporting women in this modern recovery era.
New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now for weekly inspiration on your journey to becoming one of the happiest sober women, free from the cool crowd’s pressure to drink.
Please leave a review if you love the show, it helps us on the mission to make the Confident Sober Women community a household name.
Losing Everything and Finding Your Voice with Sarah Barnes Humphrey
In this episode of Confident Sober Women, Shelby sits down with entrepreneur, podcast host, and author Sarah Barnes Humphrey for a conversation about identity, resilience, and rebuilding life after everything falls apart.
Sarah shares the story of what she calls the worst day of her life. Just days before her 37th birthday, her family’s logistics company suddenly closed, leaving her without the career path she had spent nearly two decades building. What followed was a period of grief, uncertainty, and deep reflection about self-worth, purpose, and what comes next.
Sarah talks about the emotional reality of starting over and the messy middle that many women experience when life does not go according to plan. Through that process, she began to redefine success, rebuild her confidence, and eventually grow the podcast and platform that she leads today.
Shelby and Sarah explore how experiences like loss, career shifts, and personal setbacks can challenge our sense of identity but also create space for growth and emotional healing.
If you are navigating change, rebuilding confidence, or exploring life after alcohol, this conversation offers a grounded look at resilience and the power of finding your voice.
In this episode you will hear:
• How losing her family business forced Sarah to rebuild her identity
• The emotional impact of sudden career and life changes
• How self-worth can shift during difficult life transitions
• The reality of entrepreneurship and the “messy middle” of growth
• Why healing work and self-reflection matter for women in recovery
This episode speaks to many women on a sobriety journey or navigating life after alcohol, where personal growth often requires rebuilding confidence, addressing mental health and sobriety, and learning how to move forward after difficult experiences.
About the Host
Shelby John is a licensed therapist and founder of Wholistic Living. Through the Confident Sober Women podcast, she explores sobriety, emotional healing, nervous system health, and personal growth for women who are building lives rooted in clarity, confidence, and true freedom.
Connect with Shelby
Website
https://shelbyjohn.com
Podcast
Confident Sober Women
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate & share this episode with a sober woman or someone suffering from anxiety, depression, ADHD, sleep problems and negative thought patterns who needs to hear she is not alone.
Oh, and by the way, if you didn’t know, my remote Neurofeedback Therapy program is up and running. Learn more here!Learn more about EMDR therapy, EMDR Intensives and Remote Neurofeedback.
And if you haven't read my memoir, grab a copy of Recovering in Recovery: The Life-Changing Joy of Sobriety wherever books are sold.
March 24, 2026
Search Results placeholder
Share the Show
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Pinterest
Meet Your Host - Shelby John
Shelby is a licensed clinical social worker with a private practice where she specializes in trauma, addiction, and anxiety. With years of experience in the field, she founded Shelby John Coaching and is the happy host of the Confident Sober Women podcast. After getting sober she became a fresh, authentic voice in the sobriety space, showing women how to build confidence and love their lives beyond recovery. Shelby is the mother to three, the wife to one loving man, and has been sober since July 1, 2002.
Featured Conversations Across the Airwaves
What Our Fans Are Saying
Read More
