Close Menu
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • ⭐ BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
    • YOU’VE BEEN SELECTED
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • ⭐ BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
    • YOU’VE BEEN SELECTED
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
Home - Sober Swiftie Recovery Group, Swift Steps, based out of Philly is an Eras Concert, but Make it Sober
LIFESTYLE

Sober Swiftie Recovery Group, Swift Steps, based out of Philly is an Eras Concert, but Make it Sober

Alexandra NymanBy Alexandra NymanMay 8, 20245 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Founded and facilitated by Northeast Philly Peer Mentor Julianne Griffin’s, Swift Steps uses a blend of Taylor Swift’s songs, lore, and guest speakers to create a space for genuine connections, open conversations, and healing.

On Zoom in a meeting pulsating with the energy of over a dozen Swifties navigating the twists and turns of recovery, Julianne Griffin opens each Saturday morning meeting by reciting a song. This Saturday, they dissected the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s “Style.” Each line, loaded with meanings personal and universal, resonated deeply with the group:

Midnight
You come and pick me up, no headlights
Long drive
Could end in burning flames or paradise
Fade into view, oh
It’s been a while since I have even heard from you (heard from you)

Taylor Swift

The lyrics take on a new meaning when viewed from the lens of recovery. When you change the subject from a lover to an urge, or a risky behavior, such as an urge to drink. Interpreting “could end up burning flames or paradise” as giving into the urge, or to resist? The lyrics give the group a way to empower them in their journey with substance use and their path towards healing.

For Griffin, founder of Blank Space Recovery, the verse wasn’t just about a post-breakup dalliance; it symbolized the internal battles of self-sabotage and the relentless pull of addiction. Blank Space Recovery Hosts Swift Steps, a virtual support group tailored for Swifties in recovery, a community that has rapidly swelled to 700+ members on Facebook since its inception earlier this year.

The group’s virtual meetings, held four times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, blend Swift’s lyrics, fan lore, and guest speakers to take the oftentimes difficult conversations of recovery, from overcoming the monotony in developing healthy routines to confronting personal flaws. Beyond their online support groups, Swift Steps’ Facebook group serves as a sanctuary where Sober Swifties from all corners of the internet can gather to dissect lyrics and connect with other community members.

What sets Swift Steps apart is its non-judgmental ethos and ability to provide a safe harbor for anyone navigating the times when “all of [their] tears ricochet” during a difficult day of being in early recovery. “It’s brilliant,” said Eric Zillmer, a psychologist who worked in hospital recovery units before becoming the director of Drexel University’s Happiness Lab. “People with substance use disorder can feel alone … so to create a platform where people feel comfortable sharing under a cultural phenomenon driven by authenticity is fantastic.”

swift steps the sober curator
Swift Steps founder Julianne Griffin (left) and moderator Emily Bee (right) do a test before starting a meeting for Swift Steps, photo by David Maialetti of The Philadelphia Inquirer 

The group’s strength lies in its firm belief in offering multiple paths to and through recovery. This belief echos Swift’s own music, which has served as a lifeline for fans grappling with various forms of trauma, from illness to displacement. This reciprocity among Sober Swifties underscores the power of fandom as a catalyst for mutual support, notes Zillmer.

Griffin’s personal journey from addiction to certified peer specialist in the state of Pennsylvania (CPS) inspired the creation of Swift Steps, fueled by a vision of fostering a recovery community infused with the spirit of a Taylor Swift concert – inclusive and welcoming to all. For members like Cindy Shearer, who has been in recovery since 2022, the group’s camaraderie evokes a sense of belonging absent in traditional recovery circles, where judgment often lurks.

While Swift Steps may be pioneering the Sober Swiftie space, it draws on a rich tradition of online music fandoms serving as safe havens for marginalized voices. According to Jessa Lingel, an associate professor of gender studies and communication at the University of Pennsylvania, where she researches digital culture, online music fandoms have always been “a place where people make sense of stigmas.”

Swift’s music recently elicited discourse around addiction after she referred to herself as a “functioning alcoholic” on “Fortnight,” the opening track on The Tortured Poets Department. Stigma can creep up in recovery communities such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, and while effective at ushering in long-term sobriety, can also feel alienating towards individuals who use medically supported recovery (MSR) or those who do not want to associate religion with their recovery.

“For some people, [12 step] lifts them. For others, it can be isolating,” said Zillmer. Griffin stopped attending 12-step meetings a year into her recovery. “I was told I wasn’t sober for using MSR,” Griffin said. She used MSR after overdosing on Dec. 13, 2015 — Taylor Swift’s birthday- which is also the 19th anniversary of Griffin’s father’s fatal overdose.

taylor swift sober swiftie

For Griffin, Swift Steps isn’t just about overcoming addiction; it’s about reclaiming agency and rewriting one’s narrative, much like Swift herself has done. Through shared experiences and a mutual love for Swift’s music, members forge bonds that transcend addiction, offering hope and healing in equal measure.

As Swift’s melodies continue to soundtrack their recovery journey, Sober Swifties at Swift Steps find solace in the notion that they’re not alone, that their stories matter within this community, and that their struggles are met with empathy and understanding. In the symphony of recovery, they’ve found a melody uniquely their own, guided by the unwavering spirit of Taylor Swift herself.

Learn More about Blank Space Recovery

Facebook: Swift Steps


The Sober Curator x Swift Steps

Finding Sobriety through Pop Culture: The Power of Taylor Swift and Recovery Communities – Podcast


WALK YOUR TALK: Decoding Taylor Swift’s Iconic Style: My Name is Harley Skorpenske and I am a Sober Swiftie « The Sober Curator


Make sure to use our SOBER SWIFTIE stickers on Giphy! Available on the Giphy App, and Instagram Stories + Reels, & TikTok


A Disco Ball is Hundreds of Pieces of Broken Glass, Put Together to Make a Magical Ball of Light. You are NOT Broken, Friend. You are a DISCO BALL!

Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

follow the sober curator on pinterest

Follow The Sober Curator on Pinterest

alcohol free alcohol free lifestyle living in recovery recovery sober curator sober swiftie swift steps taylor swift the sober curator
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Alexandra Nyman
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Alexandra Nyman is a fashion designer, marketing professional, and the founder of the Break Free Foundation. When she is not screaming at the top of her lungs, advocating for change, she can be found taking a million pictures of her cat and playing way too much Animal Crossing.

Related Posts

GlassesShop

Seeing Clearly Has Never Looked This Good

September 30, 2025
SOBER OCTOBER GIFT GUIDE

Sober October Gift Guide 2025

September 28, 2025
Backstreet Boys Las Vegas Jason Mayo

Backstreet Boys, Bright Lights and Black Coffee: A Sober Night in Vegas

September 19, 2025

Comments are closed.

Capsule Adventures Ryan Lee
The Sober Curator Podcast now streaming
Top AF Sober Travel Companies USA Today
Sober City Mobile App
SOBERSCRIBE AND GET ON THE LIST!
Sober Events at The Sober Curator
7 events found.
  • Week of September 29
  • Previous week
  • Next week
Notice
No events scheduled for September 29, 2025.
Notice
No events scheduled for September 30, 2025.
4:00 pm
The Sober Shift: An Evening with Author Suzanne Warye
October 1 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm PDT

The Sober Shift: An Evening with Author Suzanne Warye

The Whispering Shelf with Orangily and Hollie Nicholson Indianapolis
$30.00
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
10:00 am
Teetotal Tastes: The North Side/Allegheny West
October 3 @ 10:30 am - 12:30 pm PDT

Teetotal Tastes: The North Side/Allegheny West

Babb, Inc - formerly the Snyder mansion 850 Ridge Ave, Pittsburgh
Free
5:00 pm
First Friday’s: Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Tasting Mingle at Collective by Crew
October 3 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm PDT

First Friday’s: Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Tasting Mingle at Collective by Crew

Collective By Crew 306 Manchester Avenue, Media
Free
Sober October Soirée with Food, Friends & Free Drinks
October 3 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm PDT

Sober October Soirée with Food, Friends & Free Drinks

Burden of Proof 1012 Mission Street #Ste. B South, Pasadena
Free
+ 3 More
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195
6:00 am
P.E.A.S.E. Academy Annual Pancake Breakfast
October 4 @ 6:00 am - 10:00 am PDT

P.E.A.S.E. Academy Annual Pancake Breakfast

P.E.A.S.E. Academy 1211 SE 6th St, Minneapolis
$7.00
12:00 pm
SF Sober October Fest
October 4 @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm PDT

SF Sober October Fest

Eye and Hand Society 3425 Balboa Street, San Francisco
Free
+ 2 More
All Day
Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

$2500
Casablanca to Marrakesh
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

$3195

Week of Events

Mon 29

Tue 30

Wed 1

Thu 2

Fri 3

Sat 4

Sun 5

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO FUNDRAISER FOR SHE RECOVERS FOUNDATION October 2nd - 9th 2025 Join us in Galicia, Northern Spain for the ultimate sober team hiking adventure as we tackle the

$2500
October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

About this trip We cannot think of a more suited itinerary for HOOKED.    All your senses will be engaged on this Luxury 11 day / 10 night adventure in

$3195
October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

October 2 - October 9

Camino de Santiago Fundraiser for She Recovers Foundation with We Love Lucid

October 2 - October 12

Casablanca to Marrakesh

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The Sober Shift: An Evening with Author Suzanne Warye

October 1 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm PDT

The Sober Shift: An Evening with Author Suzanne Warye

The Sober Shift: An Evening with Author Suzanne Warye In THE SOBER SHIFT: A Modern-Day Guide to Living an Abundant Sober Life (HarperOne; 09/30/2025), wellness writer and creator of The

$30.00
10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Teetotal Tastes: The North Side/Allegheny West

October 3 @ 10:30 am - 12:30 pm PDT

Teetotal Tastes: The North Side/Allegheny West

Teetotal Tastes: The North Side/Allegheny West Fri, Oct 03 Babb, Inc - formerly the Snyder mansion Join Teetotal Initiative community for Teetotal Tastes: The North Side/Allegheny West, a flavorful adventure

Free
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

First Friday’s: Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Tasting Mingle at Collective by Crew

October 3 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm PDT

First Friday’s: Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Tasting Mingle at Collective by Crew

First Friday's: Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Tasting Mingle at Collective by Crew Come join us for a fun evening of tasting delicious non-alcoholic cocktails and mingling with others at Collective by Crew

Free
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Sober October Soirée with Food, Friends & Free Drinks

October 3 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm PDT

Sober October Soirée with Food, Friends & Free Drinks

Sober October Soirée with Food, Friends & Free Drinks What do you call a non-alcoholic open bar? Really just an excuse to party with you. Kick off Sober October with

Free
+ 3 More
6:00 am - 10:00 am

P.E.A.S.E. Academy Annual Pancake Breakfast

October 4 @ 6:00 am - 10:00 am PDT

P.E.A.S.E. Academy Annual Pancake Breakfast

P.E.A.S.E. Academy Annual Pancake Breakfast Saturday, October 4th ♦ 8AM - 12PM America's Pioneer Recovery High School invites you to their 16th Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser! P.E.A.S.E. Academy (Peers Enjoying

$7.00
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

SF Sober October Fest

October 4 @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm PDT

SF Sober October Fest

SF Sober October Fest Come vibe with us at the first SF Sober October Fest, hosted by Ocean Beach Café @ Eye & Hand Society! 🍹 A New Kind of

Free
2:00 pm - 7:30 pm

DopeyCon SIX – Celebrating 10 years of Dopey

October 4 @ 2:00 pm - 7:30 pm PDT

DopeyCon SIX – Celebrating 10 years of Dopey

DopeyCon SIX - Celebrating 10 years of Dopey DOPEYCON is a must-see evening of entertainment and conversation celebrating 10 YEARS of DOPEY, the podcast about drugs, addiction and dumb shit.

See website
+ 2 More
View Calendar
The Sober Curator
Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok YouTube Pinterest
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • LINKS DISCLAIMER
  • EDITORIAL GUIDELINES
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • REFUND POLICY
  • DON’T SELL MY INFO
  • DATA SUBJECT REQUEST FORM
  • CONTACT US
© 2025 The Sober Curator - Benefits of a Alcohol Free Lifestyle

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.