Maura Casey opens a window into her 39-year sobriety journey with raw honesty and gentle wisdom. As a journalist who worked for prestigious publications like The New York Times and Hartford Courant, Maura's story reveals how professional success intertwined with her recovery from growing up in what she calls a "tumultuous" Irish family where "alcohol was the seventh member."

The conversation takes us through Maura's childhood, where drinking at age 13 was normalized within her family culture. We witness her awakening moment at 28 when she realized her drinking was following her father's destructive pattern, prompting her sobriety journey. What follows is a masterclass in emotional sobriety—the deeper work beyond simply putting down the drink.

Shelby and Maura explore the transformative power of establishing healthy boundaries after years of people-pleasing tendencies. Their discussion illuminates the crucial distinction between guilt ("I did something bad") and shame ("I am bad"), offering listeners practical insights into healing these emotional wounds. The conversation weaves through making amends, changing behaviors, and finding pride in breaking generational patterns of alcoholism.

Perhaps most powerful is Maura's reflection on writing her memoir, "Saving Ellen," which chronicles her family's journey through addiction, illness, and recovery. She shares how her sister Ellen followed her into sobriety, demonstrating the ripple effect our personal healing creates. Whether you're newly sober or decades into recovery, this episode reminds us that showing up authentically each day is a miracle worth celebrating. Subscribe now and join our community of confident, sober women discovering their true potential.

Find Maura's memoir "Saving Ellen" available April 1st from Skyhorse Publishing. Connect with her at CaseyInk.com or email AuthorMKCasey@gmail.com.

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Oh, and by the way, if you didn’t know, my remote Neurofeedback Therapy program is up and running. Learn more here!

If you aren't part of the Confident Sober Women Facebook group, it's a great place to be. There are over a thousand other sober women there building lives they don't want to escape from. Come on over and join us.

And if you haven't read my memoir, grab a copy today and maybe a second one for a friend. There is so much hope in recovery, and I shared my story so raw and vulnerable so that others would know they aren't alone and that there is a way to live well, manage relationships, parent your kids, and have a healthy body, all while staying sober. Grab a copy of Recovering in Recovery: The Life-Changing Joy of Sobriety wherever books are sold.