In this insightful conversation, Shelby welcomes Amanda Kuda, author of "Unbottled Potential," to discuss different pathways to sobriety and the importance of finding what resonates with you personally.

Amanda shares her journey to sobriety, which began when she realized her weekend drinking habits were counteracting her weekday personal development work. Despite not hitting "rock bottom" or fitting traditional addiction narratives, she recognized alcohol was preventing her from becoming her most authentic self.

Key Takeaways:

• Amanda's approach to sobriety came from a spiritual angle, studying influencers like Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, and Gabby Bernstein
• Both women discuss how there are multiple valid paths to recovery beyond the 12-step model
• The skills of emotional regulation and sitting with discomfort are essential for long-term sobriety
• Journaling prompt: "Wait, what am I thinking?" can help process emotions that might trigger drinking
• Learning to name your emotions and accept all feelings as valid helps reduce emotional volatility

Amanda emphasizes that you don't need to have a "drinking problem" for alcohol to be a problem in your life. If it's preventing you from being your most authentic self, that's reason enough to question your relationship with it.

Shelby highlights how recent research, including the 2025 Surgeon General's report, confirms that no amount of alcohol is safe for consumption, supporting the decision to live alcohol-free regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of use.

This conversation powerfully illustrates that recovery doesn't always fit into prescribed models - what matters most is finding an approach that resonates with you and leads to a better life.

Connect with Amanda Kuda:

• Website: amandakuda.com
• Instagram: @amandakuda
• TikTok: @amanda.kuda
• Facebook: amandakuda
• LinkedIn: amandakuda
• Book - Unbottled Potential: Amazon

Are you ready to explore your relationship with alcohol from a fresh perspective? This episode offers compassionate insights for anyone questioning their drinking habits, regardless of where you are on your journey.

Support the show

Support the show

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.

In this powerful episode of the Confident Sober Women podcast, we're joined by Janice Johnson Dowd, author of "Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery." As a retired social worker with 12 years of sobriety and a mother of four, Janice shares her journey from functioning alcoholic to recovery advocate with remarkable candor.

Episode Highlights:

• Janice's background working in addiction treatment centers before her own alcoholism developed in her 40s
• The complex dynamics of balancing motherhood, career, and self-care that contributed to her drinking
• Her experience with inpatient treatment and how focusing exclusively on recovery actually damaged family relationships
• The challenging path of repairing relationships with her four children (ages 13-21 at the time of her treatment)
• Why validation, accountability, and persistent communication are crucial for family healing
• The importance of finding balance between recovery work and family reconnection
• How to effectively listen to and validate different family members' experiences
• Why staying sober is the foundation for rebuilding trust, but isn't enough on its own

Practical Takeaways:

1. Take accountability for your actions and validate others' perspectives, even when they differ from yours
2. Practice deep listening without immediate reactions, especially with adolescents and young adults
3. Persist in healing efforts even when family therapy or initial conversations feel uncomfortable or unsuccessful
4. Recognize developmental differences in how children process a parent's addiction and recovery
5. Find balance between recovery work and family engagement
6. Take advantage of small moments for connection and organic healing conversations
7. Get support from sponsors, therapists, and recovery peers when navigating challenging family situations

Janice emphasizes that repair is possible even after significant damage to relationships. Her story offers hope to those struggling with similar challenges and provides practical guidance for rebuilding what addiction has broken.

Connect with Janice:

• Book: "Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery" by Janice V. Johnson Dowd
• Website: janicejohnsondowd.com
• Instagram: @parenting_inn_recovery

Whether you're in recovery yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode provides valuable insights into the complex journey of family healing after addiction.

Support the show

Support the show

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.

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.

Support the show

Support the show

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.