Rising Laterally

Soberful with Veronica Valli

Arjun Sachdev & Jay Beaulieu Season 4 Episode 78

Veronica Valli has been a leader and pioneer in the field of alcohol recovery for almost two decades. She is 20 years sober and has 17 years of experience as a recovery coach and psychotherapist. She is co-host of the Soberful podcast and author of the forthcoming book, “Soberful: Uncover A Sustainable, Fulfilling Life Free of Alcohol”. 

We explore the root causes of alcohol and substance abuse, the normalization of dysfunctional drinking, the impact that going sober has on relationships, and the “edge” that emerges through sober living. 

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0:00 Intro 

1:39 Gen X, the generation of benign neglect  

4:07 Veronica got sober at 27 

6:07 Veronica’s bad trip with hallucinogens

7:33 We’ve normalized abnormal drinking

9:19 What are the two constants to helping people recover?

12:51 Challenging misconceptions of sobriety

14:41 What is the sandwich test?

15:36 How does alcohol abuse limit our bandwidth? 

17:08 The impact of quitting alcohol on relationships

22:39 The “Mommy Needs Wine” culture 

28:29 How do marketers and media deceive us about alcohol?

31:53 Is the bar scene actually that fun?

36:05 What happens when alcohol becomes the “main event” in life?

37:05 What to focus on while adapting to sobriety

42:20 Why are boundaries so important?

44:37 How big problems can stem from resentments

46:14 Unlocking vulnerability
 
48:36 The necessity of attachment and authenticity in childhood

52:36 Tapping back into our imagination

53:50 Outside fixes to an inside problem

54:47 “One Final Question”

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Book Recommendation!
“Soberful: Uncover A Sustainable, Fulfilling Life Free of Alcohol”

Veronica's website

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