408 Overcoming Betrayal And Suicidal Depression In Sobriety

How Journaling, Community & Self-Compassion Can Transform Recovery: A Conversation with Sonia In this episode, Sonia from Sisters in Sobriety joins us for a deeply honest conversation about recovery, journaling, trauma, and rebuilding life after addiction. Sonia shares how her drinking escalated from teenage experimentation to daily wine-drinking as a high-functioning professional. While she never had the "traditional" external bottom, she described being emotionally bottomed out — chronically ill, blacking out, and unable to imagine a future. What finally shifted? A moment of clarity at brunch, when she said "no" to a mimosa for the first time. From there, she began exploring sobriety through AA literature, community support, and eventually the practice that changed everything: journaling. Key topics we covered: Moderation vs. abstinence: Some people can moderate; some can't. Addiction exists on a spectrum. Trauma and dissociation: Many of us learned early to ignore our intuition and numb discomfort. Healing through writing: Journaling processes emotions the same way talking to a friend does. Different journaling styles: Morning pages (The Artist's Way) Gratitude lists Emotional processing Prompt-based journaling Somatic/body-scan journaling Rebuilding after betrayal: Journaling helped Sonia reclaim her identity after divorce. The importance of community: A network of supportive women helped her through the darkest moments.     ACTION ITEMS FOR LISTENERS ✔️ Try morning pages for 7 days — write 3 pages of unfiltered thoughts every morning. ✔️ Start a nightly gratitude list focusing on 3 things from that day. ✔️ Practice a weekly "body-scan journal session" and write about physical sensations + emotions. ✔️ Identify 3 people you can call when you're struggling — and practice willingness calls. ✔️ Reflect on the question: Can I moderate? — and be honest with your evidence.     BOOKS MENTIONED Blackout — Sarah Hepola Running with Scissors — Augusten Burroughs The Artist's Way — Julia Cameron The Power of Two-Way Prayer — Father Bill W. Radical Self-Acceptance — Tara Brach The Obstacle Is the Way — Ryan Holiday   👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life? Here are 3 ways to get started: 🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com ☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick https://www.makesobrietystick.com Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!   Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE. You can also watch the interview on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1     Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast