My Sober Wedding with Laura Robinson

My guest today is Researcher Laura Robinson from Australia – she’s a University Lecturer and Researcher who wants to involve us in some fascinating research that she’s doing... into women and drinking She’s just approaching the end of her first year of sobriety so she’s sharing her own story and asking for your help with the survey that she’s conducting In this episode:- As a Researcher and senior lecturer  Laura focuses on applied psychology Her current research is around drug and alcohol use, particularly women's experiences and their relationship withalcohol. Laura shared her own drinking story with us:- She began drinking at 18, primarily in social settings and like many of us her social drinking gradually evolved into more of a coping mechanism after having children. She became increasingly concerned about her drinking habits over the years. Although she did take some breaks from alcohol she struggled to moderate Laura’s decision to quit was prompted by health concerns, the desire to set an example for her children, and a growing awareness of alcohol's impact on her life. She listened to sobriety podcasts and engaged with online resources and communities, Even though she had not even completed her first alcohol free year she decided to have a sober wedding  Her goal was to maintain clear memories and nourish the emotional connection with her guests She drank alcohol free champagne and provided alcohol-free options for her guests Laura thoroughly enjoyed her wedding and has beautiful memories of the day Laura took me through the Benefits of Sobriety that she’s experienced:-   - Significant reduction in feelings of shame and increased self-trust.   - Improved physical health, including reduced bloating and better skin.   - Enhanced emotional well-being and clearer memories of significant events – such as her wedding day! Laura’s advice for those struggling with alcohol includes:-   - connecting with online communities and educational resources.   - She also emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of alcohol on the brain and separating personal worth from alcohol dependence.   - Suggests treating sobriety as a research project to stay engaged and motivated. In her Work on Women and Alcohol Laura has noticed the under-representation of women and the options they take to get sober. She has been focusing on understanding and addressing the unique challenges women face regarding alcohol use. Laura’s aim for her research is to contribute to the development of more tailored and accessible treatment options for women. As part of her research she is conducting a study on the impact of Sobriety podcasts and online communities on alcohol use and mental health. She is inviting us all to participate in an online survey to gather data and build an evidence base for the effectiveness of these resources. This anonymous survey has ethics approval, and the link is https://tinyurl.com/SoberPodcasts More info Subscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE To access our website click HERE If you would like a free copy of our "Annual Tracker" or our e-book "66 Days to Sobriety" please email [email protected] If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community just email [email protected] Episode Sponsor           This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.             If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then  sign up today           Read more about our program and subscribe HERE Help us to spread the word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave us a 5 star review on Apple podcasts, take a screenshot of your review and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page - see PS for instructions - we'll send you something special to say thank you! We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  You can join our private Facebook group HERE How to leave an rating/review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS device) 1. Open the Podcasts app. EASY. 2. Choose "Search" from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (i.e., "Recover Like A Mother") into the search field. 3. Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes). 4. Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews. 5. Click "Write a Review" underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You'll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale, and write a review (you can rate without writing, too but it's always good to read your experience).