S3 - EP9 - Love After Loss: A Journey to Sobriety with Nicky Wake

Here's the corrected version with the Clear Minds Hypnosis App properly attributed:In this episode, Rosie chats with returning guest Nicky Wake about something that doesn't get talked about enough - the messy reality of using alcohol to cope with grief, and what it's like to get sober as a widow.Nicky gets brutally honest about how her drinking escalated when her husband was sick, and how it became her go-to coping mechanism after he died. She doesn't sugarcoat it - she talks about the real stuff, the dark moments, and how alcohol became both her comfort and her problem.But this isn't just a story about addiction. It's about what happens when you decide enough is enough, and the tough journey of getting sober while you're still deep in grief. Nicky shares how therapy and support groups literally saved her life, and why reaching out for help was the hardest but most important thing she ever did.Then there's the dating bit - because let's be real, dating as a widow is complicated enough without adding sobriety into the mix. Nicky talks about navigating relationships when you're carrying both grief and recovery, and how she's trying to make it easier for others through dating apps specifically for sober people and widows.She mentions some brilliant resources too - the Sober Love App for people in recovery looking for connection, and the Clear Minds Hypnosis App, which she found helpful for changing her relationship with alcohol.What really comes through is Nicky's message that recovery is possible for anyone willing to take that first scary step. She's living proof that you can come through the other side of both grief and addiction.If you're struggling with similar issues, Nicky's available for support and guidance. Sometimes knowing you're not alone in this mess makes all the difference.More honest conversations about the tough stuff coming your way - stay tuned.Resources mentioned: SoberAF (⁠www.soberaf.club⁠) is Nicky's rebellious take on recovery support. None of that one-size-fits-all approach - this is sobriety without apologies, and it's completely free. They're launching their forum and events in June 2025, but you can sign up now to be part of this movement that's flipping the script on traditional recovery.Chapter 2 Dating (⁠www.chapter2dating.app⁠) is the dating platform Nicky created specifically for widows and widowers. Because let's face it, explaining grief to someone who's never been there is exhausting. This is a safe space where everyone gets it - the complexity, the guilt, the hope, all of it.Widows Fire (widowsfire.dating) tackles something nobody talks about but many of us feel - the physical desires that don't disappear with grief. It's for flirty, no-strings connections when you're not ready for something serious but still crave intimacy. Honest, raw, and judgment-free.