The Wine O'Clock Woman

If you’ve ever had a day where everything went well… and still found yourself pouring a drink that evening… this episode will explain why.It’s not random, and it’s not a lack of discipline.There’s a pattern underneath it.A day of being “on it” has a cost—mentally, emotionally, and physically.By the time the evening arrives, something in you is looking for relief.In this episode, we look at what’s actually driving that pull, why it often feels stronger after a “good” day, and what to pay attention to instead.

There’s a phase in sobriety we don't talk about enough.The chaos has gone… but nothing feels particularly better either.Just flat.In this episode, we unpack why that happens, and why it doesn’t mean you’ve made the wrong decision.We explore the gap between expectation and reality, the loss of the “reward” alcohol once gave, and why what feels like underwhelm is often your system finally regulating.You’ll hear why this stage matters more than most, where people tend to drift, and how to start using the space sobriety creates instead of questioning it.If you’ve ever thought “Is this it?” — this episode will help you understand what’s really going on, and what to do next.

Grief isn’t always about death.Sometimes it’s the life you thought you’d have.The version of you that’s changed.A relationship that doesn’t feel the same anymore.In this conversation with Dipti Tait, we explore the quieter forms of loss many women don’t recognise—and why alcohol often becomes the way to cope with what hasn’t been named.Because when something feels off, heavy, or unresolved…it’s easier to pour a drink than sit with it.Not weakness.Just no language for what’s really going on.This episode is about changing that.Naming it.Understanding it.Moving through it—without needing to numb it.About Dipti TaitDipti Tait is a psychotherapist, solution focused hypnotherapist, retreat host, and author who helps people understand the grief they don’t even realise they’re carrying.With over 15 years of clinical experience, she specialises in ‘life grief’—the emotional impact of loss, change, identity shifts, and unmet expectations. She is the author of Good Grief and Planet Grief, and is known for blending neuroscience with simple, human insight that makes complex emotions feel manageable.Connect with Dipti:Explore her website here:Find her app- DIPTI here:

Why does something that’s clearly good for you…suddenly feel selfish the moment other people are involved?In this episode, we unpack the real reason taking a break from alcohol can feel uncomfortable, why it has very little to do with willpower. For some women drinking is a part of how they connect, unwind, maintain ease in their relationships.So when that changes, even quietly, it can feel like you’ve disrupted something unspoken.Not an argument.A shared rhythm of “this is what we do.”Stepping outside of that is where the tension shows up.This episode explores: Why “this feels selfish” is rarely about selfishnessWhy the real challenge isn’t the habit, it’s changing the dynamicWhat happens in relationships when you stop keeping things easyHow these moments can lead to more honest, intentional connection.The discomfort isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong.It’s a sign the dynamic is changing.The real question becomes: Are you willing to let it?

Some drinking habits don’t come from stress or chaos.They come from evenings that feel empty, repetitive and hard to sit in.Nothing’s wrong.But nothing feels good either.So the drink, whether it’s wine or something else, becomes the marker that the day is over.Something to look forward to.Something that stops you having to sit in the space.And that’s the part no one talks about. I see this pattern all the time. It shows up in different ways, but the dynamic is the same.The evening feels flat, so something fills it.If your nights feel restless, predictable or harder to switch off from than they should, this isn’t about the drink.It’s about what the drink is doing for you.

There’s a stage of life no one really prepares you for. The kids leave. Everything changes. It’s quieter, and something feels off. This is often where drinking starts to creep in. Not dramatically. Just more often than you’d like.In this conversation with Anita McKenna, we talk about the empty nest and what’s really going on underneath it. The identity shift. The loss of role. Why so many women find themselves drinking more at this point, even when life looks fine from the outside. If this is you, it’ll likely feel very familiar.Anita McKenna works mainly with women who are brilliant at doing life, but no longer want to just get through it.Through one-to-one work, group spaces and honest conversations, she blends therapeutic depth with practical support to help women/people notice where they’ve been living from duty and expectation, and begin choosing how they actually want to live, work and relate.Her work centres on one simple idea - less duty, more choice.To connect with Anita:FacebookLinkedInInstagramCheck out Anita's website here:The 10 Minute Reset: A free 5-day mini course to help you interrupt autopilot and start choosing differently.Join the Reset here:

You don’t have a binge drinking problem you have a decision you haven’t made.Until that’s clear, the cycle will keep repeating no matter how many times you promise yourself it’ll be different.In this episode, I break down what’s really driving the pattern and why willpower isn’t the issue.

Choosing sobriety when everyone around you still drinks isn’t easy.Elizabeth shares her personal journey of choosing sobriety and the emotional and social challenges that came with it. We explore wine o’clock culture, the pressure to fit in, and why stepping away from alcohol can feel uncomfortable even when it’s the right decision for you.If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol or wondered how to stay sober around friends and family who still drink, this conversation will give you clarity and a new perspective.Elizabeth Davies, known as The Fulfilled Mother Coach, is a life coach supporting mothers who feel overwhelmed, out of control, and lost in motherhood. She helps them reconnect with themselves, regain a sense of control, and step into a calmer, more confident version of who they truly are.Through personalised one-to-one support, Elizabeth meets each mother exactly where she is, creating space for real and lasting change.Connect with Elizabeth on Instagram here:Connect with Elizabeth on Facebook here:If this resonated, DM “CALM” to book your FREE discovery call with Elizabeth and take the first step towards feeling calm, in control, and no longer overwhelmed by motherhood and everything you’re carrying.

Daytime you holds it all togetherEvening you can finally breatheSomewhere along the line, alcohol became the bridge between the two.For a lot of women, it is what helps you move from one version of yourself to the nextwithout even realising it.This episode explores what's going on in the switch from daytime you to evening you. 

In this episode, Jayne shares her story of grief, loss, and how alcohol became part of how she coped, until it started to take more than it gave. What starts as coping can quietly become a pattern that’s hard to break. We talk about why it’s so easy to fall into, and what life looks like on the other side.Jayne Clayton is the founder of Menopause Well, supporting women and organisations through menopause and midlife transitions.After becoming a mother at 17 and later experiencing burnout and severe menopause symptoms, she made the decision to completely rethink her life. In her mid-fifties, she retrained as a life coach and now works to create emotionally safe, dignified conversations around midlife wellbeing.Her work has been recognised by two Royal Palaces, and she is a member of the Complementary Medical Association.Find Jayne on Instagram:Find Jayne on IG here:

By the time you’re standing in the kitchen with a glass in your hand, it’s already been decided.It just feels like you’re making the decision.Most women think the problem is that moment.But it started earlier.The first thought.“I could have a drink later.”The back and forth.“I won’t.”“Maybe I will.”The point where it quietly becomes a yes.The real exhaustion isn’t the drink.It’s how much of your day is taken up thinking about it.And what happens when that stops…If you want to look at this properly, I run a workshop where we go through this in more detail.You can find it here:👉 Save your place on the free workshop

Have you ever noticed that after being praised or recognised for something you’ve done well, you suddenly feel the urge to pour a glass of wine?In this episode, I explore a rarely discussed alcohol trigger: success itself. For many capable women, compliments, praise, or recognition can feel surprisingly uncomfortable in the nervous system and alcohol can become a quick way to regulate that feeling.I share a personal story from my teaching career, explore how this pattern can begin in childhood, and offer practical ways to respond differently when someone praises you.In this episode we explore:• Why praise and recognition can trigger the urge to drink• The nervous system response behind the “success trigger”• How childhood experiences shape our response to praise• Simple phrases that help you receive compliments with ease If success or praise has ever felt strangely uncomfortable, this episode will help you understand why, and how to change the pattern.

In this episode of The Wine O’Clock Woman, I’m joined by Tracy Turtle for a deeply honest conversation about alcohol and neurodiversity.Tracy shares her personal journey and opens up about how her neurodivergent experience shaped her relationship with drinking.Together, we explore the challenges, misunderstandings, when alcohol becomes intertwined with coping, identity, and everyday life.This conversation sheds light on an area that is often overlooked: how neurodiversity can influence the way we experience alcohol, social expectations, and wellbeing.Tracy Turtle is the founder of Mandala Jade, where she helps people simplify their homes and work lives to create space for what truly matters.Through practical workshops and one-to-one support, she guides individuals to reduce overwhelm, create calm, functional spaces, and embrace more intentional, sustainable ways of living.Before founding Mandala Jade, Tracy spent 25 years in financial services. A Chartered Accountant by training, she worked in London, Bermuda, and Singapore before joining NatWest, where her role expanded into culture, wellbeing, and inclusion, shaping the compassionate, people-centred approach she brings to her work today.Connect with Tracy:FacebookInstagramLinkedinTracy's website: www.mandalajade.co.uk/Free Simplify Your Home Guide: A practical 5-step framework for creating a simplified home that truly supports you:Get your FREE guide here: www.mandalajade.co.uk/guides

Many capable women wake up fully intending not to drink… yet somehow find themselves pouring a glass by evening.In this episode we explore the hidden Wine O’Clock pattern that often begins hours before the first drink. You’ll hear why the decision to drink rarely starts at six o’clock, how the afternoon negotiation quietly begins, and why this cycle can leave women feeling frustrated and confused.If you’ve ever wondered why the “not tonight” promise keeps collapsing, this episode will help you start recognising the pattern behind it.Free 60-minute live workshop: March 25th 7pm ( Replay available just register)There’s a Reason You Drink When You Say You Wouldn’t — It’s Not What You Think.Understand the pattern behind the evening drink and start seeing where your own cycle begins.Register for your place here

Some people think drinking is just a habit.It isn’t.In this episode, I explain the relief loop, the mechanism underneath the wine o’clock cycle.Why willpower fades.Why the negotiation returns. And why the drink can start to feel like the only way to switch off.When you understand the loop, the pattern makes sense.

Many neurodivergent women often don't drink because they love alcohol.They drink because it helps them cope with a world that does not fit their brain.In this guest conversation, I’m joined by Helen Davies, a neuro-inclusion and productivity expert with decades of experience supporting individuals and organisations to understand and work with neurodiversity.Helen is the founder of Practical Wisdom, a not-for-profit, and the creator of the Neuro-Inclusion Quality Mark with ND Accreditation. She is also an NHS Clinical Director, mentor, coach, and public speaker, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience of neurodivergence.We explore why so many neurodivergent women end up using alcohol to cope with overwhelm, emotional load, sensory stress, masking, and the constant pressure to function in systems that are not designed for their brains.Helen unpacks how alcohol can become part of masking, and the mental health tax of sustaining that over time.Helen also talks about her work in supporting workplaces and services to raise the standard of neuro-inclusion through meaningful, evidence-based approaches, rather than surface-level awareness. This is a grounded conversation about moving beyond labels and willpower, and towards support that fits real brains and real lives.Connect with Helen on LinkedIn ND accreditationPractical wisdom Website and training ND Navigator demoND Navigator app:On Android On Apple ND Accreditation Brochure

Early sobriety can feel heavier than you expected.In this episode, I talk about the grief that can surface when you stop drinking — not cravings, but the loss of ritual, identity and emotional cushioning.I also share a simple way to notice the small but significant gains most women overlook.The ones that actually anchor change.

If wine is how you relax, listen to this.Many women use alcohol to come down from the day. Over time, the body loses touch with what real calm feels like.In this short episode of The Wine O’Clock Woman, you’ll experience a 10-minute guided relaxation so you can feel what settling your nervous system actually feels like.Notice how you feel before you press play.Notice what’s different afterwards.That contrast is the work.This episode is for women who:• use alcohol to unwind• feel wired or exhausted• struggle to truly settle• want another way to come down from the day• are curious about changing their evening drinking without labelsFind a quiet place to sit or lie down and give yourself ten minutes to experience real relaxation.

You say, “Not tonight.”And then Wednesday quietly starts counting as the weekend.In this episode, I explore how drinking shifts earlier in the week through exhaustion, stress, and emotional overload.Not in dramatic ways, but through small, familiar decisions that slowly erode self-trust.This isn’t about willpower or moderation.It’s about recognising the habit loop, understanding why it keeps repeating, and what changes once the pattern becomes visible.

Kelly Harman believed life without alcohol would be flat, dull, and joyless. The opposite happened. In this conversation, we talk about the moment she realised drinking was keeping her in survival mode, how nervous system regulation changed everything, and why waking up hangover-free has given her a life she now experiences in full colour.Kelly is the founder of Fire & Soul and works with women in midlife and high-pressure roles to support nervous system regulation, resilience, and recovery from stress and burnout. A trauma-informed breathwork facilitator and positive psychology coach, Kelly brings lived experience to her work after stepping away from drinking and rebuilding her life with clearer boundaries, steadier energy, and a more intentional way of living.Follow Kelly’s work and explore her breathwork, retreats, and wellbeing programmes here:www.fireandsoul.co.ukFollow her on IG hereFind Kelly on LinkedIn here

You’ve probably written it in your head a hundred times.The letter that says what alcohol’s really been doing in your life, and what you’re ready to see now.In this episode, I share some of my own ‘Dear Alcohol’ letters, the ones that needed writing over the years.I hope that you take a few moments to pause and notice the role that drinking is playing in your life.Because from there… everything can change.I invite you to write yours.If you want to share it, vent it, or let it out.Send it to: [email protected].

Ever found yourself snapping at the kids, then reaching for a glass of wine to take the edge off?In this episode, I speak with Natalie Pereira—coach, mum of three, and founder of The Essence of You- about what’s really going on in our nervous systems when motherhood feels overwhelming. We talk about the pressure to hold everything together, the patterns that lead us to drink, and what genuinely helps in the moment.If you're juggling a lot, craving a bit of calm, and wondering if there's another way to cope.This one's for you.More About Natalie PereiraNatalie supports mums who feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or stuck in old patterns and helps them reconnect with their bodies, their values, and the kind of parent they truly want to be. Through body-based work, nervous system support, and deep identity coaching, she helps women create real, lasting, and embodied change — for themselves and their families — from the inside out. Natalie is passionate about helping mums become the kind of person they want their kids to model — not by pushing harder or doing more, but by rewiring old patterns, reclaiming their sense of self, and building the capacity to live, parent, and lead from a calm, grounded, and connected place.Follow her work here:Click here to find Natalie on FBClick here to find Natalie on IGClick here to join her free Facebook Group.

You say it all the time—“I’m fine.”But if you’re honest… you’re not. Not really.You’re getting through the day. On paper, things look okay.But something feels off. Like you’re watching life happen from a few steps back.This episode is about that numbness.Why it’s sneaky.Why it sticks. And why it’s actually more dangerous than rock bottom.I talk about:How self-trust quietly erodesHow simply stopping and noticing can be the first step to rebuilding trust in yourselfIf you can feel that “I’ve had enough” moment creeping closer, and it scares the shit out of you.You definitely need to hear this. 

How the inner critic is often the hidden engine behind drinking patterns.And how it’s not just the drinking that does the damage.It’s the self-attack that follows.In this episode, we name the voice that keeps you stuck, the one that says “You’ve done it again,” and makes you believe change isn’t possible.I talk about:• Why self-judgement fuels the cycle• How to interrupt the critic in real time• One powerful question to help you stop believing everything you think.

It’s not the mistake.It’s the fallout afterwards. That disappointment in ourselves… the rumination… the inner critic on loop.For many, it’s this mental spiral that drives the next drink, not the moment itself. In this episode, I explore what really happens when we feel we've let ourselves down, and why we often reach for a drink just to get some peace.You’ll learn how to disrupt the shame-rumination-drink cycle by meeting your emotions differently, without needing to numb them.A practical guide for anyone tired of drinking over the same old feelings.

In this guest conversation, I’m joined by Caroline Woolley, a menopause expert, who supports women through perimenopause and menopause by working with hormones, the nervous system, and real midlife pressures.We talk about why alcohol suddenly feels harder to tolerate in your 40s and 50s, how hormonal shifts affect sleep, anxiety, and mood, and why so many women blame themselves instead of seeing their drinking as a signal that something needs attention.This is an honest conversation about alcohol as self-soothing and the midlife squeeze. Click here to email Caroline directlyClick here to visit her website directly Where you can complete her free Midlife & Menopause MOT quiz and book a complimentary one-to-one. She’s also on Instagram and Facebook as The Peacock Retreat – Natural Wellbeing for Midlife and Menopause.

You’re drinking more than you want to — but you’re not sure you want to go sober forever.AA doesn’t feel like a good fit.And Dry January usually fails. So now what? In this episode, I talk about the stuck place so many women find themselves in.What’s often called grey area drinking — I call the Wine O’Clock Cycle:When drinking becomes automatic.It can feel like you only have two choices:Keep drinking and pretend it’s fine — or go sober and build your life around that.Dry January, for all its good intentions, often reinforces that false choice.I unpack:Why alcohol is rarely the root issue — it’s a symptomHow the Wine O’Clock Cycle keeps smart, capable women stuckWhat happens when we start asking better questionsIf you’ve ever said “never again” in the morning and poured a glass by 6pm — this one’s for you. There’s a deeper reason you’re reaching for the glass.And there’s a better way to face it — without shame, labels, or all-or-nothing thinking.

What if this was your year?In this special New Year’s Eve episode, I guide you through a reflective visualisation to help you imagine life on the other side of drinking.This isn’t a hypnotherapy session—but it is a quiet, powerful pause to ask:What do I really need? You’ll take a gentle look ahead, explore what freedom could feel like, and start to connect with the small actions that could change everything. 🎧 Important: This visualisation involves eyes-closed reflection.Please don’t listen while driving or operating machinery.Take a breath, find somewhere quiet, and let yourself picture what’s possible.

What’s really behind self-sabotage, and why rebellion wins when we ignore our real needs.Plus, 3 ways to step out of the Dry January myth.Dry January starts strong, then somewhere around week two… the “fuck it” moment hits.In this episode, I unpack why self-sabotage isn’t failure, it’s rebellion.The rebel in you pushing back against the good girl trying to hold it all together.This could be what’s really driving the collapse, and why so many of us burn our efforts to the ground just as they start to stick.You’ll hear how to reframe Dry January into something that actually helps you understand what you're really trying to change.

This is a gritty, honest conversation about the quiet mental exhaustion of over-drinking, the relief of being heard, and why change doesn’t require a breakdown, just the courage to speak your truth.  Donna Elliott, a virtual assistant specialist supporting neurodiverse clients and co-founder of Ebb & Flow Brecon, shares the moment she stopped performing, hiding, and negotiating with herself, and what happened when she finally decided to stop drinking.   —   About Ebb & Flow Brecon:A space for women to connect, share, and grow.  Ebb & Flow Brecon exists to connect women in the community by creating safe, supportive spaces where we can share our personal health and wellbeing journeys.  They believe in the power of storytelling, honest conversation, and mutual support.Whether you're navigating life changes, celebrating growth, or simply seeking connection, you are welcome here.  Their work includes:  Hosting uplifting, local events for women  Offering a platform to share lived experience  Creating spaces rooted in authenticity, safety, and inclusion  Supporting personal growth through collective wisdom  At the heart of Ebb & Flow are three voluntary co-directors — local women working together to build a space that celebrates community, empowerment, and belonging.  Click here to follow Ebb & Flow on IG

You might say you're ready to change your relationship with alcohol, but your energy, thoughts, and behaviours might tell a different story.In this episode, I break down 3 signs you’re not actually ready to change, even if you think you are, and 3 indicators that real change is within reach. We’ll talk about the silent cost of maintaining the status quo, the mental gymnastics of bargaining, the trap of comparison, and the powerful stories we tell ourselves to delay what we already know.If you’re stuck in the space between “I don’t want this” and “I’m not sure I can do this,” this one’s for you.

In this episode, we name the invisible labour, the unsaid expectations, and the quiet martyrdom that women carry every day.The resentment we swallow, and the silence we mistake for strength.And we end with the real question:What part of me is complicit in my own exhaustion?

What if “later” is the lie that keeps you stuck?In this episode, I explore the familiar line so many women turn to when they do not want to face something head-on...“I’ll sort it out later.”It feels like relief in the moment because it sounds like a plan.But it is not a plan at all. It is avoidance dressed up as intention, and the relief it gives you is short-lived. All it really does is push the same problem further down the road.I look at why this pattern feels sensible at the time, yet quietly keeps you in the same loop for far longer than you realise. 

In this episode, I’m taking you on a journey through the decades of a woman’s life and how her relationship with alcohol quietly evolves along the way.From the social drinking of our 20s, to the coping mechanisms of our 30s and 40s, to the isolating rituals of our 50s and beyond.Because it doesn’t start as a problem.It starts as fun.A glass with friends.A way to feel confident.To belong.But somewhere along the way, it becomes something else.This is an episode about the quiet slide. The slow fade. The moment you look in the mirror and wonder, “Where the hell did I go?”

This is where it begins.In this first episode, I share the moment that cracked everything open: a quiet question from my daughter that hit harder than any hangover ever could.“Does the wine make you sad, Mummy?”It stopped me cold.And it forced me to face what I’d been numbing, avoiding, denying.This isn’t a story about rock bottom.It’s about reckoning. About what happens when the coping stops working, and the truth is too loud to ignore.If you’ve ever looked at your wine glass and thought, something isn’t right—this is for you.

Welcome to The Wine O’Clock Woman.This short episode is your invitation.To stop pretending.To stop coping.To start listening to what’s really going on underneath the wine.If that voice inside has been whispering that something needs to change, you’re in the right place.Let’s begin.

This is the trailer for The Wine O’Clock Woman—a podcast for midlife women who are done pretending everything’s fine.You don’t drink because you love the taste.You drink because life feels unliveable without it.This is about what lies beneath the drinking—the loneliness, the pressure, the disappearing.No sugar-coating. No moderation tips. Just truth.If that strikes a chord, you’re in the right place.