Sonia welcomes Ginny Hogan for an honest, funny conversation about sober dating, identity, and learning what actually feels good without alcohol. Sonia helps unpack the expectations that can follow women into recovery. Ginny Hogan is a stand up comic & writer. Her newest book, OBEY IN ADVANCE, co-written with Carlos Greaves, is out now.

What happens when drinking stops being the way to loosen up on dates? Does getting sober automatically improve relationships? And what if being a comedian doesn’t mean wanting to entertain everyone at dinner? Sonia and Ginny explore sober sex, compatibility, and the freedom to stop performing.

Their conversation covers early sobriety’s “pink cloud,” finding support that fits, wellness overload, and making room for discomfort. They discuss changing relationship patterns, accepting insecurities, and protecting time to step back. Ginny also shares how political satire creates space for laughter and catharsis.

From a competitive childhood in New York to dating apps and late-night comedy, Ginny traces how drinking became woven into her life. She shares the physical distress that pushed her toward change, an awkward return to sober intimacy, and how marriage and motherhood helped reshape the stories she wanted to tell.

This is Sisters in Sobriety, the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our substack for extra tips, tricks and resources.

Ginny’s Links

Website Email Ginny OBEY IN ADVANCE All links and appearances

SIS Links

💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram

Timestamped Highlights

00:00 — Introducing Ginny Hogan 02:00 — Debate, competition, and wanting validation 04:00 — Dating apps and drinking before dates 06:00 — Recognizing that moderation wasn’t working 07:00 — Feeling physically ill and seeking answers 09:00 — Fearing sober dating and stand-up 10:00 — A life that shrinks and expands 12:00 — The pink cloud and finding recovery support 14:00 — When wellness becomes expensive overcompensation 16:00 — Making room to opt out 17:00 — Sobriety labels and personal boundaries 21:00 — Feeling beyond addiction, yet fearing intoxication 23:00 — When relationships don’t improve with sobriety 26:00 — Returning to sober dating and intimacy 29:00 — Relationship patterns that survive quitting alcohol 34:00 — Learning to experience discomfort without drinking 36:00 — Body image and complicated health changes 42:00 — The pressure to be funny on dates 49:00 — OBEY IN ADVANCE and political catharsis 50:00 — What satire can reveal