This week I'm join by Lisa Larkin and Anna Hanbury from Coolmine Therapeutic Community. @coolmine.tc. Coolmine offers community, day and residential services with a self help approach to help people overcome addiction. This podcast was recorded to help raise awareness for this year's Sober October. Go Sober in October is a challenge to raise vital funds for Coolmine and help to break intergenerational cycles of addiction.

Anna Hanbury is in recovery since 2023 and is absolutely thriving in her sobriety. She is in the process of completing her Level 6 in Addiction Studies and recently qualified as a recovery coach. She now has a role as a support worker, using what she's learned and her experience every day. Her commitment to recovery has restored her sense of self-worth and reconnected her with her family, especially her mother, who stood by her through her darkest times. Grateful for the support of Coolmine and Ashleigh House, Anna now wakes up every day with a positive outlook, embracing the future with hope and determination.

Lisa has over 16 years’ experience in social care, much of which she has developed through her work with Coolmine Therapeutic Community, supporting individuals and families affected by addiction. She has led addiction recovery services through periods of growth and change, with a strong commitment to quality, person-centred and evidence-based care. Lisa has experience across a range of treatment approaches and has a particular passion for the Therapeutic Community model. She is an accredited TC Lead Reviewer with Communities of Communities, Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), supporting therapeutic communities to strengthen practice and maintain quality standards. Lisa is also a Board member of the European Community Education and Training for Therapeutic Communities (ECETT), connecting her with international developments and innovation in addiction recovery. She is currently completing an MSc in Addiction Recovery at Trinity College Dublin and is passionate about compassionate, effective care that improves outcomes for individuals and families. I hope you enjoy hearing these incredible ladies speak.

For further information on Sober October or to get in contact with the incredible team at Coolmine:

Sober October - Ireland

Coolmine TC – Coolmine TC

This week on No More Booze is a special solo episode where I’m bringing you behind the scenes of my very recent trip to Dr. Joe Dispenza’s Progressive Retreat in Basel, Switzerland and yes, it’s a bit of a stream of consciousness. I chat through what the weekend was really like: 8,300 people from 52 countries, six one-hour meditations, Swiss calmness, new retreat besties and the big concepts that landed for me. I talk about the river of change, mastering the body, identity shifts and the generous present moment. And of course, I’m sharing it all through the lens of alcohol-free living: how survival mode fuels drinking and how intention, practice and possibility can change everything. I loved it so much, I'm planning how I can get to a week long advanced retreat! Enjoy and be sure to reach out if you have any questions or comments. Lots of Love, Olivia x

For more information on my Alcohol Audit check out

The No More Booze Roadmap · 1:1 Consultation with Olivia Farrelly

Or to simply to find out if alcohol is taking more than it is giving, take my free online quiz now

Am I A Grey Area Drinker? — Free 2-Minute Quiz

This week on No More Booze, I’m joined by Jill Nastase @addictionuncovered from Omaha, Nebraska who is almost three years alcohol-free. In this episode, Jill opens up about how wine became her go-to coping tool, why working in mental health made it easy to compare herself to worse cases and the Thanksgiving moment that proved moderation wasn’t on the cards. We talk grief and fear in early sobriety, the 7–8pm witching hour and what changed when she stopped: better sleep, less anxiety, clearer boundaries, deeper connection, and more time and money. Plus, Jill shares the gratitude and reflection practices that keep her grounded and how sobriety led her to launch her own podcast, Addiction Uncovered. Jill is a mental health and addiction therapist with 15 years of experience and currently serve as Clinical Director at a nonprofit agency in Omaha, Nebraska. She has always been passionate about supporting people struggling with addiction, but her own journey to sobriety over two years ago brought everything into focus. Podcasts and shared stories helped her stay on track, which inspired her to create Addiction Uncovered—a space where people share their experiences, hope and resources so others can find recovery too. Her goal is to reach as many people as possible, reduce stigma and remind anyone struggling that they are not alone. Enjoy

Listen to Jill's podcast Addiction Uncovered here:

Addiction Uncovered | Podcast on Spotify.

For more information on my Alcohol Audit check out

The No More Booze Roadmap · 1:1 Consultation with Olivia Farrelly

Or to simply to find out if alcohol is taking more than it is giving, take my free online quiz now

Am I A Grey Area Drinker? — Free 2-Minute Quiz

Jen from @dresswithdrama is a year alcohol-free and she’s bringing all the sparkle, honesty and pizzaz to No More Booze this week. Jen is a personal stylist and we start the conversation talking clothes from leopard-print confidence, vintage bargains and why your favourite outfit is basically your superhero cape. Then the conversation goes deeper: Jen shares the health scare that made her take three months off drinking, the liver results that changed everything and how quickly anxiety began to lift when alcohol left the equation. We also talk about grief, losing Jen’s sister Emma and what it’s like to feel everything fully again—joy, sadness, freedom and the signs that remind her she’s not doing it alone. What started as one decision has had such a huge ripple effect on so many other areas of her life. Jen talks openly about the unexpected freedom she has found since stopping drinking, how it has changed her relationship with herself and helped her face grief. She also talks openly about anxiety and how, since stopping drinking, she has found a sense of freedom from some of the worry that had become part of her relationship with alcohol. Jen used to feel that alcohol helped give her confidence and made her a more fun, outgoing version of herself. It’s been a real learning curve discovering that confidence can come from so many other places and that she didn’t necessarily need alcohol to feel confident at all.

Now, as a mum, drama teacher, personal stylist and colour analyst, Jen is passionate about helping both adults and children feel confident, comfortable and completely themselves. Whether that’s through helping women discover their personal style and embrace who they are or helping children find their voice and build confidence through drama, confidence is at the heart of everything she does. This is an honest and open conversation about alcohol, confidence, anxiety, grief, identity and the freedom that can come from making a different choice. Enjoy!

Find more about Jen and her work at www.stylingbyjen.co.uk

For more information on my Alcohol Audit check out

The No More Booze Roadmap · 1:1 Consultation with Olivia Farrelly

For more information on the No More Booze Coaching Package

No More Booze 1:1 | €300

Or to simply to find out if alcohol is taking more than it is giving, take my free online quiz now

Am I A Grey Area Drinker? — Free 2-Minute Quiz

This week on No More Booze, I'm joined by Beth @sobrietyislovely, who’s coming up on a year alcohol-free. Beth completed a year-and-a-half stint off the booze, had a slip for about a year and then found her way back to alcohol-free living. Beth opens up about starting drinking at 17 to fit in, how weekend drinking quietly became a crutch for anxiety and socialising and the scary physical symptoms that finally got her attention—heart palpitations, breathlessness, brutal hangovers and planning meals around being sick. We also unpack how she slipped through people-pleasing, the might as well carry on mindset and the tools Beth uses now: reflection, talking to herself out loud and taking it one day at a time. Enjoy!

Find Beth on Instagram: @sobrietyislovely.

For more information on my Alcohol Audit check out

The No More Booze Roadmap · 1:1 Consultation with Olivia Farrelly

For more information on the No More Booze Coaching Package

No More Booze 1:1 | €300

Or to simply to find out if alcohol is taking more than it is giving, take my free online quiz now

Am I A Grey Area Drinker? — Free 2-Minute Quiz

This week on No More Booze, I’m joined by Carla Piera Fitzgerald (aka @halfofcarla) and we go deep on what really changes when you actually change a part of who you are. Carla is the Queen of Change, having completely transformed herself by losing 180lbs over the past 7 years. Carla shares how food was her coping mechanism for what was happening internally, while alcohol helped her cope externally, giving her the courage to socialise when confidence was low. We chat about Sober October- how powerful that break can be, identity shifts, losing drinking buddies and why quitting isn’t about punishment, it’s about what you gain. Carla also shares practical tools for urges: naming what’s happening, feeling your feet, moving your body, the 20-minute delay, and coming back to your WHY. Carla, her story and her mission is so incredibly inspiring and motivating, I really hope you get as much from it as I did. Enjoy!

Carla Piera FitzGerald, known online as Half of Carla, is a content creator, speaker and Head Coach of BodySlims. After losing over 180lbs, Carla built a community by sharing the reality of lasting transformation and the mindset shifts that helped her change her life. Now a mum of two, she shares the ongoing process of becoming, from weight loss and personal development to motherhood, confidence and learning to show up for yourself even when life is messy. Her core message is simple: showing you what’s possible when you show up for yourself.

To find out more about BodySlims

BodySlims Weight Loss | Changing Bodies by Transforming Minds

For more information on my Alcohol Audit check out

The No More Booze Roadmap · 1:1 Consultation with Olivia Farrelly

For more information on the No More Booze Coaching Package

No More Booze 1:1 | €300

Or to simply to find out if alcohol is taking more than it is giving, take my free online quiz now

Am I A Grey Area Drinker? — Free 2-Minute Quiz

This week on No More Booze, I’m joined by Joe Curtis (aka @xjolenexx) and we quickly realise we’re soberversary twins, both alcohol-free since the 4th of July, 'Independence Day' in more ways than one. Joe shares how weekend drinking, wine, cocktails and rugby culture slowly turned into something she couldn’t switch off and how COVID, working from home and even a DIY bar at home ramped everything up. We talk moderation (and why it didn’t work), the anxiety/racing heart hangover that scared her straight and the deeply moving moment that cemented her decision: being truly present for her friend Charlie in her final days. Joe also opens up about the unexpected gifts of going alcohol-free calm, clarity, joy in the small things, better friendships and navigating a divorce with emotional regulation and respect. Enjoy!

From Joe: 'I’m Joe,aged 48 and 3/4 and have been alcohol-free since 4th July 2023. Truly independence day for me!! The best decision I ever made for myself. I hope you enjoy the podcast and if anyone wants to reach out, please DM me @xjolenexx'

For more information on my Alcohol Audit check out

The No More Booze Roadmap · 1:1 Consultation with Olivia Farrelly

For more information on the No More Booze Coaching Package

No More Booze 1:1 | €300

Or to simply to find out if alcohol is taking more than it is giving, take my free online quiz now

Am I A Grey Area Drinker? — Free 2-Minute Quiz

This week on No More Booze, I’m joined by Angela Carney @flowstate_hypnotherapy calling in from Westport, Mayo, with nearly three years off the booze and a powerful story of resilience, relapse and recovery. Angela is now a hypnotherapist helping others through addiction and she brings serious insight into how the subconscious mind drives our habits. We talk about growing up with alcoholism, why alcohol gets a free pass in Irish culture and how advertising hooks us at a subconscious level. Angela shares what kept her sober for 16 years, what changed and how she rebuilt again; plus the 'grey phase' (anhedonia), dopamine, discomfort, and tools like meditation, breathwork, nutrition and exercise.
Find Angela at www.flowstatecoaching.ie and on Instagram @flowstate_hypnotherapy

For more information on my Alcohol Audit check out

The No More Booze Roadmap · 1:1 Consultation with Olivia Farrelly

For more information on the No More Booze Coaching Package

No More Booze 1:1 | €300

Or to simply to find out if alcohol is taking more than it is giving, take my free online quiz now

Am I A Grey Area Drinker? — Free 2-Minute Quiz