Bee Sober

Today Alex and Lisa speak to Jen Payne about her struggles and successes as a child of an alcoholic parent (COA).
TRIGGER WARNING:
Jen has an amazing story that she tells with dignity and empathy to raise awareness for COAs which touches on some very sensitive and emotive issues.
Jen is a Nacoa volunteer and is always happy to hear from you. You can find Jen at:
https://www.instagram.com/jen_payne_88
Please check out our new website www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA: https://aa.org/
Al Anon: https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/
Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today, Alex and Lisa chat to Laura Cook Boldt and Tom Boldt about their book, Unravelled, and their amazing joint journeys as a Mother and Son in recovery.
LAURA COOK BOLDT was born and reared in St. Louis, Missouri, and is the daughter of the late Mary Margaret Blair and Howard Winston Cook, both from Jefferson City, Missouri. Married to Tom for thirty-plus years, mother of four grown boys, and sister to a mix of five siblings all currently living in the US, she graduated from Colorado College with a BA in English and continued on to Parsons School of Design in NYC. Laura has also completed courses at Pratt Institute and Washington University. Currently a retired designer, Laura continues to travel, spending most of her time in the mountains of Colorado and with her family. Unraveled, a memoir, is her first book, and she has begun writing another nonfiction book, by Dawn.
THOMAS HENRY BOLDT was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the son of Laura and Tom Boldt and the eldest of his three brothers. He has traveled extensively across many continents for racing, surfing, and exploring. Tom remains close with his brothers and extended family. His current interests include travel, hiking, and snowboarding wherever he can, and he loves anything involving recreation on the water. He is currently living in Orange County, California, and owns and operates a small company nearby. Unraveled is Tom’s first book.
WITH INTENSE COURAGE AND CANDOR, mother and son share their raw journey into alcohol and drug addiction and the grueling work it takes to get sober and remain sober. The Boldt family’s love and compassion is palpable as they work their way through deep fear, sleepless nights, and crushing setbacks. This is a riveting portrayal of the agonies of addiction and how one family faced their issues and found a stronger, more sustainable path forward. Many readers will undoubtedly see themselves in these stories and will come away with an abiding sense of hope—not just for Tommy and Laura, but for themselves, too. Brilliant, fresh, and clever, this tandem narrative is a compelling testimony of the bravery and honesty that charts a family’s slow climb out of the abyss of pain and into the full power of faith, redemption, and healing.
Please check out our website https://www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
Links:
https://instagram.com/unraveled_the_book
https://unraveledthebook.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1632993198/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1TF8%26psc%3D1&userId=4995453&signature=6dec15351a20b979
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA https://aa.org/
Al Anon https://al-anon.org/
Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/ or call 116 123
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/ Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

What are the odds of this? Today, Alex and Lisa chat to Gambling Guard about his gambling addiction and his journey to recovery and find surprising similarities between gambling and alcohol addiction.
As a ‘rite of passage’, Gambling Guard wanted to have a bet for the first time, now that he was able to gamble legally in the UK. The bet paid off and the seeds of his addiction had been sown. After years of destructive gambling and an addiction that Gambling Guard describes as “uniquely dangerous” he finally won the battle against his addiction. Gambling Guard now raises awareness of gambling addiction across social media, with the aim and intent of reaching both those suffering from, and at risk of, gambling related harm. He has embraced the positivity and opportunity of recovery from addiction and is passionate about helping others to do the same.
Please check out our website https://www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
Find Gambling Guard on his website:
https://gambling-guard.com
and
@gamblingguard on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
Numbers and websites for anyone needing external support with gambling;
GamCare
- the national gambling helpline
lines open 24/7
0808 8020 133
https://www.gamcare.org.uk
GamStop
- national self exclusion scheme from all licensed gambling websites/operators in the UK
https://www.gamstop.co.uk
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA https://aa.org/
Al Anon https://al-anon.org/
Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/ or call 116 123
Abortion Support Line: https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/abortion/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/ Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today, Alex and Lisa chat to Bee Sober Ambassador, Laura Henry about life as a single mum, how she stopped drinking and the benefits of sobriety with our usual laughs along the way.
Laura joined Bee Sober as an Ambassador back in August 2020. Early in her sobriety she realised she needed a circle of sober friends and reached out to set up Bee Sober Bolton as one half of the team.
Laura chose to stop drinking alcohol as it was having a huge effect on her mental health, her relationships, and who she actually wanted to be. Since stopping, her life has changed in every single way for the better.
Please check out our new website https://www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
Find Laura here:
https://www.instagram.com/beesoberbolton
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA https://aa.org/
Al Anon https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/ Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today Alex and Lisa speak to Emma Cambell, Aka Limitless Em about her incredible journey of recovery from breast cancer and how she coped living with someone who was alcohol dependent on is own amazing journey to recovery.
Em is an author, columnist, speaker and long term cancer thriver.
She is known on social media as @limitless_em – a handle she adopted following her third cancer diagnosis in 2019 to serve as a daily reminder to myself that we are all ‘limitless’ and capable of so much more than we often realise.
She is passionate about showing that it’s possible to live a big, bold and expansive life despite living with a chronic illness.
Her memoir, ‘All That Followed – A Story Of Cancer, Kids And The Fear Of Leaving Too Soon’ was published in August 2018 and charts the story from the birth of her triplets to dealing with breast cancer as a single mum of four and how the anxiety and fear of recurrence impacted so heavily on her life until she began to find a way to look at her circumstances through a different lens.
Along with consciously practicing gratitude and being mindful that the thoughts and words we use in every day life have an energy behind them, running has also become one of the wellbeing ‘resources’ she draws on. Alongside the obvious physical benefits, the improvement to her mental and emotional health has been enormous.
Em writes a regular column for Women’s Running Magazine , is a proud member of the ‘Celebrate You’ team for the Vitality 10K and recently completed the 2020 40th London Marathon.
Please check out our new website www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
You can find Em at:
https://www.limitlessem.com
https://www.instagram.com/limitless_em
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA: https://aa.org/
Al Anon: https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/
Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today, Alex and Lisa chat to Emily Syphas about sober socialising, and sober with lots more juicy bits in between.
Emily founded Sober & Social in 2018. Sober & Social is a brand and community that supports those wanting to explore and lead a teetotal
lifestyle. Their core ethos is to empower, encourage and celebrate living
your healthiest and happiest life. The community was founded on the basis that going alcohol free shouldn’t mean missing out or having to compromise on your social life.
Emily is passionate about changing the way society perceives the way we
should drink. She thinks if less people drink alcohol we would have better mental health, less crime, more hospital beds, less days off work, feel
more motivated, sleep better, make better food choices and overall, we would be kinder to each other and love each other more.
Please check out our new website www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
Find Emily here:
https://www.soberandsocial.com
https://www.instagram.com/soberandsocial_/
https://www.facebook.com/soberandsocial
https://soberandsocial.com/membership/
Email: emily@soberandsocial.com
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA https://aa.org/
Al Anon https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/ Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today, Alex and Lisa chat to Clemmie Telford about the pressures on people in society to drink as part of socialising. Alex puts her foot in it, Lisa wants no part of it, and Clemmie doesn’t let her get away with it.
Clemmie will be two years sober in May and has just written and published her debut book “But Why?: How to answer tricky questions with kids by having an honest conversation with yourself”. Out May 27th and available to preorder now here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/147227878X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_WFP789TVM96PVPCXTTCZ
Clemmie also hosts the podcast - But Why? which also looks to answer tricky questions with
an honest conversation, and is released every Wednesday. You can subscribe to here

Clemmie also has a blog “Mother of All Lists” https://motherofalllists.com/ which is a collection of
350+ first-person experiences.
Please check out our new website www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
Find Clemmie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clemmie_telford/?hl=en
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA https://aa.org/
Al Anon: https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/ Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today Alex and Lisa speak to Dawn Comolly, Aka Sober Fish about her sober story, how we think without a voice in our heads, walking, and people who see words as colours (a type of synesthesia).
Here is Dawn’s story: “After a sobriety article popped up in my newsfeed in the summer of 2016, I decided to take a year off alcohol in 2017 and blog about my journey. However, after an incredible 6 months off the sauce which transformed my life completely, I decided never to drink alcohol again. I now manage my blog, 2 membership groups and a greeting card and clothing range, as well as running sober challenges to support people in their quest for an alcohol-free life”.
Please check out our new website www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
You can find Dawn at: https://m.facebook.com/soberfishie or www.soberfish.co.uk or on Instagram https://instagram.com/soberfishie
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA: https://aa.org/
Al Anon: https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/
Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today Alex and Lisa talk to Luke Worsfold about his recovery from drugs and alcohol to running a successful online recovery programme and becoming a recovery counsellor.
After losing his mum, Lisa, to drugs at the age of 10, Luke Worsfold has gone from an emotionally dead, drug-addict to a fulfilled, recovery counsellor. He now runs Lisa Inside Addiction that provides online recovery programs to hold the light down the tunnel of darkness. Helping people stuck at the level of consciousness of addiction to become the best version of themselves, ensuring fewer people lose their lives to drugs and alcohol like his mum did.
Please check out our new website www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA
https://aa.org/
Al Anon
https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/
Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=

Today, Alex and Lisa chat to an awesome Nacoa duo, Josh Connolly and Ceri Walker about their childhood experiences, the impact on them as adults and parents and the support that Nacoa can offer for children of alcoholic parents, adult children of alcoholics and parents themselves. This special podcast marks the end of COA week 2021.
COA Week is a campaign to raise awareness of children affected by parental alcohol problems, celebrated internationally each year during the week in which Valentine’s Day falls. In the UK, COA Week is led by the charity Nacoa UK who provide year-round support and this is the 12th year it has been run in the UK. Together we can increase awareness of this hidden problem and the support available.
For support, please email helpline@nacoa.org.uk, visit the website www.nacoa.org.uk or telephone the free and completely confidential helpline 0800 358 3456. You are not alone.
Please check out our new website www.beesoberofficial.com. You can also check out the following link to find out more of what we are up to, you can sign up to our newsletter, join our Facebook group and subscribe to our YouTube channel - linktr.ee/beesober
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the generous members, ambassadors and our friends in the sober community for their contributions to this podcast, you are amazing and helping so many people by talking about this.
Podcast guests
Josh Connolly and Ceri Walker (Nacoa ambassadors)
Bee Sober Founders/Ambassadors
Irene (Bee Sober Bolton)
Jo (Co-founder of Bee Sober)
Kath (Bee Sober Wirral)
Laura (Bee Sober Bolton)
Bee Sober Members
Anne
Carlie
Christine
Jane
Samantha
Siobhan
Friends in the Sober Community
Annie Grace – Author of This Naked Mind
Clare Pooley – author of the blog Mummy was a secret drinker and the memoir, The Sober Diaries
Darren Taylor – author of Finding your Sober Bubble
Janey Lee Grace – Founder of The Sober Club, author of Happy Healthy Sober and host of The Alcohol-Free Life podcast
Jen Payne – Nacoa Volunteer
Julia Carson – author of Sober Positive
Kate Baily – Co-Founder of Love Sober and Co-Author of Love Yourself Sober
Katie Walker – EFT Practitioner and Co-Founder of Tapping with Jules & Katie
Liam McBride – Co-Founder of Whysup
Lona Curris (LC) - producer and host of The Recovery Soulfood Podcast
Lotta Dann – Author of Mrs D is going without and The Wine O’Clock Myth
Mark Adderley – author, filmmaker, writer, YouTuber, podcaster and movie reviewer
Shaun Fennings – Co-Founder of Rok Soba
William Porter – author of Alcohol Explained
Please donate to our Just Giving page raising money for Nacoa: https://www.justgiving.com/Sober-Experiment.
Season three is sponsored by IPHM, The International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine, an International Accreditation Board for Holistic, Complementary, Alternative, Beauty Therapists and Training Providers & Counsellors. Visit their website here for more information: https://www.iphm.co.uk/
Additional links:
Nacoa: https://www.nacoa.org.uk/
AA
https://aa.org/
Al Anon
https://al-anon.org/
Luna Courses: https://www.lunacourses.com/
Use code BEESOBER20 to receive £20 off any course over £50
15% off Nocktail use BEESOBER at checkout https://www.nocktail.com
10% off Noughty AF wine use BEESOBER10 at checkout https://thomsonandscott.com/products/noughty-alcohol-free-sparkling-wine
Buy a range of AF drinks from The Dry Drinker https://scripts.affiliatefuture.com/AFClick.asp?affiliateID=348247&merchantID=7264&programmeID=26735&mediaID=-1&tracking=&url=