112. The 3 Stages of an Alcohol-Free Journey: Sober Curious, Sober Serious, Alcohol-Free

In this episode, Amanda shares her non-scientific framework for the three stages of an alcohol-free journey based on nearly eight years of coaching: sober curious, sober serious, and alcohol free.

She explains how the sober curious phase often includes quit lit, podcasts, challenges, and low-stakes communities, but can also keep you stuck in an on-again/off-again “situationship” with alcohol.

Next, she introduces the sober serious phase as a commitment not just to abstinence, but to deep inner work, self-inquiry, and changing the underlying patterns that lead to drinking—like emotional avoidance, social anxiety, boredom, overwhelm, or work stress—often with structured support.