My Story

I was on high alert, waking up at 3 am with my heart pounding and having another hot flash! Mind racing, hoping I could get back to sleep. I was waking up with only 4-5 hours of sleep.

I thought, "Well, this sucks. I guess this is what getting older feels like."

A little bit of my story.

I exercise 5 times a week, eat pretty well, pray/meditate and do a yoga class now and then. What I'm I missing?" "Why do I feel like this?" Time to go to work, juggle school schedules, volunteer activities and do life. The stress was so immense, and the only thing that helped relax me was my glass or two of Pinot Grigio.

Not knowing what was wrong, not happy with a life that should be bringing me joy—taking antidepressants, going to counseling, exercising, eating right. All of these practices should have helped, but they didn't. My glass of wine or the pint of stout beer that I would have on Friday gave me relief. Unfortunately, that relief turned into an almost daily habitat wine o'clock or beer thirty.

As my alcohol habit increased, my anxiety grew as well. I went from drinking on Friday or Saturday to at least five days a week. I was concerned about my drinking, but my drinking was normal. When I went to the doctor, I would share that I drank 4-6 glasses of wine a week, which wasn't a problem. I was told that I should cut out the red wine, which would help with the hot flashes, and it did for a while. No one said to me that my drinking habit could be contributing directly to my anxiety. No one told me my antidepressants were probably not working.

One day I was just sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. So I decided to take a break from alcohol and examine my habits around it. Only then did RELIEF come, and I started to experience freedom and joy! Over time, my anxiety started to become manageable. My outlook on life changed. I was no longer losing my temper with my kids. Instead, I was living life and feeling so much better.

Joy On the Other Side’s meaning

For years, I had been drinking for a variety of reasons, but mainly to cope with my anxiety. Only when I took a step back from alcohol did I start to realize that my feelings had become flat. I was on day 12 or 13 of being alcohol-free, driving by myself. I remember the sky was crystal blue dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the radio played an upbeat, fun song. I was singing along, and all of a sudden, a burst of emotion hit me. It wasn’t happiness; it was more than that. It was pure JOY! This feeling was something that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. It was a fantastic feeling that is still hard to put into words. This feeling kept me curious about this new journey I was exploring. A journey I’m still on. I would love for you to join me on this journey of exploration.

Let’s talk

I am looking forward to getting to know you. Please choose a time that works for you. I will be in touch to set up a phone or Zoom Call. During our call, I’ll share my program with you and then decide if we should work together. All information provided to me will be kept confidential.

“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”

- Brené Brown