Sober Across the Pond
Sober Across the Pond is a weekly transatlantic podcast hosted by two seasoned alcohol-free coaches—one in the UK, one in the US—offering real, relatable conversations about thriving without alcohol. With warmth, humor, and zero judgment, we explore sober living through the lens of professional life, parenting, personal growth, and purpose.
Episodes
38 episodes
Sober at Work (Part 1 of 4): Navigating Boozy Workplace Culture
Welcome to Year 2 of Sober Across the Pond — and thank you again for helping us reach our one-year anniversary and 1,000 downloads milestone.We’re continuing the momentum with a new mini-series: Sober at ...
Anniversary Special — The Rush of Love (Video/Audio Now Matched)
This is the correct audio release of our Anniversary Special ‘Rush of Love’ conversation (the video version was always correct). If you listened earlier and it didn’t match the video, this is the version you wanted. In this episode, we t...
Stigma, Sobriety & the Moderation Myth (Anniversary Special — Part 1 of 2)
Anniversary Special (Part 1 of 2): Stigma + engagement fear + the moderation mythIn Part 1 of our anniversary special, we talk about one of the most common frustrations for sober-curious and “middle lane” drinkers: stigma.<...
Part 3 of 3 (Finale): Why connection may be the key to staying alcohol-free.
In the final episode of our Friendship Shift series, we go deeper into what sustains long-term change. When you remove alcohol, your social life and identity evolve — and one of the biggest lessons is this:Connection isn’t optional. I...
Find Your Tribe: Building New Friends Alcohol-Free (Part 2 of 3)
Part 2 of 3 in our Friendship Shift series: How do you build new friends and community when you stop drinking?When you go alcohol-free, your social life often changes — not because you’re “boring,” but because your values and your...
Episode 14 - What Happens to Your Friendships When You Go Alcohol-Free?
What really happens to your friendships when you stop drinking?In Part 1 of a three-part series on friendship and sobriety, we unpack one of the biggest fears people have about going alcohol-free: losing friends.In this episode, w...
What Unites Us: Sobriety, Connection, and the Human Experience (Episode 13)
After a six-week break, Sober Across the Pond is back — and we’re picking up with a topic that matters to everyone. In Episode 13, we explore what unites women and men on the alcohol-free path. From mental health and emotional...
Episode 12 – Men & Alcohol (Part 2): From Mates to Masks — Peer Pressure, Loneliness, and the Cost of Drinking Culture
In Part 2 of our men-focused series on alcohol, we explore how male drinking culture evolves over time — and what often gets lost along the way. What starts as social drinking with mates in bars can quietly shift into drinking at home, disguise...
Part 1: Men, Stress & the Silent Drinking Culture
In this first installment of our 3-part Men’s Series, we dig into how alcohol intersects with men’s mental health, emotional regulation, stress, identity, and social expectations. We explore: • How men use alcohol to cop...
Episode 12 — Gender & Alcohol: Women, Wine Culture & Self-Trust (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our ongoing Gender & Alcohol series, Bridgene shares a candid arc many women will recognize—gradual anxiety, self-medicating with wine, and the turning point of a 90-day break that changed everything. We dig into menopause-rela...
When Alcohol Meets Identity: Women, Men, and the Stories We Learn--Part 1--When the Shift Begins
This is the opening of a multi-part exploration into gender, identity, and the role alcohol often plays in how we cope, connect, and define ourselves. In this first installment, we talk about the quiet, gradual shift many...
Episode 11 – Part 4--The Mask Comes Off (Finale)
In the final installment of our “Sobriety as a Superpower at Work” series, Bridgene and Michael share their most personal reflections on authenticity, self-trust, and confidence. When the performance fades and the mask drops, what remains is so...
Sober Across the Pond | Episode 11 Part 3 – The Mask Comes Off
This episode dives into the emotional clarity that comes when alcohol is no longer in the way. Bridgene and Michael unpack how being alcohol-free makes us better communicators, colleagues, and friends — and how empathy is our real superpower.
Episode 11 – Part 2--The Masks We Wear (Sobriety as a Superpower at Work)
Why do people drink at social events — and what really happens when they do?In this episode, Bridgene and Michael unpack how alcohol can make conversations circular, people less interesting, and moments less real. When you’re alcohol-fre...
Episode 11 Part 1--Emotional Intelligence--The Hidden Superpower of Sobriety
In Part 1 of Sobriety as a Superpower at Work, we uncover the incredible link between living alcohol-free and developing deep emotional intelligence. Discover how the absence of alcohol enhances your ability to listen, connect, and com...
Episode 10 – Part 4: Salsa Dancing & Sobriety – The Joy Beyond the Glass Finale
We close out our four-part Joy Beyond the Glass series with a vibrant conversation on salsa dancing and how being alcohol-free transforms the experience. Bridgene shares how her love of dance became even richer, more emotional, and mor...
Episode 10 – Part 3--Redefining Pleasure and Building Life-Generating Habits
We’re back after a short break with something special for our listeners — a double release weekend in the Joy Beyond the Glass series. In Part 3, we dive into what lies on the other side of change: the unexpected joy of redefining what...
Episode 10, Part 2 — All That Glimmers Truly IS Gold!
What are “glimmers,” and why do they matter on the alcohol-free journey? In this 11-minute episode, Bridgene and Michael share personal experiences—from robins to hummingbirds—that reveal how glimmers are the opposite of triggers.These m...
Episode 10: Part 1: Joy Beyond the Glass
What happens when alcohol is no longer the centerpiece of fun? In Part 1 of Joy Beyond the Glass, Bridgene describes the power of feeling music and theater more deeply, while Michael shares how nature in Monterey and Carmel has become ...
Episode 9: Part 4: “No” is a Complete Sentence — Social Confidence in an Alcohol-Free Life
In this powerful conclusion to our 4-part series on navigating celebrations alcohol-free, we focus on one mantra that changes everything: “No is a complete sentence.”Bridgene shares a moving personal story about the first time s...
Episode 9: Part 3: The Celebration Shift — Secrets, Scripts, and How to Stay Social Without Booze
In Part 3 of our 4-part series on navigating alcohol-free celebrations, we’re revealing a powerful and often overlooked strategy that our clients use successfully again and again. (And in 2025, it’s more accessible than ever before.)From...
Ep. 9 - Part 2: Celebrations Without the Crutch: Reclaiming Joy Without Alcohol
In this second installment of Episode 9, we shine a spotlight on the deep cultural link between alcohol and celebration. Michael shares how phrases like “hosted bar” subtly imply that drinking is the norm—an expected part of enjoying any event....
Ep. 9 – Part 1: The Courage to Be Different: Embracing Alcohol-Free Living in a Drinking World
Social ease doesn’t come from a glass — it comes from within. In this episode, we dismantle one of the most persistent myths in drinking culture: the idea that alcohol is required to overcome social anxiety. Bridgene shares a brilliant insight ...
Ep. 8--Part 3 of 3: Optimism, Positivity & Getting YOU Back
In Part 3 of our powerful 3-part series, we celebrate the emotional uplift of an alcohol-free life. Michael and Bridgene explore the real science behind why removing a depressant creates space for optimism, clarity, and confidence. Whether it’s...
Episode 8--Part 2 of 3: Feeling the Feels – Inner Peace and the Return of Real Emotion
In Part 2 of our three-part series on the benefits of going alcohol-free, we explore one of the most unexpected rewards: the full return of your emotional spectrum. Bridgene shares her experience of rediscovering the joy of West End musical the...