What I've Learned Along the Way: Looking Back at 7 years
Sober Edge
Seven years ago, I walked into a church basement in Colorado to become part of the very first This Naked Mind coaching certification. I had no idea how much that weekend would change my life. In this episode, I'm looking back at everything that happened after that—from coaching hundreds of clients, building my own business, and working alongside incredible mentors to discovering that some of my biggest lessons came from changing my mind. I share the coaching philosophy that has stayed with me, the approach I've completely shifted over the years, and why experience has taught me that one...
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Evolving After Alcohol with Michelle Plante
Sober Edge
What happens after you've been alcohol-free for years? For many of us, that's when the real adventure begins. In this heartfelt conversation, Terri welcomes back Michelle Plant—over seven years alcohol-free—to talk about the unexpected evolution that happens after alcohol is no longer taking center stage. Together they explore identity, creativity, play, grief, laughter, and the freedom to become more than one version of yourself. Michelle shares how sobriety opened the door to stand-up comedy, storytelling, and creating a live show called This Might Hurt a Little, where people read...
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The Truth About Self-Sabotage
Sober Edge
What if self-sabotage isn't really sabotage at all? In this episode of The Sober Edge, Teri Patterson explores how many of the behaviors we criticize—procrastination, perfectionism, avoidance, people-pleasing, and even shutting down—may actually be nervous system strategies designed to keep us safe. Drawing on neuroscience, nervous system regulation, and her own experience after more than ten years alcohol-free, Teri explains why growth can feel threatening, why we return to familiar patterns, and how compassion creates lasting change far more effectively than criticism ever could. Rather...
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No Willpower? No Problem!
Sober Edge
What if the problem isn't that you need more willpower? In this solo episode, Teri explores one of the biggest myths in alcohol-free living: the idea that lasting change comes from simply trying harder. Drawing on neuroscience, habit formation, nervous system regulation, and practical real-life strategies, she explains why willpower is a limited resource—and why successful alcohol-free living depends on needing less of it. You'll learn how alcohol impacts the brain's reward system, why stress and fatigue make cravings feel stronger, and how simple changes to your routines, environment, and...
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Blurred Lines & Beautiful Reclamations with Lauren Fay
Sober Edge
This week on The Sober Edge, I’m joined by my friend Lauren Fay for a conversation that feels honest, thoughtful, and deeply human. Lauren shares the story behind her memoir Blurred Lines—why she chose to move beyond a traditional coaching book and instead tell the truth through story. We talk about identity shifts, visibility, family dynamics, self-trust, nervous system healing, and what really happens after we stop drinking. What I loved most about this conversation is that it isn’t about perfection or polished transformation. It’s about the blurry middle. The becoming. The messy,...
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Intuition, Nervous System, and the Art of Listening Again
Sober Edge
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your intuition after stepping away from alcohol, you’re not alone. In this solo episode, Teri explores what intuition actually is (hint: it’s biological, not mystical), how alcohol dulls our internal signals, and why things can feel confusing or “loud” in early alcohol-free living. You’ll learn how your nervous system, brain, and body work together to create intuitive awareness—and how to gently rebuild trust in yourself through simple, everyday practices. This is a conversation about coming back to yourself… one signal at a time.
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Purpose, Presence, and Solubrae with Patricia Heaton
Sober Edge
In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, Teri sits down with award-winning actress Patricia Heaton to explore what really happens when alcohol is no longer part of your life—and what can take its place. From subtle signs of “gray area drinking” to the moment that shifted everything, Patricia shares her personal journey to becoming alcohol-free. But what makes this conversation especially compelling is what came next. Out of her own desire to preserve the ritual and enjoyment of wine—without the downsides—Patricia co-created Solubrae, a thoughtfully crafted alcohol-free wine...
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Landing On Your North Star with Peggi and Brigitta
Sober Edge
What if your purpose isn’t something you have to chase—but something you return to? In this conversation, Teri sits down with Peggy Cooney and Brigitta Dau to explore the idea of your “North Star”—your internal compass rooted in your core values. They unpack what happens after alcohol is out of the way, why alignment feels energizing (even when it’s hard), and how to recognize when you’re drifting off course. This episode is a powerful reminder that you don’t need a perfect plan—you just need to come back to what’s true. Show Notes HERE
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From Pattern to Possibility with Deborah Yager
Sober Edge
In this episode, I sit down with Deborah Yager to explore what’s really underneath the behaviors we’re trying to change—whether it’s alcohol, food, or patterns we just can’t seem to break. We talk about the idea of “alchemy”—not as something mystical, but as the very real process of transforming our hardest experiences into something meaningful. Deborah shares her personal story of addiction, identity, and transformation, and we explore how tools like neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), curiosity, and nervous system awareness can help us shift not just what we do—but who we...
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A Different Way of Letting Go
Sober Edge
In this solo episode of The Sober Edge, Teri shares a powerful story from Mark Nepo about a simple monkey trap: a coconut filled with rice that monkeys refuse to release, even when letting go would set them free. It’s a striking metaphor for many of the beliefs we hold about alcohol. For many of us, alcohol begins as something that feels helpful—relief, belonging, confidence, a way to take the edge off life. But over time, what once felt like a gift can quietly become the thing that keeps us stuck. Often the hardest part isn’t stopping the behavior; it’s releasing the beliefs wrapped...
info_outlineIn this solo episode of The Sober Edge, Teri shares a powerful story from Mark Nepo about a simple monkey trap: a coconut filled with rice that monkeys refuse to release, even when letting go would set them free.
It’s a striking metaphor for many of the beliefs we hold about alcohol.
For many of us, alcohol begins as something that feels helpful—relief, belonging, confidence, a way to take the edge off life. But over time, what once felt like a gift can quietly become the thing that keeps us stuck. Often the hardest part isn’t stopping the behavior; it’s releasing the beliefs wrapped around it.
Teri explores why letting go can feel so difficult through the lens of neuroscience and nervous system safety. Our brains prefer familiar discomfort over unfamiliar freedom, which can make even healthy change feel risky.
This episode invites you to gently examine the “rice” you may still be gripping—whether that’s alcohol, identity, perfectionism, or long-held beliefs about what life is supposed to look like.
Because sometimes freedom doesn’t require force or discipline.
Sometimes it simply requires opening your hand.