Mother’s Day often conjures images of flowers, breakfast in bed, and heartwarming cards expressing love and appreciation. A trend that's gained momentum, diverging from the traditional gifts of chocolate and pampering treats, is a culture of "Mommy needs wine." 

Yes, you read that right. Wine has o...

This might surprise you, but the reason you can’t quit drinking might have little to do with alcohol. Yes, it’s a highly addictive substance that is hard to move away from, but if you are like me, you have seen some success by gritting it out for 30 days, alcohol-free. After that, you may no longer ...

I got happy and sad news at the same time yesterday. First, a phone call revealed that my friend, Tracy, who had been bravely battling cancer for 3+ years, had passed away. Then I received a text from a previous client, who just celebrated three years of being alcohol-free, I considered the three-ye...

In 2019, I was one year sober and between jobs.

I was interviewing for new positions and about to get offers from some companies for similar roles that I had in the past. I sold HR solutions for most of my adult life. I was qualified for roles like this. Although I could do these jobs and I often ...

My Journey From Skeptic to Certified Coach

I’ve been a coach for over five years, partnering with a top-rated credentialing authority to recruit, train, and mentor new coaches. With a degree in social work, I entered the coaching world as a skeptic. I didn’t think I needed a “measly coaching cer...

The Truth About Going Alcohol-Free Without Help

Let’s be honest.
There’s no gold medal for quitting drinking with the least amount of support possible.

I know that’s how many of us try to do it — me included. We treat sobriety like a badge of independence. Like middle schoolers waiting for the ...

There’s No Healthy Balance With Alcohol — Here’s Why

We often hear, “It’s all about balance.”
And that might be true for many things — work, rest, exercise, relationships.
But when it comes to alcohol, there is no such thing as balance.

Alcohol is an addictive substance. It creates dependence. ...

Why I Celebrate and Reflect During Black History Month

I want to share a few ways I’ve learned to honor Black History Month — not just in February, but throughout the year.

This month is an important reminder to reflect on how I’m showing up as an ally and to take new actions that expand awaren...

I turned 6 years sober yesterday. It was anticlimactic and tranquil. This was a big change from the previous year, when I had an absolute meltdown over my five year milestone. 

You can read about it in these blogs:

5 Years Sober, A New Home Inside of Me

5 Years Sober, Here's What I Wish I Knew...

My husband and I went to City Winery for a 10,000 Maniacs show last night. After a comedy of errors in our dinner plans, we decided to eat at the venue. We did not want to be the first people at the show, so first, we enjoyed dinner in the adjoining restaurant. We got a cute little table right ne...

One thing that prevented me from addressing my complicated relationship with alcohol for so long was the fear of social stigma. I was also afraid to fail, but I was more afraid of success. If I quit drinking, then what? Then, actually, what? 

I would no longer fit into my social circles. I risked r...

Hi, I'm Heather, an award-winning sober life coach with five years of experience working with high-achieving women. I am also an Enneagram 3 Achiever. I have had the privilege to support executives in top leadership positions, recognized political figures, busy mothers, teachers, artists, doctors, a...

Even as a trained sober coach and someone with almost six years of sobriety under her belt, there are still situations that feel awkward to me as a sober person, and last weekend I experienced one of them. 

I went to a birthday dinner for someone I adore. In addition to my husband and I, the bir...

Since the day I was born, beer has been an omnipresent staple in my life.

Before I tasted wine, which would become my drink of choice and also the nail in my coffin, so to speak, before mommy wine culture was an even thing, before my relationship with alcohol would be labeled as problematic, before...

As the new year begins, I’ve been thinking a lot (almost obsessively) about goals. As a perfectionist, it’s killing me that I set out to read 40 books in 2023 and I ended the year reading 39. Nevermind one of those books was about 700 pages long, it’s still just bothering me to no end feeling like I...

We all want to toast at midnight (or at 6 pm whathaveyou) but not everyone wants the booze. 

Here are nine of the best tried and true bubbly alternatives. I recommend each of these delicious drinks for filling up that champagne flute and toasting with elegance and confidence. You won’t be missin...

If you’re like me—and like most of my clients—you want to quit drinking… just not yet.
You want to get through the holidays first.

If you’re thinking about addressing your relationship with alcohol but putting it off until the new year, I hear you. Truly.

Living in the drinking cycle—worrying a...

Something has been brewing inside me and it bubbled over this weekend. 

It started with listening to a song really loud in the car by myself. It struck a chord, almost literally.

I felt something in the music and started singing along. My singing took a turn and morphed into screaming which...

I have been doing cold exposure therapy for a few years now. I will share my experience and research in this article. I am not a professional cold therapy practitioner in any way. I am a person seeking new experiences and modalities to manage and regulate my nervous system, and feel good. I find it ...

I’m sharing a few tips for how to get started with any new habit including ditching the drink. I am starting a new habit of walking in the morning. This is something I’ve been considering for a while. For months I would say to myself “I should really get up and do that,” and then I would not get u...

This Thanksgiving, I hosted six straight days of company.

At one point, I helped host a crowd of 15. Another night, 13.
An open-door week-long mix of family and friends passing through our Illinois home from Colorado, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

Ages six to 77.
Three dogs.
Beautiful chaos, me...

This article was written and published in partnership with Monument.

Thinking about removing alcohol from your life can elicit many questions. This article will offer a few tips from Award Winning Sober Coach Heather Lowe, Founder of Ditched the Drink, who has helped many people get and stay free f...

I sent my first weekly newsletter in August of 2019. I had seven subscribers at the time. Two were myself using my other email addresses to populate the subscriber field and set the momentum. The others were my mom, my husband, and a few friends that I asked to add. I committed to writing a weekly n...

I often get asked, “What is it like to go to a sober retreat?”

I have had many sober retreat experiences, and I’m happy to share my feedback. 

In this blog, I will be reviewing 3 specific retreats: ​​Brave Recovery Coaching, Sober in the City - Zero Proof Experiences, and the SheRecovers Annual Co...