I am a COUNTRY girl. 

Born in small town Wisconsin. 

My first drink was a cheap beer. 

Busch Lite. 

In my coming of age, I partied and chased boys in barns and fields.

I rode around in pickup trucks.

I love country music. I love to sing about getting day drunk with a cold beer in my hand, and needing my whiskey glasses to navigate my latest heartache. 

I have fond memories of you and me going fishing in the dark with friends in low places, if you know what I mean. Some of it makes me cringe and plenty of it makes me smile.

When I was visiting Savannah, Georgia a drag queen sang Reba McEntire’s Fancy, and I nearly lost my mind. All I wanna do is boot, scoot, boogie. 

When I first quit alcohol, I didn’t know how to reconcile my love for country music and drinking songs with my new found sobriety. 

My identity was shifting from rowdy party girl to healthy sober coach. 

What would I do with my...

A year ago I was between jobs. 

I was interviewing at a few companies. 

I was rising as the top candidate for a few positions. 

The openings were for jobs that I was qualified for and that I had done before.

I was good enough at these jobs.

I visualized myself making a decision about these positions and my heart sunk. 

I had a year of sobriety under my belt. 

I made huge gains in my personal development. 

The result of my efforts, was that I no longer fit into the corporate puzzle.

I couldn’t see myself going back to these jobs that, were never meant for me.

I wanted to do something that made my heart sing. 

I wanted to go back to my social work roots.

I wanted to inspire and help others. 

I wanted to share stories, connect, and create.  

I wanted to work with people that share a passion for mental health.

I took a leap of faith.

I let go of a paycheck.

I decided to have relentless belief in myself.

Something I had never...

Sobriety is a lifestyle and it’s the one I’ve always wanted. 

Rosé all day is a lifestyle too and it made me miserable. 

As a drinker, I loved any occasion to make my drinking feel normal.

I loved when other people drank with me.

I loved when other people started the drinking, so it didn’t have to be me.

I loved weekends, holidays, events and occasions where I could start drinking earlier in the day. 

I drank fast and furious.

I always wanted more.

It didn’t hit fast enough and then it hit all at once. 

I drank alone like this too, but it felt better when there were others doing it with me. 

I could not hang, so I often passed out hours before the party ended. 

The drinking lifestyle started out with all the best intentions.

Wine at playdates.

Day drinking by the pool on a holiday weekend.

A crisp glass of white in the sun chatting on the phone before the kids came home. 

The drinking lifestyle ended with...