
Veronica Valli on The Promise of Emotional Sobriety for TMST’s 1st Birthday
06/23/22 • 52 min
Rollercoasters are a fun diversion, but they’re no way to live. That’s why the whipsaw experience of being on an emotional rollercoaster is one of the things folks are most happy to see leave their life. Those radical highs and lows aren’t confined to the times when people are using - they often extend well into sobriety. Usually driven by hyper-sensitivity and, to be honest, a lot of self-absorption.
And that’s where today’s guest comes in.... As we mark the beginning of Year Two for Tell Me Something True, we’re revisiting a conversation with Veronica Valli on emotional sobriety.
We get into how emotional sobriety does and doesn’t relate to abstinence from substance or process addictions. What emotional sobriety actually means, why it’s something everyone has to do (not just people in recovery) if they want healthy relationships, because no matter what, “the hardest thing any human being has to do is deal with other people.”
In addition to being a dear friend, Veronica is a woman in long-term recovery, a therapist, a sobriety coach, founder of the Soberful program, a co-host of the Soberful podcast, and the author of three books, the most recent of which, Soberful: Uncover a Sustainable, Fulfilling Life Free of Alcohol.
Veronica has genuine encouragement to share about the comfort and relief that comes from living an integrated life. As happens every time we talk, after this conversation, we felt more grounded, clear, and hopeful, and hope this has the same effect for you, too.
- Veronica’s website
- The Soberful podcast
SUPPORT: Tell Me Something True is a 100% independent podcast. We are 100% funded by the TMST community. Become a TMST member today so you can hear the uncut interviews, attend private events with Laura and help keep TMST ad-free.
====
TMST is hosted by Laura McKowen, the bestselling author of We Are The Luckiest and founder of The Luckiest Club. Follow the show and Laura on Instagram.
Rollercoasters are a fun diversion, but they’re no way to live. That’s why the whipsaw experience of being on an emotional rollercoaster is one of the things folks are most happy to see leave their life. Those radical highs and lows aren’t confined to the times when people are using - they often extend well into sobriety. Usually driven by hyper-sensitivity and, to be honest, a lot of self-absorption.
And that’s where today’s guest comes in.... As we mark the beginning of Year Two for Tell Me Something True, we’re revisiting a conversation with Veronica Valli on emotional sobriety.
We get into how emotional sobriety does and doesn’t relate to abstinence from substance or process addictions. What emotional sobriety actually means, why it’s something everyone has to do (not just people in recovery) if they want healthy relationships, because no matter what, “the hardest thing any human being has to do is deal with other people.”
In addition to being a dear friend, Veronica is a woman in long-term recovery, a therapist, a sobriety coach, founder of the Soberful program, a co-host of the Soberful podcast, and the author of three books, the most recent of which, Soberful: Uncover a Sustainable, Fulfilling Life Free of Alcohol.
Veronica has genuine encouragement to share about the comfort and relief that comes from living an integrated life. As happens every time we talk, after this conversation, we felt more grounded, clear, and hopeful, and hope this has the same effect for you, too.
- Veronica’s website
- The Soberful podcast
SUPPORT: Tell Me Something True is a 100% independent podcast. We are 100% funded by the TMST community. Become a TMST member today so you can hear the uncut interviews, attend private events with Laura and help keep TMST ad-free.
====
TMST is hosted by Laura McKowen, the bestselling author of We Are The Luckiest and founder of The Luckiest Club. Follow the show and Laura on Instagram.
Previous Episode

Brianna Madia on Surviving the Lie That Was Killing Her
Brianna Madia’s journey as a vagabond lifestyle influencer was extraordinary. It was her, her van, her dogs and, for a time, her husband. And according to her it was really good. Until it wasn’t. And then, it got really scary. Brianna takes us behind the curtain of the IG influencer life - and then we go 100 levels deeper. While the world was fixed on her very attractive-appearing life, she was living with a slow, gnawing truth that was killing her. When she came clean, the geyser of vitriol was horrific. The extreme shaming she received after admitting that she made some, admittedly, desperate life choices - was topped only by the brutality she inflicted on herself. A brutality that had her considering some irrevocable actions. Brianna is able to talk about some big truths and hard things - and yet it never feels like trauma porn. There’s no voyeuristic charge to her story, so you’re left being able to see where we’ve all made choices we wouldn’t want to repeat - and where we go from there. Brianna’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/briannamadia/ Brianna’s site: https://www.briannamadia.com/ Her book, Nowhere For Very Long: https://www.briannamadia.com/nowhereforverylong Episode link: https://www.tmstpod.com/episodes/52-brianna-madia-on-surviving-the-lie-that-was-killing-her Spotify playlist for this episode: Tell Me Something True is a 100% independent podcast. There are no corporations or advertisers backing this community. We are 100% funded by the TMST community. Support TMST today so you can hear the uncut interviews, attend private events with Laura and help keep TMST ad-free: https://tmst.supercast.com/
Next Episode

Dr. Kate Pate on Vets, First Responders and why “Being Triggered” is More Complicated Than You Think
We are never more than one connection away from a veteran or first responder.
They are the ULTRA helping professions. During the pandemic, many were the first line of protection and care. Over 20 years of The Global War of Terror, many have experienced repeated deployments with an anodyne “thank you for your service” and a bad country music song as their only Thank You.
But how many of us have asked how we can be part of THEIR solution network?
Meet Dr. Kate Pate, a neurophysiologist who is looking at the ways our brains impact our bodies, and how we heal both in harmony. Kate is laser-focused on the health and healing needs of our veterans and first responders, which means she’s focused on matters that impact our entire society.
Her perspective is grounded in healing and is relevant to all of us because we’re connected to these folks or need similar healing. She gets the role recovery plays in the equation and she brings true illumination to things like, “what’s a trigger?” and “is this PTSD?”
Dr. Kate Pate is one of the most impressive and insightful people we’ve ever met and you are going to love her.
Dr Kate Pate’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/doc.pate/
Episode link: https://www.tmstpod.com/episodes/54-dr-kate-pate-vets-first-responders-being-triggered
Spotify playlist for this episode:
Tell Me Something True is a 100% independent podcast. There are no corporations or advertisers backing this community. We are 100% funded by the TMST community. Become a TMST member today so you can hear the uncut interviews, attend private events with Laura and help keep TMST ad-free.
====
TMST is hosted by Laura McKowen, the bestselling author of We Are The Luckiest and founder of The Luckiest Club. Follow the show and Laura on Instagram.
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