175 | Facing the Dark Side: Understanding Shame, Triggers, and Shadow Work

You want to quit drinking - but the advice keeps coming back to God, prayer, and finding a higher power. What if none of that connects with you? Can you find support without pretending to believe something you don’t? Julie and Steve join Sean and David for an honest conversation about faith, doubt, spirituality, and life without alcohol. Their experiences have led them in different directions - from ministry and returning to Jesus to finding meaning in nature, human connection, and beliefs that are still evolving. They don’t share one definition of a higher power - or even the belief in a higher power at all. Together, they explore what helps them find purpose, accept what they can’t control, and take responsibility for what they can. In this episode, we discuss:

What do you do when a relationship hurts more than it helps... but walking away doesn't feel like the right answer either? When we quit drinking and begin seeing things more clearly, we often start seeing our relationships differently too. Some were built around alcohol. Some depended on us staying quiet, ignoring our needs, or accepting behavior that no longer feels okay. But recognizing that a relationship is unhealthy does not always tell us what to do next. In this episode, Julie and Steve are joined by BethAnn and Corina for an honest conversation about the many options between tolerating a painful relationship and ending it forever. Together, they discuss:

What happens when past hurt makes connection feel dangerous? It is possible to want close friendships and honest relationships while also feeling determined never to be vulnerable enough to get hurt again. Keeping everyone at a distance can feel safer - but it can also become painfully lonely. In this episode of No Alcohol Needed: the Podcast, Julie Miller and Steve Knapp are joined by therapists Teresa McLellan and Crystal Hamilton to explore how to trust people again after betrayal, rejection, or repeated disappointment. Together, they discuss:

What if taking responsibility didn’t mean blaming yourself - but taking your power back so you can find real joy? It’s easy to believe life would finally feel better if another person changed, work became less stressful, the kids behaved differently, or circumstances simply stopped going wrong. But when happiness depends on everything around us cooperating, we can end up feeling powerless. In this episode of No Alcohol Needed, Julie and Steve are joined by Dave and David for a candid conversation about radical responsibility: recognizing what belongs to you, allowing other people to carry what belongs to them, and making intentional choices even when life is difficult or unfair. Together, they explore:

Why does someone else’s success so quickly become evidence that you’re failing? Comparing yourself to others is deeply human. We use comparison to understand where we fit, whether we belong, and whether we’re doing okay. But when comparison becomes tied to shame and self-worth, it can leave us feeling like everyone else is doing life - or sobriety - better than we are. In this episode, Julie and Steve are joined by Matt and Sean for an honest conversation about comparison, confidence, and recovery. They discuss feeling behind because of years spent drinking, comparing sober time and recovery progress, and the pressure to measure personal growth against someone who began with entirely different circumstances. They also challenge the idea that comparison is always harmful. Sometimes it can offer useful information, show us what is possible, and help us recognize what we genuinely want. The difference is whether someone else’s progress inspires curiosity - or becomes a verdict about our own worth. Together, they explore: