Nancy came to mind for the series when I saw a line outside of our state liquor store that to me, seemed a bit too long. Read on…
Lisa: Tell me about yourself and your outreach to women.
Nancy: I believe that you can’t be courageous without first being vulnerable.
I’ve been sober since March 14, 2009 and I’m an ovarian cancer survivor. Through the pain of these challenging and life changing events, I became acutely aware that life is short, and there was no time to lose to follow my dreams. I became a Certified Mind-Body-Eating Coach in 2018 and a Certified Wayfinder Life Coach in 2019.
I use my experience and my training to help women (primarily) and men who want to explore their relationship with alcohol. I work intently with my clients to challenge old beliefs and patterns and replace them with practices that empower them to achieve their desires around alcohol.
I host a weekly Facebook Live show (Thursday evenings, 5:15pm MDT), have a Facebook Group and write a blog, all with the same name: “Women & Alcohol”
Lisa: What was your turning point with alcohol and how did you become alcohol-free?
Nancy: I had a lot of warning signs along the way. I started getting curious and a little worried about my drinking 10 years or so before I quit. My last drink was on Friday, March 13, 2009. This was two years after my father committed suicide. I was wracked with guilt over his death and my drinking escalated greatly because of it. I quit because of my own suicide attempt forced me to see how desperate things had become. The gig was up.
Lisa: What are some of the things you do today to stay alcohol-free?
Nancy: Working with others who want to get and stay sober is part of my solution. I talk openly about my alcoholism and my passion and mission is to shatter the stigma that surrounds alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and addiction.
Lisa: How do you help other women who have a problem with alcohol?
Nancy; I use proven strategies, traditional methods and coaching tools to help women explore their relationship with alcohol. We uncover why they drink, what they’re thinking when they’re drinking, and what are the different results they want. It’s a process.
Lisa; How much is too much to drink? When do you know you have a problem?
Nancy: That’s a great question…it all depends. If negative things are happening in your life as a result of drinking, then that indicates that you’re drinking too much. Unfortunately, many people ignore the red flags.
Lisa: Many readers might have significant others who drink, do you work exclusively with women? Do you work with men?
Nancy: Yes, I work with men.
Lisa: What do you suggest to a woman if their significant other drinks?
Nancy: Set boundaries. Take care of yourself and your children. No one can change their spouse. We are only in control of ourselves. Al-Anon is a great resource for those who lives are affected by alcohol. If that isn’t a good fit, I have a coaching resource whose specialty is working with spouses, etc.
Lisa: What would you suggest to someone if they suspect they have a problem with alcohol? What is their first step?
Nancy: Recognizing that there is a problem is a huge step. If they think they have a problem, they probably do. Normal drinkers never wonder if they have a problem with alcohol. That being said, reaching out for help is the first step. Trying to do this on your own is very difficult. Of course, AA or rehab are the most traditional first steps, but many people don’t care for those options. People can work with therapists as well. Life/Recovery Coaches are probably the most effective and cost effective outside of AA, which is free. As a Certified Life Coach, I use a combination of my own experience, traditional recovery tools and extremely effective coaching tools to help my clients really dig into the reasons behind their drinking.
Lisa: What is the most exciting part of the work you do?
Nancy: When my clients hire me to be their guide on their journey of self-discovery and are willing to do the work that personal development demands, the transformation that takes place is amazing. Helping them to examine their thoughts and beliefs, witnessing their a-ha moments and watching them become empowered to change their lives is so rewarding.
Lisa: Who are your favorite influencers, bloggers, podcasters?
Nancy: My favorite authors in the recovery world are Laura McKowen (We Are the Luckiest), Annie Grace (This Naked Mind), and Holly Whitaker (Quit Like a Woman). Matt Salis is a friend who writes a great blog & is a podcaster (Sober and Unashamed).
Lisa: Tell me something about yourself that might be surprising.
Nancy: I’m a contributing author to Ready to Fly – Volume 3 (available through me at the moment – Amazon at a later date); Save July 22nd at 6pm MDT for our virtual launch party! I had my public speaking debut in March of this year. I loved it and hope to do a lot more of that in the future. In a former career I was a Kitchen & Bath Designer. I’m a weaver and I love needlepoint.
Thank you Nancy for taking the time for being vulnerable, share what you do, your life, and passion. Feel free to join Nancy for her Facebook group, Women & Alcohol for inquiry and support.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at https://calendly.com/lisa-365
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Big Hugs,
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