Episode 50: Addiction & Awakening with Skye Nicholson

With every alcohol-free journey there is a story. Despair, loss and pain; some stories darker than others. Then there is the rising, the knowing and the triumphant coming back to oneself. Authors have told their stories in the popular genre of ‘Quit Lit’ books and recovery memoirs. But there is another way to share this story – through poetry.

Today’s guest, Skye Nicholson, has written a beautiful offering that tells the story of her journey through the healing power of alchemy. Alchemy, Skye shares in her book, is the process of transmutation, requiring a good serving of magic, faith and backbreaking conviction. Exactly like our journey to freedom on the other side of alcohol. I loved this episode with Skye, which includes her reading two poems from her book: Unexpected Alchemy, Poems of Addiction and Awakening.

Skye Nicholson is a certified This Naked Mind Empowerment Coach, and
founded Soul’s Truth Coaching in 2021. Skye coaches women to their self-created
goals around personal empowerment, alcohol use, or anxiety reduction, by providing
tactics and tools to take charge of their thoughts. Skye’s recent book, Unexpected
Alchemy: Poems of Addiction and Awakening, shares her story of transformation after
finding freedom from alcohol in 2018. She lives in Columbus, Indiana, with her husband and two children.

Links/Resources Mentioned

Skye’s website: Skye’s website
Skye’s book: Unexpected Alchemy: Poems of Addiction and Awakening
5 Healthy Reasons to Take A Break Teri’s guide to understanding the impact of alcohol

Highlights

Taking Back Our Power
A Fire Inside
Science and Magic
The Complete Undoing
The Healing Journey of Poetry

To hear more inspirational stories like these, hit subscribe so you never miss out!

Subscribe to the Podcast

Join my newsletter

Latest Episodes

Walking Back to Happiness with Nigel Jones

In this deeply energizing conversation, Teri sits down with author, hypnotherapist, and alcohol-free coach Nigel Jones, who shares how he went from 35 years of drinking to five years alcohol-free — not by white-knuckling or moderating, but by changing his identity....

How to Calm the “F” Down

How to Calm the "F" Down As we step into December—the last beautiful arc of 2025—I’ve been reflecting on how much growth this year has asked of me. And you know what? Most of that growth has come from learning how to listen to my body in an entirely new way. This week...

From Wild Ride to Solid Ground: Living AF with Ian Fee

The Wild Ride to Sobriety: What Happens When Responsibility Becomes Freedom This week on The Sober Edge Podcast, I had the joy of speaking with Ian Fee, author of Wild Ride to Sobriety. If you haven’t read his book yet, it’s exactly what it sounds like: raw, honest,...

10 Things I Love About Sobriety (from 10 Years AF)

3 Promises, 2 Changes, 5 Lessons — A Decade Alcohol-Free This month, I celebrate ten years since I put down my last drink — and picked up my freedom. At the time, I thought I was giving something up. What I didn’t realize was that I was making a series of promises to...

A Brave Conversation with Nancy McKay

This week on The Sober Edge Podcast, I’m joined by the wise and wonderful Nancy McKay, whose journey through addiction and healing has shaped a unique and powerful approach to recovery. Nancy combines lived experience with professional expertise as a Life Coach, Equus...

The Hard Truth About ‘Just One Less’

Why cutting back keeps you stuck... When it comes to alcohol, one of the most common pieces of advice is: “Just cut back.” If you’re drinking five drinks, make it four. If you’re drinking four nights a week, make it three. On the surface, it sounds smart. Small steps,...

The Creative Side of Healing with Adriana Marchione

One of the most common things I hear from women in recovery is: “I don’t know what to do with all this space I’ve created now that I’m not drinking.” That’s where creativity often steps in. And not the kind that requires you to pick up a paintbrush and create a...

Hope for Families – Real Talk with Amber Hollingsworth

When your family needs more than encouragement One of the hardest parts of having a loved one who struggles with addiction isn’t the late nights or the worry—it’s the silence.So many families are told to “set boundaries” or “practice tough love,” but they’re rarely...

Let Them – Own Your AF Life!

What if I told you there's a two-word phrase that could make your alcohol-free life easier, lighter, and a lot more joyful? I recently finished Mel Robbins’ latest book, The Let Them Theory, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how perfectly it fits into our...