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PODCAST

Journey to the Sunnyside

Journey to the Sunnyside is a top 1% podcast, reaching over 500,000 listeners every week. It’s your guide to exploring mindful living with alcohol—whether you"re cutting back, moderating, or thinking about quitting. While Sunnyside helps you reduce your drinking, this podcast goes further, diving into topics like mindful drinking, sober curiosity, moderation, and full sobriety. Through real stories, expert insights, and science-backed strategies, we help you find what actually works for your

health & fitness mental health

All Episodes

45:39

Why Some Kava Works and Some Doesn’t w/ Morgan Smith

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/04/23

Join me for a conversation with Morgan Smith of Kalm with Kava, as he speaks from his farm in Hawaii about why people can have such different experiences with kava. Morgan has spent more than a decade studying the plant and working directly with growers, and in this episode he breaks down what kava is actually meant to do, why quality matters so much, and how to avoid misleading or low-quality products. We also talk about where kava may fit for someone trying to drink less, and where it may

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11:40

When Better Starts Feeling Boring

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/04/20

A few months into drinking less, something happened that caught me off guard. Things got better, then better became normal, and normal started feeling a lot flatter than I expected. In this episode, I talk about why that can be such a vulnerable moment, and why people sometimes drift back right when things are actually going well. If you’ve ever thought, I thought this would feel better than this, this one’s for you.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast:

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55:38

Food Noise, Alcohol Noise, and the New Science of...

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/04/15

Mike sits down with Geoff Cook, CEO of Noom and one of the biggest names in digital behavior change, and Nick Allen, CEO of Sunnyside, for a conversation about food noise, alcohol noise, GLP-1s and naltrexone, and the new science of comprehensive behavior change. Geoff has led Noom since 2023 as the company expands beyond weight management into a broader model that blends personalized psychology with modern medicine, while Nick is building Sunnyside around a similar idea in alcohol: that

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10:27

7 Things Most People Get Wrong About Harm Reduction

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/04/13

After talking with Dr. Andrew Tatarsky on the podcast more than once, and continuing the conversation outside those episodes, I kept coming back to the same thought: harm reduction is still one of the most misunderstood ideas in this space. A lot of people hear the phrase and instantly assume it means lowering the bar or not really committing to change. That’s not what it means. In this episode, I break down seven things I think most people still get wrong about harm reduction, and why

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9:16

Why You Feel So Split Around Drinking

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/04/06

In this episode, Mike puts a name to something that has come up again and again on the podcast: Internal Family Systems, or IFS. Drawing on ideas discussed by several therapists on the show, including Beej Christie Karpen, he breaks down why part of you reaches for relief, why shame keeps the cycle going, and how to start responding with more curiosity and less self-attack. This one gives you a simple framework and a few practical ways to use it the next time the urge shows up.CONNECT WITH

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39:29

Why the Parts of You That Drink Are Not the Enemy w/...

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/04/02

Beej Karpen is a mindfulness-based coach and IFS practitioner who helps people change their relationship with alcohol in a more compassionate way, without shame, labels, or all-or-nothing thinking. She created Mindful Drinking 101 in 2020, has led more than 35 groups, and has spent the past 12 years running the first Moderation Management Women’s meeting In this episode, we talk about what is really happening underneath the urge to drink, why shame backfires, how IFS changes the way people

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12:34

A Craving Is Not a Command

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/30

In this episode I talk about one idea from my conversation with Nir Eyal that I think is genuinely useful for anyone trying to drink less. He made a point about pain and signal that applies directly to what happens when a craving shows up — and it's a lot more practical than just white knuckling through it. A craving is real. It's uncomfortable. But it's not a command. This episode is about what to actually do in that moment.Nir's Book, Beyond Belief: https://a.co/d/0bOchJVGCONNECT WITH

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37:14

Why You Stay Stuck Even When You Know Better w/ Nir Eyal

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/26

Nir Eyal is the bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable, and he has a new book out called Beyond Belief. What I liked about this conversation is that it gets at why so many people stay stuck, even when they already know what to do. We talk about what belief actually is, how it shapes what we notice and feel, how labels can quietly become identity, and why some forms of positive thinking can actually keep people stuck instead of moving them forward. At the center of the book is this

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11:13

7 Things Science Knows About Drinking That Most...

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/24

Over the last few years I've had the chance to sit down with researchers who study drinking behavior from a lot of different angles — psychology, neuroscience, habit formation, public health. And the thing that keeps striking me is how often what the research actually shows doesn't match the way most of us think drinking works. Not slightly off. Sometimes completely backwards. In this episode I walk through seven of those findings. The ones that surprised me most — and honestly, a few that

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47:35

Why Some People Are Pushing Back on Sober Curious w/...

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/19

Welcome back to Journey to the Sunnyside. Today I’m joined by Merrilee Burke, a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 20 years of experience, specializing in alcohol moderation, trauma, and eating disorder recovery. Merrilee reached out because she’s been noticing a shift with clients lately in how they talk about sober curious and alcohol-free culture. Not some huge backlash, but enough of one to make it worth exploring. So today we talk about what’s changing, why some people

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10:31

I Wanted a Drink Last Night

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/16

Last night, I found myself in a moment that felt familiar. Stress had been building, a disagreement pushed me further, and that quiet thought of a drink started turning into something I knew wouldn’t lead anywhere good. In this episode, I share what was happening in my mind, what helped me stop, and how one simple visualization changed the course of the night. I also break down the deeper lesson in all of it. Sometimes cravings are not really about alcohol. They are about pressure, relief,

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37:36

Before Mindful Drinking, There Was Moderation...

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/12

Today I’m joined by Andrea Pain, Executive Director of Moderation Management, one of the longest-running organizations helping people rethink their relationship with alcohol without an all-or-nothing approach. Here at Sunnyside, that philosophy really resonates with what we see in our own community, and a lot of our members actually find support using both Sunnyside and Moderation Management. So today we talk about the story behind the organization, how it has evolved over the years, and

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10:46

Why “I Thought I Was Past This” Is Completely Normal

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/09

You’re drinking less. You feel like you’ve turned a corner. And then one night something happens… you have more than you planned, or the old routine sneaks back in. The next morning a thought appears: “I thought I was past this.” In this episode, Mike explains why that moment is actually a normal part of behavior change. Drawing from neuroscience and habit research, he breaks down why progress with alcohol rarely happens in a straight line—and why those waves of challenge don’t mean you’re

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48:15

Cravings vs Habits: Understanding How Naltrexone...

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/05

Today I’m talking with Jenny Williamson, Executive Director of Options Save Lives, one of the leading organizations focused on medication-based approaches to reducing alcohol use. We dive into how naltrexone actually works, why people often misunderstand the medication, and the important difference between cravings and habits when it comes to alcohol. Jenny also explains what the medication can — and can’t — do on its own, and why behavior change still plays such an important role.EDITOR'S

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8:44

What If You’re Not “Wired This Way”?

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/03/02

At some point, a lot of people assume their drinking is just part of their personality. In this episode, we unpack the myth of the “addictive personality,” explain how habits get automated in the brain, and explore why reinforced behavior can start to feel like identity. What if this isn’t who you are — but just what your brain learned?CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel:

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26:29

Not an Alcoholic. Still Not Fine w/ Jennifer Kautsch

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/02/26

You don’t identify as an alcoholic.You’re functioning.You’re successful.But something still feels off.In part two of my conversation with Jennifer Kautsch, founder of Sober Sis, we explore why the gray area can feel harder to leave than rock bottom. We talk about identity, why labels create resistance, how high-achieving women quietly manage drinking, and what sober-minded living actually means.If you’ve ever felt stuck between fine and not fine, this episode will help you think differently

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34:09

Stuck in the Detox to Retox Loop w/ Jennifer Kautsch

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/02/25

You wake up with regret.You promise yourself tonight will be different.And somehow, by 5 pm, you’re negotiating again.In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Kautsch, founder of Sober Sis, one of the largest communities in the country for women questioning their relationship with alcohol. We break down what she calls the detox to retox loop, the mental tug-of-war of gray area drinking, and why so many high-performing people feel stuck between fine and not fine. If you’ve ever felt like

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9:05

Your Prefrontal Cortex Clocks Out at 6 PM (Here’s...

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/02/23

Morning-you makes promises. Evening-you breaks them. There’s a biological reason for that. When stress rises and energy drops, the salience network starts prioritizing immediate relief over long-term goals. Learn how to shift which version of you is in charge — without fighting yourself.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram:

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14:21

What 1, 2, or 5 Drinks Really Do to Your Body

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/02/19

Most alcohol advice feels contradictory. One drink a day is “moderate.” Two per week is “low risk.” Zero is “optimal.” So what actually happens inside your body at 1 drink, 2 drinks, 3–4 drinks, or 5+? In this episode, I break down the real biology — including what acetaldehyde is, why stacking nights compounds stress, and how dose and frequency affect sleep, hormones, inflammation, and recovery. Then I walk through what patterns carry less biological load and how to build smarter recovery

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7:51

The Decision Was Made at 3 PM

Journey to the Sunnyside ·

2026/02/17

By the time you’re standing in the kitchen at 7 PM, your brain may have already decided. In today’s episode, we look at why the hardest part of drinking habits often happens before you ever pour a drink. Understanding that early window can help you step out of autopilot and back into real choice. It’s a small shift that makes a big difference.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel:

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