Welcome to Alternatives to AA. We're Josh and Monique. Combined we're over 5 years sober and we’re on a mission to make the difficult journey of sobriety easier to manage. We’re not against AA, but we realized we needed to know how to manage the other 23 hours of the day. From communication to relationships to self-care, we’re going to show you how to cope when your triggers try to take you down.
Join us every Monday at 6 PM as we uncover not only how to live without alcohol, but how to actually thrive in sobriety and swap out your addiction for a better life.
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Episode 24: 4 Months Sober vs. 4 Years Sober (01:02:24)
Becoming sober is a life path with many challenges – but more importantly, it’s a life-long journey with many stages.In this week’s episode, Josh sits down with his good friend Brian once again to check in on his sobriety journey as well as compare insights from a newbie to that of a veteran. On the episode, they also cover life after alcohol – it’s ups and downs, the culpability you have when you “black out”, the body-mind link, dissociation and much more!Episode Highlights:0:00 - Introduction0:49 - Episode beginning1:23 - An update on Brian’s sobriety8:42 - Being addicted to “the feeling”12:25 - The “hair of the dog”, the relation between alcohol and Xanax22:14 - Caffeine and low-alcohol substitutes33:26 - Blacking out 10137:12 - The suitcase story52:45 - Feeling present and dissociating1:01:59 - A recent exampleAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 23: Discussion with the CEO of EverBlume (00:29:36)
In this week’s episode, Josh sits down with Sonia Kahlon, founder and CEO of EverBlume - an alternative to AA that places people into smaller groups that are more tailored to their specific sobriety struggles.Sonia discusses her own sobriety and how she struggled to get her life together, as well as what made her stop, routines, the EverBlume platform, and more!Episode Highlights:(0:00) - Introduction(0:53) - Episode beginning, introduction to Sonia(4:08) - Sobriety can change with time, beginners vs. pros(9:40) - Finding an alternative(11:24) - More info on the guest’s groups and her platform(14:14) - Some different groups guest has(20:10) - What made you want to stop?(24:56) - Different coping mechanisms for drinking(28:26) - You cant have a routine when you’re drinkingAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 22: Addiction from a Family Members Perspective (Part 2) (00:26:35)
Getting sober is such a personal journey - sometimes it can be easy to forget how it affects other people.In this week’s episode, the conversation between Monique and her brother Rick continues as he joins the show to share his experiences with Monique when she wasn’t sober. They dive into what’s changed, what it took for Monique to finally get sober and Rick even recalls some stories to give some more background into Monique’s journey.Episode Highlights:(0:00) - Introduction(0:48) - Episode beginning(4:36) - Some more rehab background(10:10) - Rick doesn’t forget(12:45) - What is different about Monique now that she’s sober?(15:49) - “Do you consider yourself an alcoholic?”(20:10) - Some other thoughts on dealing with alcoholism(25:48) - Episode wrap-upAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 21: Addiction from a Family Members Perspective (Part 1) (00:45:47)
Getting sober is such a personal journey - sometimes it can be easy to forget how it affects other people.In this week’s episode, Monique’s brother Rick joins the show to share his experiences with Monique when she wasn’t sober. They dive into what’s changed, what it took for Monique to finally get sober and Rick even recalls some stories to give some more background into Monique’s journey.Episode Highlights:0:00 - Introduction0:47 - Episode beginning1:46 - “In what ways is Monique different from when she was drinking?”7:11 - Nothing was working9:25 - The ability to be honest14:40 - Some more background on Monique’s alcoholism22:39 - Dealing with loneliness and planning for pregnancy 28:52 - How often were you worried about Monique’s safety?34:40 - Monique’s pattern37:09 - What Rick always feared, more fallout from drinkingAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 20: Boundaries and the Role They Play in Sobriety (00:37:07)
One of the most important pieces to sobriety is understanding what leads you to drinking, or using in general. Establishing boundaries around these triggers, whether they be habits or actual people, is crucial to your success.In this week’s episode, Josh and Monique talk about boundaries - not only setting them personally for yourself - but also setting them around other people.They’ll discuss where boundaries need to be created as well as how to do so properly. You’ll even get to hear about a recent experience Josh has had in his own life with setting boundaries.Episode Outline:0:00 - Introduction0:48 - Episode beginning1:15 - Overview of boundaries3:35 - Josh’s experience with setting boundaries7:25 - Boundaries are part of “the process”18:47 - Steps for setting up boundaries21:58 - Being your own person24:06 - Why boundaries are important to getting sober29:35 - Setting boundaries for yourself38:38 - Episode wrap-upAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 19: Tips for Staying Sober Long-Term (00:32:17)
Leading a sober life is a daily challenge - it takes steady commitment, effort and support.This week, join Josh and Monique as they discuss some of their tips for staying sober in the long-term. With close to a decade of sobriety between them, they’ll let you in on some of the tools they utilize to keep their sobriety on track.Episode Highlights:0:00 - Introduction0:49 - Episode beginning1:05 - Create a reality that you like more than the one you have with alcohol5:32 - Dreams come with issues, your ego can trick you11:06 - Keep track of your progress16:15 - Finding new things to interest you and occupy your time18:44 - Envisioning where “going backwards” would take you21:25 - Bringing back things you enjoyed as a kid23:30 - Helping others with their sobriety26:21 - Looking at sobriety as a daily challenge30:07 - “Drinking dreams”32:43 - Live in love, not fear35:50 - Episode wrap-upAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 18: AJ's Sobriety Story (00:47:35)
When it comes to addiction, sometimes it can be very difficult to even notice you have a problem. My guest today struggled to come to that very realization before finally becoming sober one year and three months ago.AJ Mayer is a 25 year old carpenter and a fellow Hunterdon County native. Growing up in a drinking household, AJ was first introduced to alcohol at a very young age. Following his parents divorce, AJ began down a self-destructive path and hit rock bottom when he was hospitalized over a year ago.In part 2, we get some more details on AJ’s time in rehab and his rock bottom moment. We also discuss some of what he took away from his time in rehab and how he’s employed that in his life to stay sober since then.Episode Highlights:(41:50) - AJs sobriety and how it all started(48:34) - When AJ started rehab, what it was like(55:50) - Transitioning to AA, life after rehab(1:04:28) - Taking it one day at a time(1:09:23) - What worked for AJ(1:12:13) - What worked for Josh, staying sober(1:16:50) - “It’s never going to change, we’re always going to have this mentality”(1:21:02) - Finding where the anger comes from(1:24:50) - The importance of a bond, looking to the futureAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 17: AJ's Sobriety Story (Part 1) (00:39:01)
When it comes to addiction, sometimes it can be very difficult to even notice you have a problem. My guest today struggled to come to that very realization before finally becoming sober one year and three months ago.AJ Mayer is a 25 year old carpenter and a fellow Hunterdon County native. Growing up in a drinking household, AJ was first introduced to alcohol at a very young age. Following his parents divorce, AJ began down a self-destructive path and hit rock bottom when he was hospitalized over a year ago.We talk about the time he spent working for a liquor store, how his addiction grew, how it affected his life and where it took him. Stay tuned for part 2 where we take a deeper dive into AJ’s story!Episode Highlights:(0:00) - Introduction(0:48) - Start of the episode, how AJ started drinking(3:08) - When AJ’s parents got separated(6:15) - Working at Bourbon Street Liquors(12:40) - “I always thought that I could quit”(13:37) - When AJ started going down a dark path(19:35) - Before the pandemic, the “Union mentality”(24:30) - The pandemic’s effect on drinking(28:10) - Different types of alcoholism(31:10) - AJ’s DUI, drinking and driving(40:14) - How long AJ has been sober forAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 16: New Years Resolutions with Brian Davis (Part 2) (01:02:34)
Welcome back to part 2 of my conversation with my good friend, Brian Davis!In this second installment - Brian and I open up the discussion a little bit more. We talk about fatherhood, growing up, younger generations, lifting and more!Episode Highlights:(0:00) - Introduction(0:49) - Brian recounts his arm injuries(3:56) - Alcohol’s involvement in crime and injury(8:35) - Risk assessment and being young(10:11) - Being a dad and how it changes your perspective(15:38) - The connection you have with your kids(23:06) - Raising your kid in the crucial early years(32:17) - Some of Josh’s 2023 goals(35:15) - Using the gym as a “new addiction”, miscellaneous lifting discussionAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 15: New Years Resolutions with Brian Davis (Part 1) (00:51:30)
It’s officially 2023 and you know what that means - resolutions.That one time of year where everyone endeavors to be a little (or a lot) better in one way or another. In the spirit of the new year, I invited my good friend Brian Davis back on to Alternatives to AA!Brian has a different relationship with drinking that we explored last time he was on - and I’m excited to build on that conversation some more in this two part discussion.We also dive into what we’re looking forward to in 2023, other addictions, substances, the importance of perseverance and much more!Episode Highlights:0:00 - Introduction0:49 - Episode beginning and some of Brian’s goals for 20233:40 - Going overboard with your happiness and “ramping up”7:17 - Smoking, cellphones and other addictions16:40 - Mixing drinking with work, or a project20:02 - Glamorizing challenges or difficulty29:09 - The importance of perseverance32:19 - Marijuana discussion36:53 - Psychedelics discussion40:55 - How does caffeine fit into your life?43:48 - Vitamins, nutrition and how athletes do it at the highest levelsAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 14: Pregnancy and Sobriety with Monique Robinson (00:41:01)
Welcome back to another episode of Alternative to AA!We return to you with a special episode and a special announcement - Monique is pregnant!While this is exciting news, we all know that having a baby can be very taxing financially, physically and emotionally. But more importantly, for those of us in recovery, we can find ourselves in new situations that test our sobriety. Join us this week as we cover this niche topic of balancing the constraints of sobriety with the reality of pregnancy. From food limitations, hormones, how you spouse fits in.. we dive into it all!Episode Highlights:0:00 - Introduction0:49 - Episode beginning1:28 - Approaching your pregnancy while sober, the first trimester9:17 - Food limitations as a new trigger and “new sobriety”14:01 - “Getting pregnant” and how it is from the guy’s perspective20:33 - Dealings with hormones, how it can impact your mood and sobriety33:05 - Constantly working on your sobriety - especially when you’re busy36:33 - Having support for pregnancy AND sobriety39:17 - Episode wrap-up and a call for guests!About Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 13: Brian's Sober October (Part 2) (00:30:23)
Popularized by the Joe Rogan podcast, “Sober October” has grown into a yearly event that encourages people to abstain from drugs and alcohol for the whole month of October.Brian returns in part 2 to discuss how he began phasing alcohol out of his life through Sober October. In this follow-up episode we dive deeper into our discussion about drinking, substance abuse and living a sober lifestyle. We cover using alcohol to cope with stress and trauma, when drinking became a burden for us, the WWE and more!Episode Notes(0:50) - Beginning of the episode, managing a relationship sober vs. when you’re intoxicated(3:59) - Regulating moderation and the difficulties with living in the middle(4:46) - What liquor store employees must see, gray morality of selling something that hurts people(7:56) - Athletes, WWE wrestlers and their relationship with drugs and alcohol(10:56) - “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and his struggles with substance abuse(14:17) - “It’s a pain thing with these athletes”, (19:07) - “Everyone at some point has had an issue with this”, using alcohol to avoid stress, problems or trauma(22:01) - “When it stopped being fun and started being a burden”, exploring gambling addiction and different gambling habits(27:43) - Hiking YosemiteAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 12: Brian's Sober October (Part 1) (00:25:07)
Popularized by the Joe Rogan podcast, “Sober October” has grown into a yearly event that encourages people to abstain from drugs and alcohol for the whole month of October.This week, Brian returns to the show to discuss how he began doing “Sober October” and how it set him on the path of living a more sober lifestyle. He covers the benefits he experienced from drinking less, as well as how his mindset and perspective on drinking has radically changed since then.Episode Outline(0:49) - Beginning of episode, background on “Sober October” and why Brian participates in it(2:22) - The nature of habit-breaking, drinking becoming a part of your routine(5:35) - How drinking can interfere with your recovery and sleep, focusing on keeping it to events(7:15) - Using alcohol to deal with stress(11:35) - Drinking and getting older, it’s harder on your body and makes it more difficult to stay healthy(12:26) - You have to ask yourself, “how much longer is this going to go on before you just stop?”(15:21) - The stigma around even talking about issues with alcohol, Brian’s first experience with Sober October and how his tolerance changes(18:58) - Drinking vs. drug usage and the idea of “trusting” one more than the other(21:06) - The spectrum of alcoholism, why you don’t hear about “overdosing” on alcohol as much as you do drugsAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 11: Honesty in Sober Relationships (Part 2) (00:55:53)
Sometimes, being in a relationship with another addict can be problematic. Other times, it can be a great source of strength to have someone that intimately understands what you’re going through.In part two of this interview, Josh and Monique continue to explore and discuss the drawbacks and benefits of their relationships with Roni and Samantha another married couple who got sober together. They cover everything from issues with trust and honesty, to friends and family, sponsors and more.Episode Outline:(0:49) - Episode start, discussion around weddings, marriage, balancing work and your relationship(7:50) - The cost efficiency of sobriety(10:27) - “Are there any negatives to doing this [sobriety] together?”(13:45) - Why your “survival instincts” can’t be trusted(20:27) - Do you still have problems with sneaking, taking short-cuts? What “the alcoholic brain” means for your day-to-day sober life(24:30) - Processing negative emotions and the importance of having a hobby or an outlet(32:18) - Relationships aren’t perfect, you need to find the root of any given situation(35:17) - Your partner can provide a deeper support for you than AA or friends, making sure that work doesn’t get in the way of your relationship OR sobriety(43:32) - “It all goes back to honesty and openness”, doing things togetherAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 10: Honesty in Sober Relationships (Part 1) (00:37:32)
Sometimes, being in a relationship with another addict can be problematic. Other times, it can be a great source of strength to have someone that intimately understands what you’re going through.In this week’s episode, Josh and Monique are joined by Roni and Samantha, a fellow sober couple. Together, they explore the drawbacks and benefits of their relationships - issues with trust and honesty, friends and family, sponsors and more.Episode Outline(0:49) - Episode start, “What was it like early in your relationship trying to get sober together?”(6:55) - How the couples arranged moving in together, their weddings(11:16) - The importance of trust in a sober relationship(16:20) - “Did you have issues with sponsors?”, discussing how it’s “supposed to work” with two addicts being together(26:23) - “Did you guys get sober at the same time?”, attending meetings as a couple (or not?)(30:22) - Gaps in AA meetings, how you need to compensate for all the time outside of AAAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
You don't have to replace your friends, replace your environment (Part 2) (00:31:43)
ATAA Show Notes - Ep. 8 (Pt. 2)Although it can be difficult to negotiate, it’s important to understand the impact that your surroundings can have on your addiction. From going out to eat to seeing a movie, you need to be weary of your environment and any potential triggers.This can be made even more difficult by your friends, who can play a role in influencing what you do – or even unknowingly put you in a bad situation.In part two, Josh and Monique continue to explore how addiction interacts with your relationships, from the environments that you can be in to the activities that you can participate in. You’ll learn tips and tricks on how you can adjust and properly balance these changes so you can keep your friends and your sobriety!Episode Outline(0:49) - Episode start(0:52) - Your ability to say “no” and the importance of it, getting to know your limits(3:40) - So many events and activities can revolve around drinking(7:06) - Difference in how we were raised vs. the current generation, the role of your subconscious and understanding your feelings(12:45) - Don’t replace your friends, just replace your environment(17:00) - Holding on to unintentional shame, what it means for the success of your sobriety(22:46) - The importance of NEW friends and trying new things(26:11) - Don’t cut off your friends and family, the real benefits of social connectionAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same.Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 (https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395)Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56 (https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56)
Episode 8: You don't have to replace your friends, replace your environment (Part 1) (00:30:03)
In this episode of Alternatives to AA, Josh and Monique Robinson talk about maintaining friendships throughout the transition toward a sober lifestyle. As they are recovering from alcohol, one problem Josh and Monique saw is their friends being drinkers. The challenge was keeping those friendships intact but, at the same time, staying away from alcohol. They share some tips on how to do this. A Change of Environment It is customary that when going out with friends, there would always be alcohol involved. Yet, if you are trying to get sober, controlling yourself is difficult when the temptation is right in front of you. Moreover, friends might offer you a drink out of habit. How then should you stay friends with them and avoid alcohol? Josh and Monique say to find common ground where alcohol is not involved. Jogging or taking walks are some examples of these activities. How about friendships whose common ground is addiction? There is the question of which is more important between sobriety and relationships. The truth is, both are important. Severing ties is not the best option, but do what is best for you, as well. If they are the ones pouring you the drink, cut them off. It is still possible to have great friendships without the help of alcohol. What is important is that you have a good time with the people you value the most. Outline of the Episode: [00:49] Episode overview [02:44] When addiction is the common ground [09:06] Devaluation of support [11:40] Help is a currency like money [16:08] Cut off only the bad influence [19:17] Mutually ask each other’s needs [23:56] Sobriety is a journey with friends and family [27:21] Say no when pushed too hard About Joshua and Monique Robinson: Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist. Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson. Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same. Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson! Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 7: Finding Sobriety- Brian (Part 2) (00:47:24)
In this episode of Alternatives to AA, Josh Robinson has his friend, Brian, join him on the show for the second part of his journey to sobriety. Brian has been sober for a month and a half. He recently competed in a USAPL meet in Philadelphia, where he hit a lifetime goal of squatting 500 lbs. Brian is well-traveled and can speak on various aspects of life, including athletics, training, travel, relationships, and parenting, among others. Domino Effect Overconsumption of alcohol often leads to passing out. The actions made from that point would be unknown to the drunk person as they cannot remember what they did the night before. Having no control of actions while drunk would have a lot of consequences. Often they happen all at once. Most times, bad decisions are made while drunk. A concrete example would be driving under the influence. The probability of a car crash is very high since coordination is at an all-time low when drunk. In the event of a car crash, the person either dies or gets injured. That is when problems line up: hospital bills, damages, even a lawsuit for driving under the influence. Eventually, there are other factors to consider, especially relationships that may be affected by one mistake. For every action, there is always a reaction, so take a minute and think before chugging down an alcoholic drink. Outline of the Episode: [00:49] Therapy and worthlessness [06:46] One mistake and everything crashes down [12:00] The problem with the term “alcoholic” [17:24] Consequences of passing out [26:17] When alcohol became Brian’s friend [35:53] Actions done drunk versus sober [40:47] Clarity and acceptance About Joshua and Monique Robinson: Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist. Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson. Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same. Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson! Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 6: Finding Sobriety- Brian (Part 1) (01:08:15)
In this episode of Alternatives to AA, Josh Robinson has his friend, Brian, join him on the show to talk about his journey to sobriety. Brian has been sober for a month and a half. He recently competed in a USAPL meet in Philadelphia, where he hit a lifetime goal of squatting 500 lbs. Brian is well-traveled and can speak on various aspects of life, including athletics, training, travel, relationships, and parenting, among others. How Alcohol Affects YouAlcohol is an “I don’t care” drug, meaning it can make someone do something they will not do if not under its influence. Its effects are only temporary, and the feeling that you can do anything will have consequences once you snap back into reality. From Brian’s experience, alcohol gives him the courage to ask a girl out at the bar. Yet, everything was a total blackout for him upon waking up the next day. That is still mild, but in rather extreme situations, some may be deadly. Brian shares that according to clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, everything eventually catches up on you. Another thing is that drunk people are more likely to commit murder and be murdered. Brian shares the psychologist’s anecdote of a couple who got drunk in their house and ended up with the wife shooting her husband in cold blood. All things in excess are bad. Thus, everything must be kept in moderation. Outline of the Episode:[0:00:49] Main benefits of not drinking[0:04:38] Alcohol as the “I don’t care” drug[0:13:27] Dehydration due to excessive drinking[0:24:44] Accountability for drunk actions[0:26:31] Jordan Peterson’s anecdote[0:29:40] Brian’s squat training[0:39:22] Strive for better[0:49:20] Self-worth problem[0:54:10] Why people do not feel good enough[1:00:21] Do what makes you happyAbout Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson.Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same. Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 5: Gratitude (00:35:47)
In this episode of Alternatives to AA, Josh and Monique Robinson talk about how gratitude can help someone stay sober. Practicing the art of gratitude greatly reduces the chances of drinking. Josh and Monique discuss how to find the silver lining even amidst the curveballs that life throws. The Power of Gratitude No matter how hard life is, there is always something to be grateful for. Regardless of the problems and challenges, appreciation for the things already there outweighs the negative. Seeing the silver lining in things helps one avoid going into the rabbit hole of alcohol. So often, people reach for a drink when problems become unbearable; it is an escape. Yet, it adds to the problem once they get back in touch with reality. However, gratitude gives clarity to think and ponder upon the next step to providing solutions. Through that, the problem is crossed out from the list, and the person remains sober. Outline of the Episode: [00:49] Episode introduction [02:20] Josh and Monique’s experience with life problems [09:35] Train to be grateful [18:56] Gratitude in the form of prayer [21:17] See different things [27:56] Put things in perspective [30:53] Forgive yourself for making mistakes About Joshua and Monique Robinson: Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist. Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson. Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing their own ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in the form of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA, and their mission is to help others do the same. Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson! Josh’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.robinson.395 Moniques Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.cool.56
Episode 4: Changing your Lifestyle to Change your Outlook (00:18:20)
Episode 3: Finding you Higher Power (00:12:54)
Episode 2: Forgive Yourself and Forgive Others (00:33:36)
In this episode of Alternatives to AA, Josh and Monique Robinson gravitate theirdiscussion around forgiveness towards the self and others. The first thing todo when it comes to sobriety is to forgive oneself and accept that it is okay notto be okay. Tune in as they share how they did it themselves so others can dothe same. Perfectionism, the Root of Them AllStriving for perfection is a great quality to have. It just shows that you are doingyour best in everything you do. Yet, not all expectations are met, and thatleads to disappointment. In worse-case scenarios, it falls into alcoholism. Alcoholoffers a false sense of escape; that is why most alcoholics cling to it toforget disappointment. Nothing is perfect in this world – that is a fact. Ittakes acceptance to forgive yourself for not achieving the greatness in mind.That is why forgiving oneself and others is required for sobriety. Forgivingyourself means learning to do away with the all-or-nothing, black-and-whitethinking; it opens up to see the middle. Outline of the Episode:[00:48]Episode introduction[01:55]Perfectionist mentality[08:17]Forgiving others[13:59]Express anger healthily[18:59]Social media and perfectionism[22:18]Repressed anger[26:55]Ways to cope with repressed anger About Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson. Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degreein psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing theirown ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in theform of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA,and their mission is to help others do the same. Connect with Joshua and Monique Robinson!<p...
Episode 1: Facing your Fears (00:29:17)
In this monumental first episode of Alternatives to AA, Josh and Monique Robinson breakdown one of the biggest factors in alcoholism and recovery: fear. There aremany factors that contribute with fear, and apparently, people see one thingthat is perceived as the only solution – alcohol. Listen more to discover thesefears and how to confront them so you do not get tempted to drink. Fear FactorTo drink occasionally is fine, but how much is too much that it becomes a problem?Somewhere along the way, a drinking problem is rooted in fears. For Josh, hisfear of women urged him to start drinking. It was ingrained in him that hecould not talk to women if he had not had a sip of alcohol, thus developing hisdependency on it. Things got way out of hand when he saw alcohol as a solutionfor everything. For Monique, alcohol was an escape to cover her frustrations,anxieties, and insecurities. Having that alcohol kick masks off those and makesher forget that she was afraid. All things are good in moderation, but that wasnot the case for both of them. From Monique’s analogy, it started as a pebbleand rolled down into a boulder down the hill. Yes, fear must be faced, butturning to alcohol as a solution is not the best route. Outline of the Episode:[00:00]Episode introduction[03:36]Analogy of a little cut[08:52]Break the problem into smaller pieces[15:23]How to face your fears[21:10]Understand your self-awareness[24:09]Keep everything scheduled[27:53]Self-consciousness About Joshua and Monique Robinson:Joshua is a recovering alcoholic turned life coach and psychologist.Co-host of Alternatives to AA is his wife, Monique Robinson. Josh Robinson is a bodybuilder, athlete, and life coach currently pursuing a degreein psychology. Through hard work, relationship building, and developing theirown ways of coping, Josh and Monique are now packaging their recovery in theform of a podcast. He and his wife battled and overcame alcoholism without AA,and their mission is to help others do the same. <p...
Alternatives to AA Trailer (00:01:58)
Welcome to Alternatives to AA. We're Josh and Monique. Combined we're over 5 years sober and we’re on a mission to make the difficult journey of sobriety easier to manage. We’re not against AA, but we realized we needed to know how to manage the other 23 hours of the day. From communication to relationships to self-care, we’re going to show you how to cope when your triggers try to take you down. Join us every Monday at 6 PM as we uncover not only how to live without alcohol, but how to actually thrive in sobriety and swap out your addiction for a better life.
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