Staying Sober in Community
Meet sober writers and connect in the comments!
Welcome! As part of celebrating and growing the Sober App Substack community, this periodic feature showcases recent contributors. Check out their bios, publications, and guest posts below, and share your own sober publication or say hello in the comments.
Emily Beaver writes about the weird, unglamorous middle part of figuring your life out—somewhere between going alcohol-free and becoming the kind of person who remembers to defrost chicken. She lives in New York, loves French bulldogs, runs even though she complains the whole time, and is just trying to build a life that feels good (or at least funny). Mostly, she’s trying to become the perfect version of herself, whatever that means this week. Find her newsletter at: Almost Together.
Laura Catanzano is a wife, mother, and poet living in New Hampshire. She writes about her recovery from generalized anxiety disorder and her journey to becoming alcohol-free. Through poetry and personal reflection, she hopes to bring light to those navigating their own darkness. You can follow her newsletter at: The Light Within.
Chris ❤ 🏳🌈 (CDN) he/him 50+ is a proud dad and retired book seller. In his words: “Every now and then I get the urge to write, and the words are clearer now in sobriety. So. Maybe that will be the first brick I use to build a new house for my soul.” You can connect with Chris on Substack Notes.
Carolyn Clark is a 62-year-old grandmother who, after drinking for 40 years, quit alcohol just after her 58th birthday and changed her life. Carolyn lives by the coast in North Wales, and after a 30-year career in public service, she now works as a sober coach, yoga teacher, and retreat host. She is passionate about the outdoors, her dogs, her family, her self-development and yoga education, her work with her clients and students, and completing her “60 for her 60s” bucket-list items. You can find Carolyn on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Substack.
Kristen Crocker is a mother, stepmother, and advocate for normalizing the discussion of alcoholism among strong, smart women. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Idaho in 2013, and now makes a living selling tree work. Kristen writes about sobriety and parenting in her newsletter: Recoverettes.
Author Jeremy Evans is a chaplain, recovery counselor, and writer with 30 years of sobriety. He explores the intersections of faith, mental health, and neurodivergence in his newsletter, BETWEEN WORLDS. He lives in Minnesota with his beautiful new wife, Lori, two dogs, two cats, and more books than he’ll ever finish.
Kathi Foy, a native New Mexican, lives with her husband on her daughter’s organic farm in Albuquerque’s South Valley. She has two adult children and two teenage grandchildren. A retired educator and hospice chaplain, Kathi now tutors her homeschooled grandson, cares for her husband, who has Alzheimer’s disease, and actively participates in both church and community activities. You can read more about her life and experiences in her newsletter: Kathi’s Substack.
Flávia Giraldes is a Brazilian writer currently living in Germany. She holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations. Short, myopic, and tattooed, she’s often a reader, always a writer. You can find her on LinkedIn, and she shares personal essays in Portuguese (nothing Google Translate can’t handle!) on Substack at: fcgiraldes.
Greg (OurNightSky.Us) is an astrophotographer and IT professional who runs the devotional website Our Night Sky. Through his writing and photography, he offers encouragement to those struggling to find light beyond the darkness. His work reflects his faith, his journey through recovery, and his desire to help others.
Dana Leigh Lyons is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and writer sharing heart-sourced, no-bullsh*t insights on addiction, sobriety, and holistic wellness. She manages Sober App Substack alongside writing her own newsletter: PERFECT HUNGER™, feeding your hunger for a more beautiful, more nourishing life.
Jamie Magnant is a writer, creative, entrepreneur, and a sober queer human. She is a lover of yoga, nature, poetry, dance, children, and art. She is a proud girlfriend to her partner, an auntie, and a forever learner. She has a spirit on a search for further freedom, adventure, and presence. You can find her newsletter at: Painting Nature's Poetry.
Ellie Nova is a sober coach, mentor, writer, and mother living in East Sussex, UK, with her husband and four-year-old son. In her publication A Little Fantastic Sober Life, she writes about living an alcohol-free life with presence and compassion, sharing personal stories and supportive practices to help people break free from alcohol for good.
Rosie Pennicott (RP) is a storyteller, writer, and community builder passionate about honest conversations and connection. She writes a regular newsletter, RP IS WELL, where she shares personal reflections on millennial life, mental health, and self-discovery. Rosie is also the founder of The Working Women’s Movement, a supportive community space for ambitious, values-led women.
Samantha Perkins is an author, TEDx speaker, and educator. Samantha works with women and teens to help them break free from alcohol culture. In her influential workshops, she encourages people to identify how their beliefs around alcohol have been shaped by the media they consume. She helps reshape these beliefs and educates others about the damaging side effects of alcohol, beyond just addiction. Find Samantha’s newsletter at: Ask A Sober Person .
Marianna Portela is a Brazilian storyteller and group facilitator living in the United Kingdom. Marianna weaves myth, memory, and ancestral healing into her work with women across cultures. She writes the newsletter Healing Stories and hosts the podcast Goddess, Witch, Woman.
M. Shane Willbanks is a recovered alcoholic, writer, and proud work-in-progress. In his newsletter, Sober Duder's Spot, he writes about the gritty, beautiful, often ridiculous path of staying sober and staying human. He lives in Arkansas, where he’s learning that healing doesn’t always look heroic—but it does look like showing up.
Josh Woll is an award-winning filmmaker and mentor with nearly 20 years behind the camera. Through The Sober Creative, he guides fellow creatives on their journey to sobriety while nurturing creative potential and business growth. Drawing from his own transformation, Josh demonstrates how clarity of mind unleashes creativity that substances often mask. He empowers professionals to discover that sobriety isn’t a limitation—it’s liberation, allowing your authentic artistic voice to emerge with greater power and sustainable success.
Your turn!
We’d love to hear from you:
If you’re a sober writer, share your publication or latest article in the comments.
Or just say hello and share anything about your sober journey!
And before you go, would you take a second to tap that little heart? It lets others know there’s something helpful here and grows our sober community.
We know that sharing about recovery and sobriety can feel vulnerable. Like in recovery groups, we ask that commenters in this space refrain from giving unsolicited advice or spreading hate and division. Thank you for helping us foster a kind and inclusive community!
Want to be published on Sober App Substack?
If you’re sober and interested in contributing, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to our newsletter manager here for submission guidelines.
Thanks so much to everyone sharing, commenting, and reading along! ❤️
Great list! So many incredible people! Thank you for this Dana! ♥️ 🙏