Soberful

Uncover a Sustainable, Fulfilling Life Free of Alcohol

By: Veronica Valli, Chip Somers

Narrated by: Veronica Valli

How to stop drinking, stay stopped, and develop emotional skills for a life of excitement and connection…without the hangover.

“No thanks — I’m not drinking tonight.” In a culture that equates alcohol with enjoyment and social acceptance, making this simple statement can make us feel like we’re depriving or even punishing ourselves. “When we realize we don’t want to drink anymore or can no longer drink safely, it can feel like the only choices are to spiral out of control or embrace a joyless life,” says psychotherapist and sobriety expert Veronica Valli. “But it’s not true! Sobriety can be a path filled with fun, excitement, belonging, relaxation, and romance.”

Soberful offers a practical and straightforward program on how to get sober and stay sober by increasing your self-worth, energy, and participation in life. Valli begins by debunking widespread beliefs about alcohol and sobriety, including the illusion that alcohol itself is the problem. Then she takes you into the heart of her method for building an alcohol-free life that works — the Five Pillars of Sustainable Sobriety:

• Movement — Taking care of your body for physical and emotional health
• Connection — Using self-compassion as a foundation for creating healthy and authentic relationships
• Balance — Learning how to disarm the triggers that make you want to drink
• Process — Validating, honoring, and accepting the past to move forward into the future
• Growth — How to keep changing, keep learning, and keep choosing to stay sober throughout the journey of your life

“When we change how we experience the world, we can stop trying to escape our feelings with alcohol,” Valli says. As a leader and pioneer in the field with 21 years of sobriety, Valli now shares the same steps that worked for her and her clients. Written with gentle humor and compassion, Soberful provides a road map to a life beyond drinking — one that is expansive, fulfilling, and joyously free.

©2022 Veronica Valli, Chip Somers (P)2022 Sounds True

Critic reviews

“Veronica gets it, and this book is the missing piece for people who want to live a vibrant life without alcohol. If you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol in any way, this is the book you need right now. In straight-talking chapters filled with compassionate advice and accessible tools, Veronica delivers a message that is both hopeful and actionable.” (Laura McKowen, best-selling author of We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life)

“I love Veronica Valli’s new book for its clarity, approachability, and basic common sense. Persuasive without being preachy in the slightest, this is a fabulous book and essential reading for anyone wanting to kick the booze.” (Lucy Rocca, founder of Soberistas, coauthor of The Sober Revolution: Women Calling Time on Wine O’Clock, and author of Glass Half Full: A Positive Journey to Living Alcohol-Free)

“Valli posits a new and different narrative about the perception of alcohol, its pervasiveness in our culture, and how it has historically (and systematically) affected our behaviors and belief systems. Soberful suggests that we can change our misguided beliefs about the benefits of alcohol by revising our perspective, learning a new language, and realizing the power of connection. Valli’s Five Pillars of Sustainable Sobriety provide the inspiration and structure necessary for us to discover the root of the problem and attack it with gusto.” (Laurie Dhue, National Recovery Advocate and former CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News anchor)

EXCELLENT from beginning to end!

Valerie's book is an amazing guide to a fulfilling alcohol-free life! While my story is much different than hers, I found myself saying YES many times throughout.

Opened my eyes to sobriety

Soberful changed the way I look at sobriety. It not only opened my eyes to the beauty of being sober but it helped realize why I needed to drink to begin with. Highly recommended.

Everyone could benefit from reading this book

Highly recommended! A practical guide to help you navigate early sobriety and beyond. It also explains why willpower does not work and how to begin the inner work to heal and move through past traumas and limiting beliefs. Veronica's methods work, I am proof of that!

Loved the Pillars of Sobriety

I heard about this book listening to Veronica’s interview on Laura McKowen’s podcast. I’m loving all of the newer material by the Alcohol Free movement - That encourages a more empowering and holistic approach to wellness and healing from addiction. This book reinforced many of the tools I use in my personal program and that there is absolutely a way to live a life full of gratitude in recovery. This book filled me up. -Freetoo

Great book on the bright side of sobriety

So, let’s get the bad out of the way. This tries kinda half-heartedly and unconvincingly to be a program of recovery. The journal prompts are boring and don’t really lead to any real powerful insights. I skipped them.

But, what the book does really well is lay out a strong case for sobriety for people on the fence and give an outline of what a joyful, well-rounded recovery will look like. What I always missed in AA was a real look into why I drank (resentment, being broken, and lack of a higher power were not my problems). Also, I am the kind of person that feeds off of positivity, success, and happiness. Sobriety as the absence of alcohol is not enough of a motivator. But leading a life full of physical vitality, connection, balance and growth appeals to me. As the author says, we are lucky because alcohol led us to a place of change and can awaken you to your true calling and potential. Good read!

Racist

I found her book to be racist against white, middle class women. Maybe she thinks this is just a trend right now, but it was very unappreciated. That won't help anyone stop drinking! Stick to your topic!