Lisa and Christal are joined by Vicky, founder of My Happy Balance, as she reflects on the life-changing moment that led her to sobriety five years ago. A sense of deep disconnection at a friend’s wedding became the turning point, prompting Vicky to take an honest look at her relationship with alcohol—and she didn’t like what she saw.
Vicky opens up about the inner conflict she faced: the overwhelming desire to stop using alcohol as a coping mechanism while still feeling the pull to drink. She shares how she created rules to mask her drinking habits and the justifications she clung to in an attempt to stop.
We also dive into the societal pressures that kept her stuck—the fear of how friends might react if she chose sobriety—and how the isolation of the COVID lockdown forced her to make a choice: let her drinking spiral or stop altogether.
Drawing on her expertise as a health and nutrition coach, Vicky explores the physical impact of alcohol on the body, particularly how it can worsen symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Her approach at My Happy Balance focuses on adding more of the "good stuff"—strength training, nutrition, and wellness—to support women through life’s challenging transitions.
Today, Vicky is thriving. Five years sober and nearly five years into running My Happy Balance, she shares how sobriety was the foundation for building the business and life she has today.
Fun fact: Christal, Vicky, and our producer Matt know each other from the party scene (almost 20 years ago)—and now, years later, they've come full circle, reconnecting through the podcast for a powerful and inspiring conversation.
Connect with Vicky:
Website: My Happy Balance
Instagram: @MyHappyBalance
The Sober Freedom podcast is hosted by Christal Dauncey and Lisa McGinnis.
To leave comments, ask questions and interact with the show, follow @sober.freedom on Instagram.
Please also subscribe, rate and leave comments wherever you listen to help us reach more people!
The show is recorded at KUPOD Studios in Oldham and produced by Matt Dean, with video production from Eddie Corteen for KUPOD Productions.
For more information visit kupod.co.uk