Laughs without Lager

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Ali and Meg

13 episodes

1 week ago

Send us a text What if the school holidays weren’t a blur of recovery but a season you actually remember? We get honest about how alcohol once ran the schedule—stacking holiday programs to make space for hangovers, leaning on sleepovers and grandparents, and calling it “normal.” Then we map the upgrade: sober camping trips that count even when it’s just one night, late-night teen pickups without the panic, and family milestones—like a 90th birthday—where every laugh lands because we’re truly ...

All content for Laughs without Lager is the property of Ali and Meg and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Episodes (13/13)

Laughs without Lager

Sober School Holidays

1 week ago

30 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Navigating events Sober

Send us a text A bag of manure, a wrong funeral procession, and two friends laughing so hard their faces hurt—this is a story about how fun didn’t vanish when the wine did. We crack open the invisible rules that used to run our lives: the bar tab at weddings, the “you deserve it” drinks after pregnancy, the designated‑driver resentment, the “check your texts” dread. Instead of preaching, we talk honestly about what changed: connection got louder, shame got quieter, and ordinary Sundays starte...

3 weeks ago

29 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Sober Party People: How to have fun Without Alcohol!

Send us a text Alcohol freedom doesn't mean the end of fun—it's the beginning of something far more authentic and expansive. In this eye-opening conversation with Kim Raysmith, founder of Sober Party People and retreat host, we dive deep into what it really takes to reclaim joy without liquid courage. Kim's journey begins with a familiar struggle: "I wanted to be sober like I wanted a hole in my head." For years, she chased the elusive "moderation fairy," convinced that her inability to cont...

1 month ago

36 minutes

Laughs without Lager

From Self-Sabotage to Self-Love: Faye's Sober Journey

Send us a text Valentine's Day typically conjures images of romantic love, but for Faye Hughes, it became the day she finally chose self-love over self-destruction. Flying back to Australia after a family wedding gone wrong, shame and regret weighing heavy on her shoulders, Faye made a life-altering decision to commit to sobriety that would transform every aspect of her life. Faye's story begins with childhood impressions of alcohol as the centerpiece of fun and connection, watching her moth...

1 month ago

33 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Blackout Drinking

Send us a text Have you ever woken up after a night of drinking with no memory of how you got home? Those aren't just fuzzy memories—they're scientifically proven to be memories that never formed at all. Welcome to the neurological phenomenon of blackouts. Megsie and Ali take you on a deeply personal journey through their experiences with alcohol-induced blackouts, exploring both the science and emotional impact of these memory gaps. As Megsie poignantly shares, "I was a photographer who cre...

2 months ago

27 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Meg's Sober Summit interview

Send us a text Have you ever wondered if those small, seemingly insignificant moments from your past might be driving your drinking habits today? In this powerful conversation with Meg, we uncover the hidden connections between what she calls "invisible trauma" and alcohol dependency. Meg's journey began with a single trembling moment in front of her high school class that triggered an anxiety disorder. When she discovered at 18 that alcohol stopped her shaking hands, it became her medicine—...

2 months ago

57 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Reclaiming Your Worth: The Financial and Emotional Freedom of Sobriety

Send us a text Imagine standing in a store, debating whether to spend $75 on a massage gun for chronic pain relief, while never once questioning dropping $200 on weekend alcohol. This jarring realization sparked our deep dive into the strange financial double standards we create before and after sobriety. We unpack how society normalizes spending on harmful habits while scrutinizing healthier choices. "$15,500 saved in 3.5 years of sobriety" isn't just an impressive number—it represents free...

3 months ago

27 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Alcohol related Red Flags

Send us a text Ever wonder if those nagging concerns about your drinking might actually be important warning signs? Join Ali and Megsy as they candidly unpack the red flags they ignored on their paths to alcohol dependence—and eventual sobriety. With unflinching honesty, they explore how society's narrow definition of "alcoholism" allowed them to dismiss serious warning signs simply because they were "high-functioning." From bringing backup booze to every social event to eagerly awaiting the...

3 months ago

32 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Breaking the Fuck-It Button Cycle

Send us a text Ever found yourself swearing off alcohol only to cave in a moment of weakness? That dreaded "fuck it button" moment is something both of us know intimately—and it's exactly what we're tackling in this raw, unfiltered conversation about the cycle of drinking, quitting, and drinking again. Ali opens up about her journey through hypnotherapy to address the root causes of her drinking—feelings of unworthiness and abandonment—only to face a critical test at a colleague's wedding wh...

4 months ago

27 minutes

Laughs without Lager

But will I lose friends?

Send us a text The question arrived in our inbox from a listener with a familiar fear: "Will I lose my friends if I stop drinking?" It's a concern that keeps countless people trapped in cycles of alcohol use despite wanting to quit. After all, drinking culture permeates nearly every social gathering—from parent meetups to barbecues, Friday celebrations to weekend festivities. Drawing from our combined eight years of sobriety, we explore how friendship landscapes truly transform when alcohol ...

4 months ago

26 minutes

Laughs without Lager

The Courage to Say "I Don't Drink"

Send us a text Ever wondered when to tell people you've stopped drinking? That seemingly simple question leads us down a fascinating rabbit hole of social expectations, personal growth, and the unexpected gifts of sobriety. As two women with over seven combined years of alcohol-free living, we've navigated countless awkward explanations, invented excuses, and eventually found our authentic voices. From Ali's clever "one-year no beer challenge" deflection to Megsy's podcast revelation, we sha...

5 months ago

26 minutes

Laughs without Lager

The gift of celebrations alcohol free!

Send us a text Remember when special occasions meant inevitable hangovers? When Mother's Day was just another excuse to pop champagne at breakfast and keep drinking until you crashed on the couch by dinner time? We've been there, and in this raw, honest conversation, we're pulling back the curtain on how celebrations transform when alcohol no longer takes center stage. The "mummy wine culture" phenomenon continues to dominate greeting cards, gifts, and social expectations—teaching even young...

5 months ago

23 minutes

Laughs without Lager

Welcome to Laughs without Lager!

Send us a text Welcome to Laughs without Lager, the podcast about freedom from alcohol, self-discovery, and a whole lot of laughs. In our first episode, we’re kicking things off by introducing ourselves—Ali and Meg—two Aussie's who ditched the booze and found something better: clarity, connection, and freedom. We’ll share a bit about our journeys to alcohol-free living, what this podcast is all about, and why going sober doesn’t mean going boring. Whether you’re sober-curious or already AF, p...

5 months ago

45 minutes