286. Not Drinking Tonight with Amanda White

Psychologists Off the Clock

Alcohol is a pervasive part of many of our lives, but have you ever questioned your relationship with alcohol? Taking an honest look at the way we use alcohol can be a powerful tool in identifying our motivations behind drinking, allowing us to make more conscious decisions and better manage our consumption.

Therapist, Author, and Founder of Therapy for Women, Amanda E. White is determined to challenge the traditional “black-and-white” outlook on “alcoholism” by encouraging people to unlock a deeper understanding of their relationship with alcohol.

Exploring practices from Amanda’s books Not Drinking Tonight, A Guide to Creating A Sober Life and Not Drinking Tonight: The Workbook: A Clinician's Guide to Helping Clients Examine Their Relationship with Alcohol, we examine how to identify the purpose alcohol serves in your life and how to use this knowledge to recognize patterns of unhealthy behavior, develop boundaries and create a healthier lifestyle.

Listen and Learn:

• Amanda’s own journey with alcohol
• Why people don't have the language to explore their relationship with alcohol
• Why Amanda’s books are geared toward people who don’t necessarily meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder
• Why the black-and-white mentality of alcohol is problematic
• What makes us feel obligated to give the right reason for not drinking alcohol
• How therapists can examine the issue of alcohol use with their own patients
• Why do emotional relationships with alcohol make it increasingly harder to cut ties
• Why Amanda coined the term ‘disordered drinking’
• How mindfulness practices can be helpful for people who want to change their drinking habits
• The importance of self-care in cutting down or quitting drinking
• What to do if we think a loved one’s relationship with alcohol is problematic, but they don't agree or they don't see it

Resources:

• Learn more about Amanda and her work here: https://amandaewhite.com/
• If you are looking for modern approaches to therapy, visit Therapy for Women: https://therapyforwomencenter.com/
• You can buy both of Amanda’s books here: Not Drinking Tonight, A Guide to Creating A Sober Life: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9780306925856 and Not Drinking Tonight: The Workbook: A Clinician's Guide to Helping Clients Examine Their Relationship with Alcohol: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9781683735519
• Follow Amanda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapyforwomen/

About Amanda E. White

Amanda E. White is a licensed therapist and the creator of the popular Instagram account @therapyforwomen. She is the author of the book “Not Drinking Tonight: A Guide to Creating A Sober Life You Love,” and the corresponding workbook by the same title. She is the founder and owner of the group therapy practice, Therapy for Women Center, based in Philadelphia serving clients across the country. In her clinical work, she specializes in substance use disorders. People are drawn to Amanda’s unique expertise, accessible approach to healing and mental health. She has been featured in notable publications such as Forbes, Washington Post, Self, Shape, Women’s Health Magazine, and more.

Related Episodes:

• 27. Alcohol and the Brain with Lara Ray
• 43. Willpower With Kelly McGonigal
• 66. Helping People Change Using Motivational Interviewing With Nadine Mastroleo
• 202. The Addiction Inoculation with Jess Lahey
• 215. How to Change with Katy Milkman
• 233. Dopamine Nation with Anna Lembke
• 235. The Urge: The Shaping of Addiction & Mental Health with Carl Erik Fisher
• 243. Motivation to Get it Done with Ayelet Fishbach

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices