After Hours with Jimmy Thistle

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Rachel’s story begins with neglect, resilience, and a whole lot of sadness. Her mother lost custody of her sister & her due to her own addiction, being raised by their father alone, A heartbreak that forced her to grow up fast. She lost her mom to an overdose at just sixteen, an even bigger heartbreak that forced her to grow up even faster. With a hardworking dad who was always trying to keep the family afloat and a younger sibling who depended on her, Rachel learned early how to survive chaos. But survival came with pain, and that pain eventually pulled her down a darker path.
By twenty, Rachel became a mom herself, trying to figure out adulthood while fighting battles she didn’t know how to name yet. Drinking led to blackouts, benzos numbed everything, and holding a job became almost impossible. Life felt like it was slipping through her fingers. Everything changed on April 11, 2024; the day she chose sobriety and never looked back. Since then, she’s lost over 70 pounds, rebuilt her life from the ground up, and become the steady, reliable version of herself she once never believed possible.
Today, Rachel is nearly two years sober, a co-host of the growing podcast Rock Bottom with Ryan, and a powerful voice for women & mothers in recovery. She is a present mother, a woman who shows up at work every day with pride, and the creator of a life she once only dreamed about. She’s also preparing to marry the man who stood by her through every breakdown and breakthrough on her two years of sobriety. Her passion now is helping other women see that healing is possible, no matter how far they’ve fallen, you can get back up and fight the fight!

Catch Rachel on Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/realtalkwithrachie

Rock Bottom with Ryan Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/rock-bottom-with-ryan/id1827151504

Mel Robbins - Let Them
https://amzn.eu/d/0d5hYimk

Dr. Anna Lembke - Dopamine Nation
https://amzn.eu/d/09Td17HH 

Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

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Natalie is a sober mom devoted to recovery, spiritual awakening, and conscious healing. Through lived experience, deep self reflection, and radical honesty, she speaks about what it truly means to choose sobriety, face grief and loss, and rebuild a life rooted in self trust and inner peace. Her journey centers on surrender, resilience, and learning to live aligned with truth rather than survival. Natalie believes sobriety is not just the absence of substances, but the presence of self. One day, one choice, and one awakening at a time.
You can find her on Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/thesoberglowgetter
David Goggins - Can't Hurt Me
https://amzn.eu/d/06CVZCpY
Requiem For a Dream - Darren Aronofsky
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180093/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

Send a text
Ash’s relationship with alcohol began at sixteen, drinking Lambrini down the park with her friends. For many years, alcohol was her idea of fun. It led her into dangerous situations, and many of the negative experiences she carries would not have happened had she not been drinking.

As she got older, her drinking evolved. Park benches turned into sophisticated nights out and glasses of Whispering Angel on the sofa. But alongside this shift, her hangovers grew heavier and more debilitating. They began to affect her mental health and erode her self worth, leaving her feeling like a horrible person in the aftermath.

Around six years ago, Ash’s sober curious journey began. She picked up quit lit, educated herself, and started following sober accounts on Instagram. A quiet but powerful seed was planted, the idea that life could be lived differently.

After many ups and downs and several sober stints, at thirty three she decided to give sobriety a real try and see what life could look like without wine. Becoming a mum made the decision feel more meaningful. She wanted to take it seriously and be the best role model she could be for her daughter.

Ash realised she had been getting through life while drinking, but she wanted more than just okay. She wanted a life where she wakes up with a spring in her step and finds joy in the simple, booze free moments 🌱
You can find Ash on Insta at:

https://www.instagram.com/boozefreesparkle

Sober Stories From Everyday People - Sassy Sober Mum

https://amzn.eu/d/dR6xhhv

Lucy Rocca - How to Lead a Happier, Healthier, and Alcohol-Free Life : The Rise of the Soberista 

https://amzn.eu/d/dR6xhhv

We are the luckiest - Laura McKowen

https://amzn.eu/d/g7QaCV5
Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

Send a text
Alex Leigh is a former international model turned sleep coach, mum of two, and midlife transformation advocate. After years of pushing through stress, burnout, and using alcohol as a coping mechanism, she reached a point where she knew something had to change.

Choosing sobriety became the catalyst for everything - better sleep, better boundaries, stronger body, clearer mind. At 47, she is living proof that it’s never too late to rebuild your life from the ground up.

Through her online platforms, Alex shares honest conversations about alcohol, nervous system regulation, sleep, discipline, motherhood, and what it really takes to stop playing small.

You can get Alex on her Insta at:
https://www.instagram.com/alex.leigh2.0?igsh=MW5lNDRycGg3NjgxbQ==

And the rest of her links on linktree:
https://linktr.ee/alexleigh2.0?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=17960b0f-56c9-4594-8528-f694d5c11340

Veronica Valli - Soberful 
https://amzn.eu/d/0hAlJ2Fc

Russell Brand - Recovery
https://amzn.eu/d/07E3gRcQ

Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

Send a text
Kaitlin is over three years sober and passionate about turning her past into purpose. Having experienced the challenges of addiction firsthand, she now uses her voice to bring hope to those who are still struggling. She believes that no one is too far gone for recovery and that sharing our stories is one of the most powerful ways to heal and connect.
You can find Kaitlin on instagram at
https://www.instagram.com/soberasamotherfocused

and on Tik Tok
https://www.tiktok.com/@soberasamotherfocused

Addicted to Recovery Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/addicted-to-recovery/id1727956037

Rachel’s Holiday - Marian Keyes 
https://amzn.eu/d/0gXQ0NYv

Again Rachel - Marian Keyes
https://amzn.eu/d/04hNE5yd

One Day 
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16283804/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Thirteen
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328538/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
 
Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug stats
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/substances-risk-factor-vs-direct-deaths
Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/