Sun & Moon Sober Living Podcast

Eli Susman, PhD, is a psychologist who has spent fifteen years asking whether well-being has to mean stepping away from your life, or whether it can happen right inside it. He earned his BA at Middlebury College and his PhD in psychology at UC Berkeley, where he developed and named the Micropractice: a research-backed tool that takes thirty seconds or less.
His path to that work ran through monasteries, long silent retreats, and years of teaching yoga, from the United States to rural Madagascar. He brought what he learned back to the lab at Berkeley and Harvard, studying how small physical acts like breath, touch, and the way we speak to ourselves can shift how we feel in the middle of an ordinary day. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the Mind & Life Institute, and it has been covered by The New York Times, CNN, the BBC, and NPR’s Hidden Brain.
He is also a certified yoga teacher, a laughter yoga leader, and a longtime meditation facilitator. His book, Micropractice, came out from Avery in October 2026 and is being published in 19 languages. He writes a free newsletter called The Micro Memo hosted on Substack.
Topics explored in this episode include:
What is a micropractice?
The research on shorter practices
Move, touch, breathe & flow practices
The unique benefits of dance
Tips for making habits stick
A self-compassionate touch practice
Find out more about Eli's work: https://www.micropractice.com/

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SUN & MOON SOBER LIVING:
Announcement: The French Alps Summer Hiking Retreat is officially open for bookings! Find out more: https://sunandmoonsoberliving.com/french-alps-retreat/
Access a free mindfulness meditation guided by Mary Tilson to help manage cravings and regulate emotions: https://pages.sunandmoonsoberliving.com/easemeditation
Follow along on Instagram: @sunandmoon.soberliving 
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Announcement: The French Alps Summer Hiking Retreat is officially open for bookings! Find out more: https://sunandmoonsoberliving.com/french-alps-retreat/
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Episode #132: Natalia Violette is a cancer survivor, writer & emerging ecosomatic practitioner. After a devastating Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis in 2019 at twenty-eight, she left behind a former life in corporate leadership to follow a path rooted in creativity and healing. Drawing on her lived experience of navigating a new normal after illness and lifelong trauma, she now devotes her work to supporting others in reconnecting with themselves and the world through embodied, ecological (nature) connection, nervous system tending, and creative expression.
Topics explored in this episode include:
Surviving cancer
Overworking & burnout
Recovering from addiction
Deciding “not yet”
Finding spiritual connection
Ecosomatics 
Recovering childlike wonder
The many types of grief
Writing & poetry
To connect with Natalia and learn more about her work:
Website: https://violetteinkcreative.com/ 
Substack: https://substack.com/@nataliaviolette3
IG: @natalia.violette
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SUN & MOON SOBER LIVING:
Access a free mindfulness meditation guided by Mary Tilson to help manage cravings and regulate emotions: https://pages.sunandmoonsoberliving.com/easemeditation
Follow along on Instagram: @sunandmoon.soberliving 
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Donna Marston is a speaker, author, Family Recovery Support Specialist, Certified Recovery Support Worker, Harm Reduction Trainer, and founder of Sharing With Out Shame®. She is also a wife and mother of two adult sons, bringing both lived experience and professional expertise to her work with families affected by addiction.
For years, Donna tried to rescue, control, and protect her son. Eventually, she learned that love alone was not enough. She had to learn how to set boundaries, stop unhealthy helping, and take responsibility for her own healing — without guilt or shame.
Today, Donna guides parents who feel overwhelmed and unsure whether the way they are responding is supportive or unintentionally harmful. Through workshops, courses, private sessions, books, and the Sharing With Out Shame® podcast, she provides parents with practical tools to regain balance—even when their child is not ready to change.

Topics explored in this episode:
How to respond instead of react
The importance of self-care
Harm reduction
Misconceptions about how to support someone through addiction
How to establish healthy boundaries
Talking at versus talking with
Navigating the early stages of recovery
Spirituality
To learn more about Donna's support services, visit the Sharing Without Shame website: https://sharingwithoutshame.com/
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SUN & MOON SOBER LIVING:
Access a free mindfulness meditation guided by Mary Tilson to help manage cravings and regulate emotions: https://pages.sunandmoonsoberliving.com/easemeditation
Follow along on Instagram: @sunandmoon.soberliving 
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Alysse Bryson is an award-winning media executive turned founder, redefining modern sobriety as an aspirational lifestyle. In November 2025, she was honored as the first recipient of the Cultural Ambassador Award from Sans Bar Academy—recognizing her work as a leading voice in the sober movement. As the creator of The Sober Curator, she’s built a trusted platform that has guided over 1.1 million unique visitors to embrace sober living with purpose and joy. 
Topics explored in this episode:
Alysse’s recovery journey
How the sober world has evolved over the last 20 years
A near death experience with workaholism
The whack-a-mole of addiction
Addressing the root cause
Starting The Sober Curator
Inclusivity in sober spaces
Find out more: https://thesobercurator.com/
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SUN & MOON SOBER LIVING:
Access a free mindfulness meditation guided by Mary Tilson to help manage cravings and regulate emotions: https://pages.sunandmoonsoberliving.com/easemeditation
Follow along on Instagram: @sunandmoon.soberliving 
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Aimee Frazier is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the owner of Portland Hiking Therapy. She leads mental health therapy sessions for adults on the hiking trails of Portland, Oregon, supporting them with trauma recovery by using a combination of ecotherapy and traditional therapy techniques. Aimee also writes for Psychology Today about hiking and mental health, and is a voice in the expanding field of walk and talk therapy. Outside of work she enjoys mountaineering and time with her family and kids.
In this episode, we discuss:
What to expect from an Ecotherapy session
The benefits of nature and adventure-based therapy
Building self-efficacy, confidence & positive body image in the mountains
How outdoor adventure supports trauma healing
Identifying avoidance in endurance sports
Managing the lows after a big expedition
Environmental psychology: how various landscapes evoke unique responses
Practical ways to integrate nature into daily life
Find out more about Portland Hiking Therapy: https://www.portlandhikingtherapy.com/
Read Aimee's articles on Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/aimee-frazier-ma-lpc
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SUN & MOON SOBER LIVING:
Access a free mindfulness meditation guided by Mary Tilson to help manage cravings and regulate emotions: https://pages.sunandmoonsoberliving.com/easemeditation
Follow along on Instagram: @sunandmoon.soberliving 
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.