When it comes to changing your relationship with alcohol, willpower alone isn’t enough. If you’ve ever tried to cut back or quit drinking but found yourself struggling with cravings, anxiety, or feeling emotionally off-balance, there’s a deeper reason at play - your brain chemistry.

Alcohol impacts our neurotransmitters—dopamine, serotonin, and GABA—creating an artificial sense of relaxation, pleasure, and stress relief. Over time, our brains become dependent on alcohol to provide these feelings, leading to cravings and emotional struggles when we try to stop.

That’s why my approach focuses on addressing neurotransmitter imbalances first, before working on beliefs and behaviours. When we restore balance in the brain, the need for alcohol naturally diminishes, making lasting change possible.

If you’ve ever wondered why quitting alcohol feels so challenging, the answer lies in your neurotransmitters - the chemical messengers that regulate mood, motivation, and stress response. While alcohol leaves your system in about 72 hours, its long-term effects on neurotransmitters can linger for up to two years, making recovery feel like a rollercoaster.

Alcohol hijacks your neurotransmitters, which leads to withdrawal symptoms, mood swings, and cravings.  I help women understand where they are deficient, and how to restore balance naturally.

Whether you completed or just attempted Dry January, give yourself a high-five! Taking any step towards reevaluating your relationship with alcohol is worth celebrating. Even if your January didn’t end with a perfect streak, the very fact that you are here reading this means you are thinking about what comes next and that’s where the magic happens.

Let’s dive into how you can carry forward the momentum you have built (or restart it with grace) and craft a life that feels vibrant, fulfilling, and, most importantly, aligned with the person you want to be.

Taking a 30-day break from alcohol can feel daunting, especially in a culture where drinking is so ingrained in social norms. But stepping away from the booze, even for a short period, can offer transformative benefits for your mind, body, and overall wellbeing. Whether you're curious about how alcohol impacts your health or looking for a reset, the results after just one month can be truly eye-opening.

Early sobriety can feel like an uphill battle. A battle you don’t feel equipped for. It’s a phase where alcohol dominates your thoughts, your body reacts to its absence, and everything about life feels raw and unfiltered. Yet, as challenging as this stage can be, it’s important to remember that early sobriety is temporary and radically different from long-term sobriety. For me, I felt like I was white knuckling the early days. There was some screaming into pillows and many tears. But as the months went by, I thought about alcohol less and less. Now it barely occurs to me.

As I sit here reflecting on the past year, I can hardly believe it: I’m officially one year alcohol free. If you had told me this time last year that I’d spend an entire 366 days (2024 was a leap year!) without a single sip of wine, champagne, or cocktails, I probably would have laughed, and maybe even poured myself another glass. But here I am, proof that letting go of alcohol isn’t just possible; it’s transformative.

Letting go wasn’t easy, but it was the most liberating decision I’ve ever made. And now, as the new year begins, I want to share what I’ve learned about releasing old habits, not just to quit alcohol, but to step into a life that feels brighter, freer, and more aligned with the person I want to be

The holiday season is upon us, and with it a whirlwind of social events – including the infamous the office Christmas party. If you’re heading into this one sober, it’s completely normal to feel nervous and apprehensive. Between the free drinks, and the social expectations that drinking is the main event, staying alcohol-free can seem daunting.

Here’s the good news: you can enjoy the party without a drink in hand. In fact, embracing sobriety might make the experience better than you imagined.

As the festive season gets closer, many women are confronted by triggers that make staying alcohol-free especially challenging. The stretch from Christmas through New Year’s is filled with unique pressures - whether it's reconnecting with old friends or managing family dynamics, the temptation to drink can feel overwhelming. Here’s a look at five common triggers during this time and effective strategies to navigate them...

The holiday season is packed with parties, family gatherings, and social events - and, for many of us, the expectation to drink comes right along with them. But if you're heading into your first alcohol-free Christmas, know that you can navigate the festivities with confidence, enjoy the benefits of sobriety, and create meaningful connections - all without alcohol. Here’s how to embrace – and LOVE - the season while sticking to your AF goals.

It’s Christmas morning, you’re up bright and early, no pounding headache, no regrets about questionable choices from the night before and you actually feel excited to jump into the holiday festivities. It sounds like magic, right? Welcome to the magical world of an alcohol-free Christmas!

Many women start noticing how drinking affects them differently, and understanding why is the first step to making empowering changes. For me, I noticed a distinct difference in how alcohol impacted me after I turned 40 – it was one of the biggest reasons for me deciding to quit drinking in April 2019. Since then I’ve support thousands of women to change their relationship with alcohol.

Here are five ways alcohol impacts us more during perimenopause, along with some tips for navigating these changes.

SARAH RUSBATCH

As the festive season gets closer, many women are confronted by triggers that make staying alcohol-free especially challenging. The stretch from Christmas through New Year’s is filled with unique pressures - whether it's reconnecting with old friends or managing family dynamics (anything drive us to want a drink more than an entire day with our extended family?!), the temptation to drink can feel overwhelming. Here’s a look at five common triggers during this time and effective strategies to navigate them...

Picture this: a 15-year-old me, grimacing as I sipped my first alcoholic drink. I hated it. But like a trooper (or a fool, depending on your perspective), I persevered. After all, isn't that what we're supposed to do? Acquire a taste for something that tastes like fermented shoe polish? Ah, cheers to youth.

Sugar cravings can feel like an overwhelming challenge for many women, especially when we are tired, hormonal, or on the roller coaster of addiction. A stressful day at work, a long afternoon with the kids, or simply the irresistible temptation of dessert… Sugar calls to us like a siren song. But understanding the reasons behind cravings and learning how to manage them can empower us to make healthier choices. Here are some strategies for lasting control.

As I sit here reflecting on 2000 days alcohol free, I’m experiencing both a level of absolute marvel combined with a level of complete nonchalance I just wasn’t expecting. Rewind 5.5 years and Early Sober Sarah would only have dared to dream of reaching this incredible milestone, at a time where all thoughts, energy and emotion were tied up in simply not drinking that day. I thought I’d be popping balloons, eating cake and treating it like all of life’s big milestones. But in all honesty, I don’t feel the huge momentous celebration bubbling up in me like I expected. It just feels normal. Like any other day. Because I no longer celebrate my sobriety like I used to. It’s just who I am now. I used to drink. And now I don’t. No big deal.

When it comes to nutrition, there are many things we think we know—until we dig a little deeper. There's the staggering rise in sugar consumption, the hidden science behind ultra-processed foods, and the direct connection between diet and mental health. Here’s a look at what you might not know about the food we eat, and why it matters more than ever.

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and while awareness campaigns and pink ribbons fly, there’s a glaring truth that’s being overlooked: alcohol is directly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. A recent study by Flinders University revealed that only 1 in 5 women in Australia are aware of this link. That means 80% of women are completely unaware of the risks they face when they reach for a glass of wine, beer, or a cocktail.

During a recent Zoom session for my group coaching program, Rediscovering Me, one of my clients shared a profound realisation. She said, "Sarah, it’s so much more than just not drinking. I can’t believe how my life has transformed in ways I never expected just from giving up alcohol."

Moments like these are why I love my job—witnessing how women’s lives shift beyond their wildest dreams simply by choosing sobriety.

We often overlook how alcohol affects brain health - in both the short and the long term. We think of liver damage, and the impact on our kidneys… When we look at the brain in relation to drinking, it quickly becomes clear that direct consequences include brain function, cognition, and overall neurological health.

Since qualifying as a Health and Wellbeing coach in 2020, a Grey Area Drinking Coach in 2021 and a Menopause Coach in 2023, I learnt a LOT about women’s health and ways to optimize it. But in all honesty, I’ve learnt even more from the incredible guest experts I have interviewed in my women’s health programs over the last 4 years. The information I’ve been able to learn from them has been mind-blowing. And it’s too important not to share. As we come off the back of Women’s Health Week, I want to share my top 10 women’s health hacks for optimal mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.