About this episode
Parenting while staying sober isn’t for the faint of heart—but you don’t have to do it alone. On this week’s episode of Sisters in Sobriety , Sonia and Kathleen are diving into the layered, often unspoken, realities of recovery and motherhood with the brilliant Sarah Allen Benton . Sarah is a licensed mental health counselor, addiction specialist, and the author of Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic and Parents in Recovery . She brings nearly two decades of personal sobriety and professional experience to this candid and compassionate conversation. From blackout drinking in her early 20s to running a mental health practice and parenting a teen in sobriety, Sarah shares her remarkable journey and hard-won wisdom. Sonia and Kathleen explore questions like: What does it really mean to be a “high-functioning alcoholic”? Why is parenting in recovery so uniquely challenging? How can we teach our kids about addiction and emotional health? Sarah breaks down the importance of talking openly about addiction with children, how to handle digital addiction in the age of iPads and TikTok Sarah opens up about her early drinking days, her moment of reckoning at age 27, and the slow, gray, sometimes thankless beginning of recovery. She also shares what it’s been like to raise a daughter in a sober household, how her marriage has been shaped by recovery, and why self-care is not optional—it's essential. This is Sisters in Sobriety , the support community that helps women change their relationship with alcohol. Check out our Substack for extra tips, tricks, and resources. Episode Highlights: 00:01 Welcome Sarah Allen Benton and intro 00:58 Sarah’s first experience with alcohol and her early patterns 02:45 Blacking out from the beginning—what Sarah misunderstood about “normal” drinking 05:12 Being a high-functioning alcoholic in college 06:35 The illusion of control and trying to outthink addiction 09:12 The moment Sarah knew she had to stop 11:00 Building her own outpatient sobriety plan 12:30 What early sobriety felt like (hint: not pink clouds) 14:40 Writing as a tool for processing recovery 15:35 Becoming a parent in recovery and writing Parents in Recovery 17:05 Talking to kids about addiction and recovery 18:45 The stigma of being a parent in recovery 20:10 Raising toddlers vs. teens—sobriety challenges by age 22:00 Hypervigilance and screen time addiction 24:55 The science of digital hygiene and dopamine overload 26:50 Creative ways to talk to kids about brain health and family history 29:15 “The Telling”—navigating when and how to tell your kids you’re in recovery 32:00 Kids noticing changes in drunk adults—and the emotional fallout 35:30 The challenge of giving your kids real-world exposure without trauma 38:00 Why this generation is more risk-averse but more anxious 40:10 Self-care vs. soul care—and why it’s not optional for parents in recovery 42:50 Recovery as a long-term investment, not a short-term reward 44:00 Wisdom from single parents in recovery 46:30 The myth of doing it all: learning to say no without guilt 49:00 How sobriety changes marriage and dating dynamics 51:00 Love without martinis: codependency, relapse fears, and boundaries 54:00 The importance of having a recovery-affirming partner 56:00 The parallel recovery journey for spouses and family members Links Learn more about Sarah! Parents in Recovery: Navigating a Sober Family Lifestyle Parents in Recovery Facebook Group 💌 Sisters In Sobriety Substack – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen 📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email 📸 Sisters In Sobriety Instagram 🌐 Kathleen’s Website Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast 📸 Kathleen’s Instagram Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sisters-in-sobriety/donations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.