Veronica Valli & Chip Somers
Veronica Valli & Chip Somers
318: Drunk Love with Melissa Stoeltje
318: Drunk Love with Melissa Stoeltje
318: Drunk Love with Melissa Stoeltje
Wednesday 4th June 2025
Melissa Stoeltje discusses sobriety's impact on her marriage, overcoming addiction, and rediscovering joy without alcohol on the Soberful podcast.
Explicit
41 minutes
hopeful
challenging
informative
supportive
transformative
About this podcast
Author:
Veronica Valli & Chip Somers
Overview:
Categories:
Sobriety Toolkit
Sexual Empowerment & Identity
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Financial Health in Recovery
Creative Recovery Journeys
Links:
Visit site
Episodes:
390 (View all)
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Get the buttons here!Drunk Love: Sobriety's Impact on Marriage
Episode Overview
- Melissa Stoeltje shares her journey of sobriety and its impact.
- Alcohol's role in challenging family relationships.
- Importance of honesty and connection in recovery.
- Misconceptions about sobriety solving marital issues.
- Support systems like AA and Al-Anon in recovery.
Telling an alcoholic they have to quit drinking feels like asking them to jump off a cliff with no parachute.
In this episode of the Soberful podcast, Veronica Valli engages in a profound conversation with Melissa Stoeltje, the author of 'Drunk Love: A Marriage Under the Influence.' Melissa delves into her personal journey of overcoming alcohol addiction and the profound effects it had on her marriage. Having been sober since September 12, 2010, Melissa reflects on the complexities of living in a marriage heavily influenced by alcohol.
Melissa shares her unique perspective on the dual impact of alcoholism and sobriety on her marital relationship. Initially, she and her husband, Mark, believed that abstaining from alcohol would resolve all their marital issues. However, they soon realized that sobriety brought its own challenges, requiring them to confront deep-seated patterns of codependency and toxic relational dynamics. Melissa's journey into sobriety was not instantaneous.
She recounts her early experiences with alcohol in high school and the gradual escalation of her drinking habits. Her story includes moments of hiding alcohol and experiencing blackouts, which ultimately led her to seek help from a therapist and enter rehabilitation at Starlight in Texas. The podcast highlights the role of support systems such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Al-Anon in Melissa's recovery journey. Both she and her husband embraced these communities, finding strength in shared experiences and mutual support.
Melissa emphasizes the significance of honesty and connection in healing, advocating for the transformative power of sobriety in restoring relationships. Melissa's story is one of resilience and hope, underscoring the importance of confronting addiction and embracing a life of sobriety. Her insights offer valuable lessons on the journey of recovery, making this episode a compelling listen for anyone facing similar struggles.
Listeners can explore more of Melissa's work by visiting her author website, www.bymelissastolje.com, and her book, 'Drunk Love,' is available online through various platforms, including Amazon. Veronica concludes the episode by encouraging listeners to engage with the podcast community and shares her plans for a summer break, assuring her audience of her return with more insightful episodes.