440 Back to Sobriety Basics: A Therapist's Guide to Your First 30 Days440 Back to Sobriety Basics: A Therapist's Guide to Your First 30 Days
The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast
Therapist Brannon Patrick talks with host Arlina Allen about the first 30 days of sobriety, focusing on intention, support, and a practical five-step tool for cravings. The conversation also touches on trauma, intrusive thoughts, and reshaping spirituality after shame.
1:01:21•23 Jul 2026
Sobriety Basics and the First 30 Days: A Therapist’s Five A’s for Cravings
Episode Overview
- Set your intention from a place of self-respect rather than shame, or you risk building towards another relapse.
- Surround yourself with outside support in the first 30 days so other voices can counter your inner critic.
- Use the five A’s for cravings: be aware, accept, acknowledge, assess your options, and act on a healthy choice.
- Avoid major life decisions in early sobriety because heightened emotions can fuel relapse.
- Treat cravings and intrusive thoughts with curiosity and even gratitude, instead of fighting them, to reduce their power.
“"If it’s coming from a place of force and control and it’s a shame-based sobriety, then you’re just setting up your next relapse."”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober? This conversation between host Arlina Allen and therapist Brannon Patrick strips things right back to sobriety basics, making it ideal if you're in your first month alcohol-free or coming back after a relapse. Brannon has spent 20 years treating addiction and openly admits he hasn’t had a drug or alcohol problem himself, yet lives "a life of recovery" from other compulsions like sugar and short-form video.
That mix of professional experience and personal honesty gives the episode a grounded, non-preachy feel. You’ll hear why intention matters more than sheer willpower. A shame-fuelled, “I’m a piece of crap, I’d better change” mindset is described as just another face of addiction, while a kinder "I want better for myself" energy is framed as a real starting point.
Brannon stresses that outside support in the first 30 days isn’t optional: you need other voices to counter the brutal one in your head. He walks through his "five A’s" tool for cravings: be aware of what’s happening in your body and thoughts, accept that the craving is there, acknowledge it out loud (ideally to someone), assess your options honestly, then act on a healthy choice.
As he puts it, you’re throwing as much as you can "in the middle between the craving and the relapse" so the wave can pass. The pair also chat about early trauma work, intrusive thoughts, and spiritual rethinks after religious shame, with references to books like *The Four Agreements*, *The Untethered Soul* and *Loving What Is*. Their humour, talk of pets, and very human stories keep it from feeling heavy, while still offering concrete tools you can try today.
If you’re wondering whether you can really get through the next 30 days, could this be the gentle, practical nudge you need?
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