Alcohol Awareness Month: Moderation Management 2.0 with Andrea Pain, Executive DirectorAlcohol Awareness Month: Moderation Management 2.0 with Andrea Pain, Executive Director
The Alcohol Minimalist Podcast
Molly Watts talks with Moderation Management executive director Andrea Payne about community-based, non-judgemental support for changing drinking habits. The conversation outlines Mm’s free meetings, flexible programmes and inclusive groups for people who want to drink less without strict labels.
41:13•6 Apr 2026
Moderation Without Shame: Andrea Payne on Building Alcohol Change Your Own Way
Episode Overview
- Moderation Management focuses on peer support and shared experience rather than strict rules or steps.
- Free online meetings run every day, including specialised groups for women, men, younger adults, LGBTQ members and those with ADHD or other neurodivergence.
- The organisation recognises both daily drinking and binge drinking patterns, offering a dedicated “battle of the binge” meeting for the latter group.
- Flexible 30‑day Kickstart programmes help people try moderation or alcohol-free periods without demanding perfection or lifelong abstinence.
- Newcomers’ meetings and a large, moderated Facebook group provide a gentle, judgment‑free way to learn about options and find community.
““We don’t tell you what to do. We tell you what worked for us.””
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation between host Molly Watts and Moderation Management executive director Andrea Payne gives a clear picture of what “moderation” looks like in real life – especially for people who don’t feel at home in traditional, abstinence-only recovery spaces.
Aimed at habit drinkers and those wanting a calmer relationship with alcohol, the chat walks through how Moderation Management (Mm) has grown from a tiny, US-based in‑person group to a global online community with “at least 30” free meetings a week. Andrea explains that Mm is built on one simple idea: “We don’t tell you what to do.
We tell you what worked for us.” Instead of rigid rules, people share tools, experiments and honest stories so you can piece together your own plan. You’ll hear how Andrea first arrived at Mm after watching her 80‑year‑old mum transform in AA, then realising she wanted community and change without being pushed into lifelong sobriety. She describes finding that “tribe” in an early Facebook group where a one‑month experiment has now grown into over 8,500 members.
The episode breaks down Mm’s range of support: general meetings, women‑only and men‑only spaces, groups for younger adults, LGBTQ members, people with ADHD and other neurodivergence, and a fast-growing “battle of the binge” meeting for those who don’t drink daily but struggle to stop once they start. There are also flexible 30‑day Kickstart programmes for moderation or temporary alcohol-free periods, plus newcomers’ meetings where anyone can ask questions and ease in gently.
If you’ve ever thought, “I need to drink less, but I don’t think I’m ‘an alcoholic’,” this chat shows you’re far from alone and that there are judgement‑free places to land. What small step could you take today toward the relationship with alcohol you actually want?
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