One on One With Coach Blu: Sober Holiday TraditionsOne on One With Coach Blu: Sober Holiday Traditions
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Coach Blu and Marisa talk about staying sober through the holidays, balancing family expectations, and reshaping traditions to focus on connection rather than alcohol or gifts. They share personal stories and audience questions to highlight boundaries, service, and realistic expectations in recovery.
43:32•16 Dec 2021
Keeping Christmas Sober: Coach Blu on Holidays, Boundaries and Family Traditions
Episode Overview
- Holiday traditions can change; focus on what matters most now rather than clinging to how things have always been.
- Being flexible is healthy, but constantly bending for others can lead to emotional burnout and resentment.
- Gifts and money are secondary; the real value of holidays lies in shared time, experiences and connection.
- Adjust expectations of family members who may not have the capacity to love or respond in the way you hope.
- If family dynamics or alcohol use threaten your sobriety, it is acceptable to create your own safer traditions and boundaries.
“None of us make it out of this life alive. Why waste time with some of the frustrations?”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober when the holidays hit and family traditions collide with recovery? This live One on One With Coach Blu session brings together Coach Blu Robinson, a licensed mental health therapist and substance use disorder counsellor, and co-host Marisa Robinson, a certified recreational therapist, for a relaxed but emotionally charged chat about sober holiday traditions.
Aimed at people in recovery, their families, and anyone feeling wobbly around Christmas and New Year, the conversation mixes humour, honesty, and real-life stories. You’ll hear Coach Blu share childhood memories of growing up in poverty and the impact of being a “charity case”, linking it to his current work with Project Elf and the importance of giving back.
He talks about that pressure to overcompensate with gifts, admitting he sometimes goes “a little overboard” with presents because he wants to avoid his kids feeling disappointed. Marisa balances this by reminding that “there’s so much more to Christmas than opening a present.” Sobriety around alcohol-heavy family gatherings is a big focus. They talk about being the only sober person in the room, the way alcohol can be used to gloss over unresolved issues, and how that can damage relationships.
Coach Blu notes, “None of us make it out of this life alive. Why waste time with some of the frustrations?” and pushes for dropping grudges and prioritising connection over being right. Listeners’ questions steer the discussion into boundaries and expectations: what to do when you’re always the one adapting, how to stay flexible without “bending until you break”, and how to adjust expectations when loved ones simply don’t have the capacity to love you in the way you hope.
The tone stays warm and practical, with plenty of gentle encouragement to create new, sober-friendly traditions focused on time, service, and genuine connection. It might leave you asking: what kind of holiday memories do you really want to create this year?
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