Planning a Sober Christmas - Patrick & Jane BryanPlanning a Sober Christmas - Patrick & Jane Bryan
Alcohol Free Life - Janey Lee Grace
Janey Lee Grace talks with Patrick and Jane Bryan about creating an alcohol-free Christmas retreat and their long-term sober life in Spain. The conversation also highlights the close link between alcohol and mental health, sharing practical self-care and coping strategies for anyone feeling anxious about sobriety and the festive season.
34:17•9 Oct 2026
Planning a Sober Christmas with Patrick and Jane Bryan
Episode Overview
- Christmas can be calmer and more enjoyable when alcohol is removed, especially for those tired of boozy family gatherings and repeated questions about their drinking.
- Alcohol and mental health are tightly linked; quitting can reduce anxiety and low mood, although it may also reveal underlying issues that need support.
- Simple tools like HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) help people spot what they really need instead of reaching for a drink.
- Protecting sleep, eating well and prioritising practical self-care are key parts of early sobriety rather than selfish extras.
- Cravings are temporary thoughts that rise and fall; urge-surfing, connection and alternative activities can carry people through without drinking.
“Alcohol and mental health issues are literally entangled.”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? Here, Janey Lee Grace chats with Patrick and Jane Bryan about why a booze-free Christmas can be the best gift you give yourself. Patrick and Jane share how their life in southern Spain grew out of years of work as trainers in the UK and two decades of alcohol-free living.
Jane talks candidly about being a high-functioning alcoholic in high-pressure corporate roles, and how a stay in rehab became the turning point: she recalls waking early, sober, and noticing flowers for the first time, joking about learning there are "two six o’clocks in one day". Patrick reflects on being her "enabler" and how giving up drinking himself made life simpler and healthier for them both.
Their alcohol-free Christmas retreat is designed for people who are tired of boozy family dramas, awkward questions and having to explain, yet again, why they don't drink. Guests get a relaxed, small-group break with good food, winter sun and, as Patrick puts it, a promise that "you won't have to ask" whether anything contains alcohol. Janey weaves their story into a wider chat about World Mental Health Day and the tight knot between booze and mood.
She reminds listeners that "alcohol and mental health issues are literally entangled", calling out how often people are handed antidepressants without anyone asking about their drinking. She shares practical tools like the HALT check-in (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired), urges people to treat sleep like a serious priority, and encourages urge-surfing: noticing cravings as thoughts that rise and fall. Self-care is a big theme, stripped of clichés.
Janey stresses that early sobriety is the time to "show up for yourself", from decent meals to connection and coaching support, and quotes Louise Hay: "Try approving of yourself and see what happens." Anyone anxious about Christmas, sober October or their mental health will find plenty to relate to and some gentle reassurance that they’re far from alone.
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