
Sobriety Bestie Podcast
Make the moves that change your life.
Kirsten Johnson
Show overview
Sobriety Bestie Podcast launched in 2025 and has put out 194 episodes in the time since. That works out to roughly 140 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a several-times-a-week cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 13 min and 1h — with run-times ranging widely across the catalogue. The publisher flags most episodes as explicit, so expect adult themes or strong language throughout. It is catalogued as a EN-language Education show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 1 weeks ago, with 34 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 160 episodes published. Published by Kirsten Johnson.
From the publisher
This podcast is about courage in real time—facing fear, trusting yourself, and actually doing the things you know you’re here to do.
Latest Episodes
View all 194 episodesEp 211 Doomsday Prophecies + Threats in AA's Big Book
Ep 210 Deprogram AA Live with Monica Richardson
Ep 209 Thirty Rehabs, Leaving AA + Pioneering Modern Recovery — Justin's Story
Ep 208 Dangerous AA Comment
Ep 207 Leaving AA, Harm Reduction + Autism — Kylee's Story
Ep 206 Deprogram AA Live with Carrie
Ep 205 How To Tell People You Left AA
Ep 204 What People Secretly Think About AA
Ep 203 I Called An AA Troll #CultyComments
Ep 202 AA Cult Whistleblowing with Monica Richardson
Ep 201 AA Cult Whistleblowing with Carrie
Ep 200 AA Cult Whistleblowing with Quackaholics Anonymous
Ep 199 12 Step Cult Whistleblowing with Burn The Stigma

Ep 198Ep 198 Speaking Out Against AA: What No One Tells You
EToday marks one year of dissenting! And today is my 6 year anniversary of leaving Alcoholics Anonymous. What a wild ride this past year has been.Today we're diving into what it's been like dissenting this past year. I've timestamped it in case you want to skip around and alll the links are below.It's been great to have you hear this past year!! What a liberating year it's been. Team Freedom all the way.We'll be feature some of your fave AA dissenters later this month to hear about their dissenting journey. As always feel free to DM me or comment on YouTube to share your thoughts.XoTimestamps:00:00 AA Dissenting Intro 03:25 One Year of Dissent 06:33 Blowing The Whistle on a Cult 08:02 Hardest Part of Dissenting 14:22 Breaking My Silence: What Happened 19:25 Why I Dissented For a Year 24:36 The Cost of Taking a Bold Stand 34:51 Best Parts of Cult Whistleblowing 40:30 If you're thinking about dissenting🔥 Deprogram Course + leaving AA resources → here🧠 Brain optimization tools → here❤️🔥 If you’re ready to stop holding yourself back → hereCome vibe with me:Kirsten's FacebookKirsten's InstagramKirsten's TikTok📚 Books that helped me deprogram and think for myself → here📱 My content creation setup (camera, mic, lighting, etc.) → here💻 Tools + software I use to run my business and create online → here⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m not a therapist, doctor, or licensed healthcare provider. Everything shared is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional care.💖 Some links may be affiliate links. I only share what I genuinely use and love.

Ep 197Ep 197 Kirsten's AA Deprogram Story, ADHD, Autism + Sinclair Method
EKatie Lain of Thrive Alcohol Recovery interviews me (Kirsten!) about joining, leaving and deprogramming AA. We also talk about trauma, autism, ADHD and what can be going on beyond the misdiagnosis of "alcoholism." We dive into The Sinclair Method, which Katie's program is based upon, and discuss what dissenting has been like.🔥 Deprogram Course + leaving AA resources → here🧠 Brain optimization tools → here🌶️ Neurodivergent Discovery Portal (with self assessments) → here❤️🔥 If you’re ready to stop holding yourself back → hereKatie's YouTubeTimestamps:00:00 Sobriety Bestie on Thrive Alcohol Recovery Podcast Intro01:46 Katie Lain of Thrive Alcohol Recovery03:23 Getting Sober Advice10:50 Trauma, Autism, ADHD + Alcohol18:33 AA Indoctrination + Alcoholic Identity21:14 CSA, Autism, ADHD, TBI's + Brain Optimization30:15 AA is a Religion31:46 First AA Meeting38:02 AA Propaganda + the Rockefeller Model43:24 Why Doesn't AA Update the Big Book?47:26 AA is a Harmful Self Fulfilling Prophecy52:28 AA is a Cult + Free Labor Exploitation1:02:30 Cracks in AA Brainwashing1:10:26 Realizing AA is Baloney1:19:27 Breaking Anonymity + Dissenting1:26:09 Support For Leaving AA1:31:34 The Sinclair Method1:42:44 We're Not Broken - The System IsCome vibe with me:Kirsten's FacebookKirsten's InstagramKirsten's TikTok📚 Books that helped me deprogram and think for myself → here📱 My content creation setup (camera, mic, lighting, etc.) → here💻 Tools + software I use to run my business and create online → here⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m not a therapist, doctor, or licensed healthcare provider. Everything shared is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional care.💖 Some links may be affiliate links. I only share what I genuinely use and love.

Ep 196Ep 196 How AA Harms ADHD & Autistic People
E🔥 Deprogram Course + leaving AA resources → here🧠 Brain optimization tools → here 🌶️ Neurodivergent Discovery Portal (with self assessments) → here ❤️🔥 If you’re ready to stop holding yourself back → hereTimestamps: 00:00 How AA Harms ADHD & Autistic People Intro 04:49 Bill W.'s Blind Spot Still Harms Neurodivergents 06:39 AA, Autism + ADHD Timeline 09:33 ADHD + Alcohol Use Disorder 11:02 AA + Misdiagnosis of ADHD 12:57 How AA Harms Neurodivergent People 14:20 Deprogram, Neurodivergent + Brain Resources 16:36 My Fave Brain Optimization Tool Come vibe with me: Come vibe with me:Kirsten's FacebookKirsten's InstagramKirsten's TikTok📚 Books that helped me deprogram and think for myself → here📱 My content creation setup (camera, mic, lighting, etc.) → here💻 Tools + software I use to run my business and create online → here ⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m not a therapist, doctor, or licensed healthcare provider. Everything shared is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional care. 💖 Some links may be affiliate links. I only share what I genuinely use and love.

Ep 195Ep 195 Sobriety Bestie Deprogramming AA Resources
EI'm super excited to gather all of the deprogramming resources (including ones you haven't seen before!) in one space.It's all accessible from SobrietyBestie.com which is now like a deprogram 12 step hub.I've moved my website to a new location with my name Kirsten-Johnson.com so that Sobriety Bestie can live on as a one stop deprogramming extravaganza start to finish freedom experience for those navigating the mindf*ck of leaving AA, realizing they were in a recovery cult and wanting to reclaim their mind, autonomy and life.My hope is that people wanting to deprogram AA or 12 step can find Sobriety Bestie and move through their deconstruction journey at their own pace.Timestamps:00:00 Leaving Alcoholics Anonymous02:10 No Longer Deprogramming AA Reactions05:57 Sobriety Bestie is Complete07:17 Why I Created This Deprogramming Work12:31 Deprogramming Resources For Leaving AA17:11 Kirsten Sobriety Bestie Going Forward26:03 Crossing The Finish Line

Ep 194Ep 194 Why I'm No Longer Deprogramming AA
EMy AA deprogramming journey feels complete. I unpack it all in today's podcast.I highly recommend getting the deprogramming checklist that's inside the free 👉 Escape Kit (It's in the very first lesson inside there along with an hour video unpacking it all. But you really only need the checklist at a glance to see where you may be.)This of course is not the "rule" but it's a guide that I have found super helpful in my own deprogramming journey.

Ep 193Ep 193 Is ChatGPT Brainwashing You?
EA week ago I switched from ChatGPT to Claude and I want to share WHY with you. This was before the headlines and has nothing to do with politics.This is about the language ChatGPT uses, even when you ask it not to, and the potential long term consequences of repeated exposure to this language.Timestamps:00:00 Why I Switched From ChatGPT To Claude 05:59 ChatGPT Can't Stop Doing This 12:26 ChatGPT Authoritarian Language 16:13 Is AI Brainwashing Us? 17:28 My Cult Programming Experience 22:06 Taking Space From ChatGPT 26:00 Why ChatGPT Uses Psychological FramingResources for deconstructing AA:👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free

Ep 192Ep 192 Rockefeller and Alcoholics Anonymous with Bobby C
EBobby C is back on Sobriety Bestie Podcast to discuss the Rockefeller and AA connection which runs deeper that you might think. Bobby C unpacks AMA, DSM, Car Jung, and both Rockefeller Jr and Rockefeller Sr along with Alcoholics Anonymous.Bobby C's YouTubeBobby C's Story Timestamps: 00:00 Rockefeller and Alcoholics Anonymous Intro 06:05 Benjamin Rush 09:21 Temperance Movement 11:46 Magnus Huss 14:41 Etymology + Words As Control 23:11 John D Rockefeller 30:57 Rockefeller Jr and Alcoholics Anonymous 39:55 Norman Jolliffe 41:24 Alcoholics Foundation and The Big Book 49:19 Carl Jung and Roland Hazard 53:35 Does It Work If You Work It? 1:01:58 Rockefeller, Hellen Wynn + AA Organization 1:07:44 Big Pharma, Big Alcohol, AMA 1:21:54 DSM-V and Substance Use Disorder 1:25:26 Indentured Servitude: A Slave To AA 1:29:49 Rockefeller Gave Dr. Bob MoneyBobby C's Rockefeller Videos: https://youtu.be/HYeoI_3Bljw?si=FJ-N5C4wRguHkLbV https://youtu.be/XxW_YfkFEtQ?si=0wBr-nAZFqyTSlhC https://youtu.be/d2gEC9lzT6A?si=N1NApvG8XfYDGNRl https://youtu.be/fZ0UAHMedvQ?si=yfDTg8w9D-TUnz3gResources for deconstructing AA:👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)Let’s get f*cking free