When Drinking Stops But Life Continues: A Conversation with Zena Hall

What actually happens inside a relationship when one partner decides to stop drinking — and the other doesn’t? In this powerful and deeply relatable episode, Matt sits down with Alcohol Freedom Coach Zena Hall, who shares her inspiring journey from being a “normal social drinker” to completely transforming her life through sobriety. What started as a simple Dry January became a turning point that brought more energy, clarity, confidence — and a completely different understanding of herself and her relationships. Together, they dive into the emotional, psychological and relational layers no one talks about: 💛 Inside This Episode: The unexpected identity crisis that comes with reducing or quitting alcohol How alcohol quietly shapes communication, patience, conflict, and intimacy Why partners may feel threatened, defensive, or judged when one chooses sobriety The subtle pressure from friends, family and social groups to “just have one” Why alcohol feels like it’s giving you something — but is actually taking away The impact of poor sleep, anxiety, and brain fog that we normalize How to handle relationships where drinking habits suddenly don’t match What self-trust, self-respect, and “choosing yourself” really look like in practice The power of self-leadership when your lifestyle changes challenge the status quo Zena and Matt explore the reality many people experience but rarely say out loud: When you change your relationship with alcohol, every other relationship in your life shifts too. This episode is for you if: ✔ You’ve thought about drinking less ✔ You feel pressured to drink to “fit in” ✔ You’re changing — but your partner isn’t ✔ You want more self-awareness, emotional resilience, and clarity in your relationship ✔ You’re curious about what alcohol secretly does to your body, brain, and confidence Filled with honesty, science-backed insights, humour and warmth, this conversation will leave you feeling informed, empowered and deeply understood. A must-listen for anyone exploring self-growth, healthier relationships, or a life beyond drinking.

Love Without Pressure is a heart-centered podcast for couples especially those navigating the fast-paced, emotionally demanding life of London who want to lead their relationship with intention, softness, and growth. In a city where schedules are packed, emotions are layered, and connection can feel rushed or routine, this podcast offers a gentle pause. Each episode unpacks what modern relationships truly need: emotional safety, conscious communication, nervous system awareness, and a deeper understanding of how to love without losing yourself. Hosted in a coaching-inspired style, every episode feels like a warm cup of coffee on a rainy London morning—steadying, grounding, and honest. What This Podcast Is All About This podcast explores: ✨ How to lead in love without carrying the whole relationship on your shoulders ✨ How to stay compassionate without accepting emotional chaos ✨ How to build connection without pressure and intimacy without fear ✨ How past wounds shape present reactions—and how to heal together ✨ How couples in big cities like London can balance ambition with emotional presence ✨ How to communicate your needs with clarity, warmth, and courage ✨ How to grow as individuals while still choosing each other every day This is for couples who want to thrive, not just survive. For partners who want to stay connected even when life gets demanding. For people who want to love deeply without shrinking, overgiving, or abandoning parts of themselves. Together, we explore real relationship mastery: Power with softness. Growth with safety. Leadership with love.

Have you ever found yourself losing your sense of self in love — giving so much that there’s little left for you? Or feeling like you’re walking on eggshells, trying to keep the peace instead of feeling at peace? 🌿 In this powerful episode, we sit down with Shane Birkell, licensed therapist and host of The Couples Therapist Couch podcast, to unpack the truth about codependency — what it really is, where it begins, and how you can break free from the cycle of overgiving and emotional burnout. Together, we explore: ✨ Why codependency can exist even in “healthy” relationships ✨ How childhood and attachment patterns shape our emotional habits ✨ The fine line between love, care, and over-responsibility ✨ Tools to build self-trust, confidence, and emotional balance If you’ve ever struggled with people-pleasing or feeling like you’re “too much” or “not enough,” this conversation will help you find freedom, authenticity, and deeper connection — both with yourself and others. 💫 🎧 Tune in now and start your journey toward love that’s truly aligned with you. 💕

In this powerful episode of The Relationship Breakthrough Show from Aligned with Love, host Matt is joined by special guest Roy Biancalana — bestselling author, relationship coach, and host of The Attracting Lasting Love Podcast. Together, they dive into one of the most common and painful experiences in love — feeling like you’re living the same relationship over and over again, just with a different person. Why do we repeat the same patterns? What keeps us stuck in familiar pain even when we know better? And most importantly — how do we finally break free? Roy shares his deeply personal journey of self-discovery and the pivotal lessons that helped him and his clients transform repeating heartbreak into lasting, conscious love. Matt adds his expert insights on emotional awareness, healing attachment wounds, and aligning your energy to attract the kind of relationship that truly matches who you are becoming. If you’re ready to stop reliving the past and start creating love with intention and clarity, this conversation will give you the tools, awareness, and inspiration to do just that. ✨ Listen now and take the first step toward breaking your relationship Groundhog Day — for good.

Why do we get into relationships in the first place? What draws us to one another… and what happens after the spark? In today’s episode, we explore the five stages of relationships, the emotional signatures that shape them, and how we can navigate them consciously — clearing emotional charges, outdated patterns, and limiting beliefs along the way. If you’ve ever wondered why attraction fades, why conflict arises, or how to tell if someone is truly aligned with your deeper vision — this episode is for you. Thomas M. Jones is a psychotherapist, author, musician, and the brain behind The Paradox Process, a powerful technique that transforms negative thoughts into powerful tools for personal growth and success. Standby to learn Why do we get drawn into relationships in the first place through physical, emotional spiritual ways that we ‘plug into each other’ How our culture tends to favour instant gratification, and leading us to ‘throw away’ relationships due to misunderstandings even when they have potential Why relationships can be very intense initially, even magical while even having challenges if we succumb to the illusion of things being perfect The challenges that emerge when we realise that the other person is not exactly what we thought… can we go deeper to explore an opportunity? The danger of getting ‘hooked’ on the excitement of the start of the relationship, and how seeking the next hit can get to be addictive The importance of developing and exploring what an ‘us’ could be, that we could create together How we can have a mismatch in how we see the relationship, where one person is looking at a longer term possibility, while the other may not be looking for the same thing How we grow and that the growth can either be together or separately, which can have natural impact on the relationship How disappointment can seep into a relationship in the form of judgement, and how we can fall in love with potential in our partner rather than accepting the actual person as they are Find out more about Thomas M. Jones’ work at: https://courses.paradoxprocess.org/pages/about

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the divorce process? Unsure whether to use a mediator, a divorce coach, or how to handle switching lawyers? Wondering how to avoid costly mistakes and emotional confusion during this challenging time? Join Arabella Paul on The Relationship Breakthrough Show with Rebeca from Aligned with Love as she unpacks the realities of navigating divorce. This episode explores what it's truly like to face divorce with or without a mediator or divorce coach, and the chaos that can come with constantly changing lawyers. Discover the biggest money-wasting mistakes, why so many feel lost after costly meetings, and the essential steps for a smoother, less stressful experience. Whether you’re going through divorce or helping someone who is, tune in for practical tips and expert guidance to make confident, informed decisions at every turn. Arabella offers a free 30-minute consultation where you can talk, breathe, or just cry. She will listen, guide, and help you start planning your next chapter… blame-free and filled with curiosity. Contact Arabella now: [email protected] www.thedivorcesurvivalcoach.com https://www.facebook.com/thedivorcesurvivalcoach/ https://www.instagram.com/thedivorcesurvivalcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/arabellapaul/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thedivorcesurvivalcoach

Step inside the realities of the divorce journey with this insightful episode featuring Arabella Paul, The Divorce Survival Coach. We break down "The Divorce Road Map," exploring what it’s really like to navigate divorce—with or without professionals like mediators and divorce coaches—and the surprises that come when you regularly switch lawyers. Discover common pitfalls, including wasted money, confusion after costly meetings, and how to avoid them. Whether you’re considering divorce or supporting someone who is, this episode offers clarity, actionable advice, and expert tips to make the process less overwhelming. Ready to get personalized guidance? Connect with Arabella Paul for a free 30-minute consultation: www.thedivorcesurvivalcoach.com facebook.com/thedivorcesurvivalcoach/ instagram.com/thedivorcesurvivalcoach/ linkedin.com/in/arabellapaul/ tiktok.com/@thedivorcesurvivalcoach Tune in for a supportive, informative conversation designed to help you make empowered decisions every step of the way.

What are the most powerful tools when you are looking to bring your relationship back from the BRINK? Todays’ guest Bryan Power hit rock bottom in his relationship, not even being able to contact his partner due to a restraining order that had been taken out. This gave him the space to take a step back and learn some hard truths about himself and the relationship. He’s now working with other people to make sense of their relationships specialising in the area of attachment styles. We are going to be looking at: - How our childhood wounds can affect us and play havoc in our relationship, leading us to trigger each other - How we can get a point of emotional unsafety where it’s hard to keep things going - Why it’s so important to address the underlying issues in order to come together in a more healthy way - Why looking at ourselves can be challenging and how it can be easier to focus the problems in the other person - How different attachment styles show themselves and how typical combinations “fit” together. You can find out more about Bryan’s work at: https://www.myrelationshipfail.com/

Have you ever wondered why your relationship is hard work… like WAY harder than it should really be. Are relationships intrinsically just difficult, or are we missing some important points that could open things up RIGHT NOW? Sharon Strimling is a transformational coach and consultant who brings over three decades of experience to the fields of psychological, physical, and relational transformation. And today we’re going to be having the benefit of her experience and wisdom. We are going to be looking at: - How we may not have had the best role models or instruction in terms of understanding how to have great relationships, and the impact this has - How our perception is affected by our conditioning and experience and how this shapes how we relate to the world around us, and why we might consider holding those perceptions lightly - How we can regulate our emotions when they are ‘shaken up’, and how lots of what we’ve learnt may not help - How to make sense of our moods and those of our partner, ensuring that we have the space to manage our state - How we can live from a place of deeper connection when we are not getting in the way, giving us access to far great resources and possibilities You can find out more about Sharon’s work here: https://sharonstrimling.com/

Alcohol is embedded in our culture… not just the high spirits in your town centre on a Friday night, but virtually any social or work event that you can attend. So if everyone is doing it, what could possibly go wrong, right? And how about in your relationship? Have you ever done anything while drinking that you regretted, even something that harmed your relationship? Where is the line between a bit of harmless fun, and a habit that could lead to real issues for you and in your relationship? Is there a healthy level of alcohol which could be beneficial for us? Sammie Clarke is an alcohol detox coach who has worked in addiction for 25 years, having worked with literally thousands of people on the journey to freedom! We are going to be looking at: - How does alcohol consumption affect relationships, especially when there are challenges - What exactly is Alcohol Use Disorder, and how do people get affected by alcohol differently even with the same consumption - How alcohol can impact on our freedom, even if we’re not actively drinking and what does true liberation mean? - How social attitudes are changing, in the same way that the harm of smoking is better understood now that it was in the past - What is a safe or healthy level of alcohol and what does the research show us? You can find out more about Sammie’s work at: https://www.sammiessoberheroes.com/