When God Shows Up: How Spiritual Practice Transforms Recovery Beyond Willpower

 In this powerful episode of the Confident Sober Women podcast, host Shelby John welcomes Louise Atthey, sobriety coach and team member at The Luckiest Club. With nearly 16 years of sobriety, Louise shares her journey from rock bottom to spiritual awakening and how surrendering to a higher power transformed her recovery.

What You'll Learn:

• Louise's pivotal moment driving into a ditch in 2009 that led her to AA
• How accepting spirituality despite initial resistance became her salvation
• The three pillars that saved Louise's life: sobriety, female connection, and prayer
• Why intellectual approaches to recovery often fail without spiritual surrender
• Practical ways to develop your own spiritual practice, even as a former atheist

Key Takeaways:

• The "spectrum" approach to addiction problems versus black-and-white thinking
• Why community support is essential for successful sobriety
• Finding hope through others' stories and experiences
• How spirituality provides relief from the burden of self-reliance
• Ways to overcome spiritual trauma or resistance to higher power concepts

Louise candidly discusses her transformation from "devout atheist" to someone who found peace through prayer, describing the moment she got on her knees and reluctantly asked for help. She explains how creating a concept of a loving, compassionate higher power allowed her to surrender control and find true freedom in recovery.

Both Shelby and Louise reflect on why they consider themselves "the luckiest" - gaining personal responsibility, humility, and spiritual connection that many others never experience.

Connect with Louise Atthey:

• Instagram: @louise_atthey
• Website: https://www.louiseatthey.com/
• Check out her newsletter and upcoming course

Resources Mentioned:

• The Luckiest Club
• Free Neurofeedback Guide: www.shelbyjohn.com

Support the show

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate & share this episode with a sober woman or someone suffering from anxiety, depression, ADHD, sleep problems and negative thought patterns who needs to hear she is not alone. 

Oh, and by the way, if you didn’t know, my remote Neurofeedback Therapy program is up and running. Learn more here! Learn more about EMDR therapy, EMDR Intensives and Remote Neurofeedback.

And if you haven't read my memoir, grab a copy of Recovering in Recovery: The Life-Changing Joy of Sobriety wherever books are sold.