Jen Veralle — event experience strategist; founder of Spark Track and Mindful Drinking Movement; co-founder of Sauna & Sobriety; TEDx speaker (“Why We Should Rethink Drinking Culture”); eleven years alcohol-free and an advocate for inclusive, alcohol-optional social spaces. Episode snapshot After two decades of alcohol misuse and a corporate burnout at forty, Jen rebuilt her life and work—then went public with her story.
In this conversation we unpack how to move from stigma to choice, why “sober not somber” matters, and how the “messy middle” (the liminal space between breakdown and rebirth) becomes a catalyst for a truer self.
From secrecy to sovereignty: Jen’s path to eleven years alcohol-free and the moment she chose to “let go out loud.” Sober not somber: Designing events and workplaces where alcohol is optional and nonalcoholic choices are visible, elevated, and normalized. Taste, truth, and habit: The “acquired taste” myth; how stepping away can reset your palate—and your perspective. Mindful drinking for the middle: Options beyond all-or-nothing; making choices that fit health, context, and values.
The messy middle: Reflection vs. “just pause”; how real transformation requires time in the in-between. Identity in motion: Name changes, reinventing purpose, and living “all of the truth.” Practical advocacy: What any of us can do—at restaurants, work events, and in our circles—to create alcohol-inclusive culture. Highlights “Ideas aren’t precious—share them and watch them find their collaborators.” “If an idea wants to be born and you won’t carry it, it moves on.” “Reflection is the engine of change; pausing is just the doorway.” “Make the nonalcoholic option obvious, celebrated, and in real glassware.” “The antidote to our fractured times isn’t out there—it’s us.”
Timestamps (approx.) 00:00 — Welcome and why breaking stigma is the show’s heartbeat 04:30 — Creativity, collaboration, and nonattachment to ideas 11:40 — Jen’s sober story and the first public share 20:10 — Rethinking drinking culture (and that bookstore-bar slide) 28:00 — Mindful drinking for the “middle” 35:45 — Hosting better: menus, servers, and culture shifts 44:30 — The messy middle: reflection as a practice 55:00 — Identity, “all of the truth,” and next chapters 1:03:00 — Coaching, Sauna & Sobriety, and how to connect
Connect with Jen Mindful Drinking Movement (advocacy, consulting, experiences) Sauna & Sobriety (alcohol-free community sessions) Coaching: Life + addiction/recovery coaching for the sober-curious and change-ready
Connect with Keri Substack: The Power Source Podcast: Awaken Your Power — follow, rate, and review to help others find the show IG / LinkedIn:
@kerimangis
If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and review the podcast, and share it with a friend who’s exploring mindful drinking or moving through their own messy middle.
Referenced links: CreativeMornings profile (September 2024 talk): https://creativemornings.com/individuals/jenveralle
TEDx Talk — “Why We Should Rethink Drinking Culture”