Brought to you by:

Kirsten Chalmers
Registered Psychologist
​myturn2talk Psychology

Women and Alcohol - are we in a good place?
​

There is a growing trend for strong, competent woman who by all accounts are the epitome of the successful modern woman, demonstrating control on the outside, but reporting a lack of control on the inside.  Alcohol that used to serve them very well in their lives and careers, even assisting in career advancement and / or social situations is now serving them less well.  It is as though the pendulum has swung in the other direction and alcohol is now dictating their thoughts and behaviours.  The evening drink previously a reward and mark of the beginning of "me time", fast becoming such a necessity, that the thought of skipping a night causes anxiety.  No down-time activity seems quite as alluring as the sound of a bottle opening and the visual pleasure of watching a favourite drop gently filling a pretty glass. But no sooner has the alluring liquid drained away, sometimes at remarkable speed and the cycle begins.  Now in addition to all the usual daily stresses, the internal dialogue starts: "Should I pour another, or wait for dinner? Perhaps I will wait? Perhaps not?  Maybe a sneaky nightcap and then off to bed?  Mmmm, it's really not worth keeping that last drop in the bottle, might just pour that little bit in too and then it's off to bed!" But night time brings little relief.  A full night's sleep evades them, as their daytime voice is closely followed by their 3am morning voice berating them for not having more control. "Why can't I just stick to that one drink?" And inevitably promising .... to do things differently tomorrow.

Stress, anxiety, frustration and even depression start creeping in as the cycle repeats itself over and over, day ofter day, night after night and as the drinks add up, these high achieving women feel anything but in control.  Finally they seek help, but quickly learn that the traditional styles of help available are at best ill-fitting and in some cases perpetuate their current drinking habits, as they walk away happy to have learned that unless you hit rock bottom, which none of them have, you don't really have a problem.  But the little voice in their heads momentarily silenced, soon returns.  But where to turn?

---

why choose Replenish2

​​Replenish2 is a stand alone "program', for lack of a better word, delivered via membership log-in that can be followed without face-to-face counselling.  It is a set of guiding principles, grounded in theory and set out in 9 modules aimed at helping women change their relationship with alcohol.  Unlike other programs, there is no start, no finish, no mandatory completion.  It's self-paced, self-managed and is aimed at women who want to remain anonymous and who may not want to commit to therapy or face-to-face member groups.  They just want a chance to re-evaluate whether alcohol is still serving them as it once did.

​By the end of this "non-program" you will have all the information needed to do this in the privacy and comfort of your own home:
This is your journey. You've identified a potential issue and researched it to some degree. You've arrived here, and it is assumed that you are smart, determined and goal oriented, you just need the information to work through this yourself.  With monthly access to all the modules you can pick and choose what you need to focus on and ignore what you already know and understand.
Each module has questions to ask yourself or tasks to complete to make this a truly personal experience and allow you to walk away with a plan.
The pace is up to you, but this comes with a warning: Willpower wanes and the aim is to fill your cup with resources, so you need to rely less and less on willpower and more on your newly acquired skills. You will come into this strong and determined, but as time goes by you will need to put your energy into building better habits to get you to your end goal.
This is not a peer support group, but can easily be a supplemented with your own network.  Suggestions of groups you may want to join are included, as well as a summary of the pros and cons of the various delivery options.
​You may not need Replenish2 for your whole journey. Many people, when becoming aware of the latest research on alcohol, can find their own way. That’s ok too. You don’t have to “complete” this non-program, hence a monthly commitment makes it affordable to dip your toes in without a long term financial commitment. If you got what you wanted in the first month, no need to re-subscribe.
Finally, slip-ups are common. And that’s why this is not a program you can complete or pass. You might stumble, you might fall, but these are your lessons so rather than seeing them as failures, see them as part of your continued growth. You are free to come and go as often as you like.

---

Why the name: Replenish2?

1. The word Replenish means "to make full or complete again; supplying what is lacking / used up" and in this case, to fill your cup so alcohol doesn't have to.
2. Each letter in the word represents one module to demonstrate that there is no start or finish, no 1-9, just nine equally important modules which depending on your current knowledge serve to replenish only what you are currently lacking.
3. Finally, Replenish "to the power of 2" because each section considers both body and mind, both cognitive and behavioural aspects as no program is complete without considering both.

Become a Member

A note of caution:

This program is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice or counselling and it is recommend you consult your medical practitioner before you begin, as you would any other program aimed at health, diet or fitness.  If you have a diagnosis for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) this option is not sufficient and could be harmful as your withdrawal from alcohol may come with serious side-effects, so please take this note of caution seriously.  Kirsten has limited availability for individual counselling so please check in with her at myturn2talk or find a psychologist at the Australian Psychological Society.