8. It Was Never About the Alcohol: Healing the Pain Beneath Addiction

Written By Brittany Broderick

In this episode, Britt opens her heart and shares her journey with alcohol, grief, and trauma, not as a story of failure but as a window into how early nervous system imprints shape the ways we self-soothe. She reflects on the moments that drove her to drink—childhood disconnection, the loss of her brother, the assault and its aftermath—and how alcohol became a way to mask unbearable pain. Britt walks us through her rock bottom experiences, from a jail cell to waking up ashamed after her wedding, and the turning points that led her to faith, somatic practices, and nervous system repair. 

She explains the science of addiction, how alcohol impacts the brain and body, and why addiction is not a moral failing but a survival response. She also shares what happened when, after seven years of abstinence, she cautiously reintroduced alcohol. Through it all, Britt shows how real recovery comes not from fighting the substance but from healing the root cause of addiction—our pain—and how compassion, community, and somatic healing open the way back to wholeness.

Trigger Warning: This episode includes conversation around sexual assault, suicidal ideation, and addiction. Please care for yourself as you listen, pause or skip if this feels overwhelming or unsafe for you.

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Brittany Broderick
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7. Burnout Isn’t Failure: Boundaries, Nervous System Care & Cycle-Synced Healing