Sober Awkward

Not so smug now! - This week, Vic sits down with writer, podcaster and self-confessed “textbook drunk” Cat Sims for a conversation about motherhood, drugs, booze and what happens when the party girl suddenly has a tiny human to keep alive.

They talk about crying in school car parks, postnatal depression, drinking as a reward for surviving motherhood and that strange moment in sobriety when you realise peace isn’t actually boredom. Sometimes life is just… peaceful. Who knew?

But somewhere along the way, the conversation takes an unexpected turn when Cat uses a word Vic has spent more than eight years avoiding: alcoholic.
Cat embraces the label. Vic absolutely does not.

What follows is a surprisingly emotional conversation about why Vic has always called herself an ex drinker, binge drinker, grey area drinker, former party girl, basically anything other than an alcoholic. Has trying to make sobriety feel less frightening for everyone else actually allowed Vic to keep a little bit of her own shame tucked away?

There are tears, uncomfortable truths and a rather compelling argument that after blowing off a finger at a Full Moon Party, perhaps “grey area drinker” isn’t quite covering it. It’s also a conversation about motherhood and belonging, about why so many women struggle quietly while believing everyone else is coping, and why sometimes the most powerful thing you can say to another mum crying in a car park is not “here’s what you should do”, but simply, “I get it. Sometimes parenting is fucked.”

Funny, raw and unexpectedly moving, this one shifts something in Vic.
Enjoy one of the best Sober Awkward guest interviews ever!

💛 Resources & Links
Follow Cat:
Instagram (312k followers)
TikTok (253.7k followers)
Substack (10k+ subscribers)

Buy her books:
You're Never The Only One (Simon & Schuster 2025)
The First Time You Smiled (Harper Collins 2022)

Listen to her podcast:
You're Never The Only One

📖 Vic & Ulrika want to hear from you!
Have you got a story, weird drunk confession or a question for Vic and Ulrika?
Email vicandulrika@soberawkward.com. Your message could inspire a future episode.

📱 Join the Sober Awkward app

Search “Sober Awkward” in the Apple App Store or find for all other devices click here

📲 Follow us

Instagram - Sober Awkward: @soberawkward

Facebook - Sober Awkward Community for Women

Retreat with us
🌴 Fancy a sober holiday? Click here to come and drink from coconuts with us!

📰 Media enquiries
For interviews, features, partnerships or other media requests, contact Kate at hello@soberawkward.com.

📘 A Thousand Wasted Sundays
Victoria’s brutally honest and hilarious memoir about motherhood, anxiety and ditching the booze.
👉 Get A Thousand Wasted Sundays

📙 Mumming
A Year of Trying (and Failing) to Be a Better Parent—Vic’s funny and painfully relatable memoir about the messy reality of motherhood.
👉 Get Mumming

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide
A 30-day sobriety kickstart filled with relatable support, practical tools and plenty of awkwardness to help you begin life without booze.
👉 Explore the Sober Awkward Guide

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward
Find more episodes, books, events and everything Sober Awkward.
👉 soberawkward.com

🛟 Alcohol Support

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Drinkline — National Alcohol Helpline
Free and confidential support if you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking.
Call 0300 123 1110
Weekdays: 9am–8pm
Weekends: 11am–4pm
👉 NHS alcohol support
Alcohol Change UK
Information, practical tools and support.
👉 alcoholchange.org.uk
WithYou
Free, confidential support with alcohol, drugs and mental health.
👉 wearewithyou.org.uk
In an emergency, call 999.

🇦🇺 Australia
National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline
Free and confidential information and support.
Call 1800 250 015
Available 24/7 in most states and territories.
👉 Australian Government hotline information
Lifeline Australia
Crisis support available 24/7.
Call 13 11 14
Text 0477 13 11 14
👉 lifeline.org.au
In an emergency, call 000.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Awkward Bits, where every Thursday Vic flies solo, digging a little deeper into Monday’s topic, picking apart the bits we didn’t quite get to and exploring all the stuff that got left behind once the microphones were switched off.

And oooof, you lot had a lot to say about sober sex. Vic’s been reading your emails and messages after Monday’s episode with Ulrika and it seems we are definitely not the only ones who found the whole sober intimacy thing a little bit, well, awkward. Who knew taking your clothes off without first drinking half a bottle of wine could require quite so much concentration?

So this Thursday, Vic is going deeper. Not into the drunken one night stands, beer goggles and questionable sexual decisions we talked about on Monday, but into what happens when you take alcohol out of sex altogether.

Why can it suddenly feel so difficult to relax? Why do you become painfully aware of your body, your noises, your face and where the bloody hell you’re supposed to put your arms? What happens when alcohol has been your shortcut from normal everyday life into feeling sexy for years, and suddenly that shortcut isn’t there anymore? Vic looks at some of the science behind alcohol, inhibition and arousal, and shares some of your experiences of learning to have sex without that familiar glass of wine beforehand. She also explores something she’s been wondering about in her own sobriety. Did alcohol actually make us more sexually confident, or did it simply make us care less?

There’s also the question nobody really warns you about when you stop drinking. What if your sober sex drive isn’t the same as your drinking one? What if desire takes a little longer to arrive? What if you discover you need connection, affection, safety, time or, in Vic’s case, apparently an appointment in the diary?

Maybe sober sex isn’t worse. Maybe at first it’s just more real, more vulnerable and considerably harder to hide in.
Another short, honest and slightly uncomfortable Thursday rummage through the bits of sobriety we don’t talk about enough.

Clothes optional.

Resources & Links

📖 Vic & Ulrika want to hear from you!
Have you got a story, weird drunk confession or a question for Vic and Ulrika?
Email vicandulrika@soberawkward.com Your message could inspire a future episode.

📱 Join the Sober Awkward app
The Sober Awkward app is a welcoming space for anyone who is sober, sober-curious or simply rethinking their relationship with alcohol.
Search “Sober Awkward” in the Apple App Store or find for all other devices click here

📲 Follow us

Instagram - Sober Awkward: @soberawkward
Facebook - Sober Awkward Community for Women

Retreat with us
🌴 Fancy a sober holiday? Click here to come and drink from coconuts!

📰 Media enquiries
Contact Kate at hello@soberawkward.com

Vic's Books

📘 A Thousand Wasted Sundays
👉 Get A Thousand Wasted Sundays

📙 Mumming
👉 Get Mumming

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide
A 30-day sobriety kickstart
👉 Explore the Sober Awkward Guide

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward
Find more episodes, books, events and everything Sober Awkward.
👉 soberawkward.com

🛟 Alcohol Support

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Drinkline — National Alcohol Helpline
Free and confidential support if you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking.
Call 0300 123 1110
Weekdays: 9am–8pm
Weekends: 11am–4pm
👉 NHS alcohol support
Alcohol Change UK
Information, practical tools and support.
👉 alcoholchange.org.uk
WithYou
Free, confidential support with alcohol, drugs and mental health.
👉 wearewithyou.org.uk
In an emergency, call 999.

🇦🇺 Australia
National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline
Free and confidential information and support.
Call 1800 250 015
Available 24/7 in most states and territories.

👉 Australian Government hotline information
Lifeline Australia
Crisis support available 24/7.
Call 13 11 14
Text 0477 13 11 14
👉 lifeline.org.au
In an emergency, call 000.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before these two ex-drinkers introduce their sobriety stories... we thought we'd start this journey in the most awkward way possible! Yes, it's the sex episode!

Did alcohol really make us sexier and more confident, or did it just lower our inhibitions, blur our judgement and convince us the last bloke on the dance floor was “the one”?

In this revealing episode, Vic and Ulrika look back at drunken hook-ups, questionable one-night stands and the emotional aftermath that rarely felt as carefree as it was supposed to. They discuss why alcohol made them feel fearless enough to swing from the chandeliers, while sometimes leaving them ashamed, lonely or wondering whether they had been safe at all.

The conversation also moves into more difficult territory as they share frightening experiences of sexual assault that were never reported, examine why intoxicated women so often blame themselves, and talk honestly about alcohol’s effect on consent. Going home with someone is not consent. Drinking is not consent. And being intoxicated never makes an assault your fault.

There are plenty of laughs, a few spectacularly bad decisions and absolutely no bedroom expertise, but beneath it all is a candid conversation about sex, shame, safety and self-trust. Vic and Ulrika ask whether sober intimacy might feel awkward at first, but ultimately be more confident, connected and real than anything found at the bottom of a wine glass.

CONTENT NOTE
This episode contains frank discussions of sex, sexual assault, consent and alcohol-related vulnerability.

💛 Resources & Links

📖 Vic & Ulrika want to hear from you!
Have you got a story, weird drunk confession or a question for Vic and Ulrika?
Email vicandulrika@soberawkward.com. Your message could inspire a future episode.

📱 Join the Sober Awkward app
The Sober Awkward app is a welcoming space for anyone who is sober, sober-curious or simply rethinking their relationship with alcohol.
Search “Sober Awkward” in the Apple App Store or find for all other devices click here

📲 Follow us

Instagram - Sober Awkward: @soberawkward @ulrikajonssonofficial

Facebook - Sober Awkward Community for Women

Retreat with us
🌴 Fancy a sober holiday? Click here to come and drink from coconuts with us!

📰 Media enquiries
For interviews, features, partnerships or other media requests, contact Kate at hello@soberawkward.com.

📘 A Thousand Wasted Sundays
Victoria’s brutally honest and hilarious memoir about motherhood, anxiety and ditching the booze.
👉 Get A Thousand Wasted Sundays

📙 Mumming
A Year of Trying (and Failing) to Be a Better Parent—Vic’s funny and painfully relatable memoir about the messy reality of motherhood.
👉 Get Mumming

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide
A 30-day sobriety kickstart filled with relatable support, practical tools and plenty of awkwardness to help you begin life without booze.
👉 Explore the Sober Awkward Guide

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward
Find more episodes, books, events and everything Sober Awkward.
👉 soberawkward.com

🛟 Alcohol Support
Sober Awkward shares personal experiences and community support, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Drinkline — National Alcohol Helpline
Free and confidential support if you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking.
Call 0300 123 1110
Weekdays: 9am–8pm
Weekends: 11am–4pm
👉 NHS alcohol support
Alcohol Change UK
Information, practical tools and support.
👉 alcoholchange.org.uk
WithYou
Free, confidential support with alcohol, drugs and mental health.
👉 wearewithyou.org.uk
In an emergency, call 999.

🇦🇺 Australia
National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline
Free and confidential information and support.
Call 1800 250 015
Available 24/7 in most states and territories.
👉 Australian Government hotline information
Lifeline Australia
Crisis support available 24/7.
Call 13 11 14
Text 0477 13 11 14
👉 lifeline.org.au
In an emergency, call 000.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The Awkward Bits, where every Thursday Vic flies solo, digging a little deeper into Monday’s topic, picking apart the bits we didn’t quite get to and exploring all the stuff that got left behind once the microphones were switched off. And Wow, what a week. Vic’s been reading all your amazing responses to the new co host reveal and, boy oh boy, it seems there are a LOT of people not drinking this Friday. Well, at least two of you, (Hello Steve and Janet from Coventry) We’ll take that as a win. Ha!

And it turns out Am I drinking too much? is a question that hit a bit of a nerve. Probably because it’s one so many of us have quietly typed into Google while drinking a glass of wine and hoping the internet would tell us, “Nah, you’re fine, carry on.” So, this week, Vic looks at the more subtle red flags around drinking. Not the dramatic stuff we’re taught to look out for, but the tiny behaviours that can tell you booze is taking up more space in your head than you realise. Stuff like being very aware of how full your glass is. Clocking how much wine is left in the bottle. Feeling slightly panicked when there doesn’t seem to be enough booze at a party. Wondering when the next drink is coming. Noticing what everyone else is drinking and making sure there’s enough booze in the house at all times!

These strange preoccupations with alcohol that can quietly tick away in the background while, on the outside, everything looks hunky dory.

Vic shares the awkward little signs she recognises from her own drinking and asks a much more useful question than, Am I bad enough to quit?
How much space is alcohol taking up in my head?

A short, honest Thursday episode for anyone questioning their drinking, even if everything looks absolutely fine on paper.

Resources & Links

📖 Vic & Ulrika want to hear from you!
Have you got a story, weird drunk confession or a question for Vic and Ulrika?
Email vicandulrika@soberawkward.com Your message could inspire a future episode.

📱 Join the Sober Awkward app
The Sober Awkward app is a welcoming space for anyone who is sober, sober-curious or simply rethinking their relationship with alcohol.
Find daily inspiration, honest conversations, alcohol-free drink ideas, sober events and a community that understands all the awkward bits.
Search “Sober Awkward” in the Apple App Store or find for all other devices click here

📲 Follow us

Instagram - Sober Awkward: @soberawkward
Facebook - Sober Awkward Community for Women

Retreat with us
🌴 Fancy a sober holiday? Click here to come and drink from coconuts!

📰 Media enquiries
For interviews, features, partnerships or other media requests, contact Kate at hello@soberawkward.com

Vic's Books

📘 A Thousand Wasted Sundays
👉 Get A Thousand Wasted Sundays

📙 Mumming
👉 Get Mumming

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide
A 30-day sobriety kickstart
👉 Explore the Sober Awkward Guide

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward
Find more episodes, books, events and everything Sober Awkward.
👉 soberawkward.com

🛟 Alcohol Support
Sober Awkward shares personal experiences and community support, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Drinkline — National Alcohol Helpline
Free and confidential support if you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking.
Call 0300 123 1110
Weekdays: 9am–8pm
Weekends: 11am–4pm
👉 NHS alcohol support
Alcohol Change UK
Information, practical tools and support.
👉 alcoholchange.org.uk
WithYou
Free, confidential support with alcohol, drugs and mental health.
👉 wearewithyou.org.uk
In an emergency, call 999.

🇦🇺 Australia
National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline
Free and confidential information and support.
Call 1800 250 015
Available 24/7 in most states and territories.

👉 Australian Government hotline information
Lifeline Australia
Crisis support available 24/7.
Call 13 11 14
Text 0477 13 11 14
👉 lifeline.org.au
In an emergency, call 000.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, it’s true. Vic has a new co host and it’s only bloody Ulrika Jonsson. No, Vic can’t quite believe it either. She’s trying to act normal about the whole thing.
This first episode is basically Vic and Ulrika getting to know each other while you lot listen in. They talk about where they’ve come from, how they drank and how alcohol went from being a completely normal part of life to something that was taking up far too much space.

And their drinking stories couldn’t be more different. Vic was your classic life and soul party drinker, always up for another one and usually the last dickhead on the dance floor. Ulrika’s drinking was much more likely to happen at home. Different habits, different lives, same eventual realisation. This booze thing wasn’t really doing either of them any favours.
There are a few awkward bits, some oversharing and moments where you can practically hear them figuring each other out as they go. Which, frankly, is exactly how we like it around here.
This new chapter of Sober Awkward is going to get stuck into all of it. Why we drink, why everyone thinks drinking is so bloody normal, the weird things we did to justify it, what happens when it stops being fun and what life actually looks like when you decide you’ve had enough.

Vic and Ulrika certainly don’t have all the answers, but they’ve got plenty of stories, opinions and questionable decisions to pick apart.
So, here we go. A brand new Sober Awkward.

New co host. Same awkward-ness.
Join Vic and Ulrika every Monday as they rummage around the weird and wonderful world of drinking, not drinking and everything in between.

💛 Resources & Links

📖 Vic & Ulrika want to hear from you!
Have you got a story, weird drunk confession or a question for Vic and Ulrika?
Email vicandulrika@soberawkward.com Your message could inspire a future episode.

📱 Join the Sober Awkward app
Search “Sober Awkward” in the Apple App Store or find for all other devices click here

📲 Follow us

Instagram - Sober Awkward: @soberawkward

Facebook - Sober Awkward Community for Women

Retreat with us
🌴 Fancy a sober holiday? Click here to come and drink from coconuts with us!

📰 Media enquiries
For interviews, features, partnerships or other media requests, contact Kate at hello@soberawkward.com.

📘 A Thousand Wasted Sundays
Victoria’s brutally honest and hilarious memoir about motherhood, anxiety and ditching the booze.
👉 Get A Thousand Wasted Sundays

📙 Mumming
A Year of Trying (and Failing) to Be a Better Parent—Vic’s funny and painfully relatable memoir about the messy reality of motherhood.
👉 Get Mumming

📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide
A 30-day sobriety kickstart filled with relatable support, practical tools and plenty of awkwardness to help you begin life without booze.
👉 Explore the Sober Awkward Guide

🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward
Find more episodes, books, events and everything Sober Awkward.
👉 soberawkward.com

🛟 Alcohol Support
Sober Awkward shares personal experiences and community support, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
If you are physically dependent on alcohol, suddenly stopping can be dangerous. Please speak to a doctor or alcohol-support service for advice on withdrawing safely.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Drinkline — National Alcohol Helpline
Free and confidential support if you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking.
Call 0300 123 1110
Weekdays: 9am–8pm
Weekends: 11am–4pm
👉 NHS alcohol support
Alcohol Change UK
Information, practical tools and support.
👉 alcoholchange.org.uk
WithYou
Free, confidential support with alcohol, drugs and mental health.
👉 wearewithyou.org.uk
In an emergency, call 999.

🇦🇺 Australia
National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline
Free and confidential information and support.
Call 1800 250 015
Available 24/7 in most states and territories.
👉 Australian Government hotline information
Lifeline Australia
Crisis support available 24/7.
Call 13 11 14
Text 0477 13 11 14
👉 lifeline.org.au
In an emergency, call 000.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.