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Welcome to the Set Free Sisterhood Podcast — where we ditch alcohol, heal deeply, and step into our God-given purpose. Hey Sister — let’s get honest. Are you tired of waking up at 3am with your heart racing, your mind spinning, and that pit in your stomach that whispers “What’s wrong with me?” You hide it well. You show up, you smile, you juggle all the things. But behind the scenes, you’re stuck in this cycle: Drink, regret, repeat. And deep down, you know it’s costing you — your peace, your purpose, your joy, and your connection with God. I’m Michelle Porterfield — a faith-fueled, no-nonsense coach who helps Christian women break free from the grip of alcohol, heal what’s underneath it, and create a life they actually want to wake up to. I’ve walked this road. I know the fear, the shame, and the lies the enemy loves to whisper. And I also know the freedom waiting for you on the other side. This podcast is your safe, faith-filled space to get real, do the work, and become the woman God created you to be — bold, healed, and completely set free. If you’re ready, let’s do this. Watch the FREE Masterclass: www.setfreesisterhood.com/masterclass Email at michelle@setfreesisterhood.com
Episodes

10 hours ago
10 hours ago
20 min
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you want a drink when absolutely nothing is wrong?
You’re not stressed. You’re not angry. You’re not even having a bad day.
You’re just… bored.
In this episode of Set Free Sisterhood, we’re talking about boredom drinking and what may actually be underneath that urge to pour a glass of wine when the evening feels long, ordinary, or a little too quiet.
Maybe you can go two or three days without drinking, but then you start thinking, I’ve been good. I deserve a drink.
But what happens when alcohol becomes the reward for not drinking alcohol?
We’ll talk about how boredom, restlessness, the desire to mentally check out, and the need for “me time” can all keep alcohol feeling important—and why learning to experience contentment may be part of your freedom.
In this episode, we’ll explore:
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Why boredom can trigger the urge to drink
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The “I’ve been good, so I deserve it” reward cycle
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What you may actually be craving when you want alcohol
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The belief that alcohol makes you more fun or social
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How to create pleasure, rest, and connection without drinking
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Why stillness can initially feel uncomfortable
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How to begin practicing contentment in ordinary moments
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Inviting God into the quiet instead of automatically trying to escape it
Here’s a question to take with you:
What if nothing needs to change right now?
You don’t have to make every evening exciting. You don’t have to escape boredom. And you don’t need alcohol to make an ordinary moment better.
You can begin practicing:
“I’m in the process of learning how to be content in this moment.”
If you’re tired of going a few days without drinking only to find yourself right back in the same cycle, I’d love to talk with you.
👉 Schedule a chat with me here:
michelle@setfreesisterhood.com
Let’s look at what’s really underneath your drinking and what it could look like to create lasting freedom—without shame, labels, or perfection.

Sep 28, 2026
Sep 28, 2026
14 min
If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll deal with your drinking later… maybe after the holidays, after things calm down, or when January rolls around… this episode is for you.
Because here’s the truth: December is coming whether you change anything or not.
So instead of waiting for another “fresh start,” what if you used the next 12 weeks to actually understand your relationship with alcohol and begin creating real change?
In this short episode, I’m talking about why right now may actually be the perfect time to start.
We’ll talk about:
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Why waiting until January can keep you stuck in the same cycle
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How the upcoming holiday season gives you real-life opportunities to practice new tools
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Why you do NOT have to commit to never drinking again
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What you can learn from the slip-ups instead of beating yourself up over them
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What could be different by December if you decide to start now
And most importantly, you don't have to do this perfectly.
You just have to be willing to do something different.
The Set Free Sisterhood Collective Starts Wednesday!
This is your final invitation to join us for 12 weeks of faith-based coaching, support, community, and real conversations about what’s underneath your drinking.
We’re keeping this group small, which means you'll have plenty of opportunity for personal coaching, questions, connection, and support.
No labels. No judgment. No perfection required.
Come exactly where you are.
👉 JOIN THE SET FREE SISTERHOOD COLLECTIVE:
https://setfreesisterhood.com/collective
We start Wednesday, September 30th.
If something is holding you back or you have a question before joining, reach out to me. I would love to talk with you.
You don't have to wait until January to become the woman you know you want to be.
Let's start now.

Sep 24, 2026
Sep 24, 2026
23 min
Have you ever made it through a long, stressful day and thought, “I deserve a drink”?
Maybe you’ve been taking care of everyone else, working, running the house, dealing with family, making decisions all day—and that glass of wine feels like the one thing that’s finally for you.
But what if the drink isn’t really what you’re craving?
In this episode of Set Free Sisterhood, we’re digging into one of the hidden reasons you may keep reaching for alcohol even when you’ve told yourself you want to cut back: you’ve connected drinking with reward, relief, and what you believe you deserve.
We’ll talk about how that pattern gets created, why your brain begins to expect alcohol at the end of a hard day, and what might actually be underneath that desire.
I’ll also challenge you to start asking a different question:
What do I really deserve?
Because maybe you deserve more than a temporary escape. Maybe you deserve rest. Support. Peace. Fun. Connection. Time for yourself. A life you don’t constantly need relief from.
And you can begin learning how to give yourself those things without automatically reaching for a drink.
Ready for more support?
Enrollment is open for the Set Free Sisterhood Collective, my 12-week faith-based coaching community for women who are ready to change their relationship with alcohol and understand what’s really driving the drinking.
This isn’t about being perfect or promising you’ll never drink again. We’re going to work through the real-life triggers, habits, emotions, beliefs, and messy moments together—without shame or judgment.
Learn more and join the Collective here:
https://setfreesisterhood.com/collective
We begin September 30th. I’d love to have you with us.

Sep 17, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
20 min
Can I ask you something?
Do you know what you want anymore?
Not what your husband wants.
Not what your kids need.
Not what your boss expects.
Not what everyone else thinks you should be doing.
What do YOU want?
Because somewhere along the way, a lot of women lose themselves.
We become the mom.
The wife.
The caretaker.
The responsible one.
The employee.
The business owner.
The one everyone calls when they need something.
And eventually, we look around and think:
“Wait… where did I go?”
And sometimes alcohol becomes one of the only things that feels like it's ours.
The drink becomes our little escape.
Our reward.
Our time.
Our way of feeling like ourselves again.
But what if instead of trying to take that away, we started rebuilding the woman underneath it?
I want you to start asking:
What do I want?
What do I enjoy?
What have I stopped doing?
Who am I becoming?
This is bigger than drinking.
And it's a big part of the work we'll be doing inside The Set Free Sisterhood Collective.
https://setfreesisterhood.com/collective
Because maybe the goal isn't just to stop drinking.
Maybe the goal is to find yourself again.

Sep 10, 2026
Sep 10, 2026
18 min
Come enjoy some sisterhood time! Free Zoom meet up on September 15th at 6 pm EST. We will discuss the 5 Hidden Reasons you drink even when you dont want to.
Register here:
https://setfreesisterhood.myflodesk.com/freezoomsisterhood
What if the drink isn't the thing you want?
What if you want to NOT FEEL?
Maybe you're angry.
Lonely.
Anxious.
Disappointed.
Overwhelmed.
Resentful.
And instead of feeling it…
you pour a drink.
Because for a little while, you don't have to deal with it.
But here's the catch:
The feeling doesn't actually go away.
You just temporarily disconnect from it.
And every time you do that, your brain gets another lesson:
Feeling bad → Drink → Feel better
What if you could learn something new?
Feeling bad → Feel it → Process it → Move through it
That's the work.
This week's podcast:
You're Not Drinking Because You Love Alcohol—You're Avoiding a Feeling
And if you're ready to learn how to stop running from yourself, The Set Free Sisterhood Collective starts September 30th.
Join now:
https://setfreesisterhood.com/collective
You don't have to numb your way through hard things.

Sep 4, 2026
Sep 4, 2026
24 min
Maybe you don't actually want the wine.
Maybe you want RELIEF.
You've been making decisions all day.
Taking care of people.
Working.
Managing.
Solving problems.
Holding everything together.
And by the end of the day?
You don't want another responsibility.
You want to SHUT YOUR BRAIN OFF.
So you pour the drink.
And for a little while, it works.
That's what makes this pattern so powerful.
The problem isn't that you're stupid or weak.
Your brain has learned:
Overwhelmed → Drink → Relief
This week's episode is all about that pattern:
Why You're Drinking at the End of the Day: The Mental Load and Over-Drinking
And if you're realizing that what you really want isn't alcohol—it's relief—this is exactly the kind of work we're going to do inside The Set Free Sisterhood Collective.
We start 9/30/2026.
JOIN HERE:
https://setfreesisterhood.com/collective
Let's find another way to exhale.

Aug 27, 2026
Aug 27, 2026
15 min
There’s a moment I hear from women all the time:
“I told myself I wasn’t going to drink tonight… and then I did.”
Maybe you’ve had that conversation with yourself more times than you’d like to admit.
You wake up determined.
You make a promise.
You tell yourself, Tonight will be different.
And then 5:00 rolls around.
You’re tired. Overwhelmed. Bored. Stressed. Lonely. Frustrated.
And suddenly that drink sounds really good.
Then comes the guilt.
Why did I do that again?
What is wrong with me?
Why can’t I just control this?
But what if the problem isn’t that you need more willpower?
What if there’s actually something underneath the drinking that you haven’t learned how to address yet?
That’s what I’m diving into on this week’s episode of the Set Free Sisterhood Podcast:
Why Do I Keep Drinking Even Though I Said I Wouldn’t? 5 Hidden Reasons You Drink
I’m breaking down the five hidden reasons that can keep you reaching for alcohol even when you genuinely want to stop.
And this episode is just the beginning.
Over the next six weeks, I’m going deeper into each of these reasons because I want you to start seeing your drinking differently.
Not through shame.
Not through “I should be better than this.”
But through curiosity, understanding, and real change.
And if you're listening and thinking, “Michelle, I know I need more support with this,” I have something coming.
The Set Free Sisterhood Collective is a 12-week coaching experience for Christian women who are ready to stop over-drinking, understand what's really driving it, and create a life they don't need to escape from.
We start September 30th, 2026, and enrollment is coming soon.
If you want to be the first to know when enrollment opens, simply reply to this email with COLLECTIVE and I'll add you to the list.
You don't have to keep having the same conversation with yourself.
Let's get underneath it.
Michelle

Aug 20, 2026
Aug 20, 2026
44 min
It’s been 8 years… but it’s not really about alcohol
A couple of weeks ago, I hit 8 years alcohol-free.
And I almost let the milestone pass without talking about it.
Not because it isn't meaningful.
It absolutely is.
But because when I think about these eight years, I don't think about a number.
I think about who I've become.
I thought I was giving up alcohol.
What I didn't realize was how much I was making room for:
→ Healing
→ Self-trust
→ Emotional health
→ Better relationships
→ Being a more present mom
→ Understanding myself
→ Growing in my faith
→ Becoming the woman God created me to be
Eight years later, I'm less interested in talking about what I don't drink and much more interested in talking about the life I get to live because I stopped using alcohol to escape it.
And that's what this week's podcast episode is about.
It's an honest conversation about what has happened over these eight years—and why I don't see this as simply a sobriety milestone.
It's a becoming milestone.
With love,
Michelle
Ready to get support or even curious? Email me michelle@setfreesisterhood.com

Aug 13, 2026
Aug 13, 2026
20 min
Can we talk about something that is really hard for so many moms?
Your kids growing up.
Because here's the thing nobody tells you...
Parenting doesn't end when they turn 18.
The worries just change.
When they were little, you worried about scraped knees, grades, and whether they were eating enough vegetables.
Now you worry about:
Are they making good choices?
Are they happy?
Are they struggling?
Are they walking with God?
Are they going to be okay?
And maybe the hardest part...
You can't fix it anymore.
You can't step in and make the decision for them.
You can't protect them from every heartbreak, mistake, or consequence.
And if you're anything like many women I talk to, that helpless feeling can be overwhelming.
Sometimes that stress leads us straight to the things we've used for relief...
The glass of wine at the end of the day.
The scrolling.
The overthinking.
The constant trying to figure out what we can do differently.
But friend, what if the invitation isn't to try harder?
What if it's to surrender deeper?
In today's episode of the Set Free Sisterhood Podcast, we're talking about:
✨ Why worrying can feel like love
✨ The difference between caring and carrying
✨ How to stop trying to control what you cannot control
✨ What it looks like to trust God with your adult children
✨ How to love your kids while still protecting your own peace
One of my favorite verses for this season is Philippians 4:6-7:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..."
Notice Paul doesn't tell us not to care.
He tells us where to take our care.
Your adult children need your love.
They need your prayers.
They need your wisdom when invited.
But they do not need you to carry their entire life on your shoulders.
That burden was never yours.
If you've been exhausted from worrying about someone you love, I hope this episode reminds you:
You can love deeply and still let go.
You can pray faithfully and still have peace.
You can be a good mom and stop carrying what only God can handle.
❤️ Michelle
Ready to get support or even curious? Email me michelle@setfreesisterhood.com

Aug 6, 2026
Aug 6, 2026
19 min
Can I ask you a question?
Who takes care of the caregiver?
The woman who remembers every appointment.
The woman who checks in on everyone.
The woman her adult children call when life falls apart.
The woman helping aging parents, loving on grandchildren, supporting her family, serving others, and somehow trying to keep herself together.
Maybe that's you.
And here's what I want you to hear today:
You matter too.
Not just because of what you do for everyone else.
Not because you're the dependable one.
Not because you're the one who always knows what to say or how to fix it.
You matter because you are a daughter of God.
So many women I talk to have spent years pouring out, but they never learned how to receive.
They carry everyone's emotions.
They worry about everyone's choices.
They try to fix things they were never meant to control.
And eventually...
they are exhausted.
Sometimes that exhaustion leads them straight to the glass of wine at the end of the day.
Not because they are weak.
But because they are craving relief.
A moment where they don't have to be responsible for everyone else.
But friend, what if the answer isn't another drink?
What if the answer is learning how to release what was never yours to carry?
In today's episode of the Set Free Sisterhood Podcast, we talk about:
✨ The difference between caring and carrying
✨ Why worrying feels like love (but steals your peace)
✨ How to love people without trying to control their outcomes
✨ How to let God carry what you cannot
✨ The first steps to receiving support instead of always being the strong one
I also want to remind you of something from Philippians 4:6-7:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..."
God doesn't ask you to carry the whole world.
He invites you to bring it to Him.
If you've spent years being everyone's safe place, maybe it's time to create a safe place for yourself too.
You don't have to do this alone.
❤️ Michelle
Ready to get support or even curious? Email me michelle@setfreesisterhood.com