Sobriety, Wellness and Mental Health 

Thank you for sharing. I had 2 years and fell off the wagon recently. Its amazing how quickly Im back to the dark depths. My brain is very unwell right now. I feel like I have been pushed out of the drivers seat and the monster has the wheel. But I dont want to be a passenger. You have inspired me to get help and reclaim the wheel. I know right now, Im on the road to nowhere. But life is beautiful. I know that because I saw it, felt it, lived it. I want that back. Thanks for your honesty and vulnerability. Knowing Im not alone is everything.

Retired cop. Did my whole career sober. DOS: 12/24/1976. Congratulations 🎊 ODAAT

Congratulation. You are very brave to share your vulnerable self to others. I am sure that you helped many people by sharing your experience and what you did to become sober. One day at a time. ❤

While I can’t relate to this on a personal level, my partner certainly can, and I relate to him. He’s in his 24th year of sobriety and shared his story which sounds exactly like yours. While I can’t say, “I know how you feel” because I don’t, I sure have a tremendous amount of respect for those who fight this fight and win it day by day, every day.❤

Thanks for the "meeting." I can soooo relate. 33 years next month. Don't quit before the miracle. You are an inspiration.

Thank you for sharing this. I've passed it along to my son who is also recovering. Sending big hugs from Montreal.

Its great to hear your story. *I am now 60yrs and been sober since 31 years old. I was blessed with a step father who went to meeting and helped me find positive women to help me on my journey. Thanks for sharing this but so many helpful topics. Bless you!

I hung onto your every word, Julie. You give me hope. Thank you for sharing your personal life. You are a beautiful soul. ❤️🤗

Some people don't even ask themselves about their wellbeing. I'm 6 years clean from drugs myself, and I know that you SHOULD be proud of yourself! Because it's hard work, especially at first. We use drugs and alcohol to self medicate, so when we get clean & sober, all those emotions come flooding back. Then, you have to deal with those emotions and it's incredibly tough 😮 Hats off to you, Nurse Julie, I think you've done brilliantly 👏 😉 👍 😀 ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Loved hearing your story, Julie! Thank God you had the presence of mind - FIRST - to STOP. Man, you’re strong. Love of my life…late husband, a PHYSICIAN…. Ivy League educated. Died from alcoholism at age 61. He retired early to be able to “self medicate” that horrible depression and anxiety. He never accepted any other HELP other than his “drug of choice”, which worked the best…… ALCOHOL. It got him. Knew it would. He’s at peace now…… but robbed us both of potentially a great life. SO…… your strength is ABSOLUTELY commendable. You saved yourself!!!! How much more proud could you be of yourself!!! WOW! SO happy you did….. your life has SUCH purpose and meaning! Never take that for granted! xoxo

You are very strong. Your success is now a resource. You can deal with tremendous challenge going forward, and although here's hoping you won't need to, clearly you are able to take on misfortune with grace and talent. You are a great example for us all. We are lucky you are on RU-vid to share it with us.

Beautiful journey, thank you for sharing. I know there is a lot of stigma about 12 step programs, but they work. My story is similar, didn’t drink everyday, but when I did it was a crap shoot on the come. Those rooms helped me start and heal through my journey. Alcohol free since 2007, what a beautiful life I have because of that. Sending love to all! 🙏

Good for you Julie! ❤ Thank you for your honesty. You will help others with your story. You are a truly beautiful soul.

Congrats! You're an inspiration to many! ❤

Thank you for sharing. I've been contemplating a sober lifestyle.

So cool of you to share something so personal. I am glad you are feeling better and have made it this many years. Wishes for you with continued success on this and everything you take on.

Each month of sobriety brings another new perspective on the life you lived, and with it comes an overwhelming mental pain. Confrontation alone usually fails, but with a little help you can fly.

I, too, am a recovering drunk. Alcoholic, whatever word I use, it means the same thing. 24 yrs sober...

Congratulations on your sobriety 🎉🎉 I love this channel, thank you for the amazing work you do ❤

👍Thank you dear Julie, you broke the cycle in your family. You are so special may God protect you.

Thank you so much for your service!! You are brave and beautiful!! I love you videos they bring peace to my heart! I have had the privilege of caring for patients and family members in their last moments of life. And I do feel like it is a privilege!! 18 years One day at a time❤️ The most important thing I have found in recovery is my higher power!!

Hey thanks for sharing I am really happy for you and appreciate all you do. I just celebrated 14 years sober😊 I started watching your channel a few months before my mom passed away and boy did they help me through the whole process especially the one about how they were in life they are in death! There was no talking about the past or any apologies and she passed away Medically assisted and that was it. I grieved by myself, no one cared about my aching heart except your videos. Thanks so so much and now you're going to help other people in life not just death 🎉 Lots of love and light

I love how you stuck to the traditions, and did it effortlessly. What a lovely story of hope.

Thank you 🙏 for sharing your story . I am a type 2 Diabetic. Hence, I stopped drinking 2years ago. My A1C levels dropped from 8.5 to 6.0. I don’t want to ever go back to 8.5. I am healthier & happier now at 63 & plan on living at least 20 more years. Stay sober, you are a role model to so many. Love ❤️ you👍🏼.

Congratulations on your Recovery Julie. I am confident that by sharing your story so many other addictive persons will be helped. It helped me and I am 38 yrs sober. Thank you! I am also a retired RN. Keep doing what you are doing and God Bless You!

Julie, you’re the best and so inspiring❤ thanks for sharing your journey - I admire your strength ❤

Congratulations on your sobriety and healing!! I'm glad you pointed out that not all substance abusers are on skid row - many are high functioning and flying under the radar of those around them - even those relatively close, like siblings.

Thanks for your story. I’m 31 years sober this month and 70 years old. I started following you because I’m older and have major health issues. I wanted to understand the end of life and you’ve been a great resource. Good to know we share a solution to life.

Shredding the shame!!!! Girl- YES, YES, YES!!! Here I am with you. Oncology Social Worker here that had to examine my relationship with alcohol and determined- damn, I'm an alcoholic! So true if you dont know why you drink...stop- and then you'll know. Love your posts- u are amazing! 🎉

Congratulations for sharing on such a personal level. I’m sure you are touching many lives with your message. Thanks Julie!

Retired cop. Did my whole career sober. DOS 12/24/76. ODAAT Keep up the good work.

My 35 yr old son passed 8 months ago from alcoholism. We had been estranged for 2 years - his wife allowed my daughter and I to see him for one hour already intubated in the icu - he passed 14 hours later - completely devastating to me. We didn’t know he was an alcoholic - apparently he’d been ‘sober’ for 42 days unsupervised - he and his wife had been living isolated in a shared psychosis and didn’t get help - he was a chef in S.F. - I think he lost his way when Covid came and restaurants closed . Thank you so much for sharing your personal story and giving me the hope that he’s ok wherever he is now . I’m a new subscriber ❤

Congrats, 3 months in for me, now to quit smoking. I started exercising and that is really helping. Also changed my diet to carnivore, sleeping way better.

Woohoooo! I love sobriety! I’ve been sober for a bit over 2 years! Love your content! Congratulations on 7 almost 8 years!🎉

Alone and fast. That was me too. 38 months sober here. Thanks for sharing, Jules. You are awesome

You hit the nail right on the head. I'm an addiction counselor at a methadone clinic and some of our patients just want to get their methadone and don't want to do the individual and group therapy that are required as part of their treatment. I tell them that if they don't address the issues that let them to using in the first place they are less likely to be able to stay clean. The other thing I tell them a lot is that as human beings we're wired for connection. Some of us need more, some need less, but we all need it. Connection with others is such an important factor in recovery. Thank you for being open about your experience and helping dispel the stigma that people struggling with SUD are weak, immoral, and incapable of change.

Julie, thank you for being so brave and sharing these moments of your life with all of us. I've learned so much from you. I was my Dad's caregiver while he was under Hospice care. He did have a wonderful nurse. I had so many questions that I didn't get to ask his nurse at that time. You have answered so many of them. Julie, thank you. Thank you for sharing your personal story and all the wonderful information you've shared about Hospice. You are a gift to all of us. ❤

Great job 🎉 I think sharing may be one of the hardest things next to admitting there's a problem. Kudos to you ❤

I am in recovery as well. It will be 19 years in Jan 24. I am 69 now. I had other stints in sobriety. Once for almost 6 years. Other times with one year a couple of different times. I am convinced that had I not gone to treatment when I was 23, I would have died long ago. When I went to treatment and stayed sober for a long stint, this gave me a leg up for living, even though I went back to drinking and it got bad. I am so grateful today. It is good news you have your life back as well, one day at a time.

You go girl you are an inspiration to all the people that are going through this 👏🏻👏🏻💕😳🌹💐

Respect to you. We're on this planet to experience and work through (IMO). Long story short, I defo used alcohol (even food) as a coping mechanism. It was only when I became a Mum (best thing ever) and then my baby great nephew was murdered, my life turned upside down and I saw 'the bigger picture' and I worked through my issues, built healthy coping mechanisms and resilience (wasn't easy), I retrained, did a degree and worked in mental health and trauma support. Julie you're an angel on earth. Thanks for speaking about this, we all benefit from each other (IMO), be kind to ourselves as well as others🙏

Thank you for sharing your story. I encouraged several nurse buddies to watch this vid. Your honesty & way of sharing is much appreciated. Thank you Julie!

Thank you, Julie. I am also a nurse who currently struggles with substance abuse. I admire your vulnerability and thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

Julie, you are so vulnerable and authentic!! Thank you for sharing your journey with us. ❤

Oh man, I NEEDED to come across this video today! THANK YOU for sharing! ❤

I’m 12yrs sober! Feels wonderful!

Julie, your testimony has brought me to tears, and I'm pretty heartless! Thank you for sharing. I've been watching you for a while and would never have thought you'd been anything other than 'perfect' all through life. You've done so well!

How brave you are to have shared your story. You explained it beautifully, I'm sure you haved helped many people. You are a lovely young lady. God bless you.

I struggle with mental health issues myself ... on therapy on meds ... it's hard .😢

Thank you Julie, somehow I know I was meant to hear this today. Your vulnerability is really really appreciated, thank you.

Thank you for being so open ❤ I can relate so much. It's so very helpful to know I'm not alone in this journey Judy

Way to go, Julie! Congratulations on your sobriety. My husband has 13 years of sobriety. I know how hard it was for him, so just live 1 day at a time and keep going back. You never know when you may need a meeting,it may be that you need to share your story to help someone else and that will help you in return.

Congratulations on 7 years of sobriety! 🎉❤ That is an amazing accomplishment that deserves recognition and celebration! So many blessings arrive in your life when you choose to respect life and your health. I remember you saying that you were blessed with a book deal. I have a lot of faith that has to do with you choosing to stay sober. I had a near-death experience in 2006 and saw a bright white light that communicated with me. Basically I was having a visioning experience. The light told me that I am to take the story of my life and create a Hollywood movie! So I'm working on that. God gave me this blessing because I chose to respect the life of my child by quitting smoking, drinking, and drugs and staying sober. This is why I tell everyone to stay sober because you will be blessed! God sees everything! Congratulations to you for breaking the cycle of alcohol abuse in your family.. You are glowing! ❤

Thank you for your honesty about what mental wellness means to you. 😊

Very proud of you 😊

A wonderful share indeed. Thanks.

We share some similar experiences and I now am of the mindset that sobriety is mandatory however you want to get there. Not sober; I would never say anyone can think appropriately with any alcohol. It's that bad.

Congratulations! 🎈🎉

I love how you're so candid and tell it like it is! ❤

Thanks for your story. I got sober in 07, went to grad school and became a therapist. It was a seminary so I did CPE as a chaplain. Over the years I lost my religion/faith. My Dad died a couple years ago and I thought of working in hospice. I'm a spiritual guy, whatever that means, working with dying ppl now. I appreciate you and your service to others. Also, I was like, "why do I like her videos?" Maybe I sensed something. Anyway, thank you.

You’re so inspiring and your videos always make so much sense. Your honesty is truly outstanding and thank you for sharing your story. Sobriety is a lifelong thing and you deserve all the best.

Hi Julie, I’ve just found your channel and subscribed. Your videos are helping me lots. I love how real you are. My parents are both 89 years old, I’m 67, they both have cancer but are still in their own home. I feel so alone helping them, I lost my sister and brother five years ago so I’m all they’ve got. Your words sooth me about end of life and what to expect, so thank you for that. I’m rattling through all your videos. Keep them coming, much love from Scotland ❤

Your truth is beautiful. I have so much respect and admiration for you. Blessings and prayers...

You are amazing. You help in life and in passing. So proud of you

I'm an alcoholic. I keep it to the weekends nowadays, but it wasn't always that way. Just like you, many of my family members were alcoholics. My grandpa was a cop, for like 20 something years. I remember him getting home in his bullet proof vest smelling of beer. After he probably arrested people for DUI. I see home movies of his mom drinking PBR while holding me as a newborn. Addiction sucks. But congratulations on 7 years sober! That is an amazing accomplishment!! God Bless you, you do amazing work.

Thank you for sharing. I have mental health and addiction issues myself. It's nice to hear others who understand. Off topic: what is your lipstick called?

Thank you so much for sharing .I admire your courage for speaking out on the subject. ❤

Well said!! Powerful

Thank you, for sharing this, Julie. I'm on the hard side and trying to get there. It is so much help to hear from you and others who have gone down this road. God bless! ❤

You are one of the most impressive people I've ever met.

Wow!way to come out Julie!❤I have had a similar journey and appreciate your message on so many levels, the main one regarding mental health and sobriety. Its a wonder we get so much done in our society when you think of all the vices so many of us seem to have. I do believe the best way for us to move forward, to gain wellness, is by sharing our stories and supporting each other in our journey. Thank you for your bravery and wisdom❤ Wellness matters. Maybe we should change the constitution to…’in the pursuit of wellness’?😊

This story gave me chills. Thank you for sharing ❤

Congratulations, Julie! You're awesome, sweet girl, and I admire and appreciate you so much! G-d bless you! ❤

I was so scared of alcoholism. My dad was mean while drunk. Addition is so scary for me because I was afraid for my children becoming alcoholics. Addiction runs on both my side and my husbands world. I pray and educated my children about generational addiction. I give thanks to God everyday for them being well.

Oh my goodness. I'm 33 now and I'm going through the exact same thing. I'm praying I make it to the other side like you did. Thank you for sharing ❤❤❤🫂🫂🫂 -a fellow rn

As you do this you can begin neural plasticity in how your brain can find ways to heal. It becomes apparent to others. Also we reinforce and strong healthy relationships. By sharing your radical self-acceptance you gain a deeper self acceptance. The freedom to choose a better way. You will very much like a flower begins to bloom. So without words you share and you gain from those who are now free to bloom Thank you Nurse Julie for sharing.

Great sharing!!

Love you, Julie!

Juile, read the Bill Wilson Story, an approved A.A. book, deep dive into Origin's of A.A. and Bill's recovery from deppression. I'm sober 21 yrs. and yr. video made my day!❤

Congratulations on your recovery. I had a similar experience with gambling. When I was gambling I had a certain sense of security even though I was in a sense destroying myself. I haven't gambled for many years after receiving help. But I have had dreams occasionally where I have woken up and actually have thought I have gambled. Thanks for sharing your story.

Thank you for your "story "....... very much like mine. Sober since December 1, 1999. Was able to help my son get sober. He has 4 years, 1 month! To any of you still struggling............there IS a solution. Find it......work a program.....its so much better on the other side! ❤Kathy from Pennsylvania

Wow! Amazing! Appreciate what you do! Hey my sobriety date is feb 4th also, this feb will be 20yrs only by the grace of god and not picking up that first one! God bless!

Your sharing is a blessing. Thank you.

Whe..its my turn, I want you to be my hospice nurse. And congrats on your sobriety .

Thank you,

❤❤ I just started following you and I knew that there was a reason from the higher ups. I’m going through this right now. Every thing you just explained is me!! In denial and scared. Please help.

Way to go girl...:o) God Bless

Hey Julie, I love your videos. They teach me so much! Question for you: Do some hospice facilities use dehumidifiers in the patient's rooms? It certainly felt like it was in my husband's room while on hospice.

I really needed to hear this, thank you.

The best compliment I can give you: You are a walking talking 12th step.

Beautiful message. Thank you from a follower of your channel ! Joanne C

Rad message. Love! Congrats on ur time!

Thank You for sharing your story.

Amazing work Julie, and keep it up.

Can you do another video and share specifics about "the healthy tools". Thanks for you honesty!

Congratulations on your sobriety and healing! I've always thought you were an amazing person; now I know you are amazinger. I'll have been a "friend of Lois" for 34 years tomorrow. I've heard 20,000+ stories shared and studied alcoholism for over 10 years. Alcoholics tend to be more athletic, creative and intelligent, and to have larger emergency response brain regions than average, I've uploaded 6 monographs to ResearchGate on the subject. The alcoholic's brain is not defective at birth, it's just been shaped by evolutionary forces that didn't include alcohol. In other words, it's a perfectly good brain for 8,000 BC, before alcohol existed. Call it a disease, a condition, an allergy, or whatnot, alcoholism isn't as simple as a lack of moral fiber or will power, as people once thought.

.Your looking more beautiful with each video ! ❤

5 days now of no alcohol. I was a daily drinker of light beer. About 4 every night. I have withdrawn from friends, i am constantly irritable with the family. My older sister who lives with me (76) told me last night i should start drinking again because I'm so grouchy.

You're my hero

Thank you so much for sharing. I'm coming to terms with my issue. It's such a taboo, but I have a serious problem. Im also still functioning, I'm doing better in many ways, but I'm also getting worse fast. I'm searching so hard for a healthy substitute for my cocoon .