Someone 2 Know: Lori Windfeldt

Lori Windfeldt says she is not anti-drinking, she is pro-sobriety.

As we head into Dry January, a month-long challenge where participants abstain from drinking alcohol, our Someone 2 Know explains why she chooses sobriety.

This best-selling author, motivational speaker, podcaster and certified professional coach invited us into her home. And, on this day, Lori spends time with her husband, plays with the dogs and makes cookies with their youngest daughter.

Homelife now, Windfeldt tells us, looks entire differently than her growing-up years.

"There was a lot going on in my childhood, what I would consider that was just chaos."

Chaos and more, especially between her parents.

“Very physical and emotional abusive relationship there. My father was an alcoholic."

And at age 16, while attending Sparks High School and running track, Lori herself started drinking, a lot. "It was sort of a safety net, sort of a comforting, soothing safety net."

The drinking went on for decades. "My 20's, 30's and 40's were surrounded by their own problems." Lori adds, over the years, the drinking got progressively worse. "I used to have a calendar that I would write how many drinks I had - and would swear I didn't have a problem."

Windfeldt confides, after 17 different attempts to stop drinking, she got help. "I realized I can do this, and - that was seven years ago."

After about one year of sobriety, Lori set to helping others like herself. "In order to do that, I needed to normalize sobriety." Sobriety as a choice, because Lori knows alcohol is everywhere. "We have to figure that out. How does that work?"

Lori is now a certified professional coach, podcast host, public speaker and author. She promotes recovery and the work it takes to get there. Windfeldt's dry society social club hosts a gala every year, where guests dress up and have fun - without booze.

Lori says she now considers her disease of alcoholism a gift. "It's a gift of connecting, it's a gift of being able to be able to know that it's okay, you're normal. Let's just figure this out together."

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If you're ready to get help, or are curious about what recovery looks like, we have links here -

AA Alcoholics Anonymous meeting finder –

https://nnig.org/meetings?tsml-region=reno

Northern Nevada Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous

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436 South Rock Blvd Sparks, NV 89431

(775) 355-1151

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm, Saturday 9:00am – 1:00pm

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Reno Behavioral Health

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