Podcast
Journey to the Sunnyside | Mindful Drinking & Alcohol Health
Hosted by Sunnyside · EN
Exploring the science of drinking less, from alcohol cravings and habit change to moderation, naltrexone, and building a healthier relationship with alcohol. Whether you're sober curious, cutting back, or thinking about quitting, this podcast meets you where you are.
Journey to the Sunnyside is a top 1% podcast reaching over 500,000 listeners every week. Through expert interviews, neuroscience research, and real stories, we cover what actually works — mindful drinking, behavior change, medication-assisted approaches, harm reduction, and more.
Hosted by Mike Hardenbrook, #1 best-selling author and neuroscience enthusiast. Brought to you by Sunnyside, the leading program for changing your relationship with alcohol. Start your free trial at sunnyside.co.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in our episodes do not necessarily represent those of Sunnyside. If you're concerned about your drinking, please consult a medical professional. This podcast is not medical advice.
53episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
When Relief Is a Terrible North Star
Apr 2700:11:07Tap to summarizeIn this 10 Minute Monday, I’m talking about something I had to admit in my own life: sometimes the drink at the end of the day isn’t really about the drink. It’s about the need to shut off, exhale, and feel like the day is finally over. I’ll share why that kind of relief can start to cost more than it gives, and how to think differently about what you’re actually looking for in that moment.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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Why Some Kava Works and Some Doesn’t w/ Morgan Smith
Apr 2300:45:39Tap to summarizeJoin me for a conversation with Morgan Smith of Kalm with Kava, as he speaks from his farm in Hawaii about why people can have such different experiences with kava. Morgan has spent more than a decade studying the plant and working directly with growers, and in this episode he breaks down what kava is actually meant to do, why quality matters so much, and how to avoid misleading or low-quality products. We also talk about where kava may fit for someone trying to drink less, and where it may not. If you’ve been curious about kava but unsure what to trust, this episode will give you a much clearer lens.Important note: Kava is a popular drink that people many people use for its calming effects. Please do your own research before trying kava. While we are fans of things that help people drink less alcohol, we also want you to be careful and mindful of anything you put in your body. By our own research, kava is generally considered very safe and non-addictive, but any substance can be habit forming over time. ❤️CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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When Better Starts Feeling Boring
Apr 2000:11:40Tap to summarizeA few months into drinking less, something happened that caught me off guard. Things got better, then better became normal, and normal started feeling a lot flatter than I expected. In this episode, I talk about why that can be such a vulnerable moment, and why people sometimes drift back right when things are actually going well. If you’ve ever thought, I thought this would feel better than this, this one’s for you.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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Food Noise, Alcohol Noise, and the New Science of Medication-Assisted Behavior Change w/ Sunnyside CEO Nick Allen & Noom CEO Geoff Cook
Apr 1500:55:38Tap to summarizeMike sits down with Geoff Cook, CEO of Noom and one of the biggest names in digital behavior change, and Nick Allen, CEO of Sunnyside, for a conversation about food noise, alcohol noise, GLP-1s and naltrexone, and the new science of comprehensive behavior change. Geoff has led Noom since 2023 as the company expands beyond weight management into a broader model that blends personalized psychology with modern medicine, while Nick is building Sunnyside around a similar idea in alcohol: that lasting change takes more than willpower alone. Together, they unpack what happens when the “noise” gets quieter, how medication can create a powerful window for change, and where behavior change, moderation, and modern digital care may be heading next.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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7 Things Most People Get Wrong About Harm Reduction
Apr 1300:10:27Tap to summarizeAfter talking with Dr. Andrew Tatarsky on the podcast more than once, and continuing the conversation outside those episodes, I kept coming back to the same thought: harm reduction is still one of the most misunderstood ideas in this space. A lot of people hear the phrase and instantly assume it means lowering the bar or not really committing to change. That’s not what it means. In this episode, I break down seven things I think most people still get wrong about harm reduction, and why understanding it correctly can completely change the way you think about progress, support, and your relationship with alcohol. If you’ve ever felt like the only options were do nothing or change everything, this one is for you.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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Why You Feel So Split Around Drinking
Apr 600:09:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Mike puts a name to something that has come up again and again on the podcast: Internal Family Systems, or IFS. Drawing on ideas discussed by several therapists on the show, including Beej Christie Karpen, he breaks down why part of you reaches for relief, why shame keeps the cycle going, and how to start responding with more curiosity and less self-attack. This one gives you a simple framework and a few practical ways to use it the next time the urge shows up.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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Why the Parts of You That Drink Are Not the Enemy w/ Beej Karpen
Apr 200:39:29Tap to summarizeBeej Karpen is a mindfulness-based coach and IFS practitioner who helps people change their relationship with alcohol in a more compassionate way, without shame, labels, or all-or-nothing thinking. She created Mindful Drinking 101 in 2020, has led more than 35 groups, and has spent the past 12 years running the first Moderation Management Women’s meeting In this episode, we talk about what is really happening underneath the urge to drink, why shame backfires, how IFS changes the way people understand inner conflict, and why the part of you that wants relief is not the enemy.Learn more about Beej: http://www.insightoutnyc.com/CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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A Craving Is Not a Command
Mar 3000:12:34Tap to summarizeIn this episode I talk about one idea from my conversation with Nir Eyal that I think is genuinely useful for anyone trying to drink less. He made a point about pain and signal that applies directly to what happens when a craving shows up — and it's a lot more practical than just white knuckling through it. A craving is real. It's uncomfortable. But it's not a command. This episode is about what to actually do in that moment.Nir's Book, Beyond Belief: https://a.co/d/0bOchJVGCONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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Why You Stay Stuck Even When You Know Better w/ Nir Eyal
Mar 2600:37:14Tap to summarizeNir Eyal is the bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable, and he has a new book out called Beyond Belief. What I liked about this conversation is that it gets at why so many people stay stuck, even when they already know what to do. We talk about what belief actually is, how it shapes what we notice and feel, how labels can quietly become identity, and why some forms of positive thinking can actually keep people stuck instead of moving them forward. At the center of the book is this idea that beliefs are not just thoughts in the background. They shape what we think is possible, and often they are doing a lot more to drive our behavior than we realize.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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7 Things Science Knows About Drinking That Most People Don't
Mar 2400:11:13Tap to summarizeOver the last few years I've had the chance to sit down with researchers who study drinking behavior from a lot of different angles — psychology, neuroscience, habit formation, public health. And the thing that keeps striking me is how often what the research actually shows doesn't match the way most of us think drinking works. Not slightly off. Sometimes completely backwards. In this episode I walk through seven of those findings. The ones that surprised me most — and honestly, a few that changed how I think about the habit entirely.CONNECT WITH SUNNYSIDE:Listen to Journey to the Sunnyside Podcast: https://bit.ly/4bxCqT3Subscribe to Sunnyside’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3zuoID4Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsunnyside/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsunnyside/Twitter: https://x.com/joinsunnysideTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnysideABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol health app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.We now offer Sunnyside Med, a new program that provides access to compounded naltrexone, a medication that can reduce alcohol cravings at the brain level, offering a more clinical pathway for people who need it. Sunnyside Med is a complete, holistic approach to help you drink less or quit, including coaching, community, habit change, education, and more to help you create longterm change while the medication does its work.Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.
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