Sober Travel: How to Travel, Celebrate, and Live Fully in Recovery with Teresa Bergen

What does it look like to build a full, adventurous life in recovery?

In this inspiring episode of The Hanley Effect, Dr. John Dyben and Dr. Rachel Docekal welcome Teresa Bergen, sober travel writer and author of Sober Travel Handbook, for a conversation about what it means to travel alcohol-free with confidence, purpose, and joy. Teresa shares her personal recovery story, how getting sober at a young age opened the door to a bigger life, and why recovery should never mean shrinking your world.

Together, they explore one of the most common fears people face in sobriety: How do I still have fun, celebrate, connect, and travel without alcohol? Teresa offers practical advice for navigating weddings, vacations, cruises, holidays, and social events while protecting recovery and staying grounded. From bringing your own mindset into the room to planning an exit strategy and finding support while away from home, this episode is full of real-world guidance for anyone wondering how to live fully without substances.

This conversation is especially meaningful for people in early recovery, those preparing for sober travel for the first time, and families looking to better understand how to support a loved one in recovery. Teresa’s message is clear and hopeful: you did not get sober to have a small life.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• Why addiction can make your world feel smaller — and how recovery helps you rebuild it
• The emotional fear many people have about having fun, traveling, or celebrating without alcohol
• Why early recovery is a time to rebuild your foundation before jumping into high-risk situations
• How to prepare for weddings, cruises, reunions, and other alcohol-centered environments
• Simple ways to participate in celebrations without drinking
• The importance of accountability, support people, and sober connection while traveling
• What “Friends of Bill W.” means on cruises and why those meetings can matter
• Why having an exit strategy can be a powerful recovery tool
• Teresa’s encouragement for people in recovery who want a better, bigger life

Key Takeaways

Teresa Bergen brings both lived experience and practical expertise to this conversation, helping listeners reframe sober living as expansive rather than restrictive. One of the episode’s strongest messages is that recovery is not about missing out. It is about learning to participate in life in new ways, with more freedom, more intention, and more self-respect.

She also reminds listeners that sobriety does not mean isolation. Whether you are toasting at a wedding with sparkling water, checking in with a trusted support person while traveling, or attending a “Friends of Bill W.” meeting on a cruise, there are ways to stay connected without compromising your recovery.