Mommy got two DUIs in 72 hours.
“Sobriety didn’t solve my problems, but it gave me the power to face them.”
"Alcohol was the only relationship I could count on."
That’s how Kristi Tanner described her relationship with alcohol, which led to two DUIs in three days over the Fourth of July weekend. It also led to a host of other problems. In this deeply emotional and radically vulnerable conversation, Kristi—also known as the Mocktail Mommy on Instagram—talks about addiction, motherhood, mental health, and why she decided to open Wisconsin’s very first non-alcoholic bottle shop.
We dive into Kristi’s chaotic journey—from partying through college and motherhood, to blacking out at a neighborhood party with a newborn, to being arrested on the side of a highway in Indiana. But more importantly, we explore what happened after that: how Kristi rebuilt her life, learned to grieve the loss of alcohol as a “friend,” and now lives a life that’s not just sober, but happily so.
This episode is for anyone who's ever whispered, “I don’t know if I can do this”—and anyone who loves someone who has.
We explore
Growing up around normalized drinking and how that shaped Kristi’s views
The drinking culture in Wisconsin, and why Kristi calls it “ground zero”
How becoming a mom amplified her alcohol use
What led to two DUIs in 72 hours and her emotional retelling of the story
The grief of letting go of alcohol as a "friend"
Choosing to stay sober after divorce
Building a life of autonomy, joy, and purpose in sobriety
Starting “Mocktail Mommy” and founding the first NA bottle shop in Wisconsin
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About this week's guest: Kristi Tanner
Kristi Tanner is the founder of Sober Social, Wisconsin’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop. A single mom of four, Kristi shares her sobriety journey openly as “Mocktail Mommy” on Instagram, encouraging others to question their relationship with alcohol and embrace a life of freedom, honesty, and joy. Her radical transparency and contagious energy have made her a rising voice in the sober community.
Resources and links
Follow Kristi on Instagram: @mocktailmommy
Visit her store: sobersocialshop.com
My new book: Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic
LifeAudio Podcast Network: lifeaudio.com
Submit your story for consideration on a future episode: ChristianAlcoholic.com
Key moments
04:45 – Introducing Kristi and the culture of alcohol in Wisconsin
07:10 – Kristi’s background and how her drinking began
10:39 – The first rehab that didn’t work—and why
11:20 – “Alcohol was the only thing I could rely on”
25:00 – Motherhood, isolation, and the shift from casual to dependent drinking
33:50 – The two DUIs that changed everything
37:50 – Her second arrest: blackout drunk and parked on the highway
41:50 – Rehab again—this time for herself
47:14 – The letter that changed everything
53:28 – “Sobriety doesn’t solve life problems”
56:10 – Building Sober Social and living radically honest
58:19 – Her advice for anyone who knows they want to stop
Quotes
“Alcohol was the only relationship I had in my life that I could count on.”
“I didn’t get sober to just get through the day—I got sober to live an extraordinary life.”
“We glamorized alcohol so much that we forgot it's poison.”
“Sobriety didn’t solve my problems, but it gave me the power to face them.”
“Keep no secrets, carry no shame. That’s how I stay sober.”
“I cried myself to sleep for 18 months. And then I didn’t anymore.”
“You don’t have a full bar unless you offer a non-alcoholic option.”.
Video
Watch the video version of this episode:
