Meet Johanna Sullivan | Master Coach – Clear + Present Strangers & Real Estate Advisor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Johanna Sullivan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johanna, how does your business help the community?
My husband and I started Clear and Present Strangers to eliminate shame, change stigmas, break cycles, and help normalize sobriety. Society has such a stigma surrounding people that may have problems with alcohol. The shame surrounding this stigma is what prevents a lot of folks from getting help. The reality is, over drinking and alcohol use disorder, touches just about everyone in someway in their lifetime. Maybe it’s not you, it could be a family member, friend, or colleague, but alcohol is everywhere. We are not the “alcohol police” – you’ll find no judgement here – we share our stories out loud to help others that may be struggling alone in silence.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Our approach is a little bit different than what you may know or have heard about sobriety or stopping drinking. I like to say we fill the space between AA and rehab. I’m certainly not knocking on either of those, we just provide a different way to explore your relationship with alcohol.

First and foremost, our approach is compassion-led and delivered in a supportive, judgment free environment. Our coaching is completely private and anonymous because it’s done online with one on one coaching sessions held over Zoom. No one knows our clients’ journey unless they want to share it. We customize our coaching to fit our clients needs, while providing real tools, in real time to support clients in their journey.

Most of the people we work with haven’t necessarily hit a “rock bottom,” but rather feel that alcohol is holding them back from reaching their full potential. Many are high achieving individuals who appear to have it all together on the outside, but on the inside are yearning for a deeper sense of peace and control. While nothing terrible has happened, they want to stop drinking, and can for a while, but can’t manage to stay stopped.

We don’t teach people that they are weak or lacking willpower, or that they are powerless over alcohol, but rather help to empower them using science based education to become clear and present in their lives. There are 4 ways we work with clients:
1. We help them retrain their brain and reframe their mindset around alcohol – gaining clarity and control and reclaiming decision-making power to experience the freedom of living alcohol-free.
2. We teach them how to regulate their nervous system using real tools and techniques to help control cravings – enhancing their well-being by boosting energy levels, improving sleep quality, and optimizing physical and mental health.
3. We help them make alcohol irrelevant in their life – cultivating confidence and embracing their authentic selves and unlock their full potential in all aspects of life.
4. We provide accountability and provide daily support – we are with you every step of the way.

It hasn’t been easy putting myself out there. Not everyone is supportive, some friends don’t understand, and may even offer you drinks. It can be scary, because you are nervous about what others may think of you. That’s because society treats alcohol differently than any other addictive substance. When people want to quit smoking, everyone around them is supportive and thinks it’s great, a friend wouldn’t even think of offering a cigarette to a friend in that situation. When you tell your friends you’re not drinking, you have to explain why you are not drinking. Society tells us that alcoholism has been defined as a lifelong disease with no cure, and that you have to be labeled an alcoholic for the rest of your life, in a never ending fight for control, even if you stay sober. It lays the blame on the person, not the substance and let’s be honest, no one wants to think about that when all they’re trying to do is unwind after a long day at work!

We crave community and interaction with other people. I thought that without alcohol I wouldn’t have fun and alcohol was the glue that held some of my friendships together. When I decided alcohol no longer had a place in my life, it made me different, and we as humans don’t like being different. What I realized is that most people don’t really care, living an alcohol-free lifestyle is a wellness movement, it is happening, and I am one of the early adapters.

One of the absolute best things about what I do is seeing clients turn a corner and have an A-Ha! moment. They come to me in despair and leave with clarity, excitement, and a new zest for life. I love helping them look towards the future and build a life they love and don’t need to escape. Anyone who has struggled and makes it to the other side will tell you that sobriety is the greatest gift they have ever received. If you are sober-curious and have questions, email me at johanna@clearandpresentstrangers.com to set up a time to connect. I have been there, and I am proof that you don’t need to hit a rock bottom to make a change.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Having worked in sports for 18 years, I am a homer for sure! I love my Atlanta teams, Braves, Hawks, Falcons, United – give me all the sports. I would roll out the red carpet showcasing the work-class amazing sports venues and activities surrounding all of them. So much fun to be had!

I love hiking and biking, so we would definitely incorporate that into the week. Some of my favorite hikes include waterfalls with Angel Falls, Amicalola Falls, Tallulah Gorge and one of my new favorites is Cochran Mills, located in Chattahoochee Hills.

I haven’t done this yet, but I would love to tour some of the filming locations for Stranger Things and many of the movies and shows that are filmed here in Georgia.

The Atlanta Beltline is a great way to tour the cities nooks and crannies (on foot or on bike) and get a feel for the different and vibrant neighborhoods on our city. There are so many great restaurants, shops, art, and things to do along the way.

It is also super fun to see the Atlanta restaurant scene embrace the zero proof movement. A couple of my favorite spots around town for zero proof cocktails include:
The Sober Social downtown is a fun, sexy bar that serves sophisticated adult beverages without alcohol. It is a block away from Mercedes Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, and is a great place to pregame! Soberish in Kirkwood is a zero proof bottle shop that features an array of zero proof beer, wine, spirits, and edibles. The shop is beautiful and is my go-to for stocking the bar. Hop City is another favorite spot for zero proof cocktails, beer and wine. The location at West End is my favorite, and is right on the southwest section of the Beltline. Up on The Roof in downtown Alpharetta is another spot with a great zero proof menu and a cool view. Last, but not least – The Little Sober Bar will bring the party to you with the cutest little trailer serving zero proof libations and a whole lot of fun!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Giving up alcohol made room in my life for me to find my soulmate that I married at 50, and together, we live an alcohol-free lifestyle. My husband and business partner, Rich Sullivan, deserves the most credit for supporting me and letting me do my thing, he is the best. We both worked in sports and entertainment in our previous careers and after leaving the sports business, we started a real estate business working with Engel & Volkers Atlanta. Working in real estate showed me how much I enjoy helping people realize their dreams, build their lives, begin their families, and create wealth and leave a legacy for their children and others.

I am very open about my own challenges with overdrinking and how it affected my life especially after my mother died of cancer. I was stuck in what felt like a life of Groundhog Days of trying to moderate my drinking everyday. I would go to the gym, drink smoothies, take vitamins, eat well, and then “undo” everything with my nightly wine habit. Finally, I signed up for a Dry January and during that time, I learned a lot about what alcohol does to your brain and body, thanks to a book called “This Naked Mind” written by Annie Grace. In it, she uses science to explain what happens to your body when you drink, and why it is so hard to stop, even though you really want to and know better. Dry January turned into Dry February, and I just kept on going. Once I finally parted ways with alcohol, my life changed in ways I would have never imagined.

I wanted to share what I have learned with others so I became a certified life coach, and worked towards 2 other certifications, with a mission to help others find freedom and get off the rollercoaster. I trained under Jolene Park, who is a functional nutritionist that specializes in Gray Area Drinking, and became a certified Master Coach in her NOURISH Method program. I also became a certified coach for This Naked Mind training under Annie Grace.

Finally, I do the work that I do to honor my mother. She was diagnosed with cancer at 63 and died at 67, far too soon. She never struggled with alcohol until her mother died. I was following in her footsteps, even though I never planned it, neither of us did.

Website: https://www.clearandpresentstrangers.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearandpresentstrangers/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clear-and-present-strangers/

Twitter: https://x.com/ClrPrsnt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/423271646562737

Image Credits
Johanna Sullivan