197: From Numbing to Awareness: A Journey Beyond Addiction with Chris Janssen

October 28, 2025

We interview Chris Janssen, an author, life coach, and sobriety advocate. Chris shares her personal journey to sobriety, discusses her new book Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want, and explores how addiction extends beyond substances to behaviours and thought patterns. She offers practical coaching tools for self-reflection and change, emphasizing self-compassion and the importance of defining sobriety individually. The conversation highlights the costs of numbing behaviours, the value of choosing growth over comfort, and encourages us to pursue authentic, fulfilling lives with grace and resilience.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear The Following:

Exploration of addiction beyond substances, including behaviours and distractions.
Discussion on the impact of numbing behaviours and coping mechanisms.
Importance of self-awareness and evaluating personal habits.
Practical exercises for identifying and changing harmful patterns.
The concept of “Choose Your Hard” and its implications for personal growth.
The role of compassion and understanding in addressing addiction.
Encouragement to seek support and resources for recovery and personal development.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Journal Prompts For Individual Reflection:

What patterns have I developed that might be numbing me rather than helping me grow? (e.g., sugar, Netflix, phone scrolling, alcohol, control, busyness)
When I feel stressed, overwhelmed, or exhausted, what do I tend to reach for — and why? Is it true rest or just distraction? What does this reveal about what I’m really craving?
What would it look like for me to “show up for the life I want”? How do my current habits move me toward or away from that vision?
What’s a “hard” thing I’m avoiding right now — and how might not doing it actually be harder in the long run?

Discussion Questions For Couples:

What’s one numbing habit or self-soothing behavior we want to evaluate together? Is it time to change the pattern? What would a healthier replacement look like?
Chris says, “Addiction doesn’t have to be a bad word.” How do we view the idea of addiction in our marriage — with curiosity or shame?
What would change in our lives if we stopped believing the “sneaky lies” of our vices or harmful habits? What might open up for us emotionally, spiritually, or relationally?
How can we support each other in building new, life-giving patterns — especially in moments of stress, exhaustion, or temptation?

Meet Chris Janssen:

Chris Janssen, MA, BCC, is a leading results coach in performance and mindset and a bestselling, award-winning author. She has worked with hundreds of sought-after athletes, creatives, soldiers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses internationally, helping them to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. In addition to her academic achievements, Chris trained with and worked on Tony Robbins’ team of results coaches at the #1 personal development and peak performance strategy company in the world.

As a board-certified coach with a master’s in counseling psychology and over 25 years of experience, Chris excels in helping high-achieving perfectionists navigate performance pressure, overcome self-sabotage and rewrite narratives. Through her successful and sustainable Living All In methods, clients learn to attach meaning to life events and circumstances beyond their control.

A California native, Chris and her husband, Scott have been married for nearly 30 years. Together, they raised three children, now thriving young adults. Chris and Scott split their time between Los Angeles and Colorado and love to ski, golf, be with their horses and adventure outside.