Grateful Giving 2025: Featuring Emily Sheridan

Every story starts with a single spark. Meet the people who turned theirs into something brighter—and let their light inspire yours. Here, Emily Sheridan shares her story as part of Moderation Management’s Grateful Giving 2025 series.

Finding Moderation Management: A Search That Changed Everything

It was the spring of 2022, and a close friend had just had a difficult drinking moment during her bachelorette party. On the car ride home, she mentioned the word “moderation” to me. That one word stuck. I’d been thinking for years—probably eight—that I was drinking too much. I’d (half-heartedly) tried Dryuary the year before, and at 43, the hangovers were starting to feel impossible. So when I got home, I typed “moderation” into Facebook and found the Moderation Management group.

At first, I just lurked. I read stories from people who sounded like me—functional, but struggling with balance and mindful drinking. I found a community that was accepting, compassionate, and genuinely interested in helping each other find healthier relationships with alcohol. That sense of belonging made me stay.

A Wake-Up Call and the Start of Real Change

In the fall of 2022, I had one of those classic wake-up calls. I drank too much at a wedding, ended up in a big fight with my husband, and was so hungover the next day we had to extend our hotel stay. That moment really hit me. From there, I started experimenting—no shots, one drink an hour—and it helped reduce the big binge moments, even if my daily drinking still needed work.

By 2023, I made my first donation to MM during Grateful Giving—Mary, the Executive Director at the time, said, “just the cost of a bottle of wine.” It felt symbolic. I hadn’t had a hangover in a year. My goal became simple: not to drink so much that I’d feel like I had to lie to my doctor. I usually do well during the week, and weekends are still a work in progress. I’ve cut my overall drinking by about 15% and maintained that over the past year. My mindset now is about curiosity and progress, not perfection.

Tools and People Who Made the Difference

The “delay tool” has been huge for me—especially on weekends when it’s easy to keep pouring. And the idea of mindset: that being alcohol-free today isn’t punishment, it’s a choice I get to make. The volunteers, staff, and board members at MM are some of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met.

Growth Beyond Drinking

MM gave me a sense of purpose I didn’t expect. In 2024, I started volunteering in marketing and eventually launched my own consulting business—with MM as my first client. I’ve met incredible people, built confidence, and learned to give myself grace—both in drinking and in life.

We consistently hear from members whose lives have been changed by MM. Their stories remind me that this work matters. That’s what keeps me showing up, giving back, and spreading the word.

If I could say one thing to someone just discovering MM, it would be that this is a journey, and it isn’t always linear. Give yourself grace and stick with it. When the time is right, the change will come.

Giving Back During Grateful Giving Month

I donate because MM truly changed my life. Supporting this community feels like saying thank you—for the connection, compassion, and progress it helped me find. This year, I’m personally matching up to $1,750 in donations from November 17–23. It’s my way of paying it forward.

Will you join me in showing your gratitude?

👉 Donate once: https://moderation.org/donations
💛 Or become a monthly supporter: https://moderation.org/donate-monthly

Your support keeps Moderation Management’s meetings, tools, and compassionate community available to everyone who needs them.