For much of the world, that question gets answered before you even ask it.
Moderation Management has been holding space for it since 1994. This alcohol moderation summit is that space, expanded — two days of sessions with clinicians, researchers, and people who are navigating the gray area in real time. The science behind drinking patterns. The stages of change. How to talk to the people in your life. What community support actually looks like.
No single answer required. No label to arrive with or leave with. Just the conversation you may have been waiting to walk into.
Thank you for an amazing two days! We’ll see you again next year.
2026 Moderation Mindset Sponsors
Moderation Mindset 2026 Agenda
Friday September 18
Time
Session
Description
12:00 – 1:00 PM EST
Whether you’re new to moderation or an MM veteran, Fridays can be HARD!!! This meeting is for anyone who is concerned about their drinking and needs a little extra support heading into the weekend. Join us every Friday at 12 noon Eastern for lots of compassion and camaraderie from people just like you!
1:10 – 1:15 PM EST
Summit Opening with MM Executive Director Andrea Pain
Andrea Pain sets the stage for two days of innovation, insight, and the question “Is Moderation Possible?”.
1:15 – 2:00 PM EST
“Is Moderation Right for Me? The Alcohol Moderation Assessment” with Cyndi Turner LCSW, LSATP, MAC
Can I keep drinking? It’s one of the most important questions you can ask—and one of the hardest to answer honestly. Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, walks through the Alcohol Moderation Assessment she developed to help people figure out whether moderation is a realistic option or whether abstinence may be the safer path. Decades of research show many people can learn to moderate under the right conditions; this session helps you find out what your conditions are. No matter your answer, you leave with a next step.
2:05 – 2:50 PM EST
“The Dopamine Loop: The Neuroscience of Changing How You Drink” with Dr. David Gastfriend M.D.
Why is it so hard to stop at one? The answer isn’t willpower or character—it’s a reward loop in the brain that alcohol is very good at hijacking. Addiction psychiatrist and CEO of DynamiCare Health Dr. David Gastfriend walks through how the dopamine loop actually works, why it makes moderation feel harder than it “should,” and what decades of research tell us about interrupting it. Expect real neuroscience, translated clearly, with a focus on what it means for anyone trying to change their relationship with alcohol.
3:05 – 4:05 PM EST
“Naltrexone, GLP-1s, and the New Landscape of Medication for Drinking” with Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, Oar Health, Katie Lain, Thrive Recovery & Dr. Arnold Washton Ph.D.
What role can medication play in changing how you drink? Jonathan Hunt-Glassman of Oar Health and Katie Lain of Thrive Alcohol Recovery break down naltrexone and The Sinclair Method—how it works, what the evidence says, and what to expect. Then Dr. Arnold Washton brings his expertise to the newest question in the field: what we’re learning about GLP-1s and alcohol, what’s promising, and what’s still unknown. A practical, hype-free look at the options and how to raise them with a provider.
4:10 – 4:55 PM EST
Moderation Has Worked for Me
Real people. Real change. MM members share what brought them to Moderation Management, what the journey looked like, and where they are now. No polish, no perfect endings — just honest stories from people who’ve been in it.
Saturday September 19
Time
Session
Description
12:00 – 12:10 PM EST
Welcome to Day 2!
12:10 – 12:40 PM EST
Keepr Presentation
12:45 – 1:35 PM EST
“Why Not Just Quit?” Talking to Family and Friends About Moderation” with Keepr, Smart Recovery & Denise Hamilton-Mace, Lo No Drinker
How do you talk about moderation with the people who love you—without shame, without pressure, and without a lecture on why you should “just quit”? Denise Hamilton-Mace of Low No Drinker, Pete Rubinas, Executive Director of SMART Recovery, and Victoria Oyesiku from Keepr share practical language and lived experience for the conversations that come with choosing less, not none—and what helps loved ones become real support instead of another source of worry.
1:45 – 2:45 PM EST
“Connection is the Intervention” with Ian Anderson, Sunnyside, Cynthia Hoffman LMFT, CST & TBD
The research is clear: connection supports change. But most recovery communities ask you to commit to a goal before you can join—and for people whose relationship with alcohol is still evolving, that can mean going it alone. Ian Anderson of Sunnyside, Cynthia Hoffman, LMFT, CST, of You Rule Therapy and Eddie Einbinder, LCSW, of the Harm Reduction Psychotherapy Collective explore what meaningful community looks like when you’re cutting back, taking a break, or still figuring it out: what it offers that willpower can’t, and how to find or build one that fits.
2:55 – 3:55 PM EST
“You Are Here: Making Sense of the Stages of Change” with Holly Stoddard, MSSA, LISW-S, LICDC, Kris Oseth LPC, CPT & Beej Christie Karpen IFS-L3, Creator of Mindful Drinking 101
Change isn’t a switch—it’s a process, and knowing where you are in it can change everything about how you approach it. Holly Stoddard MSSA, LISW-S, LICDC, Kris Oseth, LPC, CPT and Beej Christie Karpen, IFS-L3, Creator of Mindful Drinking 101 walk through the stages of change with special attention to the ones we tend to rush past: pre-contemplation, contemplation, and preparation. Whether you’re just starting to wonder, weighing your options, or ready to act, this session offers a clearer map—and a more useful next step from wherever you’re standing.
4:00 – 4:45 PM EST
Volunteer Success Stories: Giving Back
There’s something that happens when you shift from receiving support to offering it. MM volunteers talk about what giving back has meant for their own moderation journey — and why showing up for others turned out to be part of showing up for themselves.
4:45 – 4:50 PM EST
Summit Closing with MM Executive Director Andrea Pain
MM Executive Director Andrea Gregory Pain brings the weekend together — reflecting on the conversations, the questions that came up, and what they mean for the future of moderation-based support.
5:00 – 6:00 PM EST
Come strategize with us at this MM video meeting, where we’ll share our moderation goals, successes, learning opportunities and questions. Open to anyone concerned about their drinking.
The Speakers
Jonathan Hunt-Glassman is the CEO and co-founder of Oar Health. Oar makes it simple to get started with medication proven to help with drinking less or quitting and to get expert, empathetic support in the moments that matter as members take back control over alcohol. Before co-founding Oar, Jonathan held strategy leadership roles at Humana, Optum and Bain & Company.
Victoria Oyesiku is the Director of Product Marketing at Keepr®, a Mindr portfolio company. Keepr is a simple, stigma-free way to monitor breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) and securely track, store, and share results. Whether the goal is personal accountability, safer driving, or meeting compliance needs, Keepr empowers people to make decisions grounded in data. Before joining Keepr, Victoria held marketing leadership roles across technology, healthcare and non-profit organizations.
Moderate drinking expert Beej Christie Karpen has been coaching in this field since 2015 and uses IFS, Hypnosis and Somatic Experiencing in her work with clients. Beej is the creator of Mindful Drinking 101, a 6-Session group coaching support series.
Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC is the Co-Founder & CEO of Insight Into Action Therapy and Insight Recovery Centers. She is a harm reduction therapist who has been in the addiction treatment field for over three decades. Cyndi is the Chair of Moderation Management’s Board of Directors, qualified expert witness, clinical supervisor for licensure, field instructor for MSW students, therapist for players involved in the National Football League Program for Substances of Abuse, and nationally recognized trainer on alcohol moderation and harm reduction methods. She designed the Alcohol Moderation Assessment which predicts who may be a successful candidate for alcohol moderation. Cyndi is the author of numerous articles and three books including: The Clinician’s Guide to Alcohol Moderation: Alternative Methods and Management Techniques and Practicing Alcohol Moderation: A Comprehensive Workbook.
Cynthia Hoffman, LMFT, CST has been practicing, teaching, and supervising using the principles of Harm Reduction Therapy for 25 years. She has run Harm Reduction Therapy groups for those 25 years, with 14 of those years offering group therapy for clients in a private practice setting.
Cynthia is committed to working with people who use substances, have sex- and drug-linked behavior, or other compulsive sexual behavior using this compassionate, relevant and effective set of interventions and relational approach.
Denise Hamilton-Mace didn’t quit drinking; instead, she decided to stop letting alcohol make choices for her. As host of the Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife podcast, she’s one of the most trusted voices in mindful drinking, reaching thousands of people.
Her authority comes from 24 years in hospitality and five years of her own drinking-differently journey. Through her podcast, writing, speaking and course, she champions moderation without judgement — handing back the power of choice, one listener at a time.
Holly Stoddard, MSSA, LISW-S, LICDC, is a trauma-informed psychotherapist, educator, and harm reduction advocate based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the Owner and Psychotherapist of Cheshire Wellness LLC. She is also Program Chair and full-time faculty for Human and Social Services and Addiction Studies at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Holly’s clinical approach is rooted in harm reduction, somatic practices, and client-centered care. She is passionate about meeting people where they are and helping individuals understand change as a process rather than a single decision. Holly holds a Master of Science in Social Administration, specialising in Substance Use Disorder and Recovery, from Case Western Reserve University.
Pete Rubinas believes that SMART Recovery should be available in every community and to individuals from all walks of life. He was a SMART participant, facilitator, and volunteer leader before taking on his current role as Chief Executive Officer. While he has a lived experience with addictive behaviors, he’s careful not to universalize his experience to others. That’s easier to do at an organization like SMART where individual autonomy and choice are prioritized over pathologization and paternalism.
Under Pete’s leadership, SMART has been engaged in a transformative process to fully live up to its values by providing equitable positive support to anyone who shows up in our meetings, regardless of their chosen goal. He was a major contributor to the 4th edition of SMART’s 4-Point Program Handbook published in 2025. Pete is also a champion for multiple pathways, using every opportunity he has to talk about SMART to also highlight the many other pathways like Moderation Management that exist to support individuals in their unique change journeys.
Thank you to our 2026 Prize Donors!
Keepr® is a simple, and affordable way to measure your breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) in real-time. A discreet, pocket-sized breathalyzer and companion app deliver objective BrAC results in seconds empowering you to set your own limits, track and share your progress over time, and stay on track with the goals you choose.
Understand your drinking with AlcoLog, a free and private app that counts units, calories and cost in one tap, tracks any medication alongside it, and scores your habits across six pillars so the patterns stop being a guess.
Ann Charles, Alcohol freedom coach and best-selling author of The Off Switch. I’ve worked with hundreds of high-achievers who are done with the daily negotiation and ready for alcohol to just not be a thing anymore. Alcohol freedom isn’t about giving something up. It’s about getting everything back: your time, your energy, and the version of yourself you actually like.
Moderate drinking expert Beej Christie Karpen has been coaching in this field since 2015 and uses IFS, Hypnosis and Somatic Experiencing in her work with clients. Beej is the creator of Mindful Drinking 101, a 6-Session group coaching support series.
Curious Elixirs are booze-free craft cocktails infused with adaptogens to help you unwind. Each bottle is handmade with the finest ingredients and contains no refined sugar. Enjoy 24 craft cocktails (in 12 bottles) — each offering 2-3 servings across three different Curious flavors. Currently only available via subscription.
Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC is the Co-Founder & CEO of Insight Into Action Therapy and Insight Recovery Centers. She is a harm reduction therapist who has been in the addiction treatment field for over three decades. Cyndi is the author of numerous articles and three books including: The Clinician’s Guide to Alcohol Moderation: Alternative Methods and Management Techniques and Practicing Alcohol Moderation: A Comprehensive Workbook.
Free Spirits crafts premium non-alcoholic spirits and cocktails that deliver the flavor, complexity, and cocktail experience of traditional spirits without the alcohol. Their award-winning alternatives make it easy to enjoy sophisticated drinks while supporting moderation and mindful drinking choices.
Jodi Spitzley is a Certified Life Coach that provides specialized coaching with individuals who want to remove or reduce their alcohol consumption. Through personalized coaching, we will collaborate to overcome challenges, unlock your exceptional potential, and support you in achieving your objectives to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption. I am dedicated to guiding you throughout this transformative process. Let us embark on this journey together.
Molly Watts is a certified coach and host of the leading podcast Alcohol Minimalist.
Ying, yang. Angel, devil. Force, dark side. Whatever is brewing in your cauldron this Halloween, Pourtions is here to help you avoid that classic inner struggle. Our Stemless Hallo-wine glasses—with helpful & humorous markings at 6 oz. and 10 oz.—will make you keep your composure all night, so you don’t fall off your broomstick.