The fastest way to test your identity is to remove the crutch you didn’t know you were using. We sit down for a messy, honest “psychology session” about change: who we’ve become over the past couple of years, why Mo can flip big switches like going vegan and quitting alcohol, and why Karen still thinks the story people tell about willpower leaves out the real work.

We break down behavior change as habits, motivation, and repetition, then zoom in on the uncomfortable parts nobody puts on a vision board. What happens when your friends are still ordering steak and bourbon? Why do social events feel weirder when you’re holding a club soda? And why does sobriety sometimes reveal a truth that has nothing to do with drinks at all: you might not even want to be there. Mike brings in the long view, including what it’s like to quit, relapse years later, and quit again, plus how alcohol quietly shapes friendship, belonging, and confidence.

We also widen the lens to addiction vs habit, the role of dopamine and pleasure-seeking, and how tools like GLP-1 drugs complicate the usual “just change your diet” advice. Then we get blunt about drinking culture, including how common alcohol use disorder is, why “gift alcohol to everyone” can be irresponsible, and how concerns about brain health and impaired driving change the conversation around both alcohol and marijuana.

If you care about personal growth, habit change, sobriety, or just understanding what really drives your choices, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s trying to change something big, and leave a review with the habit you’re working on right now.

Stay Connected with The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast

Hosted by Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi, trial lawyers at Stritmatter Law, a nationally recognized plaintiff's personal injury and civil rights law firm based in Washington State.

Featuring Mike Todd, producer, audio engineer, and the Disembodied Voice of Wisdom & Reason.

Produced by Mike Todd and Kassie Slugić.

New episodes every Wednesday.

The Velvet Hammer™ Podcast is where trial law meets real life. Trial stories, hard lessons, unexpected laughs, and honest conversations about life inside and outside the courtroom.

Podcast Hub:
https://thevelvethammer.buzzsprout.com

Karen Koehler
https://karenkoehler.com
https://www.instagram.com/k3thevelvethammer/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-koehler-thevelvethammer/

Mo Hamoudi
https://www.instagram.com/mo.hamoudi/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mo-hamoudi-77a38733/

Stritmatter Law
https://www.stritmatter.com