Getting sober gave Alexandra McRobert more than freedom from alcohol, it gave her the clarity to explore who she truly was. Despite having dated men and previously being married to a man, it was during a deep meditation that Alex came to the life changing realisation that she was a lesbian.
Alexandra is a yoga teacher, author, and founder of the Mindful Life Practice and Mindful Bali Yoga School. She got sober in 2019 after years of drinking her way through life in the Middle East, where securing her next drink had quietly become the centre of everything she did.
In this conversation, Alexandra shares how sobriety created space for her sexuality to unfold, the assault that cracked her life open and propelled her to build the yoga shala she had always dreamed of, and why she created the sober community she wished had existed when she needed it most.
Alexandra and Ash also explore the profound overlap between yoga philosophy and the 12 Steps, and what becomes possible when you stop numbing long enough to hear the truth of who you are.
TW: This episode contains discussion of assault.
Episode chapters:
00:00 Introducing Alexandra McRobert
03:09 Life in Ubud: Yoga, Pilates and Kirtan
04:34 How Bali Called Her In
06:19 A Marriage That Lasted Two Months
09:08 The Photo: Hiding Behind the Smile in Morocco
11:42 When Alcohol Consumes Everything
13:08 The Rock Bottom in a Classroom in Abu Dhabi
16:12 Deciding to Get Sober on the Plane Home
18:00 Getting Sober Without Traditional 12-Step Access
19:54 Finding Community Through an Online Sobriety Group
22:35 How COVID Gave Birth to Sober Girls Yoga
24:02 Why Yoga and Sobriety Are the Same Thing
26:23 The Yoga Sutras and the 12 Steps
28:19 Ahimsa and Satya: Love Everyone and Tell the Truth
30:07 Building a Life and a Business in Bali
32:00 Being Drugged and Assaulted: The Turning Point
34:33 Building the Shala and Starting Kirtan
36:11 Trusting the Universe Over the Plan
38:19 How Alcohol Shaped Her Relationships and Marriage
40:19 Coming Out as Queer
43:11 The Vipassana That Changed Everything
51:48 Kirtan, Meditation, and Moving Through Self-Hatred
55:45 Craniosacral Therapy and What the Body Holds
58:01 What Daily Life Rooted in Presence Looks Like
01:02:13 Three Non-Negotiables for a Happy, Authentic Life
Connect with Alexandra below:
Check out Alexandra’s Substack here.
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Upcoming Workshops:
The Renewal Ritual | September 13th | Buy Tickets Here
Join Ash on retreat in 2026!
Rest and Renew Holistic Retreat in Bali | August 2026
Follow and connect with Ash on:
Instagram @ashbutterss
TikTok @behindthesmilewithashb
Website www.ashbutterss.com
Watch Ash’s TEDx Talk here!
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