FOUNDERS
Meet Clarissa and Molly: A Partnership Fueled by Passion and Purpose
Clarissa and Molly's journey began in 2019 at a professional training program for food addiction specialists. From the start, they found their perspectives on addiction, recovery, treatment, and sobriety were deeply aligned. But what truly sparked their bond was a shared passion for helping others—and they knew they were destined to collaborate.
Both are highly skilled mental health and addiction clinicians, with over 20 years of combined experience. They’ve each built successful private practices, working closely with clients while staying at the forefront of advancements in food addiction treatment.
In January 2021, they teamed up with Dr. Vera Tarman to launch The Food Junkies Podcast. Today, the podcast boasts over 500,000 downloads, inspiring listeners worldwide. Later that year, they joined forces with renowned ex,perts Dr. Jen Unwin, Heidi Giaever (UK), Charlotte Poulsen, and Frida Sandin (Sweden) to conduct groundbreaking clinical research. Their collaborative study—a first-of-its-kind audit on treatment interventions for ultra-processed food addiction—was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in September 2022. Titled "Low Carbohydrate and Psychoeducational Programs Show Promise for the Treatment of Ultra-Processed Food Addiction," the paper ranks in the top 2% of all publications in the journal and among the top 100 ever published online.
From the beginning, Clarissa and Molly dreamed of creating a program that offers a modern, accessible, and empowering path to recovery—one that adapts to the unique needs of every individual. This dream became reality with Sweet Sobriety.
Sweet Sobriety takes a holistic approach to recovery, addressing not only food choices but also your thoughts, relationships, body, and environment. Built on a foundation of expertise, research, and lived experience, it offers:
11 Foundational Modules to support your journey A thriving community for connection and encouragement New monthly workshops 5 group coaching opportunities every week And because they know that great things happen through collaboration, Clarissa and Molly are backed by an incredible team of coaches who help bring this vision to life!
Ready to learn more? Keep scrolling and get to know the people behind Sweet Sobriety—we can’t wait to connect with you!
Clarissa Kennedy, RSW, BComm
Founder
Clarissa Kennedy is a distinguished Clinical Social Worker and the visionary founder of Reinvent Your Bliss Point, co-founder of Sweet Sobriety, and co-host of the Food Junkies Podcast. She has a specialized diploma in Professional Addiction Studies and brings over 15 years of invaluable experience to her practice. Her extensive professional journey spans diverse treatment settings, encompassing residential treatment, outpatient services, and private practice, demonstrating her commitment to providing comprehensive care to adolescents, adults, and families.
What sets Clarissa apart is not just her academic and professional accolades but also her deeply personal connection to the challenges her clients face. Having triumphed over her own battles with eating disorders and food addiction, Clarissa brings a unique level of empathy and understanding to her work. This personal history not only enhances her ability to relate to her clients but also enables her to establish trust and rapport crucial for effective therapeutic relationships. Embracing her role as a guide and supporter in her clients' journeys, Clarissa considers her work a privilege. Her compassionate approach to treatment goes beyond conventional therapeutic norms, creating a safe and understanding environment for her clients. Through this approach, she navigates individuals through the intricate process of change, acknowledging the nuances and complexities that accompany struggles with food addiction and eating disorders.
In adopting an integrative approach to her practice, Clarissa draws on a diverse range of interventions tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual. Her extensive training and clinical experience cover various treatment modalities, showcasing her versatility as a therapist. As a Somatically Informed Self Compassion Therapist, Clarissa incorporates bodily awareness into her practice, recognizing the interconnectedness of physical and emotional well-being. Furthermore, Clarissa's expertise extends to evidence-based therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for Eating Disorders, and Motivational Interviewing. This breadth of knowledge enables her to address a wide spectrum of challenges, providing a holistic and personalized approach to each client's therapeutic journey.
Molly Painschab, NBCC, LCPC, LAC
Founder
Her integrative approach draws on parts work, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), somatic therapies, breathwork, shadow work, and trauma-informed care rooted in polyvagal theory — all in service of moving clients from survival mode into a life they no longer want to escape from.
Her background spans frontline recovery work, food addiction advocacy, and professional network development. She serves on the team behind IFACC — the International Food Addiction Consensus Conference, and co-hosts the Food Junkies Podcast, where she brings clinical depth and lived professional experience to some of the most pressing conversations in the field. This breadth of work grounds her clinical practice in the nuance and complexity of what ‘recovery in reality’ looks like.
Molly also provides clinical supervision to facilitators and counselors in the recovery space, bringing her frontline experience to the professionals doing this work.
Outside the Sweet Sobriety community, Molly is most herself when she's deep in the woods, dirty, and probably lost on purpose. She can be found wheeling or dirt biking through the Montana backcountry, camping under big skies, or crafting something whimsical with her two daughters. She and her husband Kent share a love of adventure and a household that runs on creativity — including regular Minecraft sessions. Molly also has a quieter side: a dedicated spiritual and journaling practice, an ongoing fantasy that one day she will write a novel, and chasing sunsets. Rooted in Belgrade, MT and endlessly curious about the world, she travels widely and believes that a full life and deep recovery work aren't in competition — they feed each other
MEET THE COACHES
Clarissa and Molly can't do it all on their own!
Elaine Caligiuri
Coach
Welcome! I’m Elaine Caligiuri, a dedicated Recovery Coach with a passion for empowering individuals to reclaim their lives and achieve lasting mental and physical well-being. I believe recovery is a deeply personal journey, and each client deserves a tailored approach to reach their unique goals.
With over 40 years as a mindfulness meditator and yogini, I focus on creating practices of self-care and self-forgiveness that foster equanimity and transformation. I help clients tap into their innate wisdom to craft personalized recovery practices. Together, we’ll explore sustainable strategies that honor your individuality and support your journey toward balance and freedom.
I bring a rich background to my coaching, including experience as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (WA State) and certifications in Yoga, Parenting by Connection, Social Emotional Learning, Group Facilitation, Team Building, Somatic Experiences, and Mental Fitness Coaching. These tools allow me to offer a holistic, integrative approach that addresses the mind, body, and spirit.
When I’m not working with clients, I enjoy sewing, wool felting, gardening, dancing, hiking, and canine education—activities that nurture my creativity and connection to nature. It’s my privilege to walk alongside you as you uncover your strength, resilience, and path to recovery. Let’s work together to design a life where you thrive.
Sharon Gregg
Coach
Sharon is a qualified Executive Coach and member of the International Coaching Federation. She has worked for many years supporting leaders who want to achieve positive long-term change in their behaviours, thoughts, and feelings so they can be the best versions of themselves.
She shares her time living in London and Worcestershire, in the UK. Sharon is an expert in identifying strengths, which amplifies self-belief. She blends tools and techniques that encourage self-reflection and self-discovery and promotes positive new behaviours, thoughts and feelings.
She has her own story of addiction to sugar and ultra-processed foods, starting at the age of 5. She dreamed the streets were paved with chocolate. At the age of 15, she started her first diet, and the cycle of yoyo dieting continued for another 40 years.
That cycle was broken when she stumbled upon the concept that she might actually be addicted to this stuff and decided she owed it to herself to find the solution.
Also, amid menopause, her symptoms were exacerbated - fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, insomnia, and anxiety, to list just a few.
With a lot of self-talk and making good use of her coaching skills, she successfully navigated the road ahead to sobriety. She wants to share those strategies and practical tips, so others can achieve more than they ever believed possible.
Sharon now lives free from distraction and feels more energised in her mind, body and soul.
Sarah Hood
Coach
Sarah is a UK trained Registered Community Nurse and qualified Health and Wellbeing Coach with a profound interest in how internal and external factors influence our food choices and subsequent health and well-being.
Using the Sweet Sobriety framework Sarah supports clients to shut out the noise and develop strategies and solutions to finally be at peace with food using a compassionate and non judgemental approach.
With support, encouragement, an understanding of the challenges and successes implicit in living with food addiction, Sarah will be alongside you every step of the way as you navigate your way to a healthier relationship with food.
After many years working and living around the world, Sarah now lives in England with her husband and has two grown up sons and a Golden Retriever called Daisy.
Sarah works with clients both in person and remotely. Please contact Sarah at sarahjanehood@gmail.com to schedule a complimentary 15-minute appointment to discuss your individual needs.
Susie Bender
Coach
Susie Bender is a trained Ontological Coach, certified by The Newfield Network in Boulder, Colorado. Ontology is the study of our way of being—how we present ourselves in life and how we can create new possibilities for action, personal growth, and lasting change. She has assisted groups and individuals with meaningful transformation through three realms of the Self: Emotions, Language, and Somatics/Body.
Her work in this area is also largely informed by her extensive training and expertise in Shiatsu massage and Traditional Chinese Medicine, operating a private practice in bodywork and massage therapy for 16 years.
This background of training and work, combined with her personal experience in recovery from sugar addiction and ultra-processed food use disorder, has culminated in Susie’s passion for helping others with a compassionate, holistic, mind/body approach. Susie has facilitated the Sunday Sugar Sober peer support group for the past three years and truly believes that conversation creates new opportunities for healing, learning, and living life in recovery ~ one day and one courageous conversation at a time.
CJ Nguy, Addictions Coach
Coach
You can email CJ at: Cjnguy.sweetsobriety@gmail.com
Dr. Amy Reichelt
Coach
Hi, I’m Dr Amy Reichelt. I’m a neuroscientist, researcher, speaker, consultant and author. I’m passionate about uncovering how lifestyle, diet and novel pharmacotherapies can enhance brain health and mental wellbeing. I place health and mental wellness at the core of my personal and professional identity.
I have a PhD in Neuroscience, a BSc with Honours in Psychology, and an Advanced Diploma in Nutrition. I am also a pharmaceutical professional, leading clinical development in psychedelic drugs. I am a Certified Health & Nutrition Practitioner and I have completed training courses in Yoga (200h YTT, yoga nidra, yin yoga), Mental Health First Aid, Meditation and Mindfulness. My work as a PhD-trained neuroscientist over the past decade has been transformational in demonstrating the influence of nutrition to optimise mental health and cognition. Through my private nutrition practice at Cognition Nutrition, I connect people with theknowledge and tools change their behaviours around health and wellness.
I’ve been recognised as a leader in the field of neuroscience, health, and medicine – authoring over 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles in eminent journals including The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, Nature Communications, Journal of Neuroscience and Trends in Neuroscience. From my research, I developed scientific expertise in cognition, brain development, the gut microbiome, behaviour control, and neurodegenerative disease. I’ve received competitive awards in scientific leadership, and communication and over $3.6 million in government funding.
Beyond my academic credentials – I’m an approachable, down-to-earth person! I’m humbled to have been invited to give numerous talks at conferences, congresses and ideas festivals including TEDxSydney, Microdose Wonderland, National Science Week and Vivid Sydney – communicating cutting-edge science in a tangible manner.
Amy Reichelt, Ph.D - Chief Innovation Officer
A recognized leader in neuroscience and neuropharmacology, specializing in psychedelic clinical development, neurodegeneration, and nutritional neurobiology, Dr. Reichelt has 15 years of expertise in translational medicine spanning from molecules to mind.
Dr. Reichelt received her PhD from Cardiff University, and has held academic appointments at globally renowned universities in Australia, Canada and UK. Dr. Reichelt has authored over 50 articles in top-tier scientific journals, spoken on international stages including Microdose Wonderland and TEDxSydney, and appeared as a scientific expert in TV productions including ABC’s The Science of Drugs.
