FAQ
Frequently asked questions.Real answers. No program required.
Real answers for professionals who've been quietly thinking about this for years.
- How much does coaching cost, and what does it look like?
- The first call is complimentary and lasts 30 minutes. Prepared Sobriety Signature, my one-on-one coaching, is 60-minute sessions by Zoom, booked as you need them or on a monthly retainer. We talk about cost on the complimentary call. Prepared Sobriety Reserve, my private membership, opens January 1, 2027 at $100 a month. Pay for 12 months up front and get one month complimentary. You can join the waitlist now.
- Can I switch between Signature and Reserve?
- Yes. You can start with either one and move back and forth whenever it makes sense. Some people start with Reserve and add Signature sessions later. Others start with Signature and keep going with Reserve.
- Is this private?
- Yes. It's one-to-one, with me directly. A first name and a personal email are fine. The calendar invite reads "Call with Colin Casillas." See exactly what's stored.
- Do you coach women?
- Yes. I coach men and women anywhere in the world, whether you're still working or not.
- Is it safe to stop on my own?
- If you drink every day and feel shaky, sweaty or sick when you go without, talk to a doctor before you stop. Coaching isn't medical care or therapy. With your written permission, I can work alongside your doctor or therapist.
- I went to AA before and it didn't stick. Is this for me?
- Yes. AA works for a lot of people, and it not fitting you doesn't say anything bad about you. Here we work one-to-one on preparation and identity, at your pace, toward a date you choose. If something from AA helped you, keep it.
- Can I book a call about someone else?
- You can book the complimentary call for yourself to talk about someone you love. Sessions are booked and paid for by the person doing the work. I won't contact the person you're worried about.
- Can I work with you if I'm already seeing a doctor or therapist?
- Yes. You can work with me while you're seeing a doctor or therapist. Coaching runs alongside their care and doesn't replace it.
- What's grey area drinking?
- Grey area drinking is the space between social drinker and alcoholic. You're not drinking every day, you're not blacking out, you're functioning at work and with family. But alcohol has become a quiet concern. You've set rules, only weekends, only wine, and they haven't held. You're thinking about it more than you used to. If you drink every day and feel shaky, sweaty or sick without it, that's different. Talk to a doctor before you stop.
- Do I need to hit rock bottom to retire from alcohol?
- No. You don't need to hit rock bottom to retire from alcohol. Most people who find Prepared Sobriety are still functioning from the outside looking in. They've simply realized life could be better without it. They want to be sharper at work, more present with family, and at their best. Rock bottom is a crisis moment. This is a decision.
- I've tried to stop before and it didn't last. Why would this be different?
- Willpower runs out. What held for me was mental preparation, six years of it, but that's my timeline, not a requirement. For some people it's a year, for others a few months. The framework builds the mental groundwork before you set a date, so the date isn't the hard part.
- How do I know when I'm ready to retire from alcohol?
- You're ready when you've started envisioning a life without alcohol and mentally rehearsing what it looks like. You're imagining coffee shops instead of breweries, activities you loved before drinking took over. You've picked a timeframe, even if it's tentative. You're no longer asking "should I?" You're asking "when?" and "how?"
- What are the five stages of retiring from alcohol?
- Stage 1, Visualization. You're quietly thinking about life without alcohol for the first time. Stage 2, Identity Drift. Who you're becoming doesn't match who you meant to be. Stage 3, Compounding Friction. The costs stack up until you can't ignore them: weight gain, brain fog, irritability, inflammation. Stage 4, Decision Point. You've connected the dots, you pick a specific date, and you tell people. Stage 5, Retirement. Day one isn't the finish line, it's the start of compounding in the other direction.
- How long does it take to see health benefits after retiring from alcohol?
- Everyone's timeline is different, and I can only speak to mine. Four months after I retired from alcohol, my LDL was down from 212 to 142 and I'd lost 14 lbs. My mood got better within two weeks, and I felt sharper within a month or two. Both were big changes. Ten months in, I was off two medications. Get baseline bloodwork before you stop so you can see your own changes.
- What happens physically when you stop drinking?
- I can tell you what happened to me. By August 2025, four months in, my total cholesterol went from 285 to 202, my LDL from 212 to 142 and my hs-CRP from 2.9 to 1.6. I lost 14 lbs in those four months. By February 2026 I was off amlodipine and omeprazole. Your results may look different. Get baseline bloodwork first so you can measure your own.
- Should I stop drinking if I don't think I have a drinking problem?
- If you've set rules like only weekends or only wine and they haven't held, that tells you something. Moderation works for some people. It works for my wife. It didn't work for me. You don't need a crisis to decide.
- What makes Prepared Sobriety different from AA or other programs?
- Prepared Sobriety isn't a recovery program. It's a mental preparation framework for professionals who've been quietly thinking about retiring from alcohol for years. No labels, no steps, no meetings, no crisis required. Just a decision with a date, backed by a framework built by someone who has been where you are.
- Who is Prepared Sobriety not a good fit for?
- Prepared Sobriety is for people who aren't in crisis. It's also not a group program or a 12-step model. And it's probably not the right time if you're only considering this because someone else wants you to. Coaching isn't medical care or therapy. With your written permission, I can work alongside your doctor or therapist.
- What happens if I slip?
- You don't start over. We look at where the plan broke down, adjust it, and keep going. One night doesn't erase months or years of preparation, and it doesn't reset anything. This isn't a streak you can lose. If you drink every day and feel shaky, sweaty or sick when you go without, talk to a doctor before you stop.
- What are the alternatives to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
- Common alternatives to AA include moderation programs like Moderation Management, and private coaching. Prepared Sobriety is a coaching framework built for high performers who want to retire from alcohol on their own terms, without meetings, labels, or a 12-step program.
- Is there a non-12-step way to stop drinking?
- Yes. You don't need a 12-step program to stop drinking. Non-12-step options include private coaching. The Prepared Sobriety framework is a structured, non-12-step path designed for professionals who are functioning well and want to step away from alcohol, without crisis or group meetings.
- How is coaching different from group or moderation programs?
- Group programs use meetings and self-management tools. Moderation Management aims to reduce rather than remove alcohol. Prepared Sobriety is 1-on-1 coaching focused on fully retiring from alcohol as a clear-headed career and performance decision. It's private, personalized, and built around your goals rather than a fixed curriculum.
- Do I have to go to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to stop drinking?
- No. AA works for many people, but it isn't the only path. Some people want something private and one-to-one instead of a group. That's what this is.
- What if my job requires client dinners, golf, or conference travel where drinking is expected?
- A lot of jobs are built around these environments. Sales, law, finance, hospitality, any role with clients or travel. You don't have to avoid every client dinner or skip the incentive trip. The goal is to be present and sharp at them without alcohol running the evening.
Open to a conversation?
Prefer to go at your own pace?
Reserve, my private membership, opens January 1, 2027. You don't need a call to join. It's built to take you from where you are today to retired from alcohol, for your own reasons. It follows the stage you're in, for as long as you're in it. Each week you get one short lesson, a short video or written piece from me, and one thing to try, picked for your stage. If you move to a different stage, your lessons move with you. You also get a letter from me every week, and once a month you can send me one private question that I answer personally. No group and no community. $100 a month, or pay for 12 months up front and get one month complimentary. Join the waitlist now and keep this price for as long as you stay. Read more about Reserve.