Out of the Shadows: A Night of Storytelling, Sobriety, and Solidarity

Reflections on the second Not All There Sober Soirée and the quiet revolution of connection

From Left to Right: Dr. Howard Gluss, Britt Brandon, Chad L Johnson & Jim Hermann

Friday night May 2, 2025, in a loft tucked away in Ravenswood, something powerful happened.

It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t flashy. There were no headlines or celebrity press.

But it was real. And in a world that too often feels disconnected, that matters more than ever.

The second Not All There Sober Soirée brought together a room full of strangers who—by the end of the night—felt more like family. We shared food. We shared laughs. But most importantly, we shared stories.

Stories of addiction.
Stories of shame.
Stories of surrender.
Stories of resilience.
And stories of recovery—messy, miraculous, ongoing recovery.

We were honored to welcome:

• Jim Hermann, a beloved voice in the Chicago recovery scene whose presence is as steady as it is passionate.

• Britt Brandon, a wellness author and fierce advocate from North Carolina, whose vulnerability and strength lit up the room.

• Dr. Howard Gluss, PhD, traveling in from Santa Fe via Los Angeles, blending science, soul, and lived experience like only he can.

Each of them opened a door into their lives, and by doing so, helped others feel brave enough to open theirs. Because that's the point of these Soirées—they're not about perfection. They're about presence. They're about permission. They're about reminding anyone who walks through the door that they’re not alone.

Addiction thrives in silence. Recovery grows in community.

We started this event series because the world is in desperate need of both understanding and action. Too many people are suffering. Too many are afraid to ask for help because of stigma, shame, or the lie that they’re supposed to handle it all on their own.