Kerri McKinney ”Perfectly Imperfect”

From the outside, Kerri McKinney's life looked successful. That picture left a great deal out.

Kerri joins Jay and Gary to discuss drinking from a young age, living with depression and anxiety, and the effort she put into hiding what was happening. She describes how getting sober gave her room to begin examining feelings and patterns she had spent years avoiding.

The conversation follows the work that came after stopping drinking: learning about herself, confronting shame, and becoming more honest about her past. Kerri also shares the books and spiritual practices that mattered in her experience. She and the hosts explore what it means to accept imperfection while taking responsibility for the way you move forward.

What We Explore

• The distance between outward success and private distress
• Kerri's early drinking and experience with addiction
• Shame and concealing a problem
• Emotional awareness after getting sober
• Self-acceptance and personal responsibility
• Books that helped Kerri reconsider her story
• Her interest in mindfulness and spiritual practice

About Kerri McKinney

Kerri McKinney is an empowerment coach and speaker who shares her experience with addiction, sobriety, and self-acceptance.

Kerri: Website • Instagram

Books discussed: Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Open Book by Jessica Simpson.

This conversation includes discussion of addiction, depression, and recovery.

The Tragedy Academy

Candid conversations exploring the human experience through tragedy and triumph.

Hosted by Jay Hicks and Gary DeFranco.

Be cool. Keep learning. 🌳

Find your next conversation

Follow a question, a familiar experience, or a perspective you haven’t heard before.

Explore the episode archive · Choose where to listen · Share a story or suggest a guest