Cheryl Burke, professional dancer and television personality known for her role on Dancing With The Stars, has formally marked her seventh year of continuous sobriety.
In recognition of this personal milestone, the 41-year-old shared a reflective public statement on Thursday, in which she detailed her journey toward abstaining from alcohol. In the statement, Ms. Burke disclosed that she initially perceived alcohol consumption as a source of increased confidence. However, this perception shifted when she experienced a moment of disassociation so profound that she no longer recognized her own reflection.
The post was accompanied by a series of archival photographs depicting moments from her life during her period of alcohol use. These images served as a visual contrast to her present life, which she now characterizes as being defined by ‘peace,’ ‘power,’ and enhanced clarity.
Seven years prior, I operated under the belief that achieving sobriety would result in the forfeiture of all that I valued—namely, enjoyment, autonomy, and the bold persona I believed only emerged under the influence of alcohol,” Ms. Burke stated in the caption accompanying her Instagram post.
“What I failed to comprehend at the time,” she continued, “was that the sense of escape I so desperately sought was, in reality, an attempt to avoid confronting my own self. Ironically, the very version of myself I had long been evading turned out to be the one most capable of facilitating my healing and recovery.
In a reflective and deeply personal statement shared via Instagram, Cheryl Burke articulated the internal transformation that accompanied her decision to pursue and maintain sobriety over the past seven years.
“I once held the belief that alcohol provided me with confidence, the ability to connect with others, and a sense of control,” Ms. Burke wrote. “In reality, it gradually and insidiously eroded those very qualities—day by day—until I reached a point where I could no longer recognize my own reflection.”
She continued: “Today, I no longer pursue chaos that masquerades as enjoyment. I no longer accept relationships that compel me to deny my own needs or identity. I no longer confuse emotional numbness with inner peace.”
Reflecting on the misconceptions she previously held, she stated: “What I once feared I would lose in sobriety, I now realize never truly existed. In its place, I have gained presence, inner peace, and self-respect.”
Ms. Burke further acknowledged her spiritual journey, writing: “I have also discovered a renewed relationship with my Higher Power, a connection that has reminded me I was never truly alone — not even in my darkest moments. God did not eliminate the pain; instead, He walked beside me through it and granted me the strength to persevere.”
She concluded her message with a note of encouragement: “To anyone reading this who is questioning whether sobriety is possible, I assure you — it is. There exists an entirely new life beyond rock bottom, and it is far more beautiful than I ever imagined.”
“Here’s to seven years of sobriety. Here’s to choosing clarity, wholeness, and my authentic self — one day, one hour, one minute at a time.”
Accompanying the message were images underscoring the evolution of her journey, with Ms. Burke disclosing that her prior reliance on alcohol stemmed from a desire to numb emotional pain, alleviate external pressures, and avoid inauthentic self-presentation.
Cheryl Burke, in a continued reflection on her journey toward sobriety, candidly acknowledged the deceptive nature of addiction, stating, “Addiction wasn’t freedom. It was a cage dressed up like a good time.” She went on to affirm that sobriety is not only attainable but, in her words, a ‘beautiful’ state of being.
Ms. Burke began her sobriety in 2018, during the period of her engagement to her now-former spouse, actor Matthew Lawrence. In a previous appearance on the Lady Gang podcast, she described her decision to cease alcohol consumption as a deeply personal one. She recounted that the turning point occurred during their engagement party, when she experienced a clear and definitive realization that she was “done” with drinking.
The decision was further influenced by the loss of her father, Stephen Louis Burke, who passed away shortly before she announced her engagement. Mr. Burke had also battled alcoholism, a factor which Cheryl Burke credits as instrumental in her determination to achieve and maintain sobriety.
“My dad was an alcoholic,” she disclosed. “So either I was gonna crash and burn and check myself into rehab or I was gonna just quit cold turkey.”
In a 2020 interview with Extra, she elaborated: “My father had passed away during that time. It was almost like a promise to myself. I was also getting engaged—sorry, I was engaged—and I was about to get married. For me, my dad was a former alcoholic, so it was either I was going to crash and burn, or I was going to stop cold turkey.”#newsafro_
