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Change is Possible

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Rating
★★★★★
5
from
1 reviews
This podcast has
33 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
No
Date created
2025/04/01
Latest episode
2026/10/20
Average duration
50 min.
Release period
11 days

Description

Change is Possible is a podcast about what it really takes to rebuild your life. Hosted by Dr Brian Pennie, former heroin addict turned neuroscientist, it explores the mechanics of change through raw conversations on addiction, burnout, trauma and identity. More than surface-level motivation, each episode reveals why we get stuck, how the brain drives behaviour, and what it takes to create lasting change. If you’ve ever thought, “I know what to do, so why am I not doing it?” this podcast is for you.

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The Phone Call That Saved My Darkest Day | Síle Seoige
2026/10/20
At 32 Síle Seoige was diagnosed with cancer, but the hardest moment of her life came a year later, when she lay on her bed unable to move. Brian sits down with Síle, broadcaster and host of the Ready to Be Real podcast, for an honest conversation about loss, vulnerability, empathy and what it really takes to find yourself again. Still under care for cancer, Síle went through the end of a long relationship and lost a radio job she loved, all at once. On her lowest morning, a friend rang and talked her down the stairs, step by step, to make a cup of tea. Then he asked the question she didn't want to hear: "Okay, what are you gonna do about it?" That question led her to a yoga therapy class where she cried at the back of the room, and into four years of deep, difficult inner work that taught her to finally like the person she was. Brian and Síle explore why pride kept her from vulnerability for so long, why sound and chant became her way into meditation, and how she holds the weight of being a deeply empathetic person. She speaks openly about her awakening to injustice in the world, why she believes self care was always meant to lead to collective care, and what she has learned from well over 200 conversations on her own podcast. There are lighter moments too: her gardening era at 47, moving home to Galway to live by the sea, and the sticky notes all over her house that she credits with helping her through two unmedicated births (with "radish sandwich" as the safe word she never needed). This is a conversation about hitting the floor, getting back up one step at a time, and being the friend who picks up the phone. Season 3 of Change Is Possible is proudly supported by ⁠⁠⁠Turas Nua⁠⁠⁠, helping people build skills and take the next steps towards employment, because with the right support, change really is possible. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠ Turas Nua⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: 0:00 The hardest year wasn't the cancer 3:29 A friend's call on the darkest morning 6:15 Finding refuge in a yoga class 8:06 Letting go of pride and embracing vulnerability 11:52 Four years of turning inward 18:22 Finding peace through sound and chant 22:16 Being ready to be real, and Hala's story 26:46 Living with deep empathy 35:17 Why self care was always meant to be collective care 51:36 A belief that the soul is infinite 57:53 How motherhood rewired her 1:05:47 Admitting you're not okay Spotify themes: Resilience, vulnerability, cancer, heartbreak, identity, empathy, yoga, meditation, spirituality, motherhood, community, mental health
23 Years in Psychiatric Care, a Lifetime of Being Unheard | Breda O’Toole
2026/10/13
All Breda O'Toole ever wanted was someone to talk to. Instead, she was given Valium, 29 electric shock treatments and 23 years of psychiatric care. Brian sits down with Breda O'Toole, author of Unseen: A Memoir of Trauma, Ireland's Psychiatric System and a Lifetime Spent Healing, for an honest conversation about childhood trauma, loneliness, misdiagnosis and the long road back to herself. Breda grew up the eldest of seven, in a home shaped by her father's unprocessed war trauma and alcoholism, where children were to be seen and not heard. At 15 she entered a convent where silence was the rule. When she finally asked for help in her twenties, nobody asked what had happened to her. She was prescribed Valium, which led to a ten year addiction, and was later strapped into a straitjacket for 11 days. It was there, in the middle of it all, that she discovered a part of herself that could never be destroyed. Brian and Breda explore how loneliness can be the deepest wound of all, why safety matters so much for healing, and what happened when a single phone call told her to take back control of her life. She shares how she weaned herself off every medication and stayed medication free for 30 years, how writing her book brought up decades of suppressed anger, and how she is now facing multiple myeloma with faith, acceptance and a resilience she first built as a child. There are moments of real tenderness here too: a nurse who visited every day at 4pm, a father who carried her out of a hospital ward, and a reunion with two college friends 55 years later. This is a conversation about being seen, about the strength that lives inside all of us, and about Breda's simple message: be kind, be kind, be kind. Season 3 of Change Is Possible is proudly supported by ⁠⁠Turas Nua⁠⁠, helping people build skills and take the next steps towards employment, because with the right support, change really is possible. Learn more at ⁠⁠ Turas Nua⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: 0:00 Why Breda called her memoir Unseen 5:36 Growing up seen and not heard 11:51 From a frightening home to a silent convent 18:15 Asking for someone to talk to and being given Valium 22:25 The long road through Valium withdrawal 28:00 Finding the part of her that could never be destroyed 34:11 The day a room of doctors finally listened 40:02 Misdiagnosis and the call to take back control 47:11 Thirty years free of medication, then a new diagnosis 52:07 How suffering led her to her real self and to faith 61:18 Learning she is not alone 68:24 Why kindness matters more than we knowSpotify themes: Trauma and healing, mental health, addiction recovery, resilience, loneliness, faith and spirituality, Irish memoir, being seen and heard, unsee
Not Much Time, But Enough Time: Iain Ward, the King of Chemo, on Terminal Cancer and Finding His Mission
2026/10/06
At 30, Iain Ward was told he had terminal brain cancer and around five years to live. Within 24 hours, he had a new life goal. Brian sits down with Iain, known to nearly 17 million followers as the King of Chemo, for an honest and often very funny conversation about mortality, purpose and what it really takes to keep going when nothing seems to be working. Iain only found his tumour by chance, through a scan for a paid medical trial he'd signed up to for a bit of easy money. What followed was an awake craniotomy, radiotherapy, and a prognosis that would floor most people. But Iain didn't have a spiritual awakening or an ego death. Instead, he treated the diagnosis like a deadline for an assignment: not that much time, but enough time. He looked up the most money ever raised by running a marathon, and set out to break a charity world record without asking anyone to donate, by growing his social media and giving the advertising money to cancer research. Brian and Iain explore why some people meet devastating news with logic rather than collapse, the "we'll see" philosophy of life's ups and downs, and why Iain believes being playful is not the same as being immature. Iain opens up about the low point after the TikTok Awards, when a huge physical challenge, a carefully planned speech and months of effort seemed to lead to nothing, and the simple thing that brought him back: working out in his back garden. They also talk about drive and rest, finding your calling when you've never felt like you had one, and why not creating something is a way of denying the world what you could have given it. This is a conversation about living with a deadline, choosing your response, and finding meaning in the time you have. Season 3 of Change Is Possible is proudly supported by ⁠Turas Nua⁠, helping people build skills and take the next steps towards employment, because with the right support, change really is possible. Learn more at ⁠ Turas Nua⁠⁠ Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: 0:00 The moment life split into before and after 3:27 What it's like to be awake for your own brain surgery 7:02 Living with a five year prognosis, and the lucky scan that found it 17:31 Why there was no ego death, only a plan 24:37 Treating a diagnosis like a deadline 28:25 The other self and the courage to be playful again 41:18 Turning social media into a charity world record attempt 47:41 Learning to say "we'll see" to life's ups and downs 50:06 When all the effort leads to nothing 57:57 The simple practice that pulled him back up 1:09:09 Finding your calling when you've never felt you had one 1:14:49 An open invitation to companies who want to help
Bite-sized: Gabor Mate | Addiction Is Not a Choice — It’s a Response to Pain
2026/09/29
Dr. Gabor Maté explains why addiction is not simply a choice, but often a response to pain. In this bite-sized clip from our interview, Gabor challenges the stigma around addiction, explains why we need to ask “why the pain?” instead of “why the addiction?”, and explores why awareness and peace may be the true opposite of addiction. Taken from our full conversation, Why You Were Never Broken, available now on Change Is Possible.
Keith Barry Read My Mind, Then Revealed What Nearly Broke Him
2026/09/22
A head on car crash nearly cost Keith Barry his leg, and the doctors told him he'd limp for the rest of his life. Brian sits down with mentalist and hypnotist Keith Barry for an honest conversation about loss, control and the power of the subconscious mind. Keith opens up about the 2007 crash that shattered his leg, the self hypnosis he used in the back of the ambulance to get through it, and the three months of brutal rehab that ended with him walking on stage with no limp at all. He also talks, for the first time publicly, about a bout of depression he went through last year in the aftermath of his father's death, and why he chose to put the medication in a drawer and go back to the tools he teaches everyone else. Brian and Keith explore what it actually means to control your own mind, why Keith deleted his social media and put himself on a permanent news detox, and the seven figure American television deal he walked away from because it didn't sit right with his values. Along the way, Keith performs a live mind reading demonstration on Brian that leaves them both stunned, and they get into hypnosis, breathwork, grief, why neither of them votes, and the chronic headaches showing up in teenagers everywhere. This is a conversation about pain, presence, and what it really takes to take back control of your own head. Connect with Keith. Season 3 of Change Is Possible is proudly supported by ⁠Turas Nua⁠, helping people build skills and take the next steps towards employment, because with the right support, change really is possible. Learn more at ⁠ Turas Nua⁠⁠ Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: 0:00 Intro, and the three losses that shaped who Keith is today 1:52 The head on crash that nearly cost him his leg 6:29 Told he'd limp forever, he booked Vicar Street anyway 12:14 The search for the best physios in Europe, and a brutal session in Liverpool 14:35 Why he's finally speaking about the depression he kept private 20:20 What "super activity mode" looks like, and why he keeps his goals quiet 24:11 Grieving his father through the stage and a nightly seance 32:28 Turning down a seven figure American TV deal 39:18 Learning to control the subconscious mind 45:49 Hypnosis, meditation and breathwork, and how they differ 62:44 A live mind reading moment between Keith and Brian 68:56 Teen headaches, the mental health crisis, and why they both skip the ballot box
8 of the 10 Men Who Got Sober With Me Are Dead | Willa White
2026/09/08
Willa White sniffed glue at eight years old to escape the violence in his home, and by the time he finally asked a prison officer for help at 29, eight of the ten men who got sober alongside him were already dead. Brian sits down with the Irish comedian and playwright for an honest conversation about addiction, prison, grief, and the strange grace of survival. Willa traces his using back to a childhood of generational trauma: a father broken by his own violent upbringing, a home with no safety and no affection, and the moment sniffing glue at eight years old gave him a way to switch it all off. He talks about a suicide attempt in a London psychiatric hospital, being cut down from a window ledge by a stranger, and the prison landing where he finally asked officer Mark Farrell for help, a request that changed the entire direction of his life. Brian and Willa explore what total abstinence actually means day to day, why so many talented people never get the chance to find out what they're good at, and why Ireland's addiction crisis keeps circling back to poverty, class, and a prison system that still isn't built for rehabilitation. Willa also opens up about a hidden relapse in 2015 (no drink, no drugs, just isolation and a plan to end his life) and how getting back to meetings in Cork pulled him out of it. He speaks with real tenderness about forgiving his father, being present for his death, and losing his sister and, more recently, his mother, in the middle of the biggest year of his career: the year he became the first comedian since Billy Connolly to sell out the Gaiety. Standout moments include Willa's breakdown of what making amends actually requires, his take on why nobody wants to ask for help until they're desperate, and the small, funny way he keeps his mother's memory alive in his latest sketches. This is a conversation about how the very worst chapter of your life can become the reason you're still here to tell it. Season 3 of Change Is Possible is proudly supported by Turas Nua, helping people build skills and take the next steps towards employment, because with the right support, change really is possible. Learn more at Turas Nua⁠ Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: 0:00 The moment everything changed 1:46 Why asking for help felt impossible, and choosing total abstinence 5:07 Where it all started: childhood violence and generational trauma 12:06 A window ledge in a London psychiatric hospital 17:41 Getting sober in prison, and the friends who didn't make it 24:12 Finding hope, and the difference between religion andspirituality 29:31 A word from Turas Nua 33:03 The relapse nobody could seecoming 37:15 Grief, his father's past, and making peace at the end 40:02 Ireland's addiction crisis, class, and a system that isn't working 54:29 What forgiveness actually asks of you 1:03:20 Humour as armour: "The Examination" and life on stage 1:07:59 A year of triumph and loss: the Gaiety and losing hismother 1:12:11 What's next: Dead Man Talking, a new podcast, and final thoughts
Bite-sized: The Biggest Lie You Tell Yourself About Money
2026/08/04
Many people tell themselves they have more money than they really do, and that if they avoid looking at the problem, it might somehow disappear. In this bite-sized conversation, financial expert and bestselling author Eoin McGee explains why financial avoidance is so common and why there is no single expense everyone should cut. The better question is whether your spending genuinely adds value to your life. Eoin also reveals one of the biggest saving mistakes people make: waiting until the end of the month to save whatever is left. Saving isn’t something you’re either “good” or “bad” at - it’s a habit you build gradually. And if you’re feeling financially trapped, Eoin offers a simple but powerful first step: talk to your best mate. Once you say the problem aloud, it becomes easier to face, share and solve. Taken from our full conversation, The Psychology of Money and Why We Always Want More, available now on Change Is Possible.
You Are Not Broken: Why Your Struggles May Be Survival Responses | Brian Pennie
2026/07/21
What if the parts of yourself you judge most harshly were once trying to protect you? In this solo episode, Brian explores why anxiety, addiction, anger, emotional numbness, overachievement and the need for control are not necessarily signs that someone is broken. They can be understandable adaptations to pain, uncertainty, fear and experiences that once made the world feel unsafe. Drawing on his own journey from anxiety and addiction, Brian explains why destructive behaviours can initially feel like solutions. Addiction may soothe pain. Anger may protect fear. Control may create the illusion of safety. Overachievement may become a way of searching for worth. But understanding where a pattern came from does not mean remaining trapped inside it. Brian explores the difference between knowledge and genuine self-awareness, why awareness matters most when we are under pressure, and how mindful self-observation can help us notice our thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations before they take control. He also explains why change is not only a mindset process. It is a nervous-system process. Through breathwork, movement, human connection and small promises kept consistently, we can create evidence that we are safe, capable and able to rely on ourselves. The episode includes a simple breathing practice, reflections on asking for help, facing uncomfortable truths, having difficult conversations and learning to say no so that we can protect what matters most. Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and subscribe for more conversations on transformation, recovery, resilience, and human potential. Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors: Founded by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabulous Pharmacist, Laura Dowling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, I'm delighted to partner with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabuwellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a company dedicated to empowering your health with science-led, nature-inspired supplements. We're also delighted to continue our partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Kyne Foundation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, with whom I'm closely collaborating on a special project that aligns with our joint mission to nurture youth well-being in Ireland. Chapters 00:00 Why you are not broken 02:20 Understanding anxiety and addiction as adaptations 05:30 The protective role of anger, control and numbness 08:15 The difference between knowledge and self-awareness 14:20 Practising mindful self-observation 17:30 Why lasting change begins in the nervous system 24:00 Regulating through breath and movement 26:30 Human connection as a form of regulation 29:40 Building confidence through evidence 32:05 Keeping small promises and embracing discomfort 35:45 Facing difficult truths and reaching out for help 41:15 Learning to say no to protect what matters most Keywords: Self-awareness, nervous-system regulation, anxiety, addiction recovery, survival responses, emotional regulation, trauma, breathwork, human connection, self-trust, confidence, boundaries and personal change
Bite-sized: Why You Still Feel “Not Enough” — and How to Change It
2026/07/14
You weren’t born believing you weren’t enough. Somewhere along the way, you learned it. In this bite-sized episode, award-winning life coach Tara Rafter explains how childhood experiences, rejection and seemingly small moments can shape the beliefs you carry into adulthood. We explore where limiting beliefs come from, why success alone rarely fixes self-doubt, and how to challenge the internal story that keeps holding you back. Tara also unpacks the idea that “someone else held the needle,” the difference between confidence and self-delusion, and why real self-belief must be built on evidence. You may not have chosen the beliefs you were given, but you can choose whether you continue living by them. Watch/listen to the full episode here.
When the Medals Stop: Losing Your Identity and Finding Yourself Again | David Gillick
2026/07/07
What happens when the one thing that gave you identity, purpose and self-worth suddenly disappears? Brian sits down with former European champion, Olympian and broadcaster David Gillick for an honest conversation about life after elite sport, panic attacks, male mental health and learning to ask for help. When David retired, he lost far more than competition. His routine, teammates, income and sense of self were suddenly gone. Winning Celebrity MasterChef created the appearance of a successful new beginning, but privately he was struggling with anger, isolation and the question: “Who am I now?” David shares how Sunday panic attacks finally forced him to seek support, why it took time to find the right counsellor and what Hell Week later revealed about his self-worth. They also explore how David learned to love running again and why his own setbacks now help him meet athletes with empathy during the most vulnerable moments of their careers. This is a conversation about losing the person you thought you had to be, finding the courage to ask for help and building an identity beyond achievement. Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and subscribe for more conversations on transformation, recovery, resilience, and human potential. Connect with David on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Check out David's book: The Race Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors: Founded by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabulous Pharmacist, Laura Dowling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, I'm delighted to partner with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabuwellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a company dedicated to empowering your health with science-led, nature-inspired supplements. We're also delighted to continue our partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Kyne Foundation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, with whom I'm closely collaborating on a special project that aligns with our joint mission to nurture youth well-being in Ireland. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:35 Losing the identity that elite sport provided 07:20 Grieving a career and becoming trapped in the past 13:10 Injury, retirement and letting go of the Olympic dream 17:10 How MasterChef temporarily filled the void 24:10 Panic attacks and the moment David knew he needed help 28:30 Counselling, acceptance and finding the right support 33:00 Bringing empathy to athletes’ most vulnerable moments 39:15 Redefining success beyond achievement 41:00 Entering Hell Week to test his strength again 48:00 The question “Who are you?” and a lesson in self-worth 54:20 Rediscovering running, peace and purpose 1:05:50 Parenthood, presence and protecting what matters 1:11:30 The Race, gratitude and making peace with the past Keywords: Identity, life after sport, male mental health, panic attacks, anxiety, counselling, vulnerability, self-worth, career transition, grief, high performance, parenthood, presence, resilience and personal growth
Bite-Sized: Why Lonely Men Are Drawn to the Manosphere
2026/06/30
Why are so many young men being pulled toward the manosphere? Daragh Fleming explores the loneliness, shame and disconnection behind it, and why men need better spaces to speak honestly about who they are and what they are carrying. A powerful clip from the Change is Possible podcast with Dr Brian Pennie and Daragh Fleming.
From Hidden Pain to Inner Safety: Nicoline Walsh on Trauma, Energy Healing and Self-Connection
2026/06/23
What happens when the pain you buried years ago starts speaking through your body, your anxiety, your depression, and your life? Brian sits down with Nicoline Walsh for an honest conversation about trauma, depression, energy healing, self-connection, Reiki, inner safety and the parts of ourselves we often leave behind. Nicoline shares how childhood sexual abuse, hidden pain and high-functioning depression shaped her life, even while she was succeeding in the corporate world and raising a family. She also speaks about the heartbreaking experience of supporting her daughter through suicidal thoughts while facing her own mental health struggles. Together, Brian and Nicoline explore what it means to reconnect with the younger parts of ourselves, how trauma can live in the body, why healing is not always easy to explain, and how practices like therapy, Reiki, body scans, forest bathing and energy work helped Nicoline find her way back to herself. They also discuss Brian’s own experience of working with Nicoline, the limits of language when talking about healing, the tension between science and mystery, and why self-connection, self-soothing and safety are at the heart of real transformation. This is a conversation about the pain we carry, the body’s quiet wisdom, and the courage it takes to finally listen. Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠ and subscribe for more conversations on transformation, recovery, resilience, and human potential. Connect with Nicoline and her work with eling Forest on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors: Founded by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabulous Pharmacist, Laura Dowling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, I'm delighted to partner with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabuwellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a company dedicated to empowering your health with science-led, nature-inspired supplements. We're also delighted to continue our partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Kyne Foundation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, with whom I'm closely collaborating on a special project that aligns with our joint mission to nurture youth well-being in Ireland. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:30 Holding pain as both mother and daughter 05:00 Childhood trauma and the roots of depression 09:00 Moving from corporate life into healing 13:30 Understanding Reiki and energy work 19:00 Brian’s experience of trauma held in the body 24:30 How memories can carry emotion and belief 33:30 Exploring evidence, scepticism and lived experience 43:30 Why some healing is hard to put into words 50:30 Reconnecting with younger parts of ourselves 57:30 Body scans, self-soothing and feeling safe 1:03:00 Stories of transformation and release 1:11:00 Nicoline’s work and where to find her Keywords: Nicoline Walsh, Brian Pennie, Change Is Possible podcast, trauma healing, childhood trauma, inner child healing, Reiki healing, energy healing, depression recovery, suicidal thoughts, mental health, body keeps the score, somatic healing, self connection, inner safety, forest bathing, The Healing Forest, healing trauma, emotional healing, trauma and the body, anxiety, high functioning depression, spiritual healing, holistic healing, trauma recovery Ireland
Bite-Sized: Gabor Maté on Why We Always Want More
2026/06/16
In this bite-sized episode of Change Is Possible, Dr Gabor Maté explores why modern life keeps us chasing more. More pleasure.More success.More distraction.More consumption.More escape. But beneath that constant striving is a deeper question: What pain are we trying not to feel? Gabor also reflects on addiction, trauma, modern culture, healing, and why the path to change often begins by looking at what we are running from. The full conversation with Dr Gabor Maté is available now on Change Is Possible.
From Lifespan to Soulspan: Dr Paddy Barrett on Health, Time and Living Before It’s Too Late
2026/06/09
What if the biggest risk to your health is not what you feel today, but what you keep ignoring over time? Brian sits down with Dr Paddy Barrett for an honest conversation about heart health, prevention, mortality, behaviour change, sleep, stress, and what it really means to live well. Paddy is a cardiologist, author of Heart: An Owner’s Guide, and a leading voice in preventative health. In this conversation, he explains why heart disease can develop silently for decades, why symptoms are often a poor warning system, and why the earlier we act, the more power we have to change the direction of our lives. Brian and Paddy explore the difference between risk factors, disease, and events, why time is one of the most misunderstood factors in health, and why prevention is not about fear... it is about creating the freedom to live with more energy, clarity, and choice. They also discuss Paddy’s idea of lifespan, healthspan, and soulspan, the problem with waiting for a wake-up call, why sleep is one of the foundations of health, and how mortality can sharpen our understanding of what really matters. This is a conversation about time, health, mortality, meaning, and learning to live before life forces you to pay attention. ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠ and subscribe for more conversations on transformation, recovery, resilience, and human potential. Connect with Dr Paddy Barrett on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and here's his website where you can join his amazing newsletter. Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors: Founded by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabulous Pharmacist, Laura Dowling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, I'm delighted to partner with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabuwellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a company dedicated to empowering your health with science-led, nature-inspired supplements. We're also delighted to continue our partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Kyne Foundation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, with whom I'm closely collaborating on a special project that aligns with our joint mission to nurture youth well-being in Ireland. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Listening to instinct and following the right path 06:00 Why heart disease can develop silently 10:30 Understanding risk factors, plaque and heart events 16:00 The four foundations of health 21:30 Lifespan, healthspan and soulspan 29:00 Why there are no guarantees in health 34:00 What creates a true wake-up call 39:00 Statins, risk and the long view of prevention 45:30 Building your health pension over time 50:00 Mortality, meaning and how we spend our time 56:00 Paddy’s North Star and where to find his work 59:00 Sleep, stress and the health trends worth questioning Keywords: Heart health, prevention, mortality, longevity, healthspan, soulspan, behaviour change, sleep, stress, exercise, cholesterol, purpose, meaning, living well.
The Psychology of Male Loneliness: Why So Many Men Are Quietly Falling Apart | Daragh Fleming
2026/05/26
What happens when the person who seems fine is quietly falling apart? Brian sits down with poet and writer Daragh Fleming for an honest conversation about grief, suicide, depression, masculinity, loneliness, and the emotions so many people struggle to express. Daragh opens up about losing his best friend to suicide at 17, the years of emotional numbness that followed, and how writing became a way to understand himself and help others feel less alone. Together, Brian and Daragh explore why so many men find it difficult to speak about pain, how anger often masks sadness, the dangers of the manosphere, and why emotional honesty may be one of the most powerful forms of strength. Daragh also reads two of his powerful poems, If I Ever Have Boys and If I Ever Have Girls, offering a moving vision of masculinity, womanhood, parenting, and the kind of world we need to build. This is a conversation about loss, healing, identity, connection, and the quiet courage it takes to say what is really going on inside. ⁠Click here⁠⁠ and subscribe for more conversations on transformation, recovery, resilience, and human potential. Connect with Daragh on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Brian ⬛ Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE access to Brian’s online courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Buy Brian’s memoir, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bonus Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬛ Follow Brian on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors: Founded by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabulous Pharmacist, Laura Dowling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, I'm delighted to partner with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fabuwellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a company dedicated to empowering your health with science-led, nature-inspired supplements. We're also delighted to continue our partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Kyne Foundation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, with whom I'm closely collaborating on a special project that aligns with our joint mission to nurture youth well-being in Ireland. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Darragh losing his best friend to suicide 03:20 Depression, numbness and emotional disconnection 08:00 How grief shaped Darragh’s writing 14:30 Masculinity, boys and the manosphere 21:00 Darragh reads If I Ever Have Boys 30:30 Ego, identity and self-worth 42:00 Anger, sadness and emotional literacy 45:40 Darragh reads If I Ever Have Girls 51:00 The words men struggle to say 56:30 Loneliness and modern disconnection 1:01:30 Success, gratitude and purpose 1:08:00 Where to find Darragh Keywords: Mental health, men’s mental health, grief, suicide, depression, loneliness, masculinity, vulnerability, emotional honesty, emotional literacy, identity, ego, self-worth, healing, poetry, spoken word, Darragh Fleming, Brian Pennie, Change Is Possible

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5 out of 5
1 reviews
★★★★★
marinayt 2026/05/28
Deeply Inspirational
Wow! So deeply inspired and fired up after listening to this podcast. The title isn’t mistaken - it really makes you believe that change is possible t...
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