Podcasts · Education

Change is Possible

Dr Brian Pennie

34 episodes

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.

Episodes

  1. What Working With the Rich and Famous Taught Him About Suffering | David Cornwell

    · 1 h 35 min · S3 E6

    Some of the wealthiest people in the world can buy anything they want and still feel completely lost. David Cornwell has worked as a therapist to the rich and famous, and he says their suffering is very familiar.…

  2. The Phone Call That Saved My Darkest Day | Síle Seoige

    · 1 h 09 min · S3 E5

    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…

  3. 23 Years in Psychiatric Care, a Lifetime of Being Unheard | Breda O’Toole

    · 1 h 10 min · S3 E4

    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…

  4. Not Much Time, But Enough Time: Iain Ward, the King of Chemo, on Terminal Cancer and Finding His Mission

    · 1 h 21 min · S3 E3

    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…

  5. Bite-sized: Gabor Mate | Addiction Is Not a Choice — It’s a Response to Pain

    · 4:11 · Bonus

    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…

  6. Keith Barry Read My Mind, Then Revealed What Nearly Broke Him

    · 1 h 21 min · S3 E2

    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…

  7. 8 of the 10 Men Who Got Sober With Me Are Dead | Willa White

    · 1 h 15 min

    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.…

  8. Bite-sized: The Biggest Lie You Tell Yourself About Money

    · 6:04 · Bonus

    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…

  9. You Are Not Broken: Why Your Struggles May Be Survival Responses | Brian Pennie

    · 44 min · S2 E11

    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…

  10. Bite-sized: Why You Still Feel “Not Enough” — and How to Change It

    · 10 min · Bonus

    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…

  11. When the Medals Stop: Losing Your Identity and Finding Yourself Again | David Gillick

    · 1 h 13 min · S2 E10

    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…

  12. Bite-Sized: Why Lonely Men Are Drawn to the Manosphere

    · 5:44 · Bonus

    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…

  13. From Hidden Pain to Inner Safety: Nicoline Walsh on Trauma, Energy Healing and Self-Connection

    · 1 h 13 min · S2 E9

    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,…

  14. Bite-Sized: Gabor Maté on Why We Always Want More

    · 7:19 · Bonus

    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…

  15. From Lifespan to Soulspan: Dr Paddy Barrett on Health, Time and Living Before It’s Too Late

    · 1 h 10 min · S2 E8

    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,…

  16. The Psychology of Male Loneliness: Why So Many Men Are Quietly Falling Apart | Daragh Fleming

    · 1 h 09 min · S2 E7

    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…

  17. From Paralysis to Purpose: Ryan “Chaos” Curtis on Fighting Back, Self-Belief and Never Giving Up

    · 1 h 16 min · S2 E6

    Former MMA fighter Ryan “Chaos” Curtis joins me for one of the most powerful conversations I’ve had on Change is Possible. Ryan grew up in Dublin’s inner city, surrounded by hardship, addiction, violence, and the need…

  18. The Psychology of Money: Why Chasing More Never Makes You Happy | Eoin McGee

    · 1 h 24 min · S2 E5

    Most people think that more money will make them happy. They’re wrong. In this conversation, I sit down with Eoin McGee — Certified Financial Planner™, radio and TV broadcaster, best-selling author, and columnist —…

  19. How to Heal Anxiety, Panic Attacks & the Fear of Fear | Caroline Foran

    · 1 h 17 min · S2 E4

    What if the moment you thought you were completely broken was actually the beginning of your healing? Caroline Foran joins me for a deeply honest conversation about anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and what it…

  20. From Trauma to Inner Safety: Tara Rafter on Healing, Self-Belief & Finding Yourself

    · 1 h 11 min · S2 E3

    Most people secretly believe they’re not enough. In this episode, award-winning life coach Tara Rafter explains why… and how to finally change it. Brian Pennie sits down with Tara Rafter to explore the real psychology…

  21. From Violence to Transformation: Bob Cullen’s Journey Through Trauma, Addiction, Prison and Healing

    · 1 h 39 min · S2 E2

    Content warning: this episode includes discussion of suicide. Please take care while listening. If you’re affected by anything raised in this conversation, Samaritans are available free, 24/7, on 116 123. What drives…

  22. You’ve Been Lied to About Food

    · 1 h 15 min · S2 E1

    Why do we crave certain foods… even when we know they don’t make us feel good? In this eye-opening conversation, Sophie Morris shares how a life-changing illness at 16 shaped her relationship with health — and led her…

  23. Dr Gabor Maté on Addiction, Trauma & Why You Were Never Broken

    · 13 min · S1 E12 · Bonus

    What if addiction isn’t the problem — but the solution to deep emotional pain? In this powerful conversation, renowned physician and trauma expert Dr Gabor Maté joins Dr Brian Pennie to explore the true roots of…

  24. Bonus Episode: Success Isn’t Hustle — It’s Who You Love & How You Live

    · 10 min · S1 E11 · Bonus

    “If you died tomorrow, success wouldn’t be your career… it would be the people you made scrambled eggs for.” Those are the words of Angela Scanlon, Irish broadcaster and author known for hosting shows on the BBC and…

  25. Lessons on Belief, Addiction, Discomfort, and Change

    · 38 min · S1 E10

    Most of us don’t discover who we really are until life pushes us to the edge. In this solo episode, Brian reflects on some of the most powerful insights from recent podcast guests, exploring what they reveal about…

  26. The Dopamine Trap: Dr Anna Lembke Explains Why Phones, Porn & Pleasure Are Making Us Miserable

    · 1 h 00 min · S1 E9

    From social media to addictive foods and substances, our modern world is flooded with dopamine addictions. How do we break free? Dr Anna Lembke is Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and…

  27. Busy, Wrecked & Ready for Change – Dermot Whelan on Anxiety, Purpose & Finding Space

    · 1 h 18 min · S1 E8

    Do you ever put on a brave front while feeling stressed, wrecked, and broken inside? That was Dermot Whelan. On the surface, he was thriving — a TV show, a hit radio gig, and a rising stand-up career — but behind it…

  28. The Other Self: The Strength You Don’t Know You Have

    · 1 h 14 min · S1 E7

    At 20 years old, Jack broke his neck diving into shallow water and instantly became quadriplegic, leaving him with 15% muscle function. In this raw conversation, Jack reveals how he rebuilt himself mentally,…

  29. ADHD, Anxiety & Ambition: How Laura Dowling Turned Restlessness Into a Wellness Revolution

    · 1 h 02 min · S1 E6

    What happens when a restless mind becomes your greatest gift? In this raw conversation, pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur Laura Dowling opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis, how it shaped her restlessness, ambition, and…

  30. A Premier League Manager’s Most Important Win: Sobriety - Brian McDermott

    · 1 h 02 min · S1 E5

    Brian McDermott once managed on football’s biggest stage, but his greatest victory came off the field, rebuilding his life through recovery, self-awareness, and connection. In this deeply honest conversation, Brian…

  31. Turning Anger Into a Force for Good - Senator Lynn Ruane

    · 57 min · S1 E4

    From becoming a mother at fifteen to navigating addiction risks, undiagnosed ADHD, and the armour built in a tough Dublin community, Senator Lynn Ruane reflects on the anger and shame cycles that shaped her, and the…

  32. Healing Trauma Through Community and Connection - Niall Breslin (Bressie)

    · 1 h 10 min · S1 E3

    Bressie (Niall Breslin) reflects on some of the most difficult chapters of his life—from living through war as a teenager on the Lebanon-Israel border to battling depression during his rugby career. He shares how these…

  33. From Self-Doubt to Unshakeable Self-Belief - Max Kennedy

    · 1 h 00 min · S1 E2

    Max Kennedy shares his journey from an uncertain 18-year-old on scholarship in the U.S. to a 23-year-old rising professional golfer with unshakable self-belief. He opens up about battling homesickness, handling…

  34. Cancer Gave Me More Than It Took - Georgie Crawford

    · 1 h 14 min · S1 E1

    At 32, with an 8-month-old baby, Georgie Crawford heard the words no one is ever ready for: “You have cancer.” In an instant, her world burned down. But what happens when there’s nowhere left to run? In this episode,…

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