Change is Possible
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
23 Years in Psychiatric Care, a Lifetime of Being Unheard | Breda O’Toole
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 hersel
Not Much Time, But Enough Time: Iain Ward, the King of Chemo, on Terminal Cancer and Finding His Mission
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, throu
Bite-sized: Gabor Mate | Addiction Is Not a Choice — It’s a Response to Pain
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, availa
Keith Barry Read My Mind, Then Revealed What Nearly Broke Him
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 t
8 of the 10 Men Who Got Sober With Me Are Dead | Willa White
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 child
Bite-sized: The Biggest Lie You Tell Yourself About Money
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 y
You Are Not Broken: Why Your Struggles May Be Survival Responses | Brian Pennie
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 ow
Bite-sized: Why You Still Feel “Not Enough” — and How to Change It
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
When the Medals Stop: Losing Your Identity and Finding Yourself Again | David Gillick
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
Bite-Sized: Why Lonely Men Are Drawn to the Manosphere
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
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 depr
Bite-Sized: Gabor Maté on Why We Always Want More
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 wha
From Lifespan to Soulspan: Dr Paddy Barrett on Health, Time and Living Before It’s Too Late
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 conv
The Psychology of Male Loneliness: Why So Many Men Are Quietly Falling Apart | Daragh Fleming
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
From Paralysis to Purpose: Ryan “Chaos” Curtis on Fighting Back, Self-Belief and Never Giving Up
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 to fight for himself from a young age. But when he walked into an MMA gym for the first time, everything changed. He was humbled, beaten up, and somehow left knowing one thing: he was
The Psychology of Money: Why Chasing More Never Makes You Happy | Eoin McGee
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 — to break down the hidden psychology behind money.From why earning more doesn’t make you happier, to the dangerous myths keeping people broke, Eoin reveals why chasing money often leads to
How to Heal Anxiety, Panic Attacks & the Fear of Fear | Caroline Foran
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 really takes to heal.Caroline shares the moment she hit rock bottom, believing she was beyond help, and how that experience became the turning point that changed everything. We unpack wha
From Trauma to Inner Safety: Tara Rafter on Healing, Self-Belief & Finding Yourself
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 of healing, self-belief, trauma, and personal growth. Tara shares her deeply personal story of growing up around addiction and domestic violence, caring for her mother through chronic
From Violence to Transformation: Bob Cullen’s Journey Through Trauma, Addiction, Prison and Healing
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 someone toward violence? And what helps them change? In this unfiltered episode of Change Is Possible, Bob Cullen shares the raw reality behind violence, prison, addiction, and recove
You’ve Been Lied to About Food
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 to expose what’s really happening inside our food system. We explore ultra- processed foods, behaviour change, food marketing psychology and why awareness is the first step to better
Dr Gabor Maté on Addiction, Trauma & Why You Were Never Broken
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 addiction, healing, and human connection. When Brian shares his lived experience with heroin addiction, Gabor challenges conventional thinking. He explains why addiction is not a disease o
Bonus Episode: Success Isn’t Hustle — It’s Who You Love & How You Live
“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 RTÉ. In this honest, reflective conversation, we unpack drive, ambition, ADHD, fear of death, and the quiet moments that end up defining a life. From chasing “best in class” in every a
Lessons on Belief, Addiction, Discomfort, and Change
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 growth, resilience, addiction, social media, human connection, and the nature of change. We discuss the “other self” — the hidden part of us that emerges through adversity — and why disc
The Dopamine Trap: Dr Anna Lembke Explains Why Phones, Porn & Pleasure Are Making Us Miserable
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 chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. She is the author of the New York Times best-selling book: Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence. I
Busy, Wrecked & Ready for Change – Dermot Whelan on Anxiety, Purpose & Finding Space
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 all, he was anxious, exhausted, sleepless, and struggling with self-belief. Alcohol became his go-to coping tool until a panic attack and a drunken fall forced him to change. He had he
The Other Self: The Strength You Don’t Know You Have
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, spiritually and physically, how he navigated grief, guilt, depression, identity collapse, and how he discovered his “other self”. From helplessness in a hospital corridor to skiing mountains a
ADHD, Anxiety & Ambition: How Laura Dowling Turned Restlessness Into a Wellness Revolution
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 self-doubt—and how she turned those traits into her greatest strengths. From struggling to accept her diagnosis to building a nationwide wellness brand, leading Viva La Vulva, and t
A Premier League Manager’s Most Important Win: Sobriety - Brian McDermott
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 discusses the highs of reaching the Premier League, the crushing lows of addiction and identity struggles, and the tools that brought him lasting peace. This episode explores what succe
Turning Anger Into a Force for Good - Senator Lynn Ruane
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 breakthroughs that set her free. Her ADHD diagnosis, the paradox of medication-induced “nothingness,” and a nine-month spiritual reckoning led to shedding self-loathing and rediscoveri
Healing Trauma Through Community and Connection - Niall Breslin (Bressie)
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 experiences shaped his relationship with anxiety, the isolating effect of loneliness, and the role of expression, language, and community in healing. The discussion broadens to exam
From Self-Doubt to Unshakeable Self-Belief - Max Kennedy
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 self-doubt, and the intense competitiveness of elite sport. Max explains how undeniable facts, work ethic, and consistency have shaped his mindset—turning setbacks into resilience and belie
Cancer Gave Me More Than It Took - Georgie Crawford
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, Georgie shows how sitting with her pain, instead of numbing it, became the turning point of her life. Georgie speaks with extraordinary honesty about living in survival mode, people-p
