Explore every episode of the podcast Mastering Change | The trauma, mental health & wellbeing podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive relationship therapy: moving through discomfort, not around it | Priscilla Short | #033 Mastering Change | 14 Oct 2025 | 00:41:04 | |
The traditional model of therapy tends to be one hour, once a week. But how effective is this? This week on Mastering Change, we speak with psychotherapist Priscilla Short, who’s challenging the way we think about relationship and trauma therapy. She introduces us to the world of intensive therapy – where months of work are condensed into a few focused days. It’s immersive, honest and allows both clients and therapists to stay with what’s uncomfortable long enough for real change to happen. “It’s called intensive therapy” says Priscilla, “but I actually find it far less intense. You’re not constantly restarting – you can stay in it, work through it and watch people transform in front of you.” She explains why this model can help couples move beyond patterns that weekly sessions can’t reach, and why the depth of connection it creates can be life-changing – for both clients and therapists. We explore
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Breaking the silence: Healing from racial trauma | Ashley McGirt | #032 Mastering Change | 07 Oct 2025 | 00:36:41 | |
What happens when silence becomes a survival strategy – and healing means finding your voice again? This week on Mastering Change, we speak with therapist, author and founder of the Washington Therapy Fund Foundation Ashley McGirt about the impact of racial and intergenerational trauma. Ashley shares how trauma rooted in racism and injustice can echo through generations, shaping families, relationships and self-worth – and how healing begins when we start to name what was once unspeakable. “Just saying it out loud is healing. Naming it takes away some of its power.” We explore
This conversation is both grounding and liberating – a reminder that breaking silence isn’t just about telling your story, but reclaiming your power. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Slowing down to heal: Somatic intelligence | Chen Lizra | #031 Mastering Change | 23 Sep 2025 | 00:42:21 | |
What if healing meant slowing down, softening, and coming back to your body? This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Chen Lizra – somatic practitioner and founder of The Power of Somatic Intelligence – about how trauma pulls us away from ourselves and how presence, movement, and pleasure can guide us back. Chen explains why safety is the foundation for any healing process, how to recognise when we’re overriding our nervous system and why slowing down can be the most courageous step we take. She also shares practical ways to reconnect with the body in daily life. We explore
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Healing from narcissistic abuse | Ronia Fraser | #30 Mastering Change | 18 Sep 2025 | 00:43:08 | |
What if healing meant slowing down, softening, and coming home to your body This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Chen Lizra – somatic practitioner and founder of The Power of Somatic Intelligence – about how trauma disconnects us from ourselves, and how movement, pleasure, and presence can guide us back. Chen explains how working with the nervous system, rather than overriding it, creates the conditions for safety and lasting change. She shares how slowing down can be an act of courage, and why pleasure isn’t indulgence – it’s a pathway to regulation, connection, and resilience. We explore:
This is a grounding and inspiring conversation for anyone wanting to feel more at home in their body and more present in their life. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Building trauma-informed systems: Early help for young people | Dr. Asha Patel | #029 Mastering Change | 09 Sep 2025 | 00:39:02 | |
How do we stop working at “the wrong end of the spectrum” – only intervening when it’s too late? This week on Mastering Change, clinical psychologist and Innovating Minds founder Dr. Asha Patel shares her journey from working in forensic services to building trauma-informed systems for schools and community-based organisations. Asha explains how behaviour is always a form of communication, why exclusion punishes pain instead of addressing it, and how compassion, regulated adults and safe environments can change young people’s life trajectories. We also explore:
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| What happens when silence becomes survival w/ Cipriana Quann & TK Wonder | #028 Mastering Change | 02 Sep 2025 | 00:43:58 | |
What happens when silence becomes survival? Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Speaking the unspeakable | Shari Botwin | #027 Mastering Change | 26 Aug 2025 | 00:35:04 | |
What does it take to heal after abuse, assault or complex PTSD? This week on Mastering Change, trauma therapist, speaker and author Shari Botwin joins us for a candid conversation about dismantling shame and speaking the unspeakable. She draws on her own journey as a survivor as well as 25 years of clinical work, sharing how shame takes hold and how to recognise and move through it. Compassion and safe relationships are, she says, essential in recovery and she explains why. We also explore her work as an expert witness in abuse cases, the systemic barriers survivors face and the difference it makes when someone is truly believed. We also explore
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive topics including abuse, trauma and shame. Please listen with awareness and seek support if needed. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Finding meaning in grief | David Kessler | #026 Mastering Change | 19 Aug 2025 | 00:41:21 | |
We know about the five stages of grief – but did you know there’s a sixth? David Kessler speaks to us in this episode about how finding meaning can become one of the most powerful steps in healing after loss. Kessler is one of the world’s leading grief experts and author of On Grief and Grieving and Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. Drawing on decades of experience and his own personal journey with loss, David shares why all trauma carries grief, and why healing requires more than just “moving on.” We explore the deep connection between trauma and loss, the importance of feeling rather than suppressing emotions and why grief must be witnessed by another to truly heal. From the misconceptions about the famous five stages of grief to his pioneering work on the sixth stage – finding meaning – David offers insight, compassion and practical wisdom for anyone navigating loss, whether it’s death, divorce, childhood wounds or other life changes we didn’t choose. We also explore:
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Breaking free from people-pleasing and family patterns | Jerry Wise | #025 Mastering Change | 12 Aug 2025 | 00:44:00 | |
Why do we keep falling into the same family roles – even as adults? This week we speak with systems therapist and family recovery coach Jerry Wise about how to break free from emotional enmeshment, codependency and the unspoken rules that keep us stuck. Drawing on decades of clinical and coaching experience, Jerry introduces the concept of self-differentiation – the process of becoming your own person while staying connected to others. He explains why physical distance doesn’t necessarily create emotional freedom, how to stop internalising guilt and shame, and why staying calm can ripple change through an entire relationship dynamic. We also explore:
This episode offers clarity, compassion and practical tools for therapists helping patients to create healthier, more authentic connections – without losing themselves in the process. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| TAP into healing | Poppy Delbridge | #024 Mastering Change | 05 Aug 2025 | 00:44:20 | |
Could just a few minutes of intention, presence and energy work change everything? This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Poppy Delbridge – energy psychologist, rapid tapping practitioner and author of TAP – to explore how energy-based practices like EFT (emotional freedom technique) can shift trauma and regulate the nervous system. Poppy explains how belief systems are stored in the body, why affirmations alone don’t work and how trauma can wire us into patterns of fear and scarcity. She shows us how tapping offers a real-time, trauma-informed way to interrupt those loops – and reconnect with joy and safety. We also explore:
This episode is a powerful reminder that change doesn’t always have to take years – it can happen in the space of a few breaths, a few taps and a shift in energy. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Out of your head, into your body | Erica Hornthal | #023 Mastering Change | 29 Jul 2025 | 00:48:16 | |
Before we can speak our pain, our bodies have already carried it – which means, often, talking through trauma isn’t enough. This week on Mastering Change, we sit down with Erica Hornthal, licensed clinical professional counselor, board-certified dance/movement therapist, and author of Body Aware and the brand-new BodyTalk. Known as “The Therapist Who Moves You,” Erica explores how trauma lives not just in memory, but in muscle tone, breath, posture – even stillness. Drawing on years of somatic practice, Erica helps us understand why talk therapy alone often isn’t enough – and how movement can offer a direct line to regulation, relief, and reconnection. “The body holds the story before we can speak it.” We explore
Whether you're a trauma survivor, a therapist, or someone feeling disconnected from yourself – this episode is a reminder that healing isn’t just something we think through. It’s something we move through. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| What romance fiction has to do with trauma healing | Alicia Kindleysides | #022 Mastering Change | 22 Jul 2025 | 00:34:44 | |
Romance novels aren’t just escapism – they can help process trauma too. Academic, writer and trauma theorist Dr. Alicia Kindleysides invites us to think differently about healing – examining how reading and writing can offer safe spaces for processing pain. Her PhD research explores trauma responses through the world of romance fiction. She has found that romance fiction gives people a place to safely rehearse emotional experiences – connection, desire, safety – that may have been disrupted by trauma. Her research also identified a ninth trauma response – “fade” – in addition to the existing 8F model of trauma reactions (fight, flight, fright, freeze, flag, fawn, faint and flood). Fade, she says, is a response rooted in hiding, invisibility and withdrawal. We explore:
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Horses for healing: lessons from equine therapy | Rianne Sibma-de Vries | #021 Mastering Change | 15 Jul 2025 | 00:34:17 | |
What if healing didn’t start with words – but simply with presence? This week on the Mastering Change podcast, we speak with Rianne Sibma-de Vries, a trauma-informed counsellor and equine therapist based in the Netherlands. Rianne’s work combines Internal Family Systems (IFS), systemic constellations, somatic techniques and equine-assisted therapy to help people reconnect with themselves in profound, body-based ways. Horses, Rianne explains, are instinctive, non-judgemental and deeply attuned. They help people access parts of themselves that have long been buried. Whether working with clients with complex PTSD or high-performing leaders, she sees the same transformation: “Once the body feels the sensation of being held… they will never forget that.” Horses don’t care about titles, trauma narratives, or words. They respond to energy and truth. And in doing so, they offer a mirror to our inner world – helping us regulate, reconnect, and heal. We explore:
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Healing trauma through intuition and the soul | Rathika Marsh | #020 Mastering Change | 08 Jul 2025 | 00:45:53 | |
Is traditional talk therapy enough to heal trauma? This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Rathika Marsh – a spiritual psychologist who helps people connect with their inner voice, their bodies, and their soul. “The body doesn’t just hold trauma – it holds wisdom and resilience.” Growing tired of the limitations placed upon her as a psychologist, Rathika developed the Freedom and Expansion Method: a multidimensional approach to healing trauma that bridges embodiment and psychology with intuition and spirituality. She describes how trauma disconnects people from their intuitive selves. She works somatically and spiritually, helping clients transmute pain into purpose and power. Many of her clients come from therapeutic backgrounds themselves – psychologists and psychotherapists, who like her, are burnt out by restrictive models and seeking space to reconnect to their creativity and cultural roots. We talk about the importance of personal responsibility, the power of inner child work, and how meeting discomfort with movement – through breath, body or ritual – can unlock buried truths. We also explore:
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| When shame becomes your identity | Annalie Howling | #019 Mastering Change | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:41:49 | |
Often what keeps us stuck isn’t the trauma itself but the shame it leaves behind. This week on Mastering Change, we sit down with Annalie Howling – EMDR therapist, performance coach, and author of Unapologetic – to explore shame as one of trauma’s most corrosive legacies. Annalie speaks openly about her own history of violence, self-harm, and the masks she wore to stay hidden. She shares why she refuses to offer a step-by-step guide to healing – and how pulling shame “out by the root” is the only way to make room for compassion and lasting change. In this episode, we explore:
This is a fierce and moving conversation, and, for anyone who’s ever felt shame (that’s all of us), supremely validating. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| The hidden dangers of an AI therapist in mental health support. Part 3 of 3 | Steve Siddals & Catherine Mooney | #018 Mastering Change | 24 Jun 2025 | 00:47:31 | |
In Part III of our three-part series with psychology researcher and technology executive Steve Siddals, we explore perhaps the most important and challenging question yet: What happens when people in crisis turn to AI for help – and it gets it wrong? Joined by AI ethicist Catherine Mooney, we dig into the unintended consequences and ethical grey areas emerging as more and more people turn to chatbots for emotional support. In this final episode, we explore:
Cat brings over a decade of experience working at the intersection of AI and ethics. Steve shares the latest findings from his research and reflects on the sometimes-unsettling stories people are sharing about their use of chatbots. Together, we look honestly at the complexity of what’s unfolding: the risks and the questions AI is raising about safety and trust. If you’ve been following this series on Mastering Change, don’t miss this final episode. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Can AI replicate human connection? Part 2 of 3 | Steve Siddals | #018 Mastering Change | 17 Jun 2025 | 00:40:29 | |
It’s Part II of our conversation with psychology researcher and technology executive Steve Siddals. Last week, we uncovered surprising insights into how people are using AI chatbots for emotional support. Now in Part II of this three-part series, Steve unpacks the ethical complexities, unintended consequences and extraordinary potential of using AI in therapeutic contexts. We explore the paradox: how something that isn’t human can help us relate more deeply to other humans. And we ask big questions:
We also discuss:
AI is a controversial topic and while it’s one Steve is passionate about, he comes to the subject from a place of curiosity and neutrality, simply questioning whether AI is a worthwhile tool in the space. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Can AI really be used as your own personal therapist? Part 1 of 3 | Steve Siddals | #018 Mastering Change | 10 Jun 2025 | 00:59:10 | |
Can a chatbot provide emotional support in moments of crisis? Can AI ever replicate the safety and insight of human connection? These are the questions Steve Siddals – psychology researcher and technology executive – set out to explore in one of the first qualitative studies into AI chatbots and mental health. In this episode of Mastering Change, we dive into Steve’s surprising findings: that 18 out of 19 participants in his study found AI chatbot support helpful – some even described it as “life changing.” “It gave me the space to just be me – without judgement, without fear.” Steve’s participants used AI in diverse ways. One person said the AI helped them reclaim their life after uncovering a new perspective on their upbringing. Another shared how a chatbot supported him through grief in the days leading up to his mother’s death. Access to mental health services is deeply unequal – particularly outside high-income countries – and Steve believes AI could fill a vital gap. But this isn’t about replacing therapists. It’s about listening to real experiences, understanding the potential and doing the research we so urgently need. We also explore:
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Justice begins with belief: standing with CSA survivors | Poppy & Miranda Eyre | #017 Mastering Change | 03 Jun 2025 | 00:43:01 | |
“Why should a child have to fight an adult in a court of law?” This week on Mastering Change, we had a deeply moving conversation Poppy and Miranda Eyre. Poppy is a survivor of child sexual abuse; Miranda, her mother, was the first person she told. Theirs is a story of survival, resistance, reform, and a call for systemic change. They are one of the rare families for whom the legal system worked. But as Miranda says, “We’ve never met another family like us. That’s the problem.” “Belief is the beginning of everything.” Poppy was 11 when she spoke out. Her perpetrator – her grandfather – was convicted. But, as Poppy explains, it wasn’t justice alone that shaped her journey, it was the fact she was, simply, believed. Many others aren’t. Poppy and Miranda are using their experience to campaign for a trauma-informed legal framework that starts with belief, not proof: A system where the symptoms of trauma are recognised as evidence, not dismissed for lack of witnesses, admissions, or footage. In this episode we discuss:
Moment of Care: This week’s episode of Mastering Change contains themes that may be emotionally challenging, particularly for survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) or those who’ve supported someone through it. We encourage you to listen in a way that honors your capacity. If you are a survivor or this content feels especially sensitive, know it’s okay to pause, step away, or skip this episode altogether. Your safety and emotional well-being matter most. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Conflict, polarisation and Netflix’s Adolescence | Gabor Mate | #016 Mastering Change | 27 May 2025 | 00:41:41 | |
We’re joined by acclaimed Hungarian-Canadian physician and one of the world’s foremost voices on trauma and addiction – Dr. Gabor Maté. It’s an illuminating conversation that spans everything from the inner workings of conflict, compassion and self-regulation to media and politics. We touch on polarisation which, Gabor explains, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We also explore:
“You’re responsible for how you show up, but not how others’ feel.” Gabor brings, in equal measure, practical wisdom – from decades of clinical insight – and personal revelations to this compelling conversation. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Autism, identity & fighting the system | Katherine Uher | #015 Mastering Change | 20 May 2025 | 00:36:21 | |
As an openly autistic psychotherapist, Dr. Katherine Uher works with those experiencing anxiety, low self-esteem and complex trauma – often shaped by a lifetime of feeling "othered." Her research explores the impact of systemic trauma, especially how institutions often misunderstand, pathologise or erase the needs of neurodivergent people. She speaks from both professional and lived experience, which she shares in the episode. “As a society, our perception of normal is rigid and we are wary of differences.” Dr. Uher’s research challenges how neurodivergent people are storied and judged by professionals. She argues that many neurodivergent people struggle with their sense of self are because their identities have been shaped by other people’s opinions of what’s right and wrong. In this episode we discuss:
This was a poignant conversation, and we’re grateful to Dr. Uher for speaking so candidly about her own journey – and the wider struggles of navigating a world not designed for neurodivergent people. Whether you're neurodivergent yourself, a clinician, therapist, educator or ally, this episode is essential listening. Don't forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the illustrious Canadian physician and world-renowned addiction expert Gabor Maté on next week’s episode! Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| PTSD, nightmares and the dream completion technique | Dr Justin Havens | #014 Mastering Change | 13 May 2025 | 00:33:55 | |
Most of us think of nightmares as something children experience, but in fact 2-8% of the adult population suffer from persistent, trauma-related nightmares. Dr. Justin Havens is on a mission to change that, sharing in this week’s episode of Mastering Change, his breakthrough dream completion technique. “You can resolve persistent traumatic nightmares in one session, in as little as 20 minutes,” he tells us as we discuss PTSD, anxiety and nightmares. “We're not removing memories. We're changing the way people feel about those memories.” A clinical psychologist and trauma specialist, Dr. Havens has trained hundreds of Ukraine therapists in this novel technique to help those with PTSD nightmares. He explains that trauma isn’t always about the event itself, but the way it’s represented for the person in the present. His technique works to change the perception and emotional intensity of a memory – a method that’s delivering rapid results across clinical and community settings. Research into nightmares has been few and far between and while sleep is a hot topic in public discourse, traumatic nightmares are seldom discussed or understood. We hope then that this conversation brings reassurance to anyone navigating their impact. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Play as a tool for connection | Debi John | #013 Mastering Change | 06 May 2025 | 00:38:37 | |
Why is it that play – something so natural to children – becomes so elusive for adults? This week on Mastering Change, we speak to Debi John – founder of Play Healing CIC and a self-described “play pollinator” – about the science, spirit and social value of play. In the modern digital age where we feel increasingly stressed and overstimulated, play is more important than ever. Debi is on a mission to help adults reconnect with creativity, expression and their nervous system through play – as well as bond with children. “There’s pressure to be constantly jovial and playful with children, but it can feel fake. And I don’t think children need us to be like that.” In this open and honest conversation, Debi breaks down what it means to play and how it isn’t just a parenting technique or a child’s pastime – it’s a vital nervous system state, and an act of self-compassion. “Play is that ventral vagal state – the optimum state of performance – that we actually want to be in as adults.” We discuss:
Whether you’re a parent, practitioner or simply someone feeling disconnected from joy, this episode might just reframe the way you see play – and how you play – forever. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Parenting gender diverse children | Rachel Hulstein-Lowe | #012 Mastering Change | 28 Apr 2025 | 00:44:15 | |
“People say ‘it’s just biology’ but it’s more complex than we think.” Confusion and misinformation reigns around gender issues so in this episode we speak to Rachel Hulstein-Lowe – an expert in gender diversity and parent coach. As a parent of a non-binary child herself, Rachel advocates for young people navigating identity and is determined to bring a spotlight onto the needs of these children and families. “When a young person says, ‘this is who I am’ our number one job is to believe them.” In this episode, we discuss:
Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| How loneliness and purpose determine your wellbeing | Leo Pruimboom | #011 Master Change | 22 Apr 2025 | 01:04:21 | |
“Genes don’t control your life – your life controls your genes,” says Dr. Leo Pruimboom in the eleventh episode of Mastering Change. A clinical psychoneuroimmunologist, researcher and pioneer in systems-based medicine, Dr. Pruimboom is challenging everything we think we know about trauma, disease, genes, psychology and mental health. In this episode we discuss:
“You can take a human being out of nature, but you can’t take nature out of the human being.” Dr. Pruimboom makes a compelling case for the role of environment, connection, and behavioural agency in reversing modern illness. As he explains, we’re currently living in – and desperately trying to adapt to – a world we’re not made for. But thankfully, we have the capability to adapt: he reports the research showing that 120mins in nature per week can down regulate our blood pressure. Find out more by listening the whole conversation. PS. You can watch Dr. Pruimboom live at this year’s Transform Trauma Oxford by Masters Events – Europe's largest trauma conference. His talk, Everything is Everywhere at the Same Time will explore how the intricate connections between cells, organs and the environment shape mental health, emphasising the importance of relationships at every level of life in maintaining wellbeing. More info and Early Bird Tickets are here: https://mastersevents.com/oxford-2025/ Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| If you want to help people, change the system that hurt them | Dr Christy Gibson | #010 Mastering Change | 15 Apr 2025 | 00:43:28 | |
"Trauma is in our bones. We inherit it through our lineage. And science supports that,” says Dr. Christy Gibson. This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Dr. Gibson – a physician and global trauma advocate – about trauma as a systemic issue, not just a personal one. It’s a powerful, inspiring conversation that reimagines the role of doctors, communities and systems in the face of trauma. Dr. Gibson isn’t your traditional physician, she’s creative and passionate about democratising trauma research, leaning into TikTok to educate (@tiktoktraumadoc). Her book, The Modern Trauma Toolkit, aims to improve health literacy and is written specifically for patients – to provide clarity and help people feel compassion for themselves. “I see really traumatised people causing more trauma at a political and industry level.” In this episode, she unpacks how trauma spreads and causes chaos on a global scale, explaining that most people don’t mean to cause harm, but do inadvertently. Medical professionals, she says, can unknowingly traumatise patients simply by failing to explain what they're doing. In this episode we discuss:
She invites us to shift our entire perception of trauma – to look beyond individuals and recognise the hidden architecture of trauma within our systems. We tend to think of ourselves as powerless, but Dr. Gibson reminds us that while systems may feel immovable, change begins with community. Her mission isn’t just about her own power as a physician, but about activating collective agency. After all, as she puts it: If you want to help people, you need to change the system that hurt them. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Psychedelic therapy for trauma | Chantelle Thomas | #009 Mastering Change | 08 Apr 2025 | 00:43:41 | |
Is it possible that the most profound breakthroughs in trauma therapy come from altered states of consciousness? Healing trauma isn’t just about repair, it’s about reclaiming wholeness and reconnecting with the soul. This week on Mastering Change, we welcomed clinical psychologist and trauma healing expert Dr. Chantell Thomas and explored the therapeutic use of psychedelics. Dr. Thomas is the executive clinical director of Windrose Recovery – a residential addiction treatment centre that offers detoxification and integrated ketamine-assisted psychotherapy programmes. Over the past decade, she has also worked on clinical trials for other substances including MDMA and psilocybin – work that, she says, ‘helped me become a better therapist’. ‘Psychedelics are a trauma-reprocessing and resourcing tool’ Dr. Thomas points to psychedelics’ capacity to help individuals reconnecting with their own internal strength, clarity and healing mechanisms – especially when those inner resources have been depleted or blocked by trauma. In this episode we discuss:
Dr. Thomas is an advocate for the thoughtful, ethical use of ketamine, psilocybin and MDMA in therapeutic settings. She’s witnessed firsthand the relief, hope and possibility psychedelic therapy offers. But she’s also quick to remind us that it shouldn’t be viewed as a silver bullet – as with all forms of therapy, healing is a process that takes time and isn’t always easy. Tune in for grounded, expert-led insights on a topic that continues to spark discussion and debate. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support.
Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| How energy work can transform your body & mind | Ruthie Smith | #008 Mastering Change | 01 Apr 2025 | 00:45:41 | |
To truly heal, we must address both body and energy systems. Ruthie Smith, an attachment-based psychoanalytic psychotherapist, approaches energy work from a scientific standpoint, challenging the misconception that working with vibrations and frequencies is 'out there'. In this week’s Mastering Change episode, she refers to research that shows how trauma is stored at a cellular level, how ill cells repeat, and that clearing trauma energetically stops the repetition. Ruthie draws from neuroscience, epigenetics, biology, quantum physics, and trauma theory and explains how clients can self-apply energy methods to clear trauma, shame, fear and guilt to create wellness within their body and psyche. ‘We are energetic beings.’ Ruthie’s own personal journey has been fraught, but she shares with us how a profound experience during a Buddhist meditation teaching led her to new perspectives and ultimately energy healing. Today, she trains psychotherapists in these energy-based techniques, bridging the gap between modern science and what ancient traditions have long known. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| How childhood trauma causes chronic illness – and how to heal it | Oliver Barnett | #007 Mastering Change | 25 Mar 2025 | 00:45:11 | |
What if the pain in your shoulder wasn’t just a physical sensation but unresolved negative emotion stored in your body? What if you could rid yourself of chronic pain by addressing past trauma? What if we viewed energy healing or somatic work, such as yoga or meditation, not as ‘woo-woo’ fringe concepts but as essential tools for transformation? We still have a way to go, but the evidence increasingly shows that trauma – down to a cellular level – can shape our immune system, gut health and overall wellbeing. We explore all the above in the latest episode of Mastering Change. "99% of my patients with chronic illness have a history of unresolved trauma,” says functional medical practitioner and this week’s podcast guest, Oliver Barnett. He’s a leading expert in integrative health and has uncovered patterns in chronic illness where unresolved emotional trauma manifests in the body as physical ailments. We talk about:
The future of medicine must be trauma-informed – or it will continue to fail people. And this is the reason we’re bringing these kinds of conversations to the fore. Enjoy our discussion with Oliver! Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| How the first moments of life shape our mental health | Jaclyn Ruggiero | #006 Mastering Change | 18 Mar 2025 | 00:48:55 | |
"We’re saving lives in the NICU, but we need to start asking – what kind of lives are we shaping?" On average, we remember nothing before the age of 3.5. And when we consider which childhood experiences have shaped us as adults, we overlook the most significant of all: our own birth. This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Texas-based neonatologist Dr. Jaclyn Ruggiero, an expert in premature birth and infant trauma, to explore the profound impact of early-life experiences on human development. Dr. Ruggiero discusses how trauma, stress and medical interventions in infancy influence long-term health outcomes, highlighting critical issues in neonatal care. She shares:
This episode is essential listening for parents, healthcare professionals, and anyone interested in neonatal care, trauma, and attachment. Tune in now! Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| The art of healing: The intersection of psychotherapy, art & science | Aleksandra Vancevska | #005 Mastering Change | 10 Mar 2025 | 00:38:21 | |
‘90% of communication is nonverbal’ so the adage goes. In this week’s episode of Mastering Change, we explore this idea with Gestalt counsellor, group therapist and neuroscientist Aleksandra Vancevska. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. We dive into the intersection of psychotherapy, science, and art – unpacking how creativity helps externalise and process difficult experiences. As Aleks explains, art therapy allows us to choose what serves us and to ‘leave what’s not ours, or what’s not necessary, on the painting.’ "Psychotherapy begins where science stops” Science is powerful, but it doesn’t have all the answers. As Aleks highlights, art, therapy, and human connection are what fill in the gaps. She explains that, when it comes to healing, not everything can be controlled or measured – this is where psychotherapy is key. ‘Being in the pain – and accepting it – is important and that’s what is sometimes neglected,’ she says. In the episode, we also discuss:
Aleks’ passion for her work shines through in this conversation, making it a must-listen for anyone curious about the fusion of psychology, science, and creativity as a pathway to healing and growth. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| The science of sleep | Heather Darwall-Smith | #004 Mastering Change | 04 Mar 2025 | 00:37:38 | |
When we think of sleep disorders, we tend to imagine insomnia or sleep apnoea. But did you know there are over 80 different sleep disorders? This week, we spoke to sleep expert and UKCP-registered psychotherapist Heather Darwall-Smith on the complexities of sleep. Heather, author of The Science of Sleep, holds an MA in Core Process Therapy and has studied sleep medicine and cognitive behavioral therapy at the University of Oxford. One of the most powerful takeaways from our conversation was the toxicity of sleep-shaming culture. As Heather highlights, there’s a misleading belief that a perfect sleep routine exists and that everyone should strive for it. In reality, sleep is deeply personal and influenced by biology, culture and lifestyle. It’s about what feels right for you. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive episodes related to trauma, mental health and potential distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. We also discuss: 💬 How we need to feel safe in order to sleep 💬 How traumatic experiences disrupt natural sleep cycle and why feeling safe is key to restorative rest. 💬 The rise of sleep disorders (such as sleep apnoea) 💬 How sleep disorders effect couples and their relationships 💬 The unregulated sleep supplement market and what to be wary of Heather’s passion for sleep medicine and her compassionate, science-backed approach make her an invaluable voice in this space. Her insights were both reassuring and thought-provoking – have a listen for yourself! 🔔 New episodes released every Tuesday – available on all streaming platforms, subscribe now! Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Ancestral trauma. How it shows up and how to heal it | Dr Ameet Aggarwal | #003 Mastering Change | 25 Feb 2025 | 00:43:36 | |
In this episode of Mastering Change, Dr. Ameet Aggarwal, a Family Constellations Therapist, Naturopathic Doctor, and Gestalt Psychotherapist, unpacks the complex relationship between trauma, physical health, and mental well-being. Dr. Aggarwal explains how anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges are often rooted in hidden causes such as leaky gut, inflammation, liver toxicity, adrenal fatigue, and even ancestral trauma. He shares his holistic approach to healing, combining psychotherapy, homeopathy, and natural remedies to address both personal and generational trauma. Dr. Aggarwal also offers practical insights from his online course, where he provides homeopathic remedies for liver detox, gut health, and adrenal balance—essential steps for improving mental health. This episode sheds light on the mind-body connection, offering actionable tips for listeners to take charge of their mental and physical health. Topic and Key Points:
Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| Cyber trauma: What it is, how it impacts us and how we heal | Catherine Knibbs | #002 Mastering Change | 18 Feb 2025 | 00:53:17 | |
What is cybertrauma? In our second episode of Mastering Change, researcher, trauma psychotherapist and cybertrauma and online harm expert, Catherine Knibbs, explains. She shares key insights from her PhD research and her work with cybertrauma survivors, offering a deeper understanding of the often-invisible ways digital environments shape our emotional and psychological well-being. She breaks down: 💭 What constitutes cybertrauma and how it differs from other forms of trauma 💭 The widespread issue of of technology-facilitated sexual abuse 💭 How immersive digital environments blur the lines between virtual and physical trauma 💭 The false sense of safety our screens – and our proximity to them – provide As Catherine puts it, "Technology has changed the way we experience and process trauma." This makes conversations about cybertrauma more important than ever, and we’re committed to facilitating them for the greater good. Mastering Change aims to strengthen awareness of pertinent issues around trauma and mental health – and to drive action as a result. Whether you work in this space or are on your own healing journey, we welcome you to be part of these essential conversations.
Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||
| From heroin addict to neuroscientist: Rewriting your story through values & resilience | Dr Brian Pennie | #001 Mastering Change | 07 Feb 2025 | 00:41:30 | |
Join us on this episode of Mastering Change as we speak with Dr Brian Pennie – a former heroin addict who turned his life around to become a doctor of neuroscience and psychology, author, consultant and founder of Change is Possible. Brian shares his personal journey from addiction to recovery and explains how trauma can shift our values and disconnect us from what truly matters. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive topics related to trauma, mental health and distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. In this conversation, you will discover:
Brian offers clear, actionable insights and memorable quotes such as, "Trauma isn’t just about the past. It’s about how we respond to the world today." "Real change happens when we make decisions based on values, not feelings." Whether you are struggling with anxiety or looking to re-align your life with what matters most, this episode provides practical guidance to help you reconnect with your core self and rebuild meaningful relationships. The content in this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional therapy or medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for personalised support. If you have ever felt trapped by anxiety, are struggling with addiction or are overwhelmed by life’s challenges, tune in to learn how to rewrite your story with clarity and purpose - and do share this episode with someone who might need it. You can see Brian Pennie at Transform Trauma Oxford 2025 Conference with his session "Rebuilding Connection: A Values-Based Framework for Healing Relationships." Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2025 for more details. | |||