Change is Possible

Dr Brian Pennie
  • 4.6 (11)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Every two weeks

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.

  1. 3 days ago

    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 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

  2. 4 Aug ·  Bonus

    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 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.

  3. 21 Jul

    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 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

  4. 14 Jul ·  Bonus

    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 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.

  5. 7 Jul

    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 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

  6. 30 Jun ·  Bonus

    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.

  7. 23 Jun

    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 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

  8. 16 Jun ·  Bonus

    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 what we are running from. The full conversation with Dr Gabor Maté is available now on Change Is Possible.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Brian Pennie
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr Brian Pennie
  • Show Website
    Change is Possible