Mastering Change | The trauma, mental health & wellbeing podcast

Masters Events
  • 4.0 (2)
  • Mental Health

Welcome to Mastering Change, a podcast co-hosted by Emma and Araminta, where we engage in meaningful conversations centred around healing. In this series, we bring together leading experts, innovative thinkers, and emerging voices to connect knowledge with real-world impact in the areas of trauma, mental health and wellbeing.    Each episode features insightful discussions with respected figures as well as promising new contributors to the field. We explore a range of topics with a focus on making this knowledge available for anyone interested in supporting their own healing journey or that of others.    At Mastering Change, we understand the significance of conversation as a means of fostering understanding and growth. Our aim is to create a ripple effect, facilitating the transfer of knowledge and establishing a community where impactful voices are heard.     Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the field, we invite you to engage in thoughtful discussions that can inspire meaningful change in your practice and personal life. Join us as we explore critical insights and perspectives, encouraging a shared commitment to healing trauma. 

  1. 2d ago

    The Truth About Sexual Desire, Intimacy and Long-Term Relationships | Nichole McNichols | #087 Mastering Change

    Why does sexual desire fade in long-term relationships? And could the way we think about sex be part of the problem? In this episode of Mastering Change, Araminta Jonsson speaks with Dr Nicole McNichols, a professor at the University of Washington and author of You Could Be Having Better Sex, about the psychology of desire, the science of pleasure and why sexual wellbeing is so often overlooked in conversations about mental health. From the pressures of modern relationships and the exhaustion of everyday life to the misconceptions surrounding orgasms and intimacy, Nicole challenges some of our most deeply held assumptions about sex. Together, they explore why desire doesn't always happen spontaneously, how shame can prevent us from communicating our needs, and why creating space for pleasure could be an important part of our overall wellbeing. In this episode, we explore: Why sexual wellbeing is so often excluded from conversations about mental healthHow exhaustion, stress and the mental load can affect sexual desireThe difference between spontaneous and responsive desireWhy planning sex doesn't necessarily make it less satisfyingThe orgasm gap and what we misunderstand about female pleasureHow shame, communication and consent shape our intimate relationshipsThe relationship between trauma, safety and sexual intimacyA thought-provoking conversation about moving beyond sexual shame and developing a healthier, more informed relationship with intimacy and pleasure. Moment of Care: This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, serious violence, mental health and other potentially distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take care of yourself and seek support if you need it. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

  2. Oct 23

    Neurofeedback: Can We Train the Brain to Feel Safe Again? | Siegfried Othmer | #086 Mastering Change

    Trauma doesn't always end when the danger has passed. Even years after a difficult experience, our brains and bodies can continue responding as though we're still under threat. But why do these patterns persist, and can we learn to change them? This week on Mastering Change, Emma Stapleton and Araminta Jonsson speak with Siegfried Othmer, a physicist and pioneer in neurofeedback, who has spent over four decades exploring how the brain regulates itself and what happens when that regulation is disrupted. While traditional approaches to trauma often focus on understanding and processing our experiences, Siegfried offers a different perspective. He argues that trauma recovery may also depend on helping the brain develop new patterns of self-regulation, rather than relying on psychological understanding alone. Drawing on his family's personal experiences and decades of clinical work, Siegfried explores the potential of neurofeedback and why he believes the physiological dimensions of trauma deserve greater attention. We explore: Why the brain can remain in a state of threat long after danger has passedHow trauma affects the brain's ability to regulate itselfWhat neurofeedback is and how it worksWhy talking therapies may not address every aspect of traumaThe potential of brain training to support emotional and physiological regulationMoment of Care: This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, serious violence, mental health and other potentially distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take care of yourself and seek support if you need it. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

  3. Oct 16

    The Pain We Carry: Trauma, Masculinity and Recovery | George Stoimenov | #085 Mastering Change

    What happens when the emotional pain we avoid begins to shape the way we treat ourselves and others?  In this episode of Mastering Change, Emma Stapleton and Araminta are joined by author and frontline practitioner George Stoimenov to explore unresolved trauma, masculinity and the possibility of breaking cycles of pain.  Originally from Bulgaria, George has spent more than a decade supporting people facing significant adversity, from unaccompanied young asylum seekers and young people experiencing homelessness to men on probation.  But his work is also deeply personal.  George reflects on his own experiences of childhood trauma, the ways he once avoided difficult emotions and the transformative experiences that eventually changed his understanding of himself. Drawing on his personal journey and professional work, he explores how unresolved pain can influence anger, relationships and destructive behaviour, and why meaningful change may require us to look beneath what someone does to understand what they have experienced. The conversation also considers the wider consequences of disconnection, including how declining community ties and growing polarisation can make it easier to project our pain onto others. We explore: How unresolved childhood experiences can shape adult behaviourWhy avoidance can prevent us from recognising emotional painWhat George has learned working with vulnerable young people and men on probationThe relationship between trauma, masculinity, anger and violenceHow the father–son relationship can influence identity and emotional developmentWhy connection and community matter for recoveryHow unresolved pain can contribute to conflict and polarisationWhat breaking cycles of trauma might look like in practiceMoment of Care: This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, violence, criminal justice experiences and emotional distress. Please take care while listening if these subjects feel close to your own experiences. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

  4. Oct 9

    The Hidden Grief of Infertility and Reproductive Trauma | Anita Guru | #084 Mastering Change

    When someone is struggling with infertility, we often encourage them to keep going, stay hopeful and try again.  But what happens when that encouragement becomes part of the pressure they're already carrying?  This week on Mastering Change, we're joined by reproductive trauma advocate Anita Guru, who shares her deeply personal experience of endometriosis, infertility, IVF and the psychological impact of a reproductive journey that unfolded very differently from the life she had imagined.  Through years of treatment, loss and uncertainty, Anita came to recognise something that is still too often overlooked: infertility is not only a medical experience. It can also involve profound grief, shame, guilt and trauma. One of the most powerful moments in our conversation comes when Anita describes reaching the point where she wanted to stop treatment, but was waiting for someone to give her permission. Her story raises important questions about how we support people through reproductive trauma, why grief can go unrecognised when there is no visible loss, and how we can create space for different futures without diminishing the pain of letting go. We explore: Why infertility and pregnancy loss need to be understood through the lens of reproductive traumaThe emotional impact of endometriosis and fertility treatmentHow shame and guilt can shape someone's sense of identity and self-worthWhy well-intentioned encouragement can sometimes deepen distressThe often-unrecognised grief of ending fertility treatment without a childHow earlier traumatic experiences can resurface during reproductive challengesWhy feeling seen, heard and supported can make such a differenceWatch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

  5. Oct 2

    The Ecology of Mental Health: Why Everything Is Connected | Joanna Cheek | #083 Mastering Change

    Everything is connected. Diversity is essential for survival. And living systems have feedback mechanisms that tell us when something is out of balance. What might happen if we applied these principles of ecology to mental health? This week on Mastering Change, psychiatrist and psychotherapist Joanna Cheek introduces us to the idea of an “ecology of health” – a way of looking beyond the individual to understand our wellbeing in the context of our relationships, communities, social structures and wider environment. One idea particularly stayed with us: distress can be feedback. In trauma-informed care, we have learned to move beyond asking “What’s wrong with you?” towards “What happened to you?” Joanna invites us to widen the lens further. What is happening around us? What systems are we part of? And could some of the feelings we are trying to eliminate actually be signalling that something is out of balance? It opens up a fascinating conversation about where individual healing meets collective wellbeing – and whether caring for ourselves can ever be entirely separated from caring for the world around us. We explore: What the principles of ecology can teach us about mental healthWhy distress can sometimes be understood as feedback rather than dysfunctionHow “What happened to you?” can widen to include the systems around usWhy focusing solely on the individual can leave important causes of distress unseenThe relationship between our individual and collective wellbeingWhy diversity and connection matter for healthy living systemsWhat changes when we see self-care and collective care as interconnectedWatch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

  6. Sep 25

    Can Ancient Wisdom Tell Us Something About Trauma? | Lawrence Hillman and Vanja Popovic | #082 Mastering Change

    Much of what we understand about trauma recovery is rooted in psychology, neuroscience and the nervous system.  But once enough safety and capacity have been established, what helps people make sense of what they have experienced?  This week on Mastering Change, Araminta is joined by trauma educator Vanja Popovic and archetypal psychologist Lawrence Hillman for a wide-ranging conversation about archetypes, astrology, spirituality and the human search for meaning after trauma.  They explore how symbols, stories and archetypal patterns can offer different ways of understanding our experiences and why meaning-making may become particularly important as people move towards post-traumatic growth.  Rather than viewing astrology as prediction or personality typing, Lawrence describes archetypal psychology as a language for understanding the deeper patterns that shape our inner lives. Vanja explains how these ideas can become valuable during post-traumatic growth, helping people make sense of their experiences once enough safety and capacity has been established.   The conversation also examines where ancient wisdom might sit alongside modern psychology and neuroscience, why science and spirituality may not be as far apart as they first appear and what our rapidly evolving relationship with AI can reveal about our very human search for connection and meaning.  We explore:  What archetypes are and why they appear across cultures Why meaning can become important after trauma Where ancient wisdom, psychology and spirituality intersect How archetypal thinking may contribute to post-traumatic growth What our relationship with AI reveals about human needs and relationships Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

  7. Sep 17

    From Suppression to Expression: Healing Through Music, Movement and Community | Leslie Salmon Jones and Jeff W. Jones | #081 Mastering Change

    Have we forgotten some of the ways humans have always sought to heal?  In this episode of Mastering Change, Emma Stapleton and Dr Keisha Siriboe are joined by Leslie Salmon Jones and Jeff W. Jones, co-founders of Afro Flow Yoga, for a conversation about healing through movement, music and community.  Drawing on nearly two decades of creating embodied healing experiences, Lesley and Jeff explore why trauma recovery can involve more than talking. Together, they discuss the role of rhythm, ancestry, breath and movement in helping people reconnect with themselves, their communities and their bodies.  The conversation explores agency, belonging and the idea that healing may sometimes be less about learning something new than reconnecting with practices that have existed across cultures for generations.  We explore:  Why movement can reach places words cannot The relationship between trauma, music and rhythm What ancestral practices can teach us about healing The role of community in recovery How safety and agency can create conditions for healing Reconnecting with the body's innate wisdom Moving from suppression to expression 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.  Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

  8. Sep 11

    What Glycans Reveal About Stress, Trauma and Ageing | Gordan Lauc | #080 Mastering Change

    Can trauma and psychological stress actually influence how quickly our bodies age? In this episode of Mastering Change, Emma Stapleton and Araminta are joined by Professor of Biochemistry Gordan Lauc to explore the emerging science of glycans – molecules that can provide insight into inflammation, immune function and biological ageing. Gordan explains why psychological stress may play an important role in accelerated glycan ageing, particularly in younger people and how trauma and chronic stress may become reflected in our biology. But these biological markers are not necessarily  fixed. Gordan shares striking examples of people's measured glycan age changing following major shifts in their lives and explores whether biomarkers could one day help us understand not only when something is wrong, but whether the interventions we're trying are working. We explore: How psychological stress can influence biological ageingWhat glycans reveal about inflammation and immune healthWhy trauma affects different people differentlyHow fight-or-flight changes immune, reproductive and digestive functionWhether biological markers could help measure therapeutic progressWhy physiological changes can begin long before disease appearsWhat this emerging science could mean for more personalised approaches to healthMoment of Care: This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, serious violence, mental health and other potentially distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take care of yourself and seek support if you need it. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcast Follow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltd Visit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.

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About

Welcome to Mastering Change, a podcast co-hosted by Emma and Araminta, where we engage in meaningful conversations centred around healing. In this series, we bring together leading experts, innovative thinkers, and emerging voices to connect knowledge with real-world impact in the areas of trauma, mental health and wellbeing.    Each episode features insightful discussions with respected figures as well as promising new contributors to the field. We explore a range of topics with a focus on making this knowledge available for anyone interested in supporting their own healing journey or that of others.    At Mastering Change, we understand the significance of conversation as a means of fostering understanding and growth. Our aim is to create a ripple effect, facilitating the transfer of knowledge and establishing a community where impactful voices are heard.     Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the field, we invite you to engage in thoughtful discussions that can inspire meaningful change in your practice and personal life. Join us as we explore critical insights and perspectives, encouraging a shared commitment to healing trauma. 

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