Mastering Change | The trauma, mental health & wellbeing podcast

How do we talk about trauma without retraumatising? Through animation might be one answer. In this episode, we speak with Quint Boa, founder of Synima, a production company creating short-form animation for mental health communication and education. Quint shares how metaphor in animation allows us to explore emotional and traumatic experiences safely, helping people engage with difficult material without being re-exposed to distressing imagery. He discusses the practical benefits too – how animation can reach wide audiences, support therapy and education, and provide a cost-effective way to open new conversations around mental health. “Animation allows us to explore emotional or traumatic experiences in a way that’s metaphorical rather than literal. That’s what makes it safe.” We also explore: The use of animation in trauma education and prevention Why metaphor supports accessibility and safety How animation can complement therapy and public health communication Quint’s example of an animation about anger and its design principles Find Quint Boa's animations here: The 'Understanding' SeriesMoment 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-2026 for more details.

What happens when the person in crisis isn’t the only one who needs help – but the entire family system? In this episode of Mastering Change, Louise Stanger – known as “the family whisperer” – shares her trauma-informed approach to working with families in addiction recovery and crisis intervention. Louise explains that healing often begins before any formal session takes place: by preparing families, helping them feel safe, and inviting them back into connection. “The most important thing we have to do is be in connection, be open and listen to each other’s hearts, because all our hearts are different.” She describes how her work is systemic and relational meeting each family where they are and recognising the role of story, culture and spirituality in recovery. We also explore: Why interventions should be invitational, not confrontational How to meet families with empathy, not judgement The role of spirituality in recovery and resilience What it means to see the whole system – not just the symptom Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive topics related to addiction, family crisis and trauma. 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.

How can therapists help clients give voice to what the body remembers, when words fall short? In this episode of Mastering Change, Dr. Tian Dayton explores how psychodrama can become a powerful trauma-informed tool for healing. “When trauma happens, the story is held in the body – it doesn’t get fully told. In psychodrama, we give the body a chance to tell its part of the story.” Tian shares how she has adapted psychodrama for addiction and trauma, guiding clients to safely express emotions, explore body sensations and reconnect with themselves through movement and role play. She explains the importance of safety and engagement, “warming up” before entering deeper states, and allowing clients to step into roles that help them witness their story from new perspectives. We also explore: What trauma-informed psychodrama looks like in practice Giving voice to body parts that hold emotion How role work can restore empathy, connection and repair Practical guidance for using psychodrama with trauma or addiction recovery 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-2026 for more details.

What does it feel like to live without support – not emotionally, but physically, in your body? This week on Mastering Change, Betsy Polatin, somatic educator and breathwork specialist, explores how trauma takes away our sense of being supported – and how to reconnect with the forces that hold us. “Trauma takes away our universal support. When we feel ourselves be supported, we don’t need to hold ourselves up on our own.” Betsy explains how clients often describe the absence of support as tension in the shoulders – and walks us through a grounding exercise to begin rebuilding that felt sense of safety.  We also explore: What “support” feels like in the body How trauma changes posture and breathing patterns Reconnecting with the physical environment to regulate the nervous system The power of letting go – and allowing yourself to be held 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-2026 for more details.

Imagine if fear wasn’t something we needed to manage – but something we could unlearn? This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Matt Hudson, creator of Split-Second Unlearning, about fear, hypnotic states, and how to interrupt patterns held in the body and mind. He explains why he aims to spark curiosity rather than reinforce fear, and how state shifts open the door to different choices. He also challenges the way we talk about stress – arguing that it isn’t the cause, but the symptom that follows an event. We explore: How Split-Second Unlearning targets fear at the moment it forms Curiosity as a lever for state and behaviour change How hypnotic states show up in everyday life and how to “de-hypnotise”  Why looking at stress as a symptom reframes assessment and intervention Practical takeaways for clients and practitioners 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. Edit: Since the time of recording, there have been developments in Matt Hudson’s work. Please see the latest materials and website below.Matt Hudson | Split-Second Unlearning™️ & MindReset™️Matt Hudson is a behavioural specialist and researcher who created Split-Second Unlearning™️ and MindReset™️ — breakthrough methods for resolving undiagnosed trauma without revisiting the past. His discovery of the Emotional Memory Image (EMI) — a sensory imprint formed at the moment of threat — reveals how unseen memories drive anxiety, burnout and psychosomatic distress.By tracking eye movements, Split-Second Unlearning™️ dissolves the EMI’s charge in seconds, while the MindReset™️app brings this process to users worldwide.Matt’s research reframes trauma as protection, not pathology, reshaping approaches to health, education and leadership. matthudson.comCurrent Projects (2025–2026)MindReset™️ App – A private, self-guided digital tool that applies Split-Second Unlearning™️ through eye-tracking and brief guided sessions to dissolve stress, anxiety and emotional overwhelm in under two minutes.Practitioner Learning & Development Pathway – A structured training and supervision programme for professionals integrating Split-Second Unlearning™️ within coaching, therapy and healthcare.ReNova Retreat (Spain, January 2026) – A women’s medical-wellness retreat combining Split-Second Unlearning™️ with integrative medicine to support emotional regulation, hormonal balance and nervous system renewal.Research & Publications – Ongoing peer-reviewed studies examining the psychophysiology of perception and the resolution of undiagnosed trauma through the Split-Second Unlearning™️ model, including investigations into the link between dysmenorrhea and undiagnosed trauma.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.

When we talk about mental health, we often forget one major ingredient – sugar. In this episode of Mastering Change, neuroscientist Sophie Hascher joins us to explore how sugar addiction affects emotional wellbeing – and what happens when we start reconnecting to the body. Sophie shares research showing that people higher on the sugar addiction scale are much more likely to experience anxiety, depression and chronic stress. She explains how sugar impacts the brain’s reward system and why we need to look beyond willpower and into biology. “When we talk about mental health, we need to include the body – the mind, brain and biochemistry all work together.” We discuss the benefits of reducing sugar, how the nervous system begins to recalibrate, and why drugs like Ozempic may reduce appetite but miss the deeper causes of imbalance. Sophie offers a grounded, evidence-based perspective on healing that goes beyond restriction – one that’s about understanding the whole system and coming back into relationship with yourself. We also explore: How sugar affects dopamine, mood and focus The connection between sugar, anxiety and depression Why mental health isn’t just in the mind, but in the body The limits of Ozempic and why there’s no “silver bullet” for healing Practical ways to reconnect with your body’s natural cues Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive topics related to addiction, food and mental health. 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.

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 Why traditional weekly therapy may slow down deep relational change How intensives allow clients to move through discomfort, not around it What happens when therapists fully step into the relational dynamic Why it can feel less intense for practitioners, not more Research showing stronger, longer-lasting outcomes for couples who do intensives 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-2026 for more details.

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 How racial trauma lives in the body and is passed through generations The role of silence and survival in Black families and communities Why healing requires being witnessed in our pain How storytelling and community care can transform collective wounds 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-2026 for more details.

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 Trauma’s impact on body disconnection The role of pleasure in restoring regulation How to work with the nervous system instead of against it Simple practices to return to presence and safety 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-2026 for more details.

What if healing meant slowing down, softening, and coming home to your bodyThis 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:Why trauma pulls us out of our bodies – and how to gently returnHow the nervous system responds to slowing down versus pushing throughThe role of pleasure and embodiment in restoring safetyPractical ways to bring presence into daily lifeWhy healing is not about fixing, but about reconnectingThis 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-2026 for more details.