Mastering Change | The trauma, mental health & wellbeing podcast

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. we exploreWhat shame is – and why it’s so hard to talk about How trauma often leaves behind a lingering stain of “I am…” beliefs How shame becomes identity Why people-pleasing and perfectionism are often trauma responses How shame shows up in the body – especially after sexual violence The cultural forces that reinforce shame in women The difference between guilt and shame – and why self-compassion is the cure 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-2026 for more details.

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. We exploreThe alarming cases where chatbots affirmed delusions and psychosis Why “when it’s free, you are the product” matters more than ever How AI may be offering comfort – but not necessarily safety What we owe users when the technology is already being used at scale 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-2026 for more details.

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: Can chatbots ever replicate the relational depth of human connection? What happens when trauma survivors find “safety” in machines instead of people? Is AI a bridge or a barrier to healing? We also discuss The hidden therapeutic power of a consistent, non-judgemental presence How AI may offer a “starting point” for those too afraid to talk to a therapist Whether bots are just tech, or a tool for relational transformation 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-2026 for more details.

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 exploreThe ethical concerns and fears surrounding AI and therapy What “safe” really means when speaking to a bot Where relational depth might fall short How people are unknowingly using AI in therapeutic ways 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.

“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. We discussWhy the legal system often fails survivors of CSA (Child Sexual Abuse) The long-term effects of being not believed  The systemic reform needed to make trauma-informed justice possible Poppy and Miranda’s ongoing advocacy in Parliament, with the NSPCC, and beyond How abuse survivors can be discredited simply because of semantics 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-2026 for more details.

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 exploreRupture and repair in relationships The need to consistently recognise our body state  How to balance oneself in conflict The yogic concept of the mind The principles of Compassionate Inquiry Humans’ innate drive for truth and justice Child vs. adult culture — and how today’s norms undermine the parenting role ... And the Netflix series Adolescence! “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-2026 for more details.

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. We discussHow Dr. Uher’s personal journey shaped her academic research The danger of pathologising differences How neurodivergent behaviours are misunderstood How neurodivergent people are taught to conform The long-term emotional toll of masking What it means to grow up “other-referencing” instead of self-referencing 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. 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.

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-2026 for more details.

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 discussWhy adults are afraid of play and why that needs to change Why play can feel pressuring, not freeing, especially for parents The difference between forced playfulness and authentic emotional presence How heartbreak, anxiety and creative expression are all linked How “play-fuelling” your life can help you find clarity, calm and connection How comparison kills joy which kills the desire to explore and play 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-2026 for more details.

“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.” We exploreThe spread of misinformation around gender and sex and common misconceptions The need in Western society for binary and why it exists That it’s ok to not have all the answers; to sit in the discomfort What it means to really listen to children and how we can bridge build Rachel’s lived and learned experience as a professional and as a parent Closing the gap between professional knowledge and lived experience The political climate surrounding trans and gender-diverse youth and its impact on wellbeing Where to channel good intention and how to do it right 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.