NLP and Hypnosis Coaching Podcast | Personal Development, Success Stories, and Expert Advice

Tony Burgess could be accurately described in many ways. He is a trainer, coach, therapist and firewalk instructor. He's an author and a professional speaker. He is a husband and a parent. And the description he likes best, which applies to all of these roles, is that he is a 'human treasure hunter'. He sees the unique treasure in everyone he meets and, when invited, helps unearth these priceless gifts with all the tools at his disposal. What if changing your thoughts could change your life? In this episode of *The Essential Coaching Skills Podcast*, Doug O’Brien sits down with **Tony Burgess** — trainer, coach, therapist, and author of *Beliefs: And How to Change Them for Good* and *Pink Bucket Thinking.* Tony shares the story behind his “Pink Bucket Thinking” model — a simple yet powerful framework for separating helpful from unhelpful thoughts — and explores how *belief change*, *informational havening*, and *self-awareness* can transform both personal and professional growth. Together, Doug and Tony dive into the neuroscience of thought, how to use curiosity and language to reframe limiting beliefs, and why sometimes the best change work starts with giving yourself permission to *do it imperfectly*. *** You can feel free to download free pdf versions of the two books Tony mentions! **** Beliefs and How to Change Them … For Good! https://www.aha-success.co.uk/beliefs-book/ Pink Bucket Thinking https://www.pinkbucketthinking.co.uk/the-book/   0:00 – Introduction: Doug welcomes Tony Burgess 0:30 – Who is Tony Burgess? “The Human Treasure Hunter” 2:10 – How Doug met Tony through Havening 4:00 – Finding balance in life and work 5:00 – DISC Profiling explained: understanding people through behavioral filters 8:30 – Keeping things simple in coaching and writing 9:40 – The origin of Informational Havening 11:00 – The What-If Pattern for belief change 13:00 – Turning “What if it goes wrong?” into “What if it goes right?” 15:15 – Combining Havening with NLP and Sleight of Mouth 17:00 – The birth of *Pink Bucket Thinking* 18:30 – Sorting helpful vs unhelpful thoughts 21:00 – Using buckets as a tool for awareness 23:20 – How to shift thoughts between “unhelpful” and “helpful” 25:00 – The power of neutrality: “It just is.” 27:50 – Why awareness precedes transformation 29:40 – Practicing Pink Bucket Thinking in daily life 33:30 – Using it in families, teams, and organizations 35:30 – The art of self-responsibility: response-ability 38:30 – Ownership vs blame in change work 40:00 – Pink Bucket Thinking in action: community and Uganda project 43:00 – Co-authoring with Julie French **Tony Burgess** Trainer, Coach, Therapist, Author 📘 *Beliefs and How to Change Them for Good* 📗 *Pink Bucket Thinking* 🌐 [aha-success.co.uk](https://aha-success.co.uk) Listen to more episodes**Visit [EssentialCoachingSkills.com](https://essentialcoachingskills.com) coaching skills, NLP techniques, belief change, havening techniques, informational havening, sleight of mouth, Tony Burgess, Doug O’Brien podcast, pink bucket thinking, mindset shift, personal development, self awareness, coaching psychology, disc profiling, nlp coaching, emotional intelligence, cognitive reframing, the essential coaching skills podcast, nlp for coaches, healing through belief change, nlp practitioner #EssentialCoachingSkills #DougOBrien #TonyBurgess #PinkBucketThinking #BeliefChange #NLP #Havening #MindsetShift #LifeCoaching #PersonalDevelopment #SleightOfMouth #NeuroscienceOfChange #SelfAwareness

What if basketball was reimagined to include everyone — not just the tall? In this thought-provoking and hilarious conversation, Doug O’Brien sits down with his brother Tim O’Brien to explore an unconventional idea: creating a height budget for basketball. They dive into: 🏀 How height bias shapes sports and opportunity ⚖️ The “total height budget” concept that could make basketball more inclusive 🧠 What this says about how we structure competition and fairness in life 💡 How this parallels modeling excellence in NLP — and what coaches can learn from it It’s a light-hearted yet deeply insightful talk on innovation, fairness, and thinking differently. 0:00 Introduction – Basketball and brotherly rivalry 1:00 Why height matters more than skill in modern basketball 3:00 The idea: integrating basketball by height 5:00 Explaining the “total height budget” 7:00 How teams could balance tall and short players 9:00 Real-world examples from the NBA and high school sports 11:00 What coaches can learn about fairness and innovation 13:00 Modeling athletic excellence – the NLP connection 15:00 The value of diversity in skill and size 17:00 Closing thoughts – opening up the game to everyone To read an artilce on this subject by Dr. Tim O'Brien, go here: https://ericksonian.com/height-budget-for-bball-by-e-timothy-obrien-phd 👉 essentialcoachingskills.com #NBA #BasketballPodcast #DougOBrien #EssentialCoachingSkills #BasketballInnovation #HeightBudget #SportsMindset #NLPForCoaches #PerformanceCoaching #MindsetMatters

Kevin Allison is the creator and host of the hit podcast, RISK!, which has been where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share for 16 years. Kevin is also the founder and lead instructor of The Story Studio, a storytelling school which offers classes and corporate workshops around the world and online. He is the editor of the book adaptation of RISK!, published by Hachette Books in 2018. As an actor, writer and comedian, Kevin began his career as a founding member of the legendary sketch comedy group, The State, whose cult classic show aired on MTV from 1993-96. More recently, Kevin has appeared in shows such as Flight of the Conchords, High Maintenance, Cobra Kai, and the films Alma and the Wolf and I'll Take the Hamm. On Twitter and Instagram, I'm at TheKevinAllison and RISK! is at RISKshow.

Denise Manning Keyes Page began storytelling when a dear friend in her last months of living with ALS urged her to do so. Denise excavated a story she had written about her mother’s family, edited it and shared it at a community story event. She did so to honor two people she loved. Her mother deceased at the time and her friend. Her friend delighted in the feedback and encouraged Denise to keep telling. Ms. Page is convinced this entry into the art of storytelling ignited a passion within her because it began in so much love. That was 2019. She tells stories to heal, challenge, inspire, inform and connect. She is also founder of Ubuntu Storytellers and “Women Tell by the Decades” with Jen Munro. She is currently working on a trilogy “Legacy of A Wealthy Slave” … a headline from the New York Times that references her great – great- grandfather. He patented an invention in 1866, and with its resultant revenue sent two sons to Yale University. www.ubuntustorytellers.com www.denisekeyestells.com

Lewis Mehl-Madrona, MD, graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine and trained in family medicine, psychiatry, and clinical psychology. He completed his residencies at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. He has been on the faculties of several medical schools, most recently as associate clinical professor of family medicine at the University of New England. He has worked with Indigenous communities to explore how to bring their culture and healing traditions into health care. He is interested in what Indigenous cultures and practices can bring to contemporary medicine and psychology. Barbara Mainguy holds multiple degrees, including a Master’s in Creative Arts Psychotherapy and an M.S.W. from the University of Maine. She is a psychotherapist at Cornerstone Behavioral Health in Bangor, Maine. With a strong background as an artist and a psychotherapist, she specializes in working with individuals diagnosed with psychosis, chronic pain, and exploring the connection between art and healing. Barbara is certified in hypnosis and has taught for several organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association. She has authored numerous papers and co-wrote the book Remapping Your Mind. Currently, she is finishing her M.F.A. in documentary filmmaking. Discover more at https://www.coyote-institute.org/ COME to the Woodstock Story Festival 2025 October 24, 25, 26 @‌woodstockstoryfestival and #woodstockstoryfestival

Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas, PhD., is a renowned hypnotherapist, author of over 25 books, and President of the International Hypnosis Federation. A member of the International Hypnosis Hall of Fame, she has dedicated her life to helping individuals master their own mindset for greater health, happiness, and success. As a trainer and dynamic media personality, Dr. Stockwell-Nicholas brings decades of experience and wisdom to every conversation. www.hypnosisfederation.com WOODSTOCK STORY FESTIVAL #woodstockstoryfestival Full Festival (3 days): $195 general / $125 seniors & students Single day tickets: Friday $45 | Saturday $105 | Sunday $75 Get tickets here: https://woodstockstoryfestival.com/tickets/ Mountain View Studio20 Mountainview Ave, Woodstock, NY 12498 Source:: https://woodstockstoryfestival.com/

In this week’s episode of the *Essential Coaching Skills Podcast*, Doug O’Brien sits down with transformational storyteller **Jim Brulé**, whose life’s work weaves stories from around the world into paths for healing, spiritual growth, and transformation. @woodstockstoryfestival and #woodstockstoryfestival From Ericksonian hypnosis to AI, healthcare, and his role as a **death doula**, Jim has lived many stories of his own—and now teaches others how to tell stories that awaken, heal, and connect. Together, Doug and Jim explore: * Why transformational storytelling is about **questions, not answers**. * The difference between *telling a story* and *writing one down*. * How Jim’s work as a **death doula** uses story to help people and families navigate grief. * Ancient tales like **Madam Whitesnake**, Jewish folktales, and myths of healing monsters. * The importance of lineage, source, and permission in storytelling. * What to expect at the upcoming **Woodstock Storytelling Festival** (October 2025).   Plus, Jim shares a powerful Jewish folktale about a thief-turned-fake-rabbi who discovers the transformative power of authentic prayer. This is a conversation about the heart of storytelling—not just performance, but presence, healing, and compassion. 00:00 – Welcome & intro to Jim Brulé, transformational storyteller 02:06 – Woodstock Storytelling Festival & global storytelling traditions 04:57 – From therapist & AI pioneer to spiritual storyteller 07:16 – Ordained as a Jewish storyteller & teaching worldwide 08:15 – Why transformational storytelling opens questions, not answers 11:01 – Death doula work & using stories at end of life 16:19 – Strong women & “healing monsters” as storytelling themes 22:05 – Ghost story: a gift from a dead sister 23:29 – The story of Yitzhak, the incompetent thief turned rabbi 42:02 – How to connect with Jim + Woodstock Storytelling Festival details **Resources & Links:** * Jim Brulé: [TransformationalStorytelling.org](https://transformationalstorytelling.org) | [jimbrule@gmail.com](mailto:jimbrule@gmail.com) * His book *Stories of the Heart* (with colleague in Spain) * Woodstock Storytelling Festival: [woodstockstoryfestival.com](https://woodstockstoryfestival.com) * Essential Coaching Skills Podcast: [essentialcoachingskills.com](http://essentialcoachingskills.com) Jim Brulé is a transformational storyteller, death doula, teacher, and mentor, drawing on a unique background that encompasses advanced degrees in both clinical psychology and artificial intelligence. For the past seven years, he has directed Transformational Storytelling, an online school accredited by the National Storytelling Network. This global community trains spiritual storytellers from diverse traditions to craft narratives that inspire healing and foster spiritual growth. Co-authored with Rebecca Lemaire, his book 'Stories of the Heart' presents 18 global tales for navigating life and death. https://StoriesOfTheHeartBook.com/ He is the founder of Transformational Storytelling Community, a 501(c)(3) devoted to using storytelling with communities to heal wounds and build new resilience - and resistance. You can learn more about his current project at https://transformationalstorycommunity.org/a-new-story-for-syracuse/ Jim is the recipient of the 2025 Oracle Regional Service & Leadership Award (Northeast Region), and participated in setting the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous oral storytelling at the 2025 Marrakech International Storytelling Festival. Jim's classes, workshops, and communities embody his dedication to multicultural wisdom, grounded in the belief that true abundance arises from interconnected generosity and gratitude. You can learn more here: https://TransformationalStorytelling.org/

LAURA SIMMS is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, writer, and educator, advocating engaged storytelling as compassionate action for personal and community transformation. In these unprecedented times of Covid, climate change and increased aggression, she offers in-depth classes coaching, and powerful performances of stories that address the most pressing issues of our times with dignity, and joy. https://www.laurasimms.com/