This Is Powerful With Paul Sculfor

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Anyone can be affected by addiction…it does not discriminate.

In this series, distinguished British model and mindset coach, Paul Sculfor comes clean about his own sobriety and the journey it took him to get here. Each week, Paul speaks to some incredible people about mindset, mental health, addiction and recovery.

Whether you're on your own path of self discovery, recovery or transformation, inspired by human stories of mental resilience or supporting someone who is struggling with addiction, make sure you follow and subscribe to This Is Powerful.

Subscribe now so that you don’t miss an episode…and search for This Is Powerful with Paul Sculfor on YouTube to see all of the episodes in video form. This podcast is brought to you by the Stride Foundation.

stridefoundation.com/

This Is Powerful With Paul Sculfor

This Is Powerful With Paul Sculfor

Mental Health

48 episodes

S3 Ep6: How Love and Kindness Interrupted Chaos With Andy

Thanks to the kindness and support offered to him by a stranger in a railway station, he escaped a life of homelessness and illiteracy. Since 2005, Andy has been delivering drug and alcohol intervention programs, drawing on his own experiences in order to connect with young people. In this episode, Andy shares how a life of chaos gave way to purpose. From an early life lived on the streets and...

S3 Ep5: Making Lemonade with Emma Levy

She was thrown a curveball that made her question the way she was living in the now and planning for the future. As well as being a motivational speaker, Emma Levy is the host of the award nominated podcast ‘When Life Gives You Lemons’, where she interviews high performing individuals, from across the sporting, cultural and corporate worlds and beyond, who have been through adversity but who h...

S3 Ep4: How Panic Attacks Saved My Life with Carly Church

Overcoming anxiety: regardless of what's happening around her, she now knows how to be quiet and content in her own skin. Carly Church is a youth advocate and outreach lead at Stride Foundation UK. Born in East London and raised in Newham by her mum and her mum’s partner, alongside her brother, she spent over 15 years in the financial industry before moving into community work. She has since ...

S3 Ep3: Dr Federica Amati Helps You Reduce Your Risk of Cancer

Paul’s wife delivers some hard truths today, that might just save your life. Dr. Federica Amati is Head Nutritionist at ZOE, the science and nutrition company, Nutrition Topic Lead at Imperial College School of Medicine, and head of nutrition science at medical concierge company Wellfounded Health. Federica is the author of Recipes for a Better Menopause and Sunday Times Bestseller Every Bod...

S3 Ep2: Putting down the Armour With Jamie Skipper

How does a bench-pressing VIP bouncer end up in a kibbutz in Israel? Our guest today is Jamie Skipper, an ex-doorman who left his colorful life in the past after realising he wasn’t looking to the future or living in the present. Jamie now helps kids of all ages to embrace resilience through his holistic approach. By utilizing his master NLP training and his physical skills as a personal train...

S3 Ep1: Suzanne Shaw’s Battle with Belonging

You may not know about her struggles with alcohol but she is finally breaking the silence and embracing her vulnerability. Suzanne Shaw is a singer, actress, and performance coach who first gained fame with the pop band Hear’Say on Popstars. She later starred in musical theatre and TV, winning Dancing on Ice in 2008. In 2020, Suzanne shifted her focus to health and well-being, becoming a life ...

S3: Season 3 trailer

Welcome back to This is Powerful! We will be back next week with our regularly scheduled interviews but in the meantime, here are some highlights of what is to come. If you haven’t caught the roundup of Paul’s favorite bits so far, take a look. In the meantime, we look forward to sharing another season of This Is Powerful with you…take care. Please let us know your thoughts on our listener fe...

S2: Paul Chooses Some Great Moments

What do you get when you combine the vulnerability of male bravado, the genetics of addiction and cloud visualisation techniques? This is a special episode of This is Powerful. We thought it'd be good fun to put together a bunch of our favorite nuggets of information and gems of experience that our guests have shared along the way. Here's some great advice and there will be highlights of some ...

S2 Ep12: End of Season Two Special Announcement

We have completed season two, which is pretty incredible. Thank you, to everyone who tuned in for an episode or a few. We have now put out 37 episodes in total and we've had some incredible guests over the last nine months. If you haven't heard all 37 of our episodes, now is a great time to catch up either here or on YouTube. Whilst we are taking a break, Paul will still be active on Instagra...

S2 Ep11: When Adversity Nearly Takes Everything With Vicky Nicholson

She’s lived through trauma, illness, and violence that might make anyone justify their addiction. Today we welcome Vicky Nicholson, an incredibly brave woman who walks us through how far addiction can take you down a dangerous path. From an exciting DJ career in her teens through a crumbling relationship with her family, and nearly taking her own life, Vicky’s life unravelled through secrecy, ...

S2 Ep11: From Shame to Liberation with Sonia Gibney

Sonia Gibney shares her journey of growing up in East London with a non-English-speaking mother, an absent father, and struggling through school with severe dyslexia. Now 21 years into recovery, Sonia is a yoga instructor and coach with a thriving practice, whose calm presence contrasts sharply with her past. She’s dedicated to helping women and speaks powerfully about the freedom found in sel...

S2 Ep10: The Dangerous Highs of the Limelight with Psychotherapist and Addiction Specialist Taner Hassan

He had a taste of life in the fast lane but found himself desperate to escape his life-threatening habits when paranoia and self loathing took him to some dangerous places. Now clean for 18 years, Psychotherapist and Addiction Specialist Taner Hassan explains how self-obsessive thinking led to his massive social anxiety and how using alcohol to silence that constant internal dialogue led to hi...

S2 Ep9: Hurt To Healing: Paul Sculfor on Addiction, Recovery and Reinventing Himself

This week, we’ve got something really special for you. Instead of our usual episode, we’re bringing you an episode from Hurt to Healing, a brilliant podcast hosted by Pandora Morris. You might remember Pandora from Season 1 of This Is Powerful, when we shared her incredible story of learning to manage her OCD and recovering from an eating disorder that manifested for her through extreme restric...

S2 Ep8: How Your Brain Can Be Hijacked by Addiction With Dr Rayyan Zafar

Today we have an incredible guest. Dr. Rayann Zafar is a neuropsychopharmacologist with a core focus on addiction. After a battle with anorexia nervosa as an adolescent, Dr Zafar was compelled to learn more about how the brain works and as a result dedicated his life and career to finding science-backed solutions that help others to tackle addiction and make sense of their own mental health. Ra...

S2 Ep7: The Real Life Fairytale Starts Now With Jim

Our guest on today’s episode is one of the what we would call strongholds of the twelve-step community. Jim (or Jimmie, as Paul affectionately refers to him) gets straight into the nitty gritty: why trusting his head over his gut did not serve him well, why sweeties as a very young child then smoking at seven was just the start of his dangerous and progressive addiction, the strict incarcerati...

S2 Ep6: Why Addictions Are Often A Misguided Search for Spirituality With Alistair Richardson

Alistair Richardson is a powerhouse in the world of therapy, energy psychology, and healing, helping people break free from trauma, addiction, and codependency. With 23 years of long-term recovery from addiction and codependency himself, Alistair not only brings deep professional expertise to the table, but also invaluable personal insight and compassion. Alistair shares about the surprisingly...

S2 Ep5: The Gift of Addiction with David Smallwood

In this episode of This Is Powerful, Paul welcomes renowned therapist and author David Smallwood to explore addiction, recovery, and the deep roots of trauma. With 37 years of sobriety, David shares his personal journey—from growing up in a challenging home environment to struggling with anxiety, alcohol, and benzodiazepine dependence. He discusses how early childhood trauma shapes addiction an...

S2 Ep4: Millie Mackintosh On Fame, Family and Her Book, Bad Drunk

For this episode we welcome Millie Mackintosh - Made in Chelsea alum, style icon, entrepreneur and mother of two. Millie has spent the past three years redefining her relationship with alcohol and shares how her struggles with self-worth, bullying, and binge drinking began in her teenage years and followed her into adulthood. We get some honest banter about the realities of fame, the pressure a...

S1 Ep28: Finding Strength in Storytelling with Laura Hearn

This week, Paul sits down with Laura Hearn—renowned BBC journalist, host of the Flip It podcast, and fierce advocate for mental health. Laura shares her journey through childhood isolation, an eating disorder that took hold in her late teens, and the life-changing experience of seeking treatment in the U.S. She reflects on the challenges of returning to work after recovery, the moment she chose...

27: Kevin Bishop: Celebrated British Actor, Writer and Award-Winning Comedian

Kevin Bishop is a British actor, writer and award-winning comedian known for his roles in Grange Hill, Muppet Treasure Island, The Kevin Bishop Show, and Porridge. With a career spanning three decades, he has always stood out with his sharp wit and fearless performances. This episode has its fair share of laugh aloud moments as Kevin shares his journey with sincerity and wry self-reflection. A...

26: Calum Best on Healing Children of Addiction and Breaking Generational Cycles

Welcome back to the podcast! Kicking off the second season is this deeply personal episode featuring entrepreneur, model, and NACOA (National Association for Children of Alcoholics) patron Calum Best. Known to many as the son of football legend George Best, Calum opens up about his own struggles, healing and daily choice of purpose over destruction. Calum recounts the moments that shaped him, ...

S1: End of Season One Special Announcement

We have come to the end of season one, after 25 powerful episodes. Here's a special announcement from Paul to you. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/ Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor Find This Is Powerful on Instagram @this_ispowerful Find Paul ...

S1 Ep25: Jack Curran

It is the first episode of the New Year and we are featuring our youngest guest so far. Jack Curran speaks to us candidly about his ketamine addiction and by way of his account of the catastrophic mental and physical damage it caused him personally, gives a rather ominous warning to anyone even considering the drug. Jack has been featured on The Guardian and on other media outlets, speaking ou...

S1 Ep24: Paul’s Festive Toolkit

As we are approaching the season of parties, cheer, family, friends, temptation and a whole minefield of disturbances to our serenity, we are sharing some of the ways in which Paul has handled the festive season over the years. We cover the gifts of Christmas present, the pain of Christmas past, the tips for Christmases future and unrealistic New Year’s resolutions. Just a taste of what’s to ...

36m • Dec 23, 2024

S1 Ep23: Victoria Vanstone

This week, we’re joined by Victoria Vanstone, self-confessed ‘drunk mother gone sober’. Victoria is the host of award-winning podcast Sober Awkward and author of the heartfelt and hilarious memoir, A Thousand Wasted Sundays. Known for her raw honesty and relatable humor, she offers a fresh take on sobriety which appeals to drinkers of all classifications! We caught up with Victoria in Thailan...

54m • Dec 19, 2024

S1 Ep22: Mark White

Our guest this week is Mark White, who at over 22 years sober, has established himself as a community builder and true visionary. Mark has successfully launched workshops that are designed for ‘the next regeneration of mindful movers’ around the world and was recently voted as one of the UK’s top social entrepreneurs because of his work in the wellness space. One of the most driven people out ...

49m • Dec 12, 2024

S1 Ep21: George

In this episode, we follow George’s journey through the depths of addiction and his incredible transformation. For years, George was trapped in a destructive cycle of alcohol and drug abuse, leading to repeated hospitalisations for physical emergencies and psychiatric ward admissions for mental health emergencies. His addiction was fuelled by a desperate need to escape overwhelming emotions lik...

58m • Dec 05, 2024

S1 Ep20: Vinny

This is one of those remarkable interviews that will surprise you, pull on your heart strings and reveal the depth of the human spirit. Growing up in a conservative, deeply religious London family, our guest Vinny reveals how he strayed into a life of crime, addiction, and self-destruction. His rock bottom moment came after months of heavy substance abuse, a heart attack, and a near-tragic inci...

58m • Nov 28, 2024

S1 Ep19: David McLaughlan

Today we welcome Dr David McLaughlan to the show. David always had his sights set on a medical career, but did a bit of modelling in his earlier days. Working with a variety of people reinforced his values of being a kind and compassionate person, (so-called ‘soft skills’) and helps him engage with patients today. Now one of the UK's leading addiction psychiatrists, David has contributed to in...

59m • Nov 21, 2024

S1 Ep18: Pandora Morris

This week we hosted the incredible host of the Hurt to Healing podcast, Pandora Morris. A former lawyer turned mental health activist, Pandora’s journey began in childhood, facing OCD and an eating disorder that manifested through restrictive eating and chronic over-exercising. Much like obsessive behaviour often linked to addiction, Pandora would regularly run at least twenty miles a day, tak...

51m • Nov 14, 2024

S1 Ep17: Andy Ramage

This week, we welcome former professional footballer turned successful entrepreneur Andy Ramage. After a career-ending injury, Andy pivoted to create two financial brokerages and soon discovered that his life changed dramatically when he decided to go alcohol-free. This decision not only transformed his health and mindset but also became his unique selling point, helping him stand out in a comp...

1hr 2m • Nov 07, 2024

S1 Ep16: Ollie Ollerton

This week we are super excited to welcome Ollie Ollerton onto the show. You might know Ollie from the British television programme SAS: Who Dares Wins? Ollie is not only a former Marine, SAS soldier, and Special Forces Combat Frogman, he's also an author of five books and the CEO of Breakpoint and Battle Ready Academy, two powerful physical and mental training academies. Ollie’s personal break...

59m • Oct 31, 2024

S1 Ep15: Elliott Wald

In this episode, Paul sits down with addiction expert Elliott Wald. Elliott is a trainer of NLP and is recognized as one of the world’s leading hypnosis experts. Speaking about the gradual and often unnoticed slide into cocaine addiction, Paul shares his personal experience of how his casual use turned into a debilitating habit, mirroring the stories of many who struggle with addiction. With ov...

1hr 1m • Oct 24, 2024

S1 Ep14: Carol

This week, we have the privilege of hearing Carol’s incredible journey, which began with unspeakable abuse and neglect she faced from a very young age. In an attempt to escape trauma and hardship, Carol turned to drugs and alcohol but eventually found sobriety at the age of 51. In her conversation with Paul, Carol opens up about everything from drinking in parks and getting into fights to the ...

48m • Oct 17, 2024

13: Penny Mallory

Today is World Mental Health Day, and we are incredibly fortunate to welcome Penny Mallory to the show. Penny is a Mental Toughness expert, former Rally Champion, motivational and TedX speaker, and currently training to row across the Atlantic Ocean. She’s no stranger to pushing boundaries—she even stepped into the boxing ring for the first time at the age of 42. While you may be captivated by ...

1hr 10m • Oct 10, 2024

S1 Ep12: Henry Lunn

A little something for our younger listeners this week! Today’s guest Henry Lunn found sobriety when he was just 25 years old. This may seem early, but just wait until you hear all he accomplished by the time he was twenty. After experiencing challenges in school and with his home life, Henry started his professional career as a teenager and started earning a lot of money very quickly and at a ...

1hr 1m • Oct 03, 2024

S1 Ep11: Michael Cannan

We would like to advise you that there are suicide references right from the start of this episode that some might find troubling. Please take care when listening. This week, Paul welcomes his close personal friend Michael Cannan. Michael is the author of Hunting Concrete Lines, which was the finalist for the Best Book Award for The Independent. Formerly a celebrity fitness trainer in Hollywoo...

1hr 1m • Sep 26, 2024

S1 Ep10: David Nutt

This week special guest Professor David John Nutt helps us to examine the impact alcohol has on our brains, behaviour and longer term health. We have an eye-opening conversation about how monitored doses of LSD may cure alcoholism, how many subsidised private bars are actually part of the UK Houses of Parliament and the alternative ‘functional beverages’ which might just replace alcohol altoget...

47m • Sep 19, 2024

S1 Ep9: Johnny Graaff

This week, we welcome Johnny Graaff, co-founder of Lions Campus, which is a teen rehabilitation centre in London. Johnny approaches recovery in a unique way, creating a community around each individual, using psychiatrists, doctors, mentors, and coaches. He’s had some incredible success helping young people overcome addiction, eating disorders and bullying. A firm believer in surrounding patie...

43m • Sep 12, 2024

S1 Ep8: Andrea Taylor

This week, Paul engages in a deeply personal conversation with therapist Andrea Taylor. A former manager and director of the Priory Group Hospitals, Andrea has over 25 years of experience and is currently running a successful private practice specialising in trauma, addiction, and couples therapy. Andrea's own journey has taken her far and wide, but wherever she travelled, drug and alcohol depe...

54m • Sep 05, 2024

S1 Ep7: Yasmin

Join Paul as he discusses the tough road to recovery with his friend Yasmin. From a childhood in Northeast London to a reckless young adult life in and around Southern California, Yasmin has a long history of trauma, addiction and dangerous behaviour. She has not only overcome bulimia and alcoholism but has also addressed her reliance on prescription medications. Yasmin eloquently reveals the t...

45m • Aug 29, 2024

6: Anita Chellamah

This episode is a real eye-opener, packed full of valuable insight into a bit of the psychology around addiction. Joining Paul today is addiction and trauma therapist Anita Chellamah. With a contagious laugh and a general ease around her, it is clear why Anita is the trusted therapist she is, having helped thousands to understand themselves and their behaviours better. After a successful stage...

56m • Aug 22, 2024

S1 Ep5: Michelle Heaton

You might know her from the award-winning band Liberty X, part of the BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning cast of The Real Full Monty, as a TV presenter or as a menopause advocate and author but what you might not know about Michelle Heaton is that she is recovering from a difficult battle with alcohol and drugs. Addressing behaviour that quickly escalated from social partying to regularly drinking vo...

48m • Aug 15, 2024

S1 Ep4: Michael Emmett

Genuine charmer, spinner of yarns and ex-gangster Michael Emmett talks about his autobiography Sins of Fathers, the ‘hole in the soul’ and his spiritual awakening whilst sharing a prison cell with his father. Ex-criminal Michael also shares shocking anecdotes about drug trafficking, car chases, death and love addiction. The stories are intense but Michael’s gentle soul is an inspiration. This e...

1hr 2m • Aug 08, 2024

S1 Ep3: Jo Langley

In this episode, we are excited to host Paul’s close personal friend Jo Langley on the podcast. Paul talks to Jo about idolising an alcoholic, maintaining sobriety and the first time she tried ecstasy. Now a mother of two teenage children and an ambassador for the Stride Foundation, Jo spends a lot of time speaking to young people about the realities and dangers of drug and alcohol use. Jo ente...

46m • Aug 08, 2024

S1 Ep2: DJ Fat Tony

The podcast’s first guest interview is world-renowned DJ and award-winning author Fat Tony who has been sober for 17.5 years...but the road to sobriety wasn't easy. Growing up, alcoholism had a huge impact on Tony's family life and it continued to affect him throughout his adult life. Having always been surrounded by drinking and drugs, Tony's reliance on them was exacerbated during his career ...

49m • Aug 01, 2024

S1 Ep1: An introduction to Paul's story

Season 1 of This Is Powerful kicks off with an intimate solo episode in which Paul shares an overview of his own story. Expect behind-the-scenes anecdotes from his life, which reveal details Paul has kept private up until now. Coming clean to his producer about his struggles with addiction and the less glamorous aspects of his career as a top model in the 90s, Paul opens up about fame, addictio...

35m • Aug 01, 2024

S1: This Is Powerful With Paul Sculfor Trailer Season One

Anyone can be affected by addiction…it does not discriminate. “This is Powerful” is a brand new podcast hosted by distinguished British model and mindset coach, Paul Sculfor. In this series, Paul comes clean about his own sobriety and the journey it took him to get here. Over the first eight episodes, Paul sits down with a variety of professionals in the field of addiction as well as special ...

2m • Jul 10, 2024

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