Latest Making the change Podcast Episodes
There's always hope
Making The Change - September 03, 2021 01:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman believe it’s cruel to take hope away from people. There might not be a clear solution to your problem today, but there might be tomorrow. As they explain, hope is not only scientifically proven to boost immune function and decrease pain, but having hope that there is an answ...
Deep rooted? That's just an excuse
Making The Change - August 27, 2021 01:00 - 33 minutesNik and Eva Speakman have a pet hate, and it’s when people are told their issues are too ‘deep rooted’ to be resolved. If you weren’t born with a phobia or anxiety, you can get over it. To prove this point, they’re joined by listener Nina who suffered with emetophobia (a fear of vomit) for 57 ye...
Letting the bullies build us
Making The Change - August 20, 2021 01:00 - 34 minutesNik and Eva Speakman talk through why what a bully does says more about them than it does about you. They’re joined by presenter, author, and DJ Gok Wan, who recalls his experiences of being belittled and called names at school, but explains why those incidents of bullying have shaped him into t...
Speaking is healing
Making The Change - August 13, 2021 01:00 - 32 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why a problem shared really is a problem halved. They believe that speaking is healing, as silence can make problems feel bigger when they only live inside your own head. Talking about trauma out loud takes power away from it. The process of speaking for the first ti...
It’s not what’s wrong with you, it’s what happened to you
Making The Change - August 06, 2021 01:00 - 33 minutesNik and Eva Speakman are joined by Jeremy and Ian, famously known as All On The Board on social media. They write positive poems and messages around mental health on the London Underground whiteboards. Their work is very personal; Jeremy has social anxiety, and Ian has a phobia of swallowing. Th...
Confidence saboteurs
Making The Change - July 30, 2021 01:00 - 36 minutesNik and Eva Speakman are joined in their therapy room by The Chase’s ‘Vixen’ Jenny Ryan. Together, they explore their own experiences of how others have sabotaged their confidence, and how they’ve learnt to re-build their self-esteem. The Speakmans' advice includes setting clear boundaries with ...
Anything is possible
Making The Change - July 23, 2021 01:00 - 35 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explore one of their twelve core schemas – the idea that anything is possible. They explain why we often create self-limiting boundaries that stop us achieving our full potential. It’s vital to believe that anything is possible because that’s what will ensure you keep lookin...
Addiction is not for life
Making The Change - July 16, 2021 01:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why addiction is not a choice, that it’s a form of self-medication, and that the key is to understand what your brain’s positive intent in having this addiction is. A listener joins The Speakmans to talk through the technique that enabled her to stop eating the choco...
Lesser known symptoms of anxiety
Making The Change - July 09, 2021 01:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman talk through some of the lesser known symptoms of anxiety, including sweating, developing acne, and one that a listener writes in about – heaving. They explain why being able to recognise these things as symptoms will help you find the cause, and ultimately work towards heal...
It’s the setbacks that move us forward
Making The Change - July 02, 2021 01:00 - 33 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why setbacks don’t have to set you back in life, in fact, they can be a great opportunity to actively chose your next step. Daughter Liv pops in to explain how she turned her biggest setback into motivation to work even harder towards the future she wanted, and Queen...
Labels are for clothes, not people
Making The Change - June 25, 2021 01:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman are very clear that labels are for clothes, not people, as they generally only serve to as a burden that limits what we feel we’re capable of being or achieving. If you feel weighed down by labels like anxiety, OCD, or PTSD, it’s important to remember it’s not what’s wrong w...
On the good, bad, and ugly of family
Making The Change - December 18, 2020 02:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman talk about how to cope with difficult relationships with family, especially over the festive period. They explain that when conflict arises in families it’s not because either person is right or wrong, it’s because they each have different expectations of the relationship an...
On festive food anxieties
Making The Change - December 11, 2020 02:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman tackle disordered eating – everything from overeating and undereating, to phobias of certain foods and kids who are fussy eaters. They discuss why these problems might be exacerbated over the festive period, but also give advice to begin tackling your specific issue whenever...
On being smart with your smart phone
Making The Change - December 04, 2020 02:00 - 33 minutesNik and Eva Speakman weigh up the pros and cons of smart phone use. On the one hand, they can be great for your mental health – they can help you connect with loved ones and relive fun memories. However, they can also have a detrimental effect on your self-esteem. The Speakmans explain how to ...
On faking it ‘til you make it
Making The Change - November 27, 2020 02:00 - 29 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain what they mean when they say you should ‘fake it ‘til you make it’. Want to feel more confident in social settings or at a job interview? Study the people you admire in those situations and copy their behaviours – after all, changing your outward behaviour first can ...
On pausing your panic
Making The Change - November 20, 2020 02:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why panic attacks are your body’s way of protecting you and keeping you safe. Creating a timeline will help make sense of your panic long term, but what are some mechanisms to pause the panic in the moment? They talk through how sighing, focusing in on your senses, a...
On low self-esteem and confidence
Making The Change - November 13, 2020 02:00 - 32 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain how to identify if you’re experiencing a lack of confidence and self-belief. Do you struggle to accept compliments from other people? Do you justify your achievements as ‘just good luck?’ Do you often compare yourself to others? The Speakmans talk through how to pinp...
On being persistent
Making The Change - November 06, 2020 02:00 - 28 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why they believe persistence outweighs talent. Their son Hunter makes an appearance, telling his parents what makes him commit to achieving goals he’s set himself. The Speakmans also talk through the inspiring stories of people like Henry Ford and Jim Carey, as well ...
On why a bad day isn't a bad life
Making The Change - October 30, 2020 02:00 - 29 minutesNik and Eva Speakman talk through why a bad day doesn’t equal a bad life. Do you feel like a panic attack turned a bad day into a bad life? That’s exactly what happened to a number of people the Speakmans have helped, including a woman who was agoraphobic. They explain how timelines and celebrat...
On doubting yourself
Making The Change - October 23, 2020 01:00 - 29 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain the thinking behind one of their favourite phrases: “when doubt comes in, kick it out”. Maybe you’re doubting whether you can get that promotion, pass that exam, or even ask someone out on a date… the Speakmans talk through how disregarding the people who don’t suppo...
On catastrophising
Making The Change - October 16, 2020 01:00 - 30 minutesNik and Eva Speakman ask: if you have an anxiety, what’s stopping you from getting better or moving forward? What do you fear will happen once you start down a new path?The Speakmans believe it’s oftenthe start that stops people, so in this episode they explain how writing down your goals, havin...
On setting life goals
Making The Change - August 14, 2020 01:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why the simple act of physically writing down goals is the first step to achieving them. Also key is being both persistent and consistent, as well as never saying you’ve ‘tried everything’. Plus, they get an exciting update from a woman who set the big goal of writin...
On creating happiness
Making The Change - August 07, 2020 01:00 - 32 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain that the human brain isn’t designed to make you happy, so you have to take responsibility for your own happiness! They share the 12 schemas and beliefs that help keep them positive, including disregarding the doubters and giving others compliments. Plus, they reveal ...
On anxiety
Making The Change - July 31, 2020 01:00 - 31 minutesNik and Eva Speakman discuss a range of anxiety disorders from PTSD and OCD, to health anxieties and agoraphobia. They explain why panic attacks should be renamed ‘protection attacks’, and how to take the next step once you’ve identified the cause of your anxiety. To ask a question or share you...
On relationships
Making The Change - July 24, 2020 01:00 - 29 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why strong relationships help us have better physical health and mental wellbeing. They discuss how to handle difficult relationships with colleagues, help a woman who’s feeling unappreciated by her adult children, and Eva opens up about how her life has changed afte...
On trauma
Making The Change - July 17, 2020 01:00 - 26 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain how phobias, anxieties and negative behaviours often stem from trauma – be that a near death experience, heartbreak, or even a childhood prank. They help a woman who had a traumatic car crash, and Eva has a personal realisation about the cause of one of her own fears...
On coping with uncertainty
Making The Change - July 10, 2020 01:00 - 26 minutesNik and Eva Speakman discuss how a lot of phobias and anxiety disorders are rooted in uncertainty. They explain why sticking to a routine can help you feel more in control, and how rehearsing uncomfortable scenarios in your head can help you feel calmer about uncertainties. Always being certain ...
On healthy guts and healthy minds
Making The Change - July 03, 2020 01:00 - 29 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why good gut health means good mental health. Up to 95% of our serotonin (the happy hormone!) is created in the gut, which is why the Speakmans are so passionate about making sure you’re eating well to support your mental health. Plus, Nik reveals how his bowels help...
On emotional eating
Making The Change - June 26, 2020 01:00 - 29 minutesNik and Eva Speakman reveal how and why we often use food to self-medicate a past pain, as well as how to stop this cycle. They explain why keeping a food diary is helpful in connecting eating to certain emotions, and Eva opens up about why being bullied as a child caused her to over-eat. To as...
On feeling broken
Making The Change - June 19, 2020 06:24 - 26 minutesNik and Eva Speakman explain why no matter how you feel, you’re absolutely not broken. As Nik says, if you’re not born with something, you don’t have to live with it. They discuss the role past trauma plays in current anxiety disorders, the importance of going to a therapist with a timeline of l...
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