Psychotherapist, Richard Hogan and Brendan chat about how to get off the hamster wheel of going through the motions to thrive instead in this complex, demanding and sometimes unrelenting world.

Grainne Humphreys, Director of the Dublin International Film Festival and RTÉ Guide Movie Editor, Michael Doherty join Brendan to give their movie and TV recommendations for the week ahead

With the Menendez brothers back in the public consciousness due to two high-profile Netflix productions and a flurry of social media interest, what part could all this attention play in perhaps getting their sentence reassessed? Host of the No Encore podcast Dave Hanratty joins Brendan to talk through the case and its wider cultural impact.

Stephen Fry spoke to Brendan about a recent fall that broke his leg, pelvis, hip, and ribs; about Greek mythology; his mental health; and a recent documentary about the psychological scars of the war in Ukraine. His book, Odyssey, is published by Michael Joseph, and his documentary “Stephen Fry into Ukraine” can be found on YouTube.

Joining Brendan to discuss the stories of the week were Bobby McDonagh Former Ambassador to the UK and the EU, Sarah McGuinness, Political Correspondent with the Irish Daily Mail, Prof. Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at DCU and Keire Murphy, Senior Policy Officer ESRI.

Blazing Salad’s Lorraine Fitzmaurice tells Brendan how to make some moreish vegetarian comfort food for the long evenings including mushroom frittatas and harissa cauliflower steaks

Is it possible to turn things around, when you’re in the middle of a bad day? Psychiatrist Prof. Brendan Kelly shares some tips, including getting outdoors, [time-limited] venting, exercise, dark chocolate, as well as music – specifically Dancing Queen, Good Vibrations, and Eye of the Tiger.

Rugby legend, Johnny Sexton, talks to Brendan about his childhood, his intense personality, the famous rivalry with Ronan O’Gara, worries about concussion, his family, and dealing with stress. His autobiography, Obsessed, is published by Penguin Sandycove.

Actor and screenwriter Clare Dunne talks to Brendan about the importance of family, about self-belief and taking chances in her early career. Clare shares five songs that have shaped her world, from the influence of Sinead O’Connor to the positive power of the Blues Brothers.

Elon Musk on Thursday unveiled Tesla’s VERY long-awaited robotaxi, the Cybercab, in California. He also introduced us to humanoid robots, Optimus. Elaine Burke, host of the For Tech’s Sake podcast, talked us through what we learned, and what it was like last month when she tried out a competitor robotaxi, the Waygo, in San Francisco.