This Is Powerful With Paul Sculfor

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 restrictive eating and chronic over-exercising. Pandora has travelled the world, working with OCD experts and has made it her mission to support others on their path to mental health recovery.

This time, the tables were turned—I was a guest on Hurt to Healing, and we had such a meaningful conversation that I wanted to share it with you here. We talked about my formative years, navigating societal pressures, life's adversities and the spiral of substance abuse. But we also explored the turning points—what ultimately led me toward recovery, purpose, and a new way of seeing the world.

It’s an open, honest conversation, and I’m really grateful to Pandora for creating such a thoughtful space. I hope you find something in it that resonates.

Please let us know your thoughts on our listener feedback form:

https://forms.gle/AFptgi3mMJKTZdYg8

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/

Follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with Paul on Instagram as he’d love to hear from you!

Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor 

Find This Is Powerful on Instagram @this_ispowerful

Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Find Pandora @hurttohealingpod and subscribe to Hurt to Healing for more wonderful episodes! 

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. Rayyan talks about the reward pathways being hijacked by addiction, whether there is a genetic predisposition to addiction and the spiritual elements of addiction. Dr. Zafar is in the midst of some very exciting trials involving psilocybin, and how effective that can be in treating alcoholism, addiction, and depression.
Please let us know your thoughts on our listener feedback form:

https://forms.gle/AFptgi3mMJKTZdYg8

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are plenty of resources on the Stride Foundation website: https://stridefoundation.com/

Follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with Paul on Instagram as he’d love to hear from you!

Watch all our episodes on YouTube @thisispowerfulwithpaulsculfor 

Find This Is Powerful on Instagram @this_ispowerful

Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Find Rayyan on Instagram @rayyanzaf

Find out more about gambling trials with the NHS https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/250473/psychedelic-therapy-help-break-chains-gambling/

Find out more about psychedelics research https://www.imperial.ac.uk/psychedelic-research-centre/

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 incarceration he endured from age 16, getting sober in prison and the Peter Pan syndrome.

Jim grew up in a poor, rural Scottish community and being the youngest of seven siblings and to whom he was always compared, he battled with suicidal thoughts at a prepubescent age.

Now with over 45 years of continued sobriety,  Jim talks about the gift of time and why surrender is not losing but how letting go is the key to success. He tells us how recovery is available to everyone for free…once you are ready to see, hear and experience it.

We hope this conversation shows you how to boldly go where you may have never gone before and why accepting love into your life over fear can be so much more exciting than living in the fantastical world of the make believe.

Please let us know your thoughts on our listener feedback form:
https://forms.gle/AFptgi3mMJKTZdYg8

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 

Follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with Paul on Instagram as he’d love to hear from you!

Find This Is Powerful on Instagram @this_ispowerful

Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 

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 various spectrums of love addictions, he introduces us to the mind-blowing concept of healing the matrix, and we dive into the pure and central self and how you can heal yourself at any age and at any stage of your life.Dedicated to deep healing and personal growth, Alistair’s mission is to help others break free from trauma, addiction, and codependency and to reclaim their lives with confidence and clarity. We hope this conversation opens your mind and leaves you feeling full of love, light and joy like it did for us.
Please let us know your thoughts on our listener feedback form:

https://forms.gle/AFptgi3mMJKTZdYg8

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 Alistair on Instagram  @lifeforcetraumahealing

Find Alistair on Facebook lifeforcetraumahealingltd

Find Alistair online  https://lifeforcetraumahealing.com/

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 and why addressing core emotional wounds is crucial for long-term recovery.

David and Paul dive into the concept of cross-addiction (why so many in recovery swap alcohol for tobacco, sweets, exercise, etc), the impact of fear on mental health, and the importance of connection in the healing process. He describes the impact of sensitivity in response to trauma and how his transformative experience in relapse prevention training reshaped his approach to treatment. Along the way, Paul and David swap personal stories of recovery, touching on moments of joy, fear, and the surprising gifts that come with addiction, if approached with the right mindset.

Please let us know your thoughts on our listener feedback form:
https://forms.gle/AFptgi3mMJKTZdYg8

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 on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Find David online  davidsmallwoodtherapy.co.uk

Find David’s book on Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/64QLZkQ

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 and problems with seeking perfection and the wake-up call that left her reaching out for sobriety.

In Millie’s new book, Bad Drunk, she lays bare the highs and lows of her drinking years and offers insight into what helped her break free from the cycle. The driving force behind writing the book is for Millie to help others feel less alone and to provide practical advice for anyone curious about a life with less alcohol.

Connecting over the power of vulnerability and the importance of having sober friends, Paul and Mille also cover the surprising role that an intimacy coach can provide and the simple joys in life that begin with waking up each morning without regret.

Please let us know your thoughts on our listener feedback form:
https://forms.gle/AFptgi3mMJKTZdYg8

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 on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Find Millie on Instagram @milliemackintosh

Bad Drunk by Millie Mackintosh is out now in Hardback, eBook and Audio, https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/millie-mackintosh/bad-drunk/9780349443812/

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 to leave the BBC, and how storytelling became her most powerful tool for healing. Paul illustrates how the most impactful help can come from those who have shared experiences to us by sharing the colourful Addict in a Hole anecdote. With a mix of vulnerability and humor, Laura and Paul discuss trauma, grief, and the small moments of human kindness that can change everything. 

Please let us know your thoughts on our listener feedback form:
https://forms.gle/AFptgi3mMJKTZdYg8

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 on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Find Laura on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laura_lhearn/

Laura’s Flip It podcast: https://podfollow.com/1727182763

Flip It website: https://www.flipitglobal.com/

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. After  enjoying a few years living life in the fast lane like his hard-drinking idols, Kevin was shocked to find he needed help and after giving up alcohol, a relapse was the gift that ultimately tested his commitment to sobriety. Kevin also opens up about the role alcohol played in his marriage—and how getting sober changed the relationship dynamic in ways he never expected. With plenty of honesty and humor, Kevin recounts anecdotes that reveal what he's learned along the way and illuminate what sober life feels like now. And why there is still plenty to laugh about.

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 on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Find Kevin on Instagram @iamkevbish

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, from his wild years in Hollywood to the loss of his father and the spiral that followed. But this isn’t just a story of hardship—it’s one of resilience, self-discovery, and a relentless drive to help others. Through his work with NACOA (National Association for Children of Alcoholics), Calum is using his experiences and voice to support the millions of children impacted by parental addiction, ensuring they are seen, heard, and given the help they deserve.

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 on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Find Calum on Instagram @mrcalumbest

Find Calum on X @calumbest

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 on Instagram @paulsculfor