We Are The People Podcast

Eoghan Cleary is a teacher, researcher and campaigner whose work explores the influences shaping young people’s identities, relationships and understanding of sex.

In this deeply reflective conversation, Eoghan shares how a frightening childhood experience, struggles with belonging and his discovery of theatre shaped the person he would become. He discusses working with marginalised communities, creating spaces where young people can be vulnerable and the personal experiences that often sit beneath our desire to help others.

Eoghan also explains how disclosures from students led him to examine the impact of pornography, smartphones and online culture on young people. He argues that children are being asked to navigate an adult-created world before they have the emotional maturity to understand it, and that the responsibility for protecting them must ultimately sit with adults.

At the heart of this episode is a conversation about authenticity, vulnerability and what can happen when a young person feels safe enough to speak honestly, and when an adult is willing to listen and allow what they hear to bring about change.

This episode contains discussions of pornography, sexual violence and the experiences of young people. Listener discretion is advised.

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What does it feel like to grow up in a world where childhood, friendship, self-image and attention are all shaped by technology?

In this episode of We Are The People, I speak with Lorena, Tara and Rosie, three young women reflecting honestly on their childhoods and the role that phones, tablets, online games, social media, short-form content and AI have played in their lives.

This is not a conversation about blaming young people. It is not about blaming parents either. And it is not a claim that technology is only bad. As Lorena, Tara and Rosie explain, technology helped them connect with friends, discover interests, find community, learn new things and stay close to people during moments like COVID.

But this conversation also explores the cost.

The cost of always being available.
The cost of comparing yourself to people and lives that may not even be real.
The cost of growing up with algorithms, beauty standards, cyberbullying, online risk, short-form content and endless scrolling before you have had the chance to fully understand yourself.

Across the episode, Lorena, Tara and Rosie speak with humour, vulnerability and remarkable self-awareness about what it meant to grow up online. They discuss early experiences with tablets and phones, the impact of TikTok and Instagram, the pressure of being seen online but not replying, the way social media can affect anxiety and body image, and the strange exhaustion that can come from spending hours doing nothing but scrolling.

They also reflect on the positive side of technology: creativity, connection, learning, access to communities and the ability to stay close to people even when life keeps you apart.

As the conversation develops, we talk about what parents need to understand, why screen time is about more than just time, how short-form content can affect focus and mental health, and why young people often know there is a problem but find it difficult to step away.

This is a thoughtful and timely conversation about growing up online, but it is also a hopeful one. Lorena, Tara and Rosie are not speaking as experts or trying to represent every young person. They are simply sharing what they have lived through, what they have noticed, and how they are trying to build a healthier relationship with technology.

For parents, teachers, young people, and anyone who has ever picked up their phone for five minutes and looked up two hours later, this episode offers an honest look at what technology is doing to our attention, our friendships, our confidence and our sense of connection.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Growing up outdoors, imaginative and connected before screens became central
• The first tablets, phones and online games that changed childhood habits
• How social media affected friendship, confidence and self-image
• The pressure of being constantly available online
• TikTok, Instagram, short-form content and the feeling of losing time
• COVID, online connection and the difficulty of going back offline
• Anxiety, brain fog, guilt and the physical impact of endless scrolling
• Cyberbullying, online safety and the risks young people face
• Beauty standards, comparison culture and AI-generated images
• The difference between real-world friendships and online connection
• Why “screen time” is about more than the number of hours
• What parents need to understand about technology and childhood
• The positive side of social media: creativity, learning and community
• How Lorena, Tara and Rosie are setting boundaries and taking back control

A note on the conversation

This episode includes discussion of social media addiction, anxiety, body image, cyberbullying, online harm, AI-generated images and the pressures young people can face online. The conversation is honest and reflective, but it is handled with care and without sensationalism.

Listen if you are interested in:

Technology and childhood, social media and mental health, TikTok addiction, parenting in the digital age, online safety, Gen Z experiences, screen time, anxiety, body image, AI and young people, friendship, attention span, digital wellbeing, and growing up online.

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In this episode, I speak with Lucy Butler, the voice behind The Mindful Gardener.

Lucy shares her experience of living with depression and anxiety, and speaks honestly about the exhaustion of trying to appear fine when internally things feel very different. Her story is not one of neat answers or overnight transformation. Instead, it is about learning, over time, what helps her feel steadier — getting outside, moving her body, journaling, reading, and spending time in the garden.

We talk about how gardening became more than a hobby for Lucy. It became a way to calm her mind, reconnect with herself, and share something useful with others who might also be struggling. Through her Instagram page, Lucy combines her love of horticulture with a gentle, honest message about mental health, self-care and the importance of small, practical steps.

We also discuss motherhood, raising a child in a world of screens and social media, and the challenge of protecting your child without passing on your own anxiety. Lucy speaks with warmth and honesty about parenting, self-doubt, online life, and the pressure many people feel to constantly create, compare and keep up.

What comes through most strongly in this conversation is Lucy’s quiet strength. She may not always see herself as strong, but her story is full of resilience — in the way she keeps going, the way she shares honestly, and the way she tries to help others feel less alone.

This is a conversation about mental health, motherhood, gardening, anxiety, kindness, and the small things that can help us find our way back to ourselves. As Lucy says near the end of the episode, when she thinks about legacy, she hopes people remember her for being kind — and there are not many better things to be remembered for than that.

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Michael Doherty spent almost four years trying to build something that, for a long time, looked like it was not going to work.

After studying finance and realising it was not the path for him, Michael chose fitness. He became a personal trainer, started building an online coaching business, and began posting content every day with the hope that eventually something would connect.

For years, very little did.

In this episode of We Are The People, Michael talks honestly about the long, uncertain period before things changed — the doubts, the jealousy, the pressure to get a “proper job,” and the thin line between persistence and delusion.

Then, just as he was close to giving up, one video changed everything.

But this conversation is not just about going viral. It is about what happens before success is visible, and what happens after it arrives. Michael speaks openly about ambition, comparison, social media, anxiety, therapy, masculinity, grief, and losing his mum at the age of seven.

What makes this conversation so powerful is Michael’s willingness to be honest about the messy middle of his story. He does not present success as a clean finish line. Instead, he talks about the pressure that comes with being seen, the reality of building a business around your own name, and the work he has done to better understand himself.

This is a conversation about persistence, self-worth, and the courage it takes to keep going when there is very little proof that things are going to work out.

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Former Navy Pilot and Performance Psychologist Alan Olive on Loss, Vulnerability, Elite Performance and Human Connection

What does it really mean to live a meaningful life?

In this episode of We Are The People Podcast, I speak to former Navy pilot, performance psychologist, leadership coach, and adventurer Alan Olive about resilience, grief, vulnerability, elite performance, and the growing importance of human connection in an increasingly digital world.

Alan has spent decades working in high-pressure environments, from flying military aircraft and climbing dangerous mountain routes to coaching elite athletes and leadership teams. But beneath the stories of performance and adventure is a deeply human conversation about loss, identity, relationships, and emotional growth.

This is a powerful episode about mistakes, learning, masculinity, fatherhood, grief, and what happens when life forces you to slow down and reassess what truly matters.

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In this episode of We Are The People, Sinead Walsh takes us on a journey through their life — from growing up in Donabate with dreams of football and performing, to navigating school as a young queer person in a Catholic environment, and eventually finding their voice in journalism, activism, and stand-up comedy.

Sinead opens up about the formative moments that shaped them: fainting at the sight of a vet’s stitches, writing cheeky songs in school, and the challenges of coming out as a teenager when Ireland was a very different place. They reflect on the joy and resilience built from family, football, and friendship, as well as the difficulties of facing exclusion and prejudice.

We also explore Sinead’s love of Bohemians FC, the intersection of football and politics, and how comedy became both a passion and a career — bringing them from Cork to comedy clubs across the world. Throughout, Sinead’s story is full of humour, honesty, and insight into identity, resilience, and community.

This is an episode about finding your place in the world, owning your story, and using laughter to connect and heal.

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From childhood on horseback in Utah to years lost to addiction, Mindie’s story is one of resilience, recovery, and redemption. At just 14, she was introduced to meth, setting off a spiral that cost her her marriage, her children, and nearly her life. After countless stints in jail and a house raid that forced her to confront the truth, she made the brave choice to get sober — and has now celebrated over 16 years of recovery.

In this deeply moving conversation, Mindie shares how honesty with her children, support through drug court, and her sheer determination helped her rebuild her life. Today, she and her husband Jamie run Cache Coffee, a coffee shop that has become a safe haven for veterans, first responders, and anyone in need of compassion. Their unique safe storage program for firearms has even saved lives.

This episode is about second chances, the healing power of community, and the strength it takes to believe in yourself again. Mindie’s story is raw, inspiring, and a reminder that no matter how far you fall, there is always a way back.

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In this episode of We Are The People, Michael Spencer opens up about his journey from a childhood shaped by skiing in Park City and the pursuit of professional sports, to navigating family trauma, building resilience, and ultimately forging a career as a sports agent. Michael shares how coaching and supporting athletes became a way to provide the belief and encouragement he lacked growing up, leading to moments that reshaped the world of sport—like guiding Gus Kenworthy through one of the most important public comings-out in action sports.

With honesty and vulnerability, Michael reflects on his struggles with self-confidence, the weight of childhood abuse, and the path toward healing through self-work and psychedelics. His story is not only about resilience and leadership but also about redefining what it means to support others authentically, in sport and in life.

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, mental health struggles, and suicidal thoughts. Please listen with care. If you are struggling, know that you are not alone — and we encourage you to reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or professional support service in your area. 

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What happens when your dream career collapses overnight? Adam Brawer went from producing films with Oscar winners to watching projects fall apart, relationships break down, and life feel ‘catastrophic.’ In this episode, Adam shares how he rebuilt his life in an unexpected way — luxury real estate. 

From $50 million listings to cleansing homes of their energy with his ‘from staged to saged’ philosophy, Adam’s story is about resilience, integrity, and redefining legacy in the world we live in today. It’s a conversation about how to reinvent yourself when everything falls apart — and why sometimes walking away is the bravest move you can make. 

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In this deeply moving episode, Patricia shares her extraordinary journey from childhood abuse survivor to trauma-informed healer. Growing up as one of nine children in a Mormon household, she experienced severe abuse and was forced to give up her son for adoption at 16 through church influence.

After years of traditional therapy with limited results, Patricia found profound healing through psychedelic medicines and shamanic practices. Today, she works as a trauma-informed coach helping others process childhood trauma, while also supporting 150 orphaned children in Africa through her nonprofit.

Patricia discusses her early psychic abilities, the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, and how speaking her truth publicly led to a book deal and upcoming docuseries. Her story demonstrates the incredible resilience of the human spirit and offers hope to anyone healing from religious or family trauma.

Warning: This episode includes discussions of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as suicide. These topics may be difficult or triggering for some listeners. Please take care of yourself and feel free to skip this episode if needed. If you're struggling with any of these issues, remember that support is available through crisis hotlines and mental health professionals.

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