This Is Powerful With Paul Sculfor

Brandon Block is a name synonymous with dance floors worldwide. A true pioneer of the club scene, he has been an idol of Paul’s for quite some time! Brandon became the first resident DJ on Ibiza’s legendary Space terrace and has been getting parties going worldwide ever since.  With residencies spanning Dubai, Marbella, Hong Kong, and beyond, his energy behind the decks is as infectious as ever but his hedonistic reputation is now just the stuff of legends. Brandon’s current story is one of growth and transformation, after difficulty in finding help in 1996. In this episode, Brandon talks about the highs and lows of fame, the joy of connection through music, and his journey into recovery and mental health work.  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 insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you! Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 

In this holiday special, you’ll hear a practical, no-nonsense toolkit for staying alcohol-free during Christmas and beyond. From setting your intention early and handling awkward offers at the table, to bringing your own drinks, planning an exit strategy, and grounding yourself when things feel overwhelming, this episode is packed with real-world strategies that actually work. Whether you’re newly sober, sober-curious, or simply rethinking your relationship with alcohol, this episode meets you exactly where you are, with honesty, warmth, and encouragement. If the holidays feel daunting, consider this gentle reminder that you’re allowed to put yourself first. One Christmas at a time! Next week we won’t put a new episode out on our regular day, which is Thursday, but we will put a new episode out on Friday, which is Boxing Day. Best wishes to everyone as we wind down 2025, over the festive period. 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 insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you! Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor 

Today we welcome Max and Chris, hosts of the Addicted to Recovery podcast. Reaching more than 20,000 listeners each month, the Addicted to Recovery podcast blends honesty, humor, and heart, diving into real-life stories of growth, resilience, and redemption. Christopher White is a 37-year-old podcaster and proud family man who’s been clean for five years through Narcotics Anonymous. With a background in construction, Chris brings a grounded, no-nonsense perspective to everything he does.  Max Thomas is living proof that addiction doesn’t discriminate. Privately educated and raised in a loving, supportive family with no history of trauma, Max nevertheless found himself caught in the cycle of addiction. Today, Max is over six years clean, a devoted husband, father of two, and a successful business owner. We hit on some big topics like the new (and better) buzz that comes from helping people, pulling a manipulative ace card, and the hard work needed to finally admit true self-centredness. 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 insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you! Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor  Find Max and Chris on Instagram @AddictedtoRecoveryPodcast 

A former foreign correspondent and political journalist for the news agency Reuters, she reported from the Houses of Parliament and travelled the world with prime ministers but all the while she was binge eating, binge drinking, compulsively exercising and hurting herself and others in dysfunctional relationships.  Today’s guest Katherine Baldwin is a trauma-informed love, dating and relationship coach, a midlife mentor, mental health and wellbeing speaker, a TEDx speaker and the author of 'How to Fall in Love'. Katherine openly shares her experiences of an eating disorder, alcohol abuse, unhealthy relationship patterns, workaholism and burnout in a high-profile journalism career. We speak about the tools Katherine acquired on her 22-year healing journey, now supporting others to overcome self-harm, love themselves, transform their relationships and find healthy love.  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 insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you! Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor  Find Katherine online: www.katherinebaldwin.com Find Katherine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katherine.baldwin/ Find Katherine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-baldwin-speaker-coach-author/

From professional actor, through extraordinary personal growth, to ordained Buddhist priest, his service to others kept focus on his sobriety.  Tom Ratcliffe was born in London and trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His early life followed the familiar arc of a working actor, but then his encounter with legendary American acting teacher Sanford Meisner in the early ‘90s not only reshaped his craft but ignited his search for truth and his dedication to mindfulness and acceptance. From working in the Calais Jungle, to caring for family through illness, loss, and relapse, Tom’s story is one of radical compassion born from chaos. Now retired from teaching, he stands at another threshold. In this raw and intimate conversation between two friends, Tom reflects on what it truly means to live in service, to heal, and to begin again. 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 insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and community discussions. Share your thoughts and connect with us @this_ispowerful on Instagram and YouTube. We’d love to hear from you! Find Paul on Instagram @paulsculfor