Figuring It Out

In the final episode of our Dry January mini-series, Dr Alex George is joined by a true footballing legend. Tony Adams had an extraordinary career at both club and international level, winning multiple league titles with Arsenal and becoming the most successful captain in the club’s history. In part one, Tony shares how alcoholism turned his life upside down at the height of his career. He opens u...

In part three, Professor Charles Knowles and Dr Alex George discuss the impact quitting alcohol has had on their lives, the importance of not giving into peer pressure and how to unlock the joys of alcohol-free living. Plus, Charles shares why he believes you can’t ‘unlearn’ addiction, rather you have to learn how to not drink alcohol. Check out Charles’ book Why We Drink Too Much: The Hidden Scie...

In part two, Professor Charles Knowles unpacks the effect alcohol actually has on our bodies, how alcohol impacts our brain function and why a challenge like Dry January can be hugely beneficial to our health. Plus, Charles and Dr Alex George discuss whether there is ever a ‘safe’ amount of alcohol to drink and why we need more education about the physical health risks of drinking. Check out Charl...

Charles Knowles is Professor of Surgery at Queen Mary University of London, and a recovering alcoholic who has written about his experience with addiction in his new book ‘Why We Drink Too Much: The Hidden Science of Just One More’. In part one, Charles joins Dr Alex George to discuss why some of us can drink more than others, why humans have drank alcohol throughout history and whether it is actu...

In part three, Clare Pooley shares some of the best lessons she’s learnt from over ten years of sobriety, to help encourage you through your own Dry January journey. Plus, Clare and Dr Alex George discuss their favourite parts of alcohol-free living and give some actionable advice for overcoming the hardest parts of being sober. Follow @clare_pooley and check out her book The Sober Diaries . By us...

In part two, Clare Pooley opens up about the feelings of shame that surrounded her early days of sobriety, and how starting her blog helped navigate the initial period of alcohol-free living. Plus, Clare and Dr Alex George debunk the myth that you can’t have fun when sober, and why it’s vital you continue socialising when taking part in Dry January…  Follow @clare_pooley and check out her boo...

Happy New Year Stompers! To mark Dry January, we’re releasing a special mini-series exploring what alcohol-free living is actually like, to hopefully encourage you to give it a go yourself in 2026. This week, Dr Alex George is joined by Clare Pooley. Clare is a best-selling author, blogger and public speaker who’s had her own journey with alcohol - and has been sober for the past ten years! In thi...

In part three, Professor Gina Rippon unpacks whether there are any tangible differences between male and female brains, what brain imaging can tell us about autism and how stereotypes and early childhood environments shape the male and female experience. Plus, Gina and Dr Alex George discuss how through understanding how autism shows up differently, we can create a more inclusive society. Follow @...

In part two, Professor Gina Rippon explains how autistic women have been historically overlooked, the ways autism presents differently in women compared to men and how the ‘male spotlight’ effect has impacted how autism is viewed in society. Plus, Gina and Dr Alex George discuss the common autistic trait of ‘masking’ and unpack how being othered socially could literally change your brain… Follow @...

Gina Rippon is Professor Emeritus of Cognitive NeuroImaging at Aston University, and is a leading researcher in understanding how autism shows up differently in women and girls. There seems to be a consensus in the media that there’s been an influx of autism diagnoses in recent years, and in part one Gina joins Dr Alex George to discuss whether this is actually the case, what the diagnosis process...

In part three, Katherine Templar Lewis and Dr Alex George discuss tools you can use to improve your uncertainty tolerance, how you can change your mindset to be more positive and why uncertainty can be an exciting place for opportunity to grow. Plus, Katherine shares some helpful tips for rewiring troublesome thought patterns and shares why it’s so important to process negative feelings correctly....

In part two, Katherine Templar Lewis unpacks why uncertainty is such a big problem among women and young people in particular, the four things people worry about the most and whether you can ever truly let go of uncertainty… Plus, Katherine and Dr Alex George discuss the link between uncertainty and mental illness. Follow @katherinetemplarlewis and her co-author @samconniff and pre-order their boo...

Katherine Templar Lewis is a creative scientist, who specialises in neuroscience and neuroaesthetics. Katherine is also part of The Uncertainty Experts, who have been running interactive experiments exploring how people navigate feelings of uncertainty. We all experience uncertainty throughout our lives, whether you’ve just graduated university, lost your job or simply don’t know what the future h...

In part three, Rob Parsons joins Dr Alex George to explore how we can come to terms with bad things happening to good people, and why you should never regret being kind. Plus, Rob shares some actionable advice for practicing kindness in everyday life and explains why he believes being kind isn’t innate, but rather a skill you learn and cultivate. Check out Rob’s book A Knock at the Door: A Homeles...

In part two, Rob Parsons speaks about the profound impact letting a homeless man live with him had on his life, how kindness can be transformative and why giving to others can give you a sense of dignity. Plus, Rob and Dr Alex George unpack the importance of community for our wellbeing and discuss what is really important in life… Check out Rob’s book A Knock at the Door: A Homeless Man, a Lawyer…...

Rob Parsons is an author, public speaker and charity founder with an unbelievable story that encapsulates the true meaning of Christmas. In part one, Rob recounts the knock at the door that changed his life forever - why he welcomed a homeless man into his home once Christmas, and how that sparked a 45-year long companionship. Plus, Rob and Dr Alex George discuss how our childhood can influence ou...

In part three, Dr Elaine Kasket explains how to mitigate the negative effects of AI on our lives, whether digital detoxes actually work and shares some useful tips to help you stop mindlessly scrolling… Plus, Elaine and Dr Alex George explore the surprising environmental impacts of artificial intelligence that you’re likely unaware of. Follow @elainekasket and check out her latest book Reset: Reth...

In part two, Dr Elaine Kasket unpacks the impact of AI-generated ‘relationship bots’ on modern society, the dangers of people using AI chatbots as a replacement for therapy and reveals whether it’s possible for us to ever live without AI again… Plus, Elaine and Dr Alex George discuss how many of us have fallen into a toxic relationship with technology and Elaine shares some fascinating insights ab...

Dr Elaine Kasket is a cyberpsychologist and expert in how our digital choices shape our experiences.  There’s no doubt that technology is at the core of pretty much everything we do now, and many of us couldn’t imagine our lives without it. But is our relationship with technology as good as it could be? In part one, Elaine and Dr Alex George explore the concept of ‘digital remains’ and what h...

In part three, Professor Marc Brackett and Dr Alex George discuss how to manage emotions in your relationships and why it’s never too late to cultivate your emotional intelligence skills… Plus, Marc explains why emotional regulation is more than meditation and breathwork and shares some helpful advice for not getting lost in your feelings. Follow @marc.brackett and check out his latest book Dealin...

In part two, Professor Marc Brackett discusses the importance of giving yourself permission to feel your emotions, the differences between anxiety and stress,  and why there’s no such thing as ‘bad’ emotions… Plus, Marc and Dr Alex George unpack how emotions are connected to the rest of the body and highlight the importance of recognising that no emotion is permanent. Follow @marc.brackett an...

TW: This part contains very brief reference to childhood sexual abuse.  Professor Marc Brackett is an award-winning researcher and a leading expert in emotional intelligence. He is also a bestselling author and founding director of the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence. In part one, Marc joins Dr Alex George to unpack what emotional intelligence actually is, how we can use our emotions w...

In part three, Dr Jenna Macciochi and Dr Alex George discuss the role sleep has in maintaining your immune system, the impact supplements can have on our immune health and whether there’s really a difference between sleep and rest… Plus, Jenna shares her experience with insomnia and the three supplements she’s found beneficial in improving her sleep. Follow @dr_jenna_macciochi and check out her la...

In part two, Dr Jenna Macciochi explores the many benefits of exercise on the immune system, the hidden link between the immune system and your mental health, and unpacks why inflammation isn’t always a bad thing… Plus, Jenna and Dr Alex George discuss the relationship between gut health and the immune system and why exercising outdoors is great for your mental and physical health. Follow @dr_jenn...

Dr Jenna Macciochi is an immunologist with over 20 years experience studying the immune system.  In part one, Jenna and Dr Alex George discuss what it really means to live well for longer, how the immune system connects to our mental health and reveals the real reason why so many of us get sick as soon as we try to relax… Plus, Jenna highlights the key things everyone should know about how st...