How My Crime Drama Passion Fed My Alcohol Habit (And It’s Not What You Think)
Release Date: 02/04/2026
How My Crime Drama Passion Fed My Alcohol Habit (And It’s Not What You Think)
Is Happiness Possible?
You live in a world of infinite choices. Netflix. Amazon. Instagram. A thousand options at your fingertips. It feels like freedom. But what if it's actually control? In this episode, Katie reveals how subliminal suggestion shapes your decisions—from what you drink to what you buy to what you believe—and exposes the invisible systems designed to keep you dependent on experts, algorithms, and external validation. What You'll Learn: ✓ The paradox of choice: Why more options lead to less satisfaction and more anxiety ✓ Learned helplessness: How outsourcing decisions trains your brain to...
info_outline
If deep breathing makes your night anxiety worse, do this instead (3am-safe)
Is Happiness Possible?
You've been told: "Just breathe. Breathing exercises calm your nervous system." But when you try deep breathing at 3am, it makes you feel worse. You're not failing. You're not broken. You're just starting with a tool your nervous system can't tolerate right now. In this episode, Katie breaks down: ✓ Why breathing exercises can accidentally trigger anxiety (especially at night) ✓ The difference between a "technique" (requires control) and a "sensory regulator" (passive, automatic) ✓ How your olfactory system bypasses your thinking brain and goes straight to your...
info_outline
Waking up at 3am with a racing heart? Do this first (then decide what it means)
Is Happiness Possible?
You wake at 3am. Your heart is pounding. Your brain does one of two things: panics, or starts a full investigation. Both keep you awake. Here's what you need to know: a racing heart at 3am doesn't mean you're broken, and it doesn't mean you're having a heart attack. It means your autonomic nervous system is doing its job—sometimes a bit too enthusiastically. In this episode, Katie breaks down: ✓ Why your heart races during REM sleep (and why you wake up feeling wired) ✓ The difference between your nervous system being activated and being in actual danger...
info_outline
Woke up at 3am and can't fall back asleep? Do this first (no lights, no drama)
Is Happiness Possible?
You wake at 3am. Your brain instantly spirals: "Let's review every mistake since 2009." Cool. But absolutely not helpful. Here's the truth: waking at 3am doesn't mean you're broken. It means your sleep cycle just rotated you into a lighter stage, and your nervous system decided to surface. That's normal. What happens next is what matters. In this episode, Katie breaks down: ✓ Why 3am specifically is when your brain won't shut up (sleep cycles, REM, and why your nervous system is closer to the surface) ✓ The alpha brainwave state—and how the first 17 seconds of...
info_outline
The Chakra System Nobody's Teaching You (But Should Be)
Is Happiness Possible?
The seven-chakra system is everywhere—colour-coded, Instagram-friendly, and completely wrong. When Katie dug into the original Sanskrit sources (via archive.org and the Monier-Williams Sanskrit Dictionary), she discovered something shocking: the traditional Vedic texts describe six chakras, not seven. And the locations? Completely different from what you've been taught. In this episode, Katie breaks down: ✓ Why the "heart chakra" is actually located at the root of your nose (and what that means for your practice) ✓ The Sanskrit lexicon proof that speaking doesn't manifest, but...
info_outline
The Real Reason Adults Struggle to Communicate with Their Kids — and It’s Scarier Than You Think
Is Happiness Possible?
The Christmas period is supposed to be full of fun, family, and fabulous memories… right? Wrong. If you’ve tried talking to a teen (or anyone born after the 90s) and felt like you were speaking two different languages — this episode is for you. Because it’s not just “kids these days.” It’s not just hormones. And it’s definitely not just a bad attitude. In this episode, Katie Woodland breaks down the uncomfortable truth: social media and endless digital stimulation are actively rewiring adolescent brains during the most neuroplastic (and most...
info_outline
Forget Left-Brain, Right-Brain: What Neuroscience Actually Says
Is Happiness Possible?
Think you're either a logical spreadsheet wizard or a creative free spirit? Think again. In this myth-busting episode, psychologist Katie Woodland takes down one of the biggest neuroscience misconceptions: the left-brain/right-brain divide. Discover why Roger Sperry's Nobel Prize-winning research got hijacked by personal development gurus, how your brain actually works as a dynamic duo, and why bilateral connectivity is the real superpower. Katie explores the science behind Broca's and Wernicke's areas, explains why the most creative people have the highest brain...
info_outline
Power Posing Is Out — Here’s What Actually Calms Your Mind and Body
Is Happiness Possible?
Ever tried the Wonder Woman stance before a big meeting? You’re not alone—and you’re not to blame. In this myth-busting episode, psychologist Katie Woodland takes down the viral “power pose” phenomenon, reveals why Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk became a global sensation, and explains what the science actually says about confidence, hormones, and quick fixes. Discover why the research didn’t stand up, how the placebo effect can trick us all, and—most importantly—what really works to calm your mind and body. Katie shares practical, science-backed tips that actually help you feel better,...
info_outline
Not Lazy, Not Crazy—Just A Woman: The Monthly Truth No One Talks About
Is Happiness Possible?
Ever wake up feeling like the world’s ending—only to realise it’s just day one of your monthly cycle? You’re not broken, you’re just human (and hormonal). In this episode, psychologist Katie Woodland pulls back the curtain on the real science behind mood swings, overwhelm, and the monthly emotional rollercoaster. From the truth about hormones and mental health to the dangers of medicalising puberty, Katie gets real about why women’s biology matters and why compassion (not criticism) is the antidote to burnout. Plus: five practical hacks for surviving...
info_outline
Are You a Human Lie Detector? Science Says Probably Not
Is Happiness Possible?
Are you still side-eyeing your friends to catch a fib? 🕵️♀️ Forget the YouTube ex-spy tricks and body language myths—this episode dives into the science of lie detection! Psychologist Katie Woodland busts five popular nonverbal myths, from eye direction to microexpressions, and reveals what actually works: evidence-based verbal analysis and the power of self-reflection. Discover how our brains, bodies, and words reveal more truth than a thousand squinty glances ever could. Plus, get five practical tips to spot dodgy stories in yourself and...
info_outlineYou live in a world of infinite choices. Netflix. Amazon. Instagram. A thousand options at your fingertips.
It feels like freedom. But what if it's actually control?
In this episode, Katie reveals how subliminal suggestion shapes your decisions—from what you drink to what you buy to what you believe—and exposes the invisible systems designed to keep you dependent on experts, algorithms, and external validation.
What You'll Learn:
✓ The paradox of choice: Why more options lead to less satisfaction and more anxiety
✓ Learned helplessness: How outsourcing decisions trains your brain to stop trusting itself
✓ The feedback loop: How lost agency → anxiety → more dependence (and how to break it)
✓ Subliminal suggestion in action: Katie's story of how a crime drama shaped her alcohol habits without her realising it
✓ Why the wellness industry profits from keeping you dependent (and how to spot it)
✓ The real difference between a therapist who helps you heal vs. one who helps themselves stay in business
✓ Practical tools for reclaiming your autonomy: decision-making without outsourcing, breaking filter bubbles, protecting cognitive energy
✓ How to rebuild trust in your own judgment and become the expert on your own life
✓ The neuroscience of agency, autonomy, and why loss of control triggers anxiety
Katie's Bold Claim:
"85% of my clients wouldn't have needed me if the experts had focused on helping them become their own healers instead of positioning themselves as saviors."
Who This Is For:
Anyone who feels trapped by too many choices
People who've outsourced their health/happiness to experts and feel stuck
Those interested in the psychology of influence and manipulation
Anyone recovering from trauma who's ready to reclaim their agency
People curious about how algorithms and systems shape our "free" choices
Anyone who suspects the wellness industry is profiting from their dependence
Resources Mentioned:
Happiness Hacks Lab: https://www.happinesshackslab.com/
Free Happiness Archetype Test: https://www.happinesshackslab.com/
7-day free trial (no card required): https://www.happinesshackslab.com/
Key Concepts:
Paradox of choice, learned helplessness, autonomy, agency, subliminal suggestion, algorithmic influence, filter bubbles, decision fatigue, cognitive load, trauma recovery, nervous system regulation, anxiety, self-empowerment, psychological control, wellness industry critique
Keywords: agency, learned helplessness, autonomy, choice, anxiety, subliminal suggestion, algorithms, decision fatigue, psychological control, trauma recovery, self-empowerment, wellness industry, therapy, mental health, nervous system regulation, cognitive load, filter bubbles, algorithmic influence
Hashtags: #Agency #LearnedHelplessness #Autonomy #AnxietyRelief #SubliminalSuggestion #Algorithms #DecisionFatigue #MentalWellness #TraumaRecovery #SelfEmpowerment #NervousSystem #PsychologyOfChoice #WellnessIndustry #CriticalThinking #PersonalAgency