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The more you talk to people the more you realise how much we all have in common.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
What if joy isn’t a personality trait — but a nervous system skill you can train?
Dr Sherry McAlister explains why touch, sleep, and small daily choices can change how you feel, think, and cope.
In this episode, I speak with Dr Sherry McAlister, a chiropractor and author of Adjusted Reality, about why modern life pulls us away from the basics that keep us well — and why most people outsource their health until something breaks.
We discuss:
Why health isn’t a to-do list, it’s a daily way of being
The overlooked power of touch and human connection
Why your nervous system can’t “close the loop” after ghosting and unresolved stress
How sleep works like a nightly reset and repair process
Why your body adapts like Jenga — until it can’t
The mindset shift from “what’s wrong with you?” to “what’s right that we can build on?”
Later in the conversation, she shares the personal turning point that led her into chiropractic care after a serious car accident — and why she believes small “micro adjustments” can stop bigger breakdowns over time.
Book: Adjusted Reality: Supercharge Your Whole Being for Optimal Living and Longevity Guest: Dr Sherry McAlister Website: https://drsherrymcallister.com/
Foundation page: https://www.f4cp.org/media/
This episode is for education and discussion. It is not medical advice. If you have symptoms or concerns, seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.
4 days ago
4 days ago
A former Team USA athlete describes dementia-like symptoms in his 30s, years of brain fog, and why doctors missed it.
If you’ve ever had a concussion or unexplained mental changes, this matters.
In this episode, I speak with William Person, a former Team USA bobsled athlete who began experiencing confusion, memory problems, and severe brain fog in his 30s.
For years, medical tests showed “nothing wrong.” Meanwhile, his symptoms worsened, teammates died, and the warning signs were missed — including the long-term effects of repeated head trauma.
William explains:
Why concussion symptoms can appear months or years later How high-impact sports and vibration affect the brain
Why many people don’t realise something is wrong with them The difference between mental health struggles and physical brain injury
What he says helped him regain clarity after years of decline
Why this issue may affect athletes, veterans, and everyday people
This conversation is intense, personal, and uncomfortable at times — but it raises questions many people are afraid to ask.
This episode is not medical advice. It shares personal experience and opinion.
If you have concerns about head injury, concussion, or neurological symptoms, speak with a qualified medical professional.
Guest: William Person Social media: One Man With A Chamber
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Escaping A Cult, Saving His Family, Finding Faith Again – Peter Young | The David Watson Podcast What if you only realised you were in a cult after it had already destroyed your marriage, family life and sense of self?
In this episode I sit down with author and former sports broadcaster Peter Young (authopeteryoung.com) to talk about his 20–year journey in and out of a tiny but devastating religious cult – led by a man his family called “Uncle Robert”.
We talk about how it all began with love, faith and a “harmless” family mentor… and slowly turned into total control, brainwashing and the destruction of Peter’s marriage.
Peter shares how his children were taught he was “the devil”, how isolation and secrecy kept everyone trapped, and the moment a small flicker of doubt finally broke the spell.
Along the way we get into: – How Peter was slowly drawn into his wife’s tiny religious cult – The red flags he missed, and why “it could never happen to me” is so dangerous
The role of isolation, doubt and the “gatekeeper to God” in every cult
How cult leaders twist scripture, truth and genuine problems to sell their own solutions
The impact on his kids and the painful campaign of parental alienation
How his Christian faith survived, and why he believes Jesus pulled him out
My own brush with a meditation group that turned out to be far darker than it first appeared If you’ve ever thought “I’m too smart for a cult” or wondered how ordinary, intelligent people get swept up in these groups, this conversation will challenge you.
Listen in for a raw, honest look at manipulation, control, faith, pain and recovery and what to watch for if you (or someone you love) is getting drawn into something that feels “just a bit off”.
Find Peter Young: Website: https://authorpeteryoung.com
Memoir: “Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger” (cult survival and faith) Fiction series:
“The Blue Team” and “The Wardrobe of the Wolf” (sports as a metaphor for life)
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
In this episode of The David Watson Podcast, I sit down with Dr Peter B. Cotton – world-renowned gastroenterologist and creator of the award-winning “Fred the Snake” children’s book series – to talk about life after medicine, story-telling, and why his endoscope turned into a lovable snake called Fred.
Peter has written 10 rhyming picture books for children about Fred the Snake and his friends, including the brand-new “When Fred the Snake and Friends Learn the Chinese Zodiac – and the Great Race”.
We talk about how a career pioneering flexible endoscopy and ERCP became the unexpected inspiration for a gentle snake who teaches road safety, friendship, travel, and courage to kids and grandkids around the world.
In this conversation we cover:
• How a flexible endoscope became “Fred the Snake” and the start of a bedtime story
• Turning that original road-safety rhyme into the first book, “When Fred the Snake Got Squished and Mended”
• Why all the Fred books are written in rhyme and built around simple morals for children
• The new Chinese Zodiac book and the story of the Great Race – explaining years, animals and culture to kids
• Fred going to school, camping, the beach and traveling across the USA (East, Central and West) • The difference between writing scientific papers and imaginative children’s books
• What Peter has learned about confidence, voice and “writing what you’re actually good at”
• Grandparents, puppets and why reading to children still matters in a digital world
• Growing up in Herefordshire, training at Cambridge and in London, and why he moved to the USA
• Life on a small island in South Carolina, golf stories from around the world, and finally “hanging up” the clubs
• Reflections on retirement, legacy, family and finding a second creative career later in life If you’re a parent, grandparent, educator or aspiring children’s author, this episode is full of ideas about how to combine fun, rhyme and gentle life lessons in stories for young readers.
Find Peter Cotton and Fred the Snake:
Website (signed copies, blog and resources):
Fred the Snake books on Amazon (search): “Peter B. Cotton Fred the Snake”
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
In this episode of the David Watson Podcast, I sit down again with children’s author Amy Pollack to talk about her Jelly Bean series – The Adventures of Jelly Bean, The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean, and The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean – and the very real issues young readers face today.
Amy explains how Jelly Bean’s world tackles topics like poverty, mixed-race identity, bullying at school, and the tensions between caring parents, independent children, and wise grandparents.
We talk about how parental prejudice can show up in subtle ways, how kids learn to think for themselves, and why grandparents often bring a calming, long-view perspective into family life.
Amy also shares powerful stories from her own family history: growing up with parents and grandparents shaped by the Great Depression, what real poverty looked like, and how those experiences inspired the characters and emotional depth in her books.
We explore why writing can be so therapeutic, how authors pour their own doubts and memories into fictional characters, and why Jelly Bean has become a “real role model” for so many young readers.
If you are a parent, grandparent, teacher, or simply love children’s books that make kids think, you’ll enjoy this short, thoughtful conversation with Amy about empathy, resilience, and the messy reality of growing up.
In this episode we talk about: The Jelly Bean series and what each book explores Why Amy keeps the titles simple and clear How Jelly Bean deals with friendship, class, and mixed-race identity
Bullying in schools and how Jelly Bean responds in book four Parents’ fears, stereotypes, and trying to “protect” their children
The role of grandparents as listeners, guides and stabilising influences Amy’s own parents and grandparents, poverty in the Depression era, and “Sunday best” shoes
How writing helps us process grief, memory and complicated emotions
Why Jelly Bean ended up being called a real role model
Find Amy Pollack and the Jelly Bean books: Website: https://amypollack.com
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
In this episode of the David Watson Podcast, I sit down with former Reuters journalist and IMF publisher Jeremy Clift, now the author of two thought-provoking sci-fi novels: “Born in Space” and “Space Vault.”
We start with his life as a foreign correspondent in the 70s, 80s and 90s – Paris, Beirut, Egypt, India, China under Deng Xiaoping – what he calls “the front row of history.”
From there we dig into how news used to be gathered, the craft of great writing and editing, and why trust in media has eroded in the 24-hour news and social media age.
Then we move into the future: asteroid mining, the coming space economy, gene editing, AI, robots in every home, universal basic income, and the huge ethical questions around who owns life, data and even our memories.
Jeremy explains how all of this feeds into his sci-fi series and why he thinks the next few decades will be truly transformational for humanity. If you like deep, nostalgic conversations that run from smoky newsrooms and outside toilets in 60s Britain to Neurolink, space vaults and sentient robots, this one’s for you.
What we talk about in this episode: Growing up in post-war Britain and the “you’ve never had it so good” generation Training as a Reuters journalist and reporting from Paris, Beirut, Egypt, India, Indonesia, China and beyond How newsrooms used to work: deadlines, teleprinters, foreign bureaus and serious editors
The rise of 24-hour news and why verification and integrity became harder to protect Fake or distorted reporting, “agenda-driven” editing and why audiences now have to be their own filter
Moving from Reuters to the IMF and learning the craft of book and research publishing Why asteroid mining, the moon and the space economy could upend global wealth and power Seeds, gene editing and “who owns life?” – the core themes of Space Vault AI, robots, Neurolink and grief tech: talking to digital versions of loved ones Universal basic income, surplus labour and the tension between human nature and technological change
Why Jeremy chose sci-fi instead of spy thrillers – and how his reporting past shapes his fiction 0:00 Intro – why I wanted Jeremy on the podcast
0:41 Jeremy joins the show
3:41 Old order vs new order in politics and journalism
10:04 Childhood in post-war Britain and moving around with the Navy
17:06 Learning journalism at Reuters and early foreign postings
24:30 Trust, manipulation and the 24-hour news cycle
32:40 From Reuters to the IMF and into publishing
34:24 Born In Space – space labs, children and identity
39:18 Space Vault, seed banks and “who owns life?”
45:40 AI, robots, grief tech and ethics
52:05 Universal basic income and the future of work
59:44 Where to find Jeremy and his books
1:01:15 Closing thoughts Find Jeremy and his work:
Website: jeremycliftebooks.com
Books: “Born in Space” and “Space Vault” (available on Amazon and wider retailers) Audiobook: Born in Space on Audible, narrated by Gabrielle Gums Gordon
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
In this episode of the David Watson Podcast, I sit down with Jaymes Buckman, the neurodivergent glam rock singer, poet, and frontman of Canadian glam rock band Hot Apollo.
We dive into what it really feels like to be a high-energy performer who feels most at peace on stage, and yet wrestles with anxiety, overthinking, and self-doubt when the lights go down.
Jaymes talks about growing up between Toronto and London, discovering his love of performance, developing his iconic glam style in Camden, and why he finally went “all in” on music after trying the conventional path of college and day jobs.
We also explore the link between alter egos, addiction, and creativity, how art can channel pain into something powerful, and why staying busy and taking action is one of the most underrated tools for managing mental health and negative inner voices.
If you’re into glam rock, performance, or honest conversations about mental health, anxiety, and what it means to be truly yourself, you’ll get a lot from this one.
Hot Apollo https://hotapollorocks.com
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
In this episode of The David Watson Podcast, I sit down with former police detective turned criminal defence lawyer, Liam Fitzgerald (pen name), to explore how corruption really happens – not just at the top, but in everyday decisions, grey areas and human weaknesses.
Born and raised in Belfast during The Troubles, later serving as a police officer in Australia and now working as a criminal defence lawyer in Sydney, Liam brings three decades of frontline experience to his new crime novel about police corruption, culture and power.
We talk about: Growing up in Belfast during The Troubles and how violence, secrecy and “sides” shape your view of the world Moving to Sydney, joining the police, then switching sides to become a criminal defence lawyer
How “small” perks and favours blur into full-blown corruption over time
The hidden subcultures inside police forces and what really changes good officers into “bad apples”
Royal commissions, systemic corruption and why the public is always shocked, despite years of warning signs
The role of the press: what gets exposed, what gets buried and why some scandals never make front-page news
Grooming gangs, cover-ups and why certain crimes seem untouchable
Free will, social conditioning and why class, background and opportunity shape the choices we think we’re making
Friday night violence, “accidental crime” and how one split second can destroy multiple lives
Liam’s novel is a work of fiction, but it is built on real-world experience of policing, wiretaps, court briefs and decades inside the criminal justice system.
If you have ever wondered where the line really is between “perk of the job” and corruption, this conversation will give you plenty to think about.
Find out more about Liam and his book Publisher: Austin Macauley (UK) https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/b...
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Thursday Nov 13, 2025
Anne Montgomery went from being one of the first female TV sports casters at ESPN to a long time sports official, Title I teacher, foster mum to five, and award-winning author.
In this episode of the David Watson Podcast, we dive into the messy, funny, painful, and beautiful reality of second chances and reinvention.
We talk about what it was really like for a woman on SportsCenter in the 80s and 90s, working as the only female official on football fields and baseball diamonds, living between Phoenix and St Croix in the US Virgin Islands, and how losing her TV career led her into classrooms, foster care, and novels about war, cults, and trauma.
We also get personal about my own journey: court, bankruptcy, community service, head injury rehab work, and how both of us discovered meaning through helping other people when our original plans fell apart.
If you’re into stories of resilience, women in sports media, teaching, foster care, and the creative life, this one’s for you.
What we cover in this conversation:
– Life in St Croix and Phoenix
– Breaking into sports broadcasting when women “didn’t do that”
– ESPN, ageism, and being told she was “too old” for TV
– Forty years as a sports official in football and baseball
– Being the only woman on the field and in the newsroom
– Punctuality, discipline, and why being late really is disrespectful
– Hitting rock bottom after TV and facing depression
– The Vietnam veteran umpire who changed how she saw her life
– Teaching in a Title I school and discovering real hardship
– Becoming a foster mum to five former students
– Dyslexia, learning to read late, and still becoming an author
– Writing about World War II, religious cults, and trauma
– How to handle criticism, bad reviews, and online comments
– Second chances, stubborn pride, and finding purpose in unexpected work
About Anne Montgomery
Anne Montgomery is a former ESPN SportsCenter anchor, long-time sports official (football, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, basketball), retired high school teacher, foster mum, and author of multiple novels including historical fiction and contemporary stories inspired by real events.
Find Anne here: Website: https://annemontgomerywriter.com/
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
In this episode of the David Watson Podcast, Rusty Austin shares how he rode the early reality-TV wave from Survivor to 16 seasons on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, then reinvented himself as a children’s author and poet. We get into what really happens behind the scenes on long shoot days, why casting drives reality TV, how editing compresses 400 hours into 60 minutes, and the difference between Ramsay the on-camera character and the chef. Rusty also talks through his simple, repeatable writing process, the power of first drafts, and a brilliant classroom collaboration where 40+ students illustrated one of his books. We finish with his baseball history project, his memoir “Dave and Me,” and a fun time-machine question.
Former reality-TV producer/post producer (Survivor, Hell’s Kitchen) • Children’s author and poet focused on short, memorable, rhyming pieces • Classroom collaborator: students illustrated “An Awesome Bird: The Pelican” • Also co-authored a baseball history volume and wrote the memoir “Dave and Me”
Guest site: https://rustyaustin.com