December 3, 2025

Many men feel caught between the identity they built at work and the person they hope to become. Today’s guest helps us explore that space.

Doug O’Brien has spent his career studying how our stories shape the way we live and the way we move through change. Before entering this work, Doug lived an entirely different life as a classical pianist, a Carnegie Hall performer, and a punk rock musician in New York City. 

Over time, he shifted into teaching and storytelling in a way that opened a new path for him. In this conversation, Doug shares how the stories we hold can keep us stuck and how new ones can help us move into the next chapter.

We talk about:

• How Doug transitioned from a life in music to helping people change
• The moment that shifted how he viewed what is possible
• Why career identity becomes so difficult for many men to release
• The simple question that reveals who we are beneath our titles
• How storytelling helps reshape belief and create room for what comes next

Resources:

https://www.essentialcoachingskills.com
https://dougobrienhypnosis.com

About Doug:

Doug O’Brien is a longtime hypnotherapist, teacher, and peak-performance coach. He was part of the team that helped launch the Department of Complementary Medicine at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital and later trained coaches within Tony Robbins’s organization.

Doug now works with clients from all walks of life and is the author of The User’s Guide to Sleight of Mouth and Step Up to Mastery with E.A.S.E.