The Action Factory Podcast
Quit Your Diet is Michael Dawson’s new book, course, and core focus right now—and it’s not about food, it’s about freedom. This podcast is where those ideas come to life. Rooted in decades of work with real people, Quit Your Diet offers a new approach to change—one based on how the mind actually works, not willpower, rules, or restriction. Michael Dawson is a behavior specialist with a long track record of helping people shift deep-set patterns and create lasting transformation. Trained in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Clinical Hypnotherapy, and NLP, he’s spent over 40 years on the front lines—from building groundbreaking youth projects to working one-to-one with clients stuck in difficult loops. This podcast is inspired by those conversations—by what people are really up against, and by what actually helps. Right now, we’re exploring the tools behind Quit Your Diet—why diets don’t work, how beliefs shape behavior, and what it really takes to break out of stuck patterns. If you’re ready to think differently, change your habits, or just want to understand the mind a little better, you’re in the right place.
Episodes

Monday Jan 08, 2024
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Welcome to another Action Factory Podcast with me, Michael Dawson.
Before we begin this episode, here's a quick reminder: Don't miss my 30-minute webinar 'The BIG 4 in Youth Work.' You'll also get two powerful tools and my popular 'Brief Therapy Toolkit' eBook—already a hit with nearly 40,000 youth workers. Click below to subscribe and watch!"
WATCH THE FREE WEBINAR
Now, let's get started...
Welcome to our complimentary audio training, "NLP in Residential Youth Work," accessible through this podcast. Each episode is designed to be delivered in commutable chunks, offering practical insights that can be immediately applied in your professional setting.
I’m Michael Dawson from the Action Factory, and in this episode, we delve into the intricate dynamics of peer pressure in residential youth settings and its impact on youth behavior. Drawing upon the profound insights from the book "Connected" by James Fowler and Nicholas Christakis, along with a pivotal study by Solomon Asch, we aim to offer a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon.
We’ll discuss strategies that can be seamlessly woven into the daily practices of residential youth establishments to cultivate a nurturing and supportive environment.
In today's podcast:
1. A deeper insight into the mechanics of peer pressure in residential youth environments, and strategies to steer them towards beneficial outcomes.
2. An overview of the Solutions Toolkit and guidance on customizing NLP techniques for your specific work environment.
3. An exploration of positive reinforcement techniques, the importance of fostering positive identities, and the critical role of comprehensive staff training.
4. Innovative approaches to reframe the narrative around negative peer pressure, guiding it towards more constructive paths.
This episode is designed to equip you with actionable knowledge and tools that can be directly applied to enhance your professional practice in residential youth work.
Prepare to engage with the dynamic world of peer pressure and learn how to leverage it for positive transformation.
NLP is just one of the disciplines that feature in my specialised training course, "The Solutions Toolkit." It’s an innovative framework custom-built for residential youth workers like you. Remember to check out the free team version on the website.
As always I invite you to get this weeks Digital Download (No email required)
Visit the website to join our community at www.theactionfactory.com , share ideas and strategies and access lots of free training.

Thursday Dec 28, 2023
# 141 Bonus Episode - The Curious Inquisitor in Change Therapy.
Thursday Dec 28, 2023
Thursday Dec 28, 2023
Welcome to another Action Factory Podcast with me, Michael Dawson.
Before we begin this episode, here's a quick reminder: Don't miss my 30-minute webinar 'The BIG 4 in Youth Work.' You'll also get two powerful tools and my popular 'Brief Therapy Toolkit' eBook—already a hit with nearly 40,000 youth workers. Click below to subscribe and watch!"
WATCH THE FREE WEBINAR
If you're looking for the free NLP in residential youth work course, it will be back after the Christmas break, but in the meantime, I want to talk about a concept called the 'Curious Inquisitor.'
In this session, we will discuss a concept from the Solutions Toolkit training course called the 'Curious Inquisitor.' I place this concept at the center of everything we do in residential youth work training. As you know, the course adopts and adapts from the very best change therapy strategies ever created. One of those is, of course, Neurolinguistic Programming.
A central concept of NLP is
'The map is not the territory.'
My interpretation of this idea shows that each of us keeps our own map of the world around us; in doing so, we do not navigate the real obstacles or advantages but only the ones we see, the ones on our map.
This is why we often struggle to solve a problem for someone else when the solution seems glaringly obvious to us.
So how can we get around this in residential youth work?
I love the idea of being the 'Curious Inquisitor.' That is, to be curious about how our clients see the world. Instead of trying to steer their bus, we might simply ask them about preferred directions we could take. This way, we ensure that we stay within their map and in doing so, find solutions that fit into their world. Anything that doesn't fit into their perception will ultimately be rejected or sabotaged.
Staying Curious and resisting the temptation to offer solutions of your own is a tough ask. The attached audio is from my full team training course for residential youth workers called 'The Solutions Toolkit.' There's a free version here.

Monday Dec 18, 2023
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Welcome to another Action Factory Podcast with me, Michael Dawson.
Before we begin this episode, here's a quick reminder: Don't miss my 30-minute webinar 'The BIG 4 in Youth Work.' You'll also get two powerful tools and my popular 'Brief Therapy Toolkit' eBook—already a hit with nearly 40,000 youth workers. Click below to subscribe and watch!"
WATCH THE FREE WEBINAR
Now, let's get started...
Ever wondered how a song, a scent, or even a festive conversation could act as an 'anchor' to evoke certain feelings? We're going to uncover the concept of 'anchoring' and demonstrate how it can be used to trigger uplifting responses and diminish negative ones.
Welcome to another session in our free ten part training course, Neurolinguisitc programming in residential youth work. Every week I'll deliver what I call commutable chunks of information. I aim to offer amazing ideas that you can listen to on the bus and practice at work.
I'm your host, Michael Dawson, welcome back to another exciting episode of our Action Factory podcast.
Today, we'll be diving deep into the transformative power of Neurolinguistic Programming, or NLP, in the realm of youth work.
Discussing:
- The concept of 'anchoring' in NLP.
- The use of anchoring in various fields, including stand-up comedy and sports.
- How anchoring can be used in youth work.
- Practical applications of anchoring in your interactions with young people.
As the festive season is just around the corner, we'll also discuss how holiday conversations can serve as anchors for pleasant memories and experiences.
Get ready to not only understand the theory of anchoring but also to learn its practical applications in your interactions with youth. So, whether you're a seasoned youth worker or just starting your journey in this field, I hope this episode promises to offer valuable insights and practical tools to enhance your skills.
As always I invite you to get this weeks DIGITAL DOWNLOAD (No email required)
Visit the website to join our community at www.theactionfactory.com , share ideas and strategies and access lots of free training.

Monday Dec 11, 2023
#136 P6 Free NLP Course - The limits of limiting beliefs in young people.
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Welcome to another Action Factory Podcast with me, Michael Dawson.
Before we begin this episode, here's a quick reminder: Don't miss my 30-minute webinar 'The BIG 4 in Youth Work.' You'll also get two powerful tools and my popular 'Brief Therapy Toolkit' eBook—already a hit with nearly 40,000 youth workers. Click below to subscribe and watch!"
WATCH THE FREE WEBINAR
Now, let's get started...
Welcome to another session in our free ten part training course, Neurolinguisitc programming in residential youth work. Every week I'll deliver what I call commutable chunks of information. I aim to offer amazing ideas that you can listen to on the bus and practice at work.
I'm your host Michael Dawson, and today we delve deep into the powerful world of beliefs and how they shape our lives. This episode is specifically tailored for those of us who are in the front lines of residential youth work, dealing with young lives every day, and helping them navigate the often complex world of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
In today's episode, we're exploring the profound impact of beliefs on our actions, especially in the context of residential youth work.
I'll talk about two boys who, despite similar upbringings, developed different belief systems leading their lives to take drastically different turns. I'll also unravel how beliefs, right from core to surface level, can influence our readiness to take risks or explore new things.
I want to know how we can adopt or adapt Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques into residential youth work. I'll delve into the importance of relationships, the power of visualization, the impact of positive and negative reframing, and why being a trusted source is so crucial.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How beliefs, from core to surface level, influence our actions and behaviors.
- The role of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in residential youth work.
- The importance of relationships.
- The power of visualization and reframing.
- How to adapt NLP techniques to provide valuable support to young people in residential youth work.
You won't want to miss this enlightening discussion on leveraging NLP to empower both young people and youth workers.
As always I invite you to get this weeks NOTES (No email required)
Visit the website to join our community at www.theactionfactory.com , share ideas and strategies and access lots of free training.

Monday Dec 04, 2023
#135 P5 Free NLP course - Goals amongst Chaos in youth work
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Welcome to another Action Factory Podcast with me, Michael Dawson.
Before we begin this episode, here's a quick reminder: Don't miss my 30-minute webinar 'The BIG 4 in Youth Work.' You'll also get two powerful tools and my popular 'Brief Therapy Toolkit' eBook—already a hit with nearly 40,000 youth workers. Click below to subscribe and watch!"
WATCH THE FREE WEBINAR
Now, let's get started...
Welcome to another session in our free ten part training course, Neurolinguisitc programming in residential youth work. Every week I'll deliver what I call commutable chunks of information. I aim to offer amazing ideas that you can listen to on the bus and practice at work.
In this episode, we're set to explore the remarkable power of goal setting and the influence of positivity in the field of residential youth work. We'll uncover how to utilize the SMART principles, NLP techniques, and a plethora of other tactics to inspire youngsters to envision their accomplishments and genuinely claim their goals.
We'll also talk about the power of reshaping pre-existing beliefs, how this can lead to a shift in outlook, and how this empowers young individuals to attain their dreams. This episode is a must-hear for youth workers or anyone enthusiastic about uplifting the next generation.
We'll delve into how fostering sincere relationships with young people can have a considerable impact on their personal development journey. Prepare to uncover fresh perspectives, tactics, and much more in this enlightening episode.
Key takeaways from this episode include:
- The effectiveness of SMART criteria and NLP techniques in motivating youth.
- The role of reframing existing beliefs in altering perspectives and achieving aspirations.
- The importance of fostering authentic relationships.
- The transformative power of goal setting in residential youth work.
- Strategies and tactics to inspire young people to take ownership of their dreams.
As always I invite you to get this weeks Download NOW (No email required)
Visit the website to join our community at www.theactionfactory.com , share ideas and strategies and access lots of free training.

The Solution Focused Toolkit
Michael is the developer of the solutions toolkit, a framework for working with young people in a care environment.
An approach that he believes should be the standard in the care industry.
- Top ten sales person by industry
- Author of 12 fat ladies
- Author of The Solution Focused Toolkit
- Founder member of the Family Intervention Team
- Managed North Manchesters Mental Health Project
Get the full audio course at www.theactionfactory.com
Subscribe to the podcast at www.theactionfactorypodcast.com