“You’re not broken—you’re patterned. And the good news is, anything that’s been patterned can be re-patterned. Your brain is waiting for new instructions—give it a reason to change, and it will follow.”
— George Haymaker
In a world where mental health struggles and emotional blocks can feel overwhelming and inescapable, neuroscience coach George Haymaker is offering a powerful message of hope: change is not only possible—it’s scientifically achievable. As someone who spent over 30 years battling addiction and emotional pain, George doesn’t just teach transformation; he’s lived it. Now, through his work as a neuroscience coach, he helps individuals and organizations break free from limiting beliefs and behavior patterns by understanding the brain’s incredible capacity for change.
In this compelling interview, George sits down with Stacey Chillemi to discuss how our brains form habits, why we often feel stuck in life, and how to consciously rewire neural pathways to unlock a healthier, more fulfilling future. Drawing from his personal journey and years of research, George explains how mental and emotional change isn’t just about willpower—it’s about creating new neural maps through awareness, repetition, and emotional alignment. Whether you’re recovering from addiction or simply looking to break free from unhealthy thought patterns, this conversation offers practical insights and a blueprint for sustainable inner transformation.
Thank you so much for joining us, George! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?
Thanks—it’s great to be here. I’m a neuroscience coach and neuroeducator, which essentially means I help people understand how their brains function and how to develop a more empowering relationship with their thoughts and behaviors. But I didn’t arrive here through textbooks alone. I spent three decades coping with unresolved emotional pain—anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, and trauma—through drugs and alcohol. That path led me to a low point in my early 50s when I entered rehab. I didn’t know anything about neuroscience or even how change worked. I just knew I didn’t want to live like that anymore. That crisis sparked a curiosity in me. I started reading everything I could about psychology, the brain, and transformation. Today, I use that knowledge and my own lived experience to help others break through their mental and emotional blocks and live more fulfilling lives.
What are some important things people don’t realize about how the brain shapes our behavior and emotional responses?
The brain is constantly predicting how we should think, feel, and act in every moment. It’s not randomly generating thoughts—it’s pulling from past experiences and stored memories. Every emotion or impulse we experience is influenced by sensory input, the current environment, and our conceptual understanding of similar events we’ve lived through. Over time, these predictions become ingrained patterns. So when someone keeps reacting the same way in stressful situations or feels stuck emotionally, it’s because their brain is defaulting to what it already knows. These neural patterns are like grooves in a record, playing the same tune over and over. But once you recognize this, you gain the power to change the music.
So when someone feels emotionally stuck, what’s going on at the neurological level?
What’s happening is that your brain is relying on well-worn neural pathways—patterns it has reinforced over time. These patterns often begin in childhood or early experiences and become the “default settings” your brain uses to respond to stress, fear, or even joy. If those early memories were painful or limiting, the brain continues to respond with the same behaviors, even if they no longer make sense in your current life. It’s like the brain is on autopilot. But what’s incredible is that we can reprogram those settings. By creating new experiences and repeating them intentionally, we begin to lay down new neural pathways. It’s about training the brain to form a new normal.
When someone wants to break old patterns, where should they even begin?
It starts with the decision to stop feeding the old patterns. I often use the metaphor of two trees. The old tree—your unhelpful patterns—has deep, thick roots because it’s been watered for years. Every time you react the same way, you reinforce it. But the moment you choose to plant a new tree, representing a new way of thinking and being, you start building something different. That new tree starts with shallow roots, but the more you nurture it—through repeated thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs that align with who you want to become—the stronger it grows. Over time, the old tree withers because you’ve stopped nurturing it. That’s how real change begins.
So many people fear change, even when they know it’s necessary. Why does that happen?
That fear is actually your brain trying to protect you. The brain’s primary job is survival. It doesn’t know whether a new path is safe, so it sticks to what it knows—even if what it knows is painful or limiting. Change requires effort, motivation, and energy—all things the brain tries to conserve. So when fear arises, it’s the brain saying, “I’m not sure we’re going to survive this new way.” But once you recognize that, you can begin to calm your brain by reassuring it that change is not only safe, but rewarding. Over time, with consistency, the brain will adapt and follow your lead.
What would you say is the first actionable step someone can take when beginning the process of change?
The first step is developing awareness. Just understanding that your brain is plastic—it can change and adapt—is incredibly empowering. Once you realize that you’re not stuck with your current thoughts and reactions, you can begin replacing the old with the new. Start by visualizing how you’d like to think, feel, and behave. What does your ideal self look like in a given situation? Then begin practicing those responses consciously every day. It won’t feel natural at first, but with enough repetition, your brain will start to adopt that new behavior as its default.
What tends to hold people back during that transition period?
Most people quit too soon. They try something new for a few days or weeks, but because it still feels hard, they assume it’s not working. But change takes time—real change requires consistency and repetition. Think of any new skill—playing an instrument, learning a language, training your body at the gym. You don’t see results overnight. The same goes for mental and emotional change. The brain needs to experience that new behavior repeatedly over weeks or even months before it starts to feel natural and safe.
There’s often a painful period that comes with healing and change. How should people approach that emotional discomfort?
Yes, that discomfort is part of the process. When you begin facing suppressed emotions or reprocessing painful experiences, it can be overwhelming. But healing means going through it, not around it. Those emotions are stored in your subconscious and influence you whether you’re aware of them or not. So confronting them directly—feeling them, understanding them, and then releasing them—is how you start to loosen their hold. The pain is temporary, but the freedom you gain on the other side is permanent. Think of it as walking through a storm to get to clear skies.
How do you help people understand where their behaviors come from?
We go back to the origin. I help people trace current behaviors and emotional responses back to earlier moments in their life—often childhood. It’s fascinating how many of today’s struggles stem from experiences long forgotten. Once we identify the source, we break it down. We talk about why that pattern was helpful then, but why it no longer serves them now. That realization can be life-changing. It allows them to close the chapter, put it on the shelf, and begin writing a new one that reflects who they truly are today—not who they had to be in the past.
What inspired you to pursue this work?
Because I was the person who needed it. I spent much of my life feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. My upbringing involved a lot of instability, emotional turmoil, and trauma. I turned to substances to cope, and it worked—until it didn’t. Rehab was the start of my awakening. I realized I had no idea how my brain worked or why I was stuck in these cycles. Once I started learning and applying neuroscience principles, everything began to change. And now, helping others walk that same path—from broken to whole—feels like my life’s purpose.
What kind of services do you offer to help people through this transformation?
I work with individuals and organizations. On the individual side, I offer one-on-one coaching, group sessions, and workshops focused on identifying and shifting mental and behavioral patterns. For companies, I help leaders and teams understand how the brain influences workplace behavior, productivity, and culture. Everything I do is rooted in neuroscience and practical application. On my website, you can book a free 30-minute discovery call—no pressure, just a space to talk. I also offer a newsletter filled with tools and insights to help people start transforming their lives from the inside out.
Where can people go to connect with you and learn more?
The best place is my website: georgehaymaker.com. There’s a place to schedule a call or subscribe to the newsletter. I’m also on LinkedIn under my full name, George Haymaker. Whether you’re just curious or ready for real change, I’d love to connect and be of service in any way I can.
Before we wrap up, is there one message you’d really like to leave with our readers today?
Yes—don’t be intimidated by your brain. It’s not against you; it’s just doing what it’s been taught to do. The beauty is that it can be re-taught. You have the power to change your neural wiring. The brain needs input from you, and you need support from it. It’s a partnership, not a battle. Step into the driver’s seat, take the wheel, and guide your brain toward the version of yourself you know you can become.
This has been such a valuable conversation. Thank you so much for sharing your story and insights today.
Thank you, Stacey. I really appreciate the opportunity. It’s been a pleasure, and I’m grateful to be able to share this message.
