Weydon School students, both past and present, recently joined Farnham neuroscientist TJ Power on the iconic ‘This Morning’ sofa. They appeared alongside hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary to discuss how TJ’s methods are helping young people reduce screen time.

On the ITV1 show, TJ explained how his techniques can help cut children’s daily screen use from eight hours to just two. With a quarter of children aged 5 to 7 now owning a smartphone, and teens averaging 7.5 hours a day, he warned of a growing crisis in youth mental health.

A Sunday Times bestselling author of The DOSE Effect, TJ says excessive phone use is fuelling depression, anxiety, and anger among teenagers. He offered practical tips for parents, while three students shared how their screen time had significantly decreased thanks to his approach.

TJ said: “I absolutely loved the experience, I felt so proud of the students watching them manage the nerves of TV and share so passionately about the progress they are making with their phones and their brain chemistry.”

The hosts also heard from students about how the workshops had boosted their wellbeing and reduced their dependence on smartphones.

TJ has run his DOSE workshops at Weydon School for several years, reaching more than 2,300 students. In his bestselling book, he shares how he overcame addiction and transformed his life using the science behind four key brain chemicals.

As nationwide conversations around digital overload grow, TJ explained the brain’s response to constant phone use and how this overstimulation creates a cycle of dependency.

Thanks to his workshops, Weydon students have adopted practical strategies and openly discussed how screen overuse was affecting their focus, mood, and mental health.

Jacqui Sellers, the school’s wellbeing lead, said: “In today’s fast-paced digital world, emotional highs and lows can feel very overwhelming. “Learning the key skills to manage their own screen time is key. TJ’s DOSE sessions allow students to understand the science behind these four chemicals and puts them in charge of making small daily actions that improve their wellbeing.”

DOSE stands for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins, the brain chemicals TJ teaches students to balance in order to support healthier habits.