Better Thinking: Recent Episodes
Nesh Nikolic
On every episode you will hear inspiring conversations with leading experts in the fields of psychology, sports, personal growth, nutrition and other fields in order to gain clarity and understanding on how to deal with life in these exciting, yet challenging times. Your host, Nesh Nikolic, is a Clinical Psychologist based in Canberra, Australia with over 15,000 hours of 1-on-1 therapy experience. He’s trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy. Every week, Nesh will bring raw, down-to-earth and nonchalant talks right into your ears that are designed to make you think smarter and better so you can deal with life as it is - no sugar-coating or playing “happy.”
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Jennifer Hudson about the factors that shape children’s emotional health and how we can improve support and services for children experiencing anxiety and other emotional disorders.
Professor Jennifer Hudson has made distinguished contributions to the scientific understanding and clinical treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents as a fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences (2018) and an NHMRC Investigator Fellow (Level 2, 2022-2027). She has delivered sustained and influential insights into the complex aetiology of anxiety, as well as developed and validated innovative, accessible interventions.
She was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship (2013-2016), and a Visiting Fellowship, University of Oxford (2015-20), and is recognised as a world leader for her work on parent-child interactions and the development and treatment of anxiety. Professor Hudson also brings her expertise to government advisory panels, such as the Medical Research Future Fund’s Childhood Mental Health Research Plan Expert Advisory Panel, for which she was appointed Chair by the Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care.
She plays an influential role in Australian policy as a trusted expert in child mental health, and currently leads the Child Mental Health research program at the Black Dog Institute.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Eden Robertson about the psychosocial needs of families affected by rare disease and how lived experience can drive better, more compassionate healthcare.
Dr Eden Robertson is a Sydney‑based behavioural scientist specialising in understanding and addressing the psychosocial needs of children and families navigating complex, rare disease. For more than a decade, she has worked alongside families, clinicians and advocacy organisations to identify unmet needs and co‑design interventions that are both evidence‑based and genuinely usable in real‑world care. Her academic training spans a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), a Graduate Certificate in Adolescent and Young Adult Health and Wellbeing, and a PhD in Medicine.
Eden has made significant contributions to her field, including developing the world’s first family decision‑making resource for childhood cancer clinical trials, designing and evaluating a new model of care for caregivers of children with genetic epilepsy, and more recently supporting people affected by inherited retinal diseases to better understand and engage with advanced therapeutics. Highlighting her leadership in the field, she was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship in 2020.
Drawing on experience across academia, health services and the non‑profit sector, Eden brings a unique cross‑system perspective that strengthens her ability to translate evidence into meaningful, practical solutions for children, families and the teams who support them.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Simon Rosenbaum about the intersection of physical activity and mental health, and how movement can play a powerful role in improving psychological wellbeing.
Simon is an academic exercise physiologist with a focus on populations exposed to trauma and social disadvantage. Simon has published over 300 peer-reviewed publications and co- edited a textbook on exercise and mental illness. He is a past President of the Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ASTSS) and was the inaugural co-chair of the Olympic Refuge Foundation’s Think Tank on sport and humanitarian settings. Simon is a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher for Mental Health and has delivered workshops in over 25 countries.
He previously worked with the United Nations International Organisation for Migration as a community-based mental health and psychosocial support officer in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Simon is currently supported by an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellowship. In Australia, Simon is the founder of ‘Addi Moves’, a free, trauma-informed, exercise facility for people experiencing trauma and social exclusion at the Addison Road Community Organisation in Marrickville, Sydney.
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr James Morandini about advancing research across gender identity, gender dysphoria, sexual orientation, and the mental health challenges connected to these areas.
James Morandini is a clinical psychologist and researcher whose clinical and research work focuses on matters of gender dysphoria/identity and sexuality. James has published widely on sexuality/gender in academic journals, including more than 20 empirical articles on these topics, and maintains active involvement in clinically relevant research in sex and gender. James completed a Ph.D in Psychology at The University of Sydney under A/Prof Ilan Dar-Nimrod and Professor Alex Blaszczynski between 2011 and 2016, examining ontological beliefs about sexual orientation held by LGBTQ+ individuals and their implications for self-acceptance and mental health.
He subsequently completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship with A/Prof Ilan Dar-Nimrod between 2016 and2020 funded by Australian Research Council and Templeton Grants. Dar-Nimrod and Morandini have created a hub for sexuality and gender research in the School of Psychology, at The University of Sydney, that is both socially minded and affirming while being scientifically rigorous and at the very cutting edge of sex research. James has pursued an “alternative” academic career since 2020 founding King Street Psychology Clinic.
James lectures on gender/sexuality diversity in undergraduate and postgraduate clinical programs (including UTS, UWS, ACU, ACAP, USYD), is an Honorary Research Associate at The University of Western Sydney and University of Technology Sydney, as well as a Ph.D. and higher degree supervisor at The University of Sydney School of Psychology. He provides clinical supervision on these issues to clinical psychologists and other health professionals in Australia and abroad, including in his capacity as National Convenor of the Psychology of Diverse Bodies, Genders, Sexualities Interest Group of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Lou Lasprugato about ACT within the therapeutic relationship, including process-based functional assessment and shaping psychological flexibility.
Lou Lasprugato is a psychotherapist and internationally recognized trainer in the field of psychology. He is a Peer-Reviewed Trainer in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), for which he also served as Chair of the Training Committee from 2022-2025. In 2025, Lou was elected into the ACBS Fellowship for his contributions in ACT dissemination.
Lou is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, with private practices in both California and Virginia (United States), working with both individuals, including college students, and couples. He also has extensive experience in facilitating skill-building and process-based groups. Lou specializes in therapy for intimate partners and the treatment of anxiety disorders, and is a member of the International OCD Foundation.
He has worked as a psychotherapist in a variety of settings, including county-operated crisis intervention services with underserved populations; a mental health and substance abuse intensive outpatient program at Kaiser Permanente that he subsequently managed; and an integrative medicine program at Sutter Health. Lou has taught mindfulness meditation to health care practitioners and facilitated over one hundred training events on ACT, including InterACT for couples and clinically-applied relational frame theory (RFT), as well as co-created courses on nutritional psychology and integrative mental health treatment.
Lou has also provided supervision to other behavioral/mental health professionals and students and continues to provide individual and group consultation on ACT and other contextual behavioral approaches. He earned his Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, with a specialization in Holistic Studies from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, following a career as a professional musician.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Philip Batterham about advancing more efficient and precise methods for assessing suicidality and mental disorders.
Philip Batterham is a Professor and Co-Head at the Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. Phil is a research leader in improving access to evidence-based support for mental ill health and suicidal thoughts. He has specific interests in the etiology of suicidal behaviour, assessment of suicidality and mental disorders, implementation of online prevention programs, and reducing barriers to help seeking.
Phil has published 320 journal articles and received >$50M in research funding as a Chief Investigator. He has received national and international awards for his research, including the Commonwealth Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research, the Professor Vera Morgan Medal for Mental Health Epidemiology, and the inaugural NHMRC Peer Review Excellence Award. He currently leads a major longitudinal cohort study to better understand transitions into suicidal behaviour.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Donel Martin about new and innovative approaches to improving cognition, with a focus on brain stimulation technologies.
Dr Donel Martin is a clinical academic researcher based at the Black Dog Institute and University of New South Wales and practicing Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist. He has a Ph.D in psychology and a Masters in Clinical Neuropsychology.
He is the Head of the Neurocognition team at the Black Dog Institute, which investigates the cognitive and emotional effects of interventional treatments for psychiatric disorders, including ketamine, psilocybin, non-invasive brain stimulation (e.g., transcranial direct current stimulation: tDCS; repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: rTMS) and ECT. He has been a researcher for over 18 years and published >150 peer reviewed papers and 13 book chapters, and has been cited over 5000 times.
Dr Martin has won two internationally competitive early career researcher awards and attracted over $9.2Mil in competitive research funding as a Chief Investigator. In the field of Psychiatry/Psychology he is in the top 1% of highly cited authors.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr. Jerry Rosenbaum anxiety disorders, depression, and how psychedelics change the brain — and what this could mean for the future of psychiatry.
Dr. Jerry Rosenbaum isthe Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and former Chair of the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Department, where he led one of the nation’s largest and most influential psychiatric programs for two decades.
Dr. Rosenbaum has authored more than 400 scientific papers, edited 20 books, and has been recognized with numerous awards—including the C. Charles Burlingame Award for lifetime achievement in psychiatric research and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. His career spans pioneering longitudinal studies on anxiety and depression, major leadership roles across national mental health organisations, and groundbreaking work in neuroscience and psychopharmacology.
He now directs the Center for Neuroscience of Psychedelics, where his research focuses on how psychedelics change the brain and what this could mean for future treatments of psychiatric disorders.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Robert Whitaker about how the disease model of mental illness emerged, what evidence it was built on, and why it may not be as scientifically grounded as many believe.
Robert Whitaker is an American journalist and author who has won numerous awards as a journalist covering medicine and science, including the George Polk Award for Medical Writing and a National Association for Science Writers’ Award for best magazine article.
In 1998, he co-wrote a series on psychiatric research for the Boston Globe that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. His first book, Mad in America, was named by Discover magazine as one of the best science books of 2002. Anatomy of an Epidemic won the 2010 Investigative Reporters and Editors book award for best investigative journalism.
He is the publisher of madinamerica.com. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor (Adjunct) in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Dianna Kenny about understanding gender dysphoria in young people and the complexities surrounding their care and wellbeing.
Dr Dianna T. Kenny is an experienced psychologist in Sydney who offers a range of services including individual adult psychotherapy, child, adolescent, couple, and family therapy, mediation and family dispute resolution, and medico-legal consultancy.
A former professor of psychology at The University of Sydney, Dianna is now a consulting, developmental and educational psychologist and psychotherapist who provides a range of psychological services to adults, children, adolescents, couples and families, including psychological assessment, psychotherapy, specialist treatment for music performance anxiety, mediation, family dispute resolution, and medico-legal consultancy. She is also an expert court report writer, researcher, and author. She has authored bestselling books on child development, child sexual abuse, psychotherapy, gender dysphoria, and music performance anxiety. She has consulting rooms in Concord (Inner West), and Glebe (near Camperdown, Newtown, Ultimo, Darlington, and Annandale).
Dr Kenny provides a range of services covering psychological assessment and therapy, parent management training, mediation, family dispute resolution, and medico-legal consultancy.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Arthur Thomas Ware about fostering long, happy, and purposeful years in retirement, and how psychology can help us create meaning beyond work.
Arthur Thomas Ware (He prefers to be called, Tom) will be turning ninety in April next year. He was born in the U.K. and came to Australia as a “Ten Pound Pom” in 1951. From that year he had a variety of jobs: Post Office, Navy, Aviation, Electrical Power, Truck Driver, Foundry Laborer, Lab Assistant, NSW Police and even a year as an Antarctic Expeditioner. His final work was the usual 9 to 5 in a government office job. He worked for 44 years and took voluntary redundancy in 1995.
Since that time, Tom has been engaged in a dozen or so different types of volunteer work. Mostly, though, he has stuck to his three main passions: Creative Writing, Speaking to Audiences, and pursuing Self-knowledge and greater Self-understanding. Thirty years retired, Tom’s current focus is on enabling upcoming retirees to find their “Why” so that they, too, can live long, happy, and meaningful retirements.
Tom has been married to the same little lady for 65 years. He and his wife, Rita, are parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. They live in Sydney.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Paul Rhodes about moving beyond individual psychology to explore systemic thinking, family therapy, eco-psychology, and affect theory.
Professor Paul Rhodes is a clinical psychology academic and at The University of Sydney where he teaches family therapy, community-based approaches to mental health and a new lived experience co-designed course exploring insider knowledge of recovery. His current research is diverse including eco-psychology, liberation psychology, the decolonisation of the field and innovations in qualitative methods. He is currently writing a book from Thames and Hudson called Liberating Psychology: Anti-Fascism in a Post-Human World. He also works as a clinician at Mind Plasticity in Ultimo, Sydney.
In his private time on weekends he is a fine artist at Lennox St Studios in Newtown and currently has an exhibition at The Dax Centre called Troubled/&beyond about the life of the therapist. Last month he released a travel book about Italy called A Psychogeography of Florence, blending psychology with poetry, art and history.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Zoltán Sarnyai about his recent randomized controlled trial on ketogenic metabolic therapy for serious mental illness and the broader implications of this emerging field for the future of psychiatric treatment.Professor Zoltán Sarnyai, Director of the Margaret Roderick Centre for Mental health Research at James Cook University, is a medically trained neuroscientist with an internationally recognised expertise in the neurobiology of stress and mental health disorders. Before moving to Australia, he was University Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Pembroke College, where he was Director of Studies for Medicine. He trained at McLean Hospital at Harvard Medical School and at The Rockefeller University, supported by the DuPont-Warren Award and a NARSAD Young Investigator Award, respectively. His group described the role of stress neuropeptides oxytocin and corticotropin-releasing factor in addiction, for which he was awarded the Richter Prize by the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology. More recently, he discovered the efficacy of ketogenic metabolic therapy in preclinical models of schizophrenia and is currently conducting the world’s first randomised controlled clinical trial to investigate this in clinical populations. Zoltán was appointed Lady Davis Visiting Professor at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology to study the neuro- metabolic aspects of schizophrenia. Zoltan has published over 150 original research papers, reviews and book chapters, his works have been cited over 10,000 time, with an H index of 50. He is Associate Editor for Nutritional Neuroscience and Frontiers in Neuroscience, and editorial board member of Nutritional Psychiatry and Stress.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Lucy Johnstone about the Power Threat Meaning Framework and how it offers an alternative to traditional psychiatric diagnoses by focusing on power, threat, and meaning in people’s lives.
Dr Lucy Johnstone is a consultant clinical psychologist, author of 'Users and abusers of psychiatry' (3rd edition Routledge 2021) and ‘A straight-talking guide to psychiatric diagnosis’ (PCCS Books, 2nd edition 2022); co-editor of 'Formulation in psychology and psychotherapy: making sense of people's problems' (Routledge, 2nd edition 2013); and co-author of ‘A straight talking introduction to the Power Threat Meaning Framework’, 2020, PCCS Books) along with a number of other chapters and articles taking a critical perspective on mental health theory and practice.
She is the former Director of the Bristol Clinical Psychology Doctorate in the UK and has worked in Adult Mental Health settings for many years, most recently in a service in South Wales. She is Visiting Professor at London South Bank University, an Honorary Fellow of the BPS, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Lucy was lead author, along with Professor Mary Boyle, for the ‘Power Threat Meaning Framework’ (2018), a British Psychological Society publication co-produced with service users, which outlines a conceptual alternative to psychiatric diagnosis and has attracted national and international attention. Lucy is an experienced conference speaker and lecturer, and currently works as an independent trainer. She lives in Bristol, UK.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Gordon Parker AO about the gut–brain connection and how it could transform our understanding and treatment of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.
Professor Gordon Parker AO is Scientia Professor of Psychiatry, UNSW, was Founder of the Black Dog Institute, Head of the UNSW School of Psychiatry, Director of the Division of Psychiatry at Prince of Wales Hospital and Area Director of Psychiatry in the South- Eastern area. His positions with the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists include having been Editor of its Journal and initiating its Quality Assurance Committee.
In 2018 he was a finalist for the NSW Senior Australian of the Year and in 2020 was recipient of the Australian Mental Health Prize. His research and clinical practice have focussed on the mood disorders. His 25 th book on a radical new therapy for bipolar disorder (faecal microbiota transplantation) was published in March 2025 – “A Gut Brain Solution” and published by Allen and Unwin.
His first novel was published in 1966 and his second in 2017. In the 60’s, he wrote for The Mavis Bramston Show and OZ Magazine, was an ABC Science broadcaster in Sydney and London, and in 2004 he had a play (“Personality Games”) produced by La Mama in Melbourne.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Matt Bernstein about the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry and how metabolism, nutrition, and lifestyle factors influence mental health.
Dr. Matt Bernstein is a respected clinical psychiatrist for more than 20 years. He is also Accord’s chief executive officer and one of the leading voices in the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry. After graduating summa cum laude from Columbia University in New York, N.Y., with a bachelor’s degree in English literature, he received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Bernstein then trained at the MGH McLean Psychiatry Residency Program in Belmont, Mass., where he served as chief resident. He remained at McLean Hospital after residency as a psychiatrist-in-charge and later served as assistant medical director of its schizophrenia and bipolar inpatient program. Dr. Bernstein has developed his passion for community-based care as the chief medical officer at Ellenhorn, a sister program of Accord, where he has pursued alternative ways (such as a focus on metabolism, nutrition, circadian-rhythm biology and exercise) to help individuals achieve their best levels of functioning without relying solely on traditional psychiatric approaches. In addition to serving on the clinical advisory board at Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bernstein is known for organizing the first-ever public conference on metabolic psychiatry in 2023.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Joanna Moncrieff about her latest book: Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of The Serotonin Myth.
Dr Joanna Moncrieff is a practising psychiatrist, part-time academic, and author with a deep interest in the history, philosophy, and politics of psychiatry. Her work focuses particularly on the use, misuse, and misrepresentation of psychiatric drugs.
She became interested in drug treatment because of its dominance in contemporary approaches to managing the suffering and disturbances labeled as mental disorders. She recognised that embedded in the understanding of drugs such as ‘antipsychotics’ and ‘antidepressants’ was an unexamined assumption: that these drugs ‘work’ by correcting a hypothetical abnormality or ‘chemical imbalance.’ Moncrieff has termed this the ‘disease-centred’ model of drug action and has developed an alternative ‘drug-centred’ model, which highlights the ways psychiatric drugs alter brain and body function, modify feelings and behaviour, and interact with the difficulties associated with mental disorders.
Alongside colleagues from around the world, Moncrieff has worked to expose the misconceptions that arise from the disease-centred model, clarify the effects psychiatric drugs produce, and question the narratives that sustain current prescribing practices.
She also emphasises that psychiatry is a profoundly political enterprise, shaped by social and political imperatives to neutralise distress and manage disturbing behaviour. Beyond her work on psychiatric drugs, she is interested in how emotional and behavioural problems might be conceptualised differently, as well as the broader politics of healthcare.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Associate Professor Jacqueline Anderson about the long-term impact of traumatic brain injuries and how they affect cognition, identity, and daily life.
Jacqueline Anderson, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Clinical Neuropsychology in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences. She is also the Convenor of the School’s flagship postgraduate training program in Clinical Neuropsychology. As well as undertaking research in the area of clinical neuropsychology, she has more 25 years of experience working as a Clinical Neuropsychologist in both the public and private health sectors; for most of this time she has also provided training to postgraduate clinical neuropsychology students. Clinical work roles have primarily been in acute tertiary referral public hospitals, but have also included roles in rehabilitation settings; she has worked in private practice for many years, including undertaking medico-legal work.
A/Prof. Anderson’s research program specialises in abnormal cognitive functioning. She and her lab members use a combination of clinical and laboratory-based tools to investigate adult patient populations with neuropsychological disorders. Her research interests primarily relate to outcome after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in community-based adults. In particular, she is focused on investigating the neuropsychological (cognitive, behavioural, psychological) and neuropathological aetiologies of individual patient variation in outcome after mTBI as well as developing interventions for individuals who experience poor recovery. She has a further specific interest in abnormalities of attention and memory, executive function and subcortical cognitive networks in the context of neuropsychological disorders.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr. David Healy about how psychotropic drugs and clinical trials have influenced the way we understand mental health and the broader impact these developments have had on society.
David Healy, a professor in the Department of Family Medicine in McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, is a doctor, psychiatrist, psychopharmacologist, scientist and author. His main areas of research are the contribution of antidepressants to suicide, conflict of interest between pharmaceutical companies and academic medicine, and the history of pharmacology. Healy has written more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, 200 other articles, and 24 books, including The Antidepressant Era, The Creation of Psychopharmacology, The Psychopharmacologists Volumes 1–3, Let Them Eat Prozac, and Mania: A Short History of Bipolar Disorder.
He has been involved as an expert witness in homicide and suicide trials involving psychotropic drugs. He has brought concerns about some medications to the attention of drug regulators. He has also said that pharmaceutical companies sell drugs by marketing diseases and co-opting academic opinion-leaders. In his 2012 book Pharmageddon, he argues that pharmaceutical companies have dominated healthcare in America, often with life-threatening results for patients. Healy is a founder and chief executive officer of Data Based Medicine Limited, which aims to make medicines safer through RxISK - Prescription Drug Side Effects an “online direct patient reporting of drug effects” platform.
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Jae Jung about how to better understand and support gifted students, the importance of differentiated education, and the future of high-ability learning.
Jae Yup Jung, PhD is a Professor in the School of Education and the Director of the Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) at The University of New South Wales, Australia. His research program, which incorporates various topics relating to gifted adolescents (with a particular focus on their education and career-related decisions) has been published or presented on more than 100 occasions in the form of journal articles, book chapters, editorials, conference presentations or books in international outlets including Gifted Child Quarterly, British Journal of Educational Psychology, Research in Higher Education, Instructional Science, Journal of Career Assessment, Exceptional Children, and the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education.
His research has been recognized with awards from the American Educational Research Association (including the 2023 Path Breaker Award), the U.S. Mensa Education and Research Foundation (including Awards for Excellence in Research in 2015, 2022, 2023 and 2024), and the Society for Vocational Psychology, and research grants from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the New South Wales Department of Education. He is the current editor of the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Federation on Giftedness, and President of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jae-jung
In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Lisa Anne Williams about how our emotions are shaped by social experiences and the powerful, adaptive functions of positive social emotions like pride and gratitude.
Dr. Lisa A. Williams is a social psychologist whose research examines the dynamics between emotional experience and social interaction. Much of her research focuses on how positive emotions that arise in the context of social interactions function at the interpersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, and societal levels.
Lisa is currently Professor in the School of Psychology and Associate Dean, Equity Diversity and Inclusion, Faculty of Science, at UNSW Sydney.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/lisa-williams
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Nik Steffens about how identity, connection, and purpose shape not only individual outcomes but also drive collective success within organizations.
Niklas Steffens is Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Business and Organisational Psychology (CBOP) in UQ's School of Psychology. He lived, worked, and studied psychology in Germany and Spain and completed his PhD in the UK before working at The University of Queensland (Australia).
Nik conducts fundamental and applied research to uncover psychological drivers that make groups and organisations fairer, more motivating, more effective, and healthier. His expertise lies in social identity and team work processes in social and organisational contexts including leadership and followership, motivation and creativity, and health and well-being.
He uses diverse methods to understand people and organisations including experimental and intervention studies, field and survey research, archival methods, psychometric scale development, and systematic reviews and meta-analysis.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nik-steffens
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr. Zhi Yi Ong about the neurobiology of food intake, exploring how gut-brain interactions shape eating behavior and its connection to addiction.
Zhi Yi Ong is a Senior Lecturer and ARC Future Fellow at the UNSW School of Psychology. She completed her PhD in Biomedical Science at the University of South Australia and later undertook postdoctoral training in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Zhi Yi's research focuses on the neurobiological mechanisms of feeding behaviors. Using multiple neuroscience approaches in animal models, she investigates how gut signals interact with brain circuits to regulate these behaviors. Additionally, she also examines how environmental factors and current treatments influence the neural systems that control appetite.
Episode link at
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Lana Tikhomirov about the intersection of AI and human decision-making, exploring its ethical concerns, cognitive challenges, and growing role in high-stakes fields like healthcare.
Lana Tikhomirov is an AI safety researcher at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, where she focuses on developing ethical, human-centered artificial intelligence systems for medical decision-making. Her interdisciplinary PhD bridges cognitive science, bioethics, and AI safety, examining a core question: How do humans make decisions using AI algorithms—and where should we draw the ethical line when replacing human judgment with machine logic?
Lana’s work addresses the nuanced challenges that emerge when advanced deep learning systems—often opaque and difficult to interpret—are integrated into high-risk, real-world environments. As these technologies become increasingly common in critical domains, understanding their influence on human cognition and decision-making has never been more urgent.
She is committed to advancing responsible and safe AI, and her research contributes to national policy and ethical guidelines for AI development and implementation in Australia.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/lana-tikhomirov
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Simon Byrne about evolving approaches to anxiety treatment—including CBT and ACT—and how evidence-based models can better support children’s mental health.
Dr Simon Byrne is a Lecturer at the University of Queensland (UQ) since 2021. He completed a PhD/Masters of Clinical Psychology in child anxiety at Macquarie University. He has held postdoctoral positions at Yale Child Study Centre, as well as Westmead Hospital Psychiatry Department and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.
His research has focused on 1) the unconventional use of psychiatric drugs to treat mental disorders in children, and 2) treatments for anxiety. He has a particular interest in the use of exposure therapy (“facing your fears”) to treat anxiety. He also teaches into UQ’s clinical psychology program and has conducted research into the use of simulations to teach ethics.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/simon-byrne
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Poppy Watson about compulsive reward-seeking behavior, commonly seen in drug or gambling addiction, but also in more subtle forms that influence our everyday actions and habits.
The research interests of Dr Poppy Watson lie at the intersection of motivation, attention and choice behaviour. A fundamental question in human psychology is whether we are totally in control of the choices we make and the extent to which we rely on environmental cues to guide our decisions. She is interested in the conflict that arises between our ‘good intentions’ (for example to eat healthily or avoid alcohol) and our innate tendency to be attracted by things that signal reward such as the McDonald’s golden M or the beer logo.
She uses methods such as eye tracking and neuroimaging to examine this interplay between biased cognitions and habits on the one hand and explicit motivation on the other. She tries to understand the mechanisms that contribute to unwanted patterns of behaviour in both healthy and clinical populations.
She is also involved in intervention projects (to improve treatment outcomes for patients and measuring the efficacy of these interventions) and is interested more generally in health psychology and behaviour change.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/poppy-watson
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Amy Peden about the global drowning crisis, the key risk factors involved, and what can be done to reduce these tragic incidents.
Dr Amy Peden is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Population Health at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney Australia, where she is also the co-founder of the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group. She maintains an honorary Senior Research Fellow position with Royal Life Saving Society – Australia and an adjunct Senior Lecturer role with James Cook University in Queensland.
As a drowning prevention researcher and advocate, Dr Peden provides technical expertise to the World Health Organization, collaborates on research with government, industry and the community and regularly appears in the media.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/amy-peden
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr. Robyn Walser about using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help individuals navigate and heal from trauma.
Robyn D Walser, PhD is a clinical psychologist with expertise in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), having started to work in this treatment approach in 1991. She currently provides training, supervision, consultation and psychotherapy in the model.
Dr Robyn delivered her first ACT workshop in 1997 in Ireland and has been training around the world since, including online. Her workshops feature a combination of lecture and experiential exercises designed to provide a unique learning opportunity in this state-of-the-art intervention. She is often referred to as a “clinician’s clinician”.
Dr Robyn provides supervision and consultation in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) tailored to clients’ needs and level of training.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/robyn-walser
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Ahu Kocak about her experience in developing suicide assessment and prevention strategies in correctional settings.
Ahu Kocak is endorsed in Forensic Psychology with over 14 years experience in prison, court and private practice settings. She holds a Bachelor of Science Psychology, Masters of Psychology (Forensic), Graduate Certificate in Law and Masters of Terrorism and Security Studies.
She is a full member of the Australian Psychology Society (APS) and Fellow of the College of Forensic Psychologists. Outside of her expertise in the assessment and treatment of high risk offenders, Ahu often uses Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Applied Behavioural Analysis, Exposure Therapy for a range of disorders.
Ahu has developed group programs for Schema Therapy in correctional settings. Ahu is an AHPRA Board approved clinical supervisor and is available to supervise 4 +2, 5+1 and Masters programme pathways. She is also endorsed to supervise forensic registrars and secondary supervision of other registrar pathways. She is fluent in both English and Turkish.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/ahu-kocak
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Ben Newell about the power of behavioral science and the role that psychology can play in motivating individuals and societies to take meaningful action on climate change.
Ben Newell is Professor of Behavioural Science in the School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney, and Director of the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response (ICRR). His research focuses on the cognitive processes underlying judgment, choice and decision-making and the application of this knowledge to environmental, medical, financial and forensic contexts.
His role in the new Institute is to drive an interdisciplinary research agenda bringing together expertise from behavioural science, climate science, economics and governance to address the risks and opportunities of climate change. He has published multiple articles on the psychology of human judgment and decision making, including those that lie at the intersection of psychology and climate change, with particular focus on the understanding of uncertainty and risk.
Ben is lead author of the books Straight Choices: The Psychology of Decision Making, and Open Minded: A Search for Truth about the Unconscious Mind. Ben is a member of the Academic Advisory Panel of the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA), and the Chief Medical Officer’s advisory group for the National Health and Climate Strategy.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/ben-newell
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Kim Delbaere about understanding physical, psychological and cognitive factors causing falls as well as topics about promoting healthy ageing.
Professor Kim Delbaere is a Senior Principal Research Scientist and Director of Innovation & Translation at the Falls, Balance & Injury Research Centre at Neuroscience Research Australia. Kim has made major contributions to identifying risk factors for falls and sub-optimal ageing.
Her overarching vision is for older Australians to understand and navigate better health trajectories through self-management.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kim-delbaere
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr. Stefan Carlo Michalski about using an AI-powered VR application to build life skills and improve healthcare access for people with intellectual disabilities.
Dr. Stefan Michalski is a Research Fellow in the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health at the University of New South Wales. His research has focused on the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) to improve real-world outcomes for clinical populations, with a particular focus on intellectual disability. Stefan holds a PhD in Psychology, where he explored how immersive VR could assist people with intellectual disability in developing life skills.
Currently, Stefan is leading research aimed at addressing significant healthcare disparities faced by people with intellectual disability. He has highlighted that fear, anxiety, and communication challenges often act as barriers for people with intellectual disability when seeking healthcare. His ongoing VR research incorporates generative AI-powered intelligent agents to support and prepare people with intellectual disability to navigate healthcare environments. These tools are designed to reduce anxiety during appointments, increase healthcare engagement, and foster better health outcomes.
Through his work, Stefan seeks to transform the role of technology in promoting participation, independence, and improved health outcomes for people with intellectual disability.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/stefan-carlo-michalski
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Jacinta Hawgood about evaluating suicide prevention training programs, their effectiveness, and the critical role they play in reducing suicide rates.
Jacinta Hawgood is Associate Professor and Program Director of Suicidology at the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention (AISRAP), Griffith University, where she has worked since 2000. She is a recognised national and international expert in suicide prevention and education, and her clinical work in suicidology and clinical psychology spans 27 years, operating a casual practice inclusive of client work, supervision and consultancy since 1999.
Jacinta is the lead author of Systematic Tailored Assessment for Responding to Suicidality protocol (STARS-p) (Hawgood & De Leo, 2015; 2018; 2024), and associated STARS-p training. Jacinta’s primary research expertise is focused on psychosocial needs-based assessment and application, which developed over time including through her clinical work in suicide prevention, and her PhD where she tested and evaluated the feasibility and application of STARS protocol and related training and workforce and lived experience perceptions of these two related elements. Jacinta is also a board director of MATES in Construction (Qld/NT) and National MATES Inc. and national academic reference group member of National MATES, advisory expert member for Roses in the Ocean, and Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning, to mention a few.
She is past board director of Suicide Prevention Australia (2015-2021), and several other national and international advisory boards regarding suicide prevention. Jacinta has a reviewing role for peer-reviewed journals in this domain and has presented research findings at a range of state, national and international conferences, has co-authored and edited a book, book chapters, and published numerous peer-reviewed articles and government reports in the field.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jacinta-hawgood
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Lydia Brown about understanding and enhancing well-being during the menopause transition and aging.
Lydia Brown is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne. She earned her PhD in 2015, focusing on self-compassion and menopause, and subsequently completed postdoctoral training in Healthy Aging at both Harvard Medical School and The University of Melbourne.
Her research centers on understanding and promoting well-being in the second half of life, particularly during the menopause transition. In 2024, she led a Lancet Series paper on menopause and mental health. She is especially interested in how psychological resilience factors, like self-compassion, can help individuals age well, fostering wisdom and happiness despite life's inevitable challenges.
In addition to her research, Lydia is a dedicated meditation practitioner. She has spent several months living in a Sri Lankan Buddhist monastery and is interested in translating traditional contemplative practices into modern contexts without losing their essence.
Lydia’s work on menopause has received international media attention, featuring in outlets such as The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune and Reuters Health. She has appeared as an expert commentator on mental health for Sky News, Nine News Australia, and The ABC. Additionally, she has served on the International Advisory Board for Headspace, one of the world’s leading mindfulness apps.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/lydia-brown
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Jill Maree Newby about innovative technology-based interventions for depression and anxiety, highlighting the impact and effectiveness of internet and e-mental health approaches in modern mental health care.
Jill Maree Newby is an Australian psychologist who is a professor and National Health and Medical Research Council Emerging Leader at the Black Dog Institute in the University of New South Wales. She has developed technology based interventions for depression and anxiety.
Newby completed her master's degree and doctoral research at the University of New South Wales. Her doctoral research considered the role of autobiographical memories in depression.
Newby studies anxiety disorders, phobias and depression. She has developed and investigated the effectiveness of technology-based interventions, including e-mental health and virtual reality interventions. Newby encourages people to seek help and gain practical advice on managing depression. Newby has argued that long wait times and high costs were a barrier to evidence-based treatment. She developed an online course that stopped people from worrying excessively.
Newby investigated how the prevalence of mental health disorders increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. She found that almost 80% of Australians experienced worse mental health during the pandemic, and that women, young adults and caregivers were particularly vulnerable. She was named a 2020 Young Tall Poppy for her advocacy work in mental health.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jill-maree-newby
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Ivan Raymond about the concept of intentional practice, which helps individuals and communities navigate complexity by offering a common framework for thinking and planning.
Dr Ivan Raymond is a clinical psychologist and the Director of the Life Buoyancy Institute Foundation. He work brings focus to the translation of science into practice. He partners with government, non-government agencies, research institutions, schools and programs in the building of wellbeing and trauma-responsive Australian communities.
This work is locally operationalised through the design and implementation of evidence-based responses that intentionally translate the science of wellbeing (positive psychology), growth, resilience and trauma-informed practice into action, in a manner that is personalised to the needs and context of individual and community.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/ivan-raymond
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kristy Martire about how evidence is evaluated in criminal trials and ways to enhance communication between experts and lay decision-makers in forensic settings.
Dr. Kristy Martire is a Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia. Her research aims to better understand the development of expertise, processes of evidence evaluation in criminal trials, and to improve the communication between experts and lay decision-makers in forensic settings.
She works closely with Dr. Neal and the CLJ Lab through the PLuS Alliance and also hosted Dr. Neal at UNSW during her Fulbright scholarship in Spring 2022. Drs. Neal and Martire were retained by the Mass Casualty Commission to summarize best practices in forensic psychological assessment and apply that framework to a particular psychological autopsy in a major Canadian case.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kristy-martire
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Stevan Nikolin about understanding how depression affects brain activity and how this knowledge is being used to develop new treatments and improve existing ones.
Dr Stevan Nikolin is a Neuroscience Fellow at the Black Dog Institute, specializing in the intersection of brain activity and depression. As both a neuroscientist and clinical researcher, his work focuses on developing and optimizing treatments for depression, including non-invasive brain stimulation, ketamine, and psilocybin. His research also explores the enhancement of cognitive functions through brain stimulation and cognitive electrophysiology (EEG).
Additionally, Stevan applies EEG techniques to uncover deeper insights into the pathophysiology of clinical disorders like depression, aiming to drive innovation in mental health treatment.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/stevan-nikolin
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Margaret Morris about the connection between poor diet and behavior, and how dietary changes can help mitigate the behavioral effects of early life stress.
Margaret Morris is a Professor of Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of NSW. She uses neuropharmacological approaches to explore underlying brain mechanisms in epilepsy, obesity, diabetes, and the link between obesity and high blood pressure.
She has developed models of voluntary high fat feeding in rat and mice. The impact of parental obesity and early childhood events has been a key focus of research. Her lab has worked extensively on the impact of maternal obesity on offspring metabolic and cardiovascular risk, and is currently exploring options for intervention. Recent work investigating the role of paternal obesity on the health of offspring demonstrated that when rat fathers were fed a high fat diet to induce obesity and glucose intolerance, the resulting female offspring exhibited impaired glucose tolerance and insulin secretion as young adults (Nature, 2010).
Other major research questions Professor Morris explores is how does provision of a varied, energy rich diet override the regulatory control mechanisms that should maintain body weight? The Morris lab showed that palatable high fat diet can ameliorate the behavioral effects of early life stress; notably voluntary exercise had similar benefits (Psychoneuroendocrinology 2010). More recently they are exploring the link between a poor diet and behaviour, and the role of the gut microbiome.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/margaret-morris
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr David Bakker on the use of technology such as smartphone apps for mental health purposes.
David Bakker is a clinical psychologist in private practice at Archer Street Health in Hobart. He is also a lecturer and research supervisor at the Institute for Social Neuroscience, which trains postgraduate psychology students in Melbourne.
He is passionate about engaging the broader public in evidence-based psychological strategies and therapies, and is the founding director of MoodMission - a free CBT-based mobile app for low moods and anxiety.
He has previously worked in disability support, rural mental health outreach, youth health, hospitals, and Melbourne private practices. He has taught psychology and counselling at Monash University, where he has also researched and developed mental health mobile apps as part of his Doctor of Clinical Psychology.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/david-bakker
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kamilah Majied about her insightful book entitled “Joyfully Just: Black Wisdom and Buddhist Insights for Liberated Living”.
Dr. Majied is Professor of Social Work at California State University, Monterey Bay. She teaches clinical practice to graduate students employing psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based, and artistic approaches to well-being. She also teaches research methods, social and organizational policy analysis, and community organizing through a social justice lens.
Before her California State University role, she taught for 15 years at Howard University. She serves as the Diversity and Inclusivity Consultant for the Contemplative Coping During COVID-19 Research Project at the University of California Davis Center for Mind and Brain. Dr Majied gave opening remarks at the first White House Conference of Buddhist Leaders on Climate Change and Racial Justice, where she facilitated a dialogue on ending racism amongst the internationally represented Buddhist leadership.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kamilah-majied
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Sally Gainsbury about the differences between problematic and recreational gambling while exploring the development of responsible gambling strategies.
Professor Sally Gainsbury, PhD, Doctor.ClinPsych, BPsych(Hons) is a leader in gambling psychology research, focussing on using science to inform the development of responsible gambling strategies. Sally Gainsbury is a Professor in the School of Psychology and Director of Australia's only university-affiliated gambling treatment centre, the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic which is the lead Gamble Aware Provider for gambling treatment for individuals and significant others across Sydney Central, Sydney West and Sydney South-West regions.
The GTRC brings together the nexus of clinical and research excellence and aims to conduct applied research that translates to policies and practices to reduce gambling harms in the broad community. In her role as Director, she oversees clinical treatment practices as well as engagement and outreach across relevant community, government, and industry stakeholders to prevent and reduce gambling.
Professor Gainsbury leads the Brain and Mind Centre multidisciplinary Technology Addiction Team which aims to investigate the role of technology in addictive behaviours and mental health.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/sally-gainsbury
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr. Christoph Klebl about the psychology of climate change and biodiversity, and his work on aesthetics and morality that relates to that (e.g., why people are most concerned about protecting beautiful animal species).
Dr. Christoph Klebl is a postdoctoral research fellow at the School of Psychology, University of Queensland. His research lies at the intersection of social, environmental, and moral psychology, focusing on factors that influence public support for systemic climate change policies, attitudes towards biodiversity, and the role of aesthetic judgments in morality.
Dr. Klebl primarily collaborates with Prof. Jolanda Jetten and Prof. Brock Bastian and is also affiliated with Prof. Winnifred Louis’ Social Change Lab and Prof. Kelly Fielding’s Green Research Group.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/christoph-klebl
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kinga Szymaniak about the impacts of anger on the way we think and act, and how it shapes our decisions and judgments.
Kinga Szymaniak is a Research Associate in the School of Psychology at UNSW. She was awarded her PhD in 2022 from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw, Poland. Kinga’s research interests revolve around emotions (with a focus on anger), cognition, and behaviour. Kinga’s goal is to better understand the mechanisms underling associations with anger and their implications for psychological health and well-being.
Currently, Kinga is a Postdoctoral Researcher in a lab directed by Prof. Eddie Harmon-Jones, where she has the opportunity to investigate the associations between humility, anger, and aggression using methods from experimental psychology, psychophysiology, and affective and cognitive neuroscience.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kinga-szymaniak
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with John Sweller about The Cognitive Load Theory which suggests that learning happens best under conditions that are aligned with human cognitive architecture.
John Sweller is an educational psychologist and Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Adelaide’s Department of Psychology in 1972. He is best known for formulating cognitive load theory, which uses our knowledge of evolutionary psychology and human cognitive architecture as a base for instructional design.
The theory is one of the most highly-cited educational psychology theories. It is a contributor to both research and debate on issues associated with human cognition, its links to evolution by natural selection, and the instructional consequences that follow. Based on hundreds of randomized controlled studies carried out by many investigators from around the globe, cognitive load theory has generated a large range of novel instructional procedures. John has authored over 200 academic publications and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/john-sweller
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor David Blustein about the complexities surrounding the psychology of working and its profound impact on mental health, while shedding light on the challenges posed by work poverty.
Dr Blustein is a Professor and Golden Eagle Faculty Fellow in the Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology at Boston College. Dr. Blustein is the author of The Psychology of Working: A New Perspective for Career Development, Counseling, and Public Policy and The Importance of Work in an Age of Uncertainty: The Eroding Experience of Work in America.
He has been instrumental in developing psychology of working theory, which represents an inclusive and social justice-informed perspective on the role of work in people's lives and in their communities. Dr. Blustein has contributed numerous articles and book chapters on psychology of working theory, unemployment, career development/counseling, psychotherapy, decent work, dignity at work, precarious work, relationships and work, social class, race, and other aspects of contemporary working. He also has consulted with national and international organizations, such as the International Labor Organization, OECD, and the United Nations Development Program.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/david-blustein
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Rob Brooks about the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence on reshaping human sexual perspectives and interactions and how it revolutionizes our understanding in the realm of human sexuality.
Rob Brooks, a Scientia Professor of Evolution at UNSW Sydney. He both founded and directed from 2007 to 2019 the Evolution and Ecology Research Centre. His research mostly considers the conflicting evolutionary interests that make sex sizzle and render reproduction complicated.
He has won Australia’s most prestigious award for science communication, the Eureka Prize, and is the author of Sex, Genes and Rock ’n’ Roll: How evolution has shaped the modern world, which won the Queensland Literary Award for Science Writing.
He has also written Artificial Intimacy: Virtual friends, digital lovers and algorithmic matchmakers which is the basis of todays conversation. This book considers humanity’s evolved capacities for friendship, love, and intimacy, and what happens when they encounter new technologies like AI, social media, online dating, and virtual reality sex.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/rob-brooks
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Susie Burke about the role that psychology can play in helping us understand the causes, impacts and solutions to climate change and other environmental threats.
Dr Susie Burke is a psychologist, Adjunct Associate Professor (University of Queensland), researcher, writer, and climate change campaigner with a background in conflict resolution, disaster psychology, parenting issues, and environmental issues.
In addition to working with individuals, couples and parents as a psychologist, Dr Burke also consults to councils, groups and organisations and runs workshops to help people cope with and come to terms with climate change and disasters.
For 17 years Dr Burke was a senior psychologist at the Australian Psychological Society and developed resources, training programs and workshops on a variety of social issues including: refugee issues, bullying, children's wellbeing after parental separation, homelessness, Indigenous issues, racism, climate change and disasters, LGBTI issues, violence and conflict, gambling, the future of work, and cyberpsychology.
As a researcher and writer, Dr Burke’s current interest are focused on the role that psychology plays in helping us understand the causes, impacts and solutions to climate change and other environmental threats, including natural disasters. Dr Burke have authored a number of resources including the Psychological First Aid Handbook, the Climate Change Empowerment Handbook, and other materials on coping with climate change, raising children for a climate altered world, and disaster preparedness and recovery.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/susie-burke
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Andrew Martin about the intricate dynamics of Student Motivation, Engagement, and Achievement. Together, they delve deep into the strategies and challenges of "Putting The Horse Before The Cart," shedding light on the crucial steps needed to ensure academic success and personal growth.
Andrew Martin, BA (Hons), MEd (Hons), PhD, is Scientia Professor, Professor of Educational Psychology, and Chair of the Educational Psychology Research Group in the School of Education at the University of New South Wales, Australia.
He is also Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford and a Registered Psychologist (Psychology Board of Australia). Andrew is recognized for his research on student motivation, engagement, learning, and achievement. His research bridges other disciplines, investigating motivation and engagement in sport, music, and work.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/andrew-martin
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Andrew Amos about the complexities and concerns surrounding gender-affirming care. This discussion delves into the psychiatric perspective on this important and often debated topic.
Dr Andrew Amos is Director of Training – Psychiatry for North Queensland, Deputy Editor of Australasian Psychiatry, and Chairs the RANZCP’s Section of Rural Psychiatry (QLD), and the eLearning Advisory Group. With the North Queensland Regional Training Advisory Group, Dr Amos has been building a psychiatric training network leveraging contributions from the regional training hubs supported by James Cook University and University of Queensland, with a focus on effective videoconference based workshops.
Dr Amos has been deeply involved with the development of the RANZCP’s eLearning infrastructure, including podcasts, webinars, and online training materials for psychiatric consultants and psychiatrists in training. The suspension of in-person instruction with the onset of the covid pandemic led to the expansion of networked learning from regional/rural to metropolitan trainees, necessitating the development of a new framework for the delivery of high quality online instruction. Dr Amos is completing a PhD using data mining techniques to analyse the entire corpus of the published psychiatric literature and make it available in a form useful for curriculum design and maintenance.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/andrew-amos
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Genevieve Rayner about the intricate interplay of neurobiology and psychosocial factors contributing to mood and cognitive disorders in epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
Dr Genevieve Rayner is a practicing clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer in clinical neuropsychology at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences. As a clinician-scientist, she balances her clinical and academic work with her role as a senior neuropsychology research fellow in a world-leading epilepsy research genetics group at the Epilepsy Genetics Research Program.
Her program of research aims to explore the neurobiological and psychosocial underpinnings of mood and cognitive disorders in epilepsy and other neurological conditions, using behavioural, neuroimaging, and genetics methodologies. Genevieve is a member of the Next Generation Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), a founding member and secretary of the ILAE's Young Epilepsy Section (YES), and a member of the Research and Training Subcommittee of the Epilepsy Society of Australia. She is also a YES representative for the 13th Asian and Oceanic Epilepsy Congress Organising Committee.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/genevieve-rayner
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr James Dunn about strategies that support superior face identification accuracy and contextual influences on face identification as well as his most interesting research on Super-recognisers which he has been studying using the UNSW Face Test.
James Dunn is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney. Current areas of interest include face and person recognition, forensic science and individual differences with both applied and theory-inspired research using behavioural methods, machine learning and eye-tracking.
Previous and current research projects: person-in-crowd identification, the strategies supporting superior face identification accuracy, and contextual influences on face identification.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/james-dunn
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kelly Clemens about the intricate realms of addiction neuroscience, including behavioural neuroscience of nicotine dependence as well as the epigenetic consequences of drug addiction.
Kelly Clemens is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, and Associate Dean of Impact Partnerships for the Faculty of Science, UNSW.
Kelly has studied at the University of Otago and the University of Sydney, with post-doctoral experience at the University of Bordeaux, France, and Macquarie University, Sydney, before establishing her own laboratory at UNSW in 2012. Her research focuses on the causes and consequences of drug addiction, spanning basic science through to translational and industry engagement.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kelly-clemens
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Mark Horowitz about exploring expert strategies for tapering off SSRIs and managing withdrawal symptoms.
Dr Mark Horowitz MBBS PhD is a Clinical Research Fellow in Psychiatry in the National Health Service (NHS) in England and an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London (UCL) and a trainee psychiatrist. He runs a deprescribing clinic in the NHS helping people to stop psychiatric medications.
He co-authored the Royal College of Psychiatry guidance on “Stopping Antidepressants”, and his work informed the recent National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on safe discontinuation of psychiatric medications. He also published work on how to safely taper antipsychotics in JAMA Psychiatry and Schizophrenia Bulletin.
He has authored chapters of the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines on how to stop mood stabilisers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, z-drugs and gabapentinoids. He is currently writing the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry which will be published in 2023. He is Co-Investigator on the RELEASE trial in Australia evaluating the effect of gradual, hyperbolic tapering of antidepressants compared to care as usual.
He has an interest in rational psychopharmacology and deprescribing psychiatric medication. He has experienced the difficulty of coming off psychiatric medications first-hand which has informed much of his work. His work can be found at https://markhorowitz.org/
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/mark-horowitz
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Suzy Green enhancing mental health outcomes in organizations and schools through positive psychology, emphasizing the promotion of mental wellbeing over solely addressing mental illness.
Dr Suzy Green is a Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in the treatment of mental illness, Dr Green is on a mission to reduce the impact of mental illness in our workplaces, schools and communities and promote the value of improving mental wellness.
Dr Green is the CEO & Founder of The Positivity Institute, an organisation dedicated to the research and application of Positive Psychology in workplaces and schools.
Dr Green is an Honorary Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of East London and also holds honorary academic positions at the Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne and the Black Dog Institute. Dr Green is also an affiliate of the Institute for Wellbeing at Cambridge University.
Its a great pleasure to speak with Dr Green on the topic of enhancing MH outcomes in organisations and schools through positive psychology and focusing toward promoting mental wellbeing rather than mental illness alone.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/suzy-green
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Jayashri Kulkarni about her research on the connections between mental health, such as depression, with premenstrual cycles most notably premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual exacerbation (PME).
Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM graduated in Medicine from Monash University in 1981 and became a Fellow of the College of Psychiatrists in 1988. Jayashri commenced her appointment as Professor of Psychiatry at The Alfred and Monash University in 2002.
Professor Kulkarni founded and directs two research centres – HER Centre Australia and the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc). She is also Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University -Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences.
Jayashri has conducted ground-breaking clinical research and is internationally acknowledged as a leader and expert in the field of Women’s Mental Health, in particular, for her innovative work on reproductive hormones and mental illness. Her world-first research in hormones and mental health has led to the development of new treatments for women with mental ill health. She developed and launched Australia’s first women’s mental health hospital at Cabrini Health in September 2021. Jayashri received an Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 for her services to Medicine.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jayashri-kulkarni
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Lucette Cysique about the importance of understanding post-viral syndromes and how it can pave the way for enhanced long-term outcomes, benefiting both individuals and the wider community.
Associate Professor Lucette Cysique, a neuropsychologist researcher whos intrests lie in Modelling neurocognitive and brain changes based on chronic infectious conditions such as HIV infection and COVID-19.
Lucette completed her Neuro/Psychology undergraduate and graduate degrees in France and U.K.; Neuropsychology PhD in Australia, Neuropsychology and Neuroimaging Post-docs in US and Australia. Currently, Lucette is a Senior Lecturer at UNSW school of Psychology and she also Leads & co-lead NeuroHIV trials nationally and internationally.
In addition, Lucette is Chair of the NeuroCOVID International Neuropsychological Society Special Interest Group.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/lucette-cysique
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Anna Kiaos about qualitative research methods and practices, offering valuable insights into understanding mental health within organisations.
Dr Anna Kiaos is a critical ethnographer with a passion for psychiatry, psychology and mental health. Her research explores the boundary between the psychological and societal focused views of the self. Specifically, her PhD research encompassed several interconnected topics, notably, managerial ideology, normative control, the underlying systems of cultural and subcultural meaning with a particularly strong focus on conceptions of self enacted in everyday working life and how such enactments reflect self consciousness from the perspective of various cohorts in the workplace.
T.A. Kiaos trained under Professor Gideon Kunda, Tel Aviv University. She has consulted with organisations in a variety of industries, including government, healthcare organisations, consulting firms and private enterprise to assess and improve an organisation’s ideology, culture, culture change management practices and approaches to leadership.
T.A. Kiaos received her PhD in Management from Macquarie University Business School and her Master of Health Communication from the University of Sydney. She currently works for the University of New South Wales, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health. She is heavily involved with leading projects and her work involves close collaboration across ample research centres and groups, including the Centre for Healthy Brain and Aging (CHeBA), the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN) along with the Discipline's Medical Research Institutes, notably, Black Dog Institute, Ingham Institute and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/anna-kiaos
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Philip Jean-Richard Dit Bressel about his research on neural circuitry using animal models to explore reward and punishment paradigms, their impact on decision-making processes, alongside a discussion on the gamification of research protocols in human studies.
Dr Philip Jean-Richard Dit Bressel is a behavioural neuroscientist at UNSW School of Psychology. Currently investigating psychobiological mechanisms of motivated learning by combining precision neuroscience techniques (e.g fibre photometry, optogenetics) with behavioural paradigms and multi-pronged analysis approaches.
His research endeavors to unveil the psychology and biology underlying the acquisition of associations between environmental cues, behavior, and outcomes, enabling adaptive behavioral modifications. His primary focus lies in unraveling the mechanisms of punishment learning, particularly how individuals discern actions leading to adverse outcomes.
This investigation holds significance in comprehending and enhancing decision-making processes in daily life. Furthermore, it holds relevance in various conditions marked by deficiencies in punishment learning, including substance and behavioral addictions (such as drug addiction and gambling disorder), psychopathy (such as antisocial personality disorder), and depression.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/philip-jean-richard-dit-bressel
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Michael Kasumovic about how humans respond to status both percieved and actual and how this can moderate specific behaviour.
Michael Matthew Kasumovic is an Associate Professor at University of New South Wales and Teacher & Director of Arludo. His research explores how the social environment shapes the evolution of individual traits and behaviours.
In this broad research question, Michael has explored how access to resources in insects, animals and humans moderates evolutionary decisions. Interestingly, Michael has worked with insects such as spiders and crickets to explore how changes in the density of males and females affects developmental decisions, and the outcome this has for how individuals perform and age.
Michael's research on humans explores how our evolutionary history can explain gender differences in the video games we choose to play and how this affects how we perceive ourselves and behave.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-kasumovic
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Tayla Degan about health literacy and how important it is to consider both as a clinican and as a consumer of health services.
Dr Tayla Degan is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales, Australia. She is also a registered Clinical Psychologist working in private practice at Beachside Physiotherapy and Psychology, Cronulla NSW.
She has research expertise and interest in populations of people living with mental health and substance use disorders. Her PhD research focused on the health literacy of people accessing specialist mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
Tayla has experience working across multiple research trials and projects, including the evaluation of treatment services, implementation of a telephone-based continuing care intervention for people discharged from residential treatment services, and is currently involved in a Phase-3 randomised controlled trial examining mirtazapine as a pharmacotherapy treatment option for methamphetamine dependence.
Tayla also has a strong interest in online interventions for substance use disorders, health literacy interventions, and using co-design. Tayla has a passion for teaching and inspiring the next generation of psychologists and has lectured across multiple Australian universities.
Finally, Tayla runs her own business (Our Mind Space Psychology), alongside colleague and Clinical Psychologist Kendall Allsop, running group therapy programs for adults with ADHD.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/tayla-degan
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Natalie Taylor about the complexity and importance of implementation scientists and the factors that go into behaviour change within systems.
Natalie Taylor is an implementation scientist. She works both in a research and consulting capacity to help develop and apply optimal ways for organisations to adopt and rollout evidence based initiatives into practice with the goal of improving outcomes for patients and health-workers. Natalie’s work involves collaborating with academic, health, and non-profit organisations across NSW, Australia, and internationally.
Natalie is pioneering a combination of implementation research with statistical modeling and health economics to test the cost-effectiveness of implementation interventions and explore ways to identify the active ingredients behind successful implementation of new treatments, technologies, policies, and guidelines. Natalie develops and delivers behaviour change workshops and toolkits for healthcare professionals to facilitate and test the impact of the transfer of research evidence into practice. Natalie currently leads a program of work focusing on implementation in genetics, genomics, and cancer care.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/natalie-taylor
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Conal Monaghan about dimensional models of personality disorder as well as the limitations and merits in the current diagnostic method.
Dr Conal Monaghan was conferred his PhD (Clinical Psychology) from the ANU in 2019. He also graduated with a degree in marketing with a major in international business - but we don’t speak of the “dark” years.
Currently, Conal works as a clinical psychologist at headspace Canberra, with PARSA’s PhD bootcamps, and as a lecturer and researcher at the ANU Research School of Psychology. Conal is lecturing on clinical assessment and statistics in the Master of Professional Practice program, and on psychometrics in the clinical psychology program.
He is passionate about clinical research and assessment, dimensional models of personality disorder, clinician well-being, and working to improve youth / adolescent mental health. While writing his PhD thesis, Conal lived and researched in Trondheim, Norway and Phom Penh, Cambodia, received the NTNU promising young researcher award and Steven Klimidis award for clinical psychology, and presented his research at a range of national and international conferences.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/conal-monaghan
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Nick Haslam about “concept creep” in the field of psychology and how it has reshaped many aspects of modern society.
Nick Haslam is Professor of Psychology at the University of Melbourne. He received his BA(Hons) from the University of Melbourne, his MA and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, and taught at the New School for Social Research in New York City before returning to Australia in 2002.
Nick's research interests are in personality, social and clinical psychology and he has published 11 books and about 300 articles or book chapters in these and related areas. In addition to his academic writing, Nick contributes regularly to The Conversation, Inside Story and Australian Book Review, and he has also written for TIME, The Monthly, The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Australian and two Best Australian Science Writing anthologies. Nick is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Association for Psychological Science. At his university Nick is a leader in the social psychology group and co-director of the Mental Health PhD program. In the past he has been Head of the School of Psychological Sciences, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate), a member of the ARC College of Experts, and President of the Society of Australasian Social Psychologists.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nick-haslam
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Janet Hall about user-friendly strategies offering practical solutions to sexual and relationship issues.
Dr. Janet Hall is a retired psychologist of 40 years and still working as a, hypnotherapist, sex therapist, author, professional speaker, trainer, and media consultant.
Dr Jan consults regularly with print media and is a frequent guest on talk-back radio and current affairs shows. Dr Jan was a regular for two years on the Sex Life television program in Australia. Dr Jan user-friendly strategies offer practical solutions to sexual and relationship issues making her knowledge accessible for all.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/janet-hall
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Rebecca Collie about promoting and understanding educational settings to help both teachers and student thrive.
Rebecca Collie is a Scientia Associate Professor of Educational Psychology in the UNSW School of Education. She conducts research in the areas of motivation, wellbeing, and social-emotional development using quantitative research methods. Her research also encompasses related factors such as adaptability, engagement, interpersonal relationships, and achievement. She examines predictors and outcomes of these different factors among children, youth, and adults in educational settings. Broadly speaking, her research aims to identify how to best support and promote social, emotional, and academic/occupational thriving among students and teachers.
Rebecca has been awarded over $1M in national and international grants, and government and non-government research tenders. Her publications include 80+ peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters, 1 co-edited book, along with over 25 publications for professional audiences. Her research features regularly in print and online media articles and podcasts, and she has delivered invited/keynote presentations to academic, community, and educational organisations.
Her work has been recognised with several honours including an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellowship (2020-2023), the Richard E. Snow Award for Early Career Research Contributions from the American Psychological Association Division 15 (2021), and the Outstanding Early Career Scholar Award from the American Educational Research Association Division C (2020). Prior to that, she was awarded the Young Scientist Award from the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development (2018), and Outstanding Reviewer for the American Educational Research Journal (2016).
She is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Educational Psychology, Consulting Editor of Educational Psychology, and an Editorial Board Member for Learning and Instruction, Teaching and Teacher Education, Social Psychology of Education, Educational and Developmental Psychologist, and Theory into Practice. She has held Visiting Research Fellowships at the University of Oxford, Université Laval, and the University of British Columbia.
She completed her doctoral studies at the University of British Columbia in Canada, and previously worked as a primary school teacher in Melbourne.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/rebecca-collie
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Paul Fitzgerald about the development of novel brain stimulation treatment options including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for patients with depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, autism and Alzheimer’s disease.
Paul Fitzgerald is the Head of the School of Medicine and Psychology at the Australian National University. He is a qualified psychiatrist, has a MBBS degree, Masters of Psychological Medicine and research PhD from Monash University.
He has conducted an extensive range of more than 20 clinical trials, especially focussed on the development of novel brain stimulation treatment options including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for patients with depression, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, autism and Alzheimer’s disease. He has had continual NHMRC grant support for over 20 years and over $10 million in research support in the last 5 years. He has published several books, over 500 journal articles and been cited over 20,000 times.
He has established multiple clinical rTMS services, founded several device and clinical service companies and the first rTMS training program in Australia. He led a national application to the Department of Health at the Federal Government level and this resulted in Medicare funding $283 million in year 1 of rTMS therapy for patients with depression in 2021.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/paul-fitzgerald
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Divna Haslam about child maltreatment and the findings of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, which conducted the first prevalence data of child maltreatment in Australia.
Dr Divna Haslam is a clinical psychologist and family researcher based in the Faculty of Law at Queensland University of Technology, working in the area of childhood adversity. She holds an adjunct appointment at the Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University of Queensland where she conducts parenting-related work and research supervision.
The overarching theme of her research is how to best ensure all children have the opportunity to thrive and have safe, loving, non-violent childhoods. This has spanned clinical intervention development and evaluation of evidence-based behavioural family interventions (Triple P), specific work with families in different contexts (e.g., working parents, parents across different cultures), and epidemiological and population health in Australia and parenting in China. Her work uses a population health perspective with a prevention focus.
As an academic she has over >60 published peer-reviewed papers primarily in Q1 journals as well as invited chapters and a range of clinical resources including a number of clinical and research instruments including the Work and Family Conflict Scale and the Guilt About Parenting Scale and the Workplace Triple P Program. she has received $>1.7 million in external research funding. She has substantial experience in consulting with various governments (eg Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK) about the implementation of evidence-based parenting programs and more recently about the identification and prevention of child maltreatment and other childhood adversity.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/divna-haslam
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Helen Joyce about the complexities society faces with trying to support and understand transgender people’s experiences while also trying to preserve commonly held societal rules.
Helen Joyce is an Irish journalist and critic of the transgender rights movement. She studied as a mathematician and worked in academia before becoming a journalist. Joyce began working for The Economist as education correspondent for its Britain section in 2005 and has since held several senior positions, including finance editor and international editor.
She is the author of Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality, which was named as one of the books of the year in 2021 by the Observer, Spectator and Times. It analyses the recent trend towards sidelining biological sex in favour of self-declared “gender identity”. The Sunday Times praised it as a “searing and at times devastating analysis”, and the New York Times as an “intelligent, thorough rejoinder to an idea that has swept across much of the liberal world seemingly overnight”.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/helen-joyce
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Jodie Fleming about understanding chronic illness management to finding values during difficult times.
Dr Jodie Fleming is a Clinical and Health Psychologist; Positive Psychology Practitioner; Australia’s only certified Run Walk Talk Therapist; author, and wellness retreat leader. Jodie has an extensive history of working in the areas of mental health and chronic illness, but currently enjoys working as a School Psychologist in Warrnambool, and running her private practice, The Psychology of It.
Her latest venture as co-director of Being Well Collective is where Jodie truly thrives, having turned a career into a calling, helping humans flourish, in collaboration with one of her favourite humans, Eve Drew.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jodie-fleming
Links:
Dr Jodie Fleming of The Psychology of It (website)
Being Well Collective
A Hole in My Genes (book)
@drjodiefleming (social media)
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Ilan Dar-Nimrod about the effects of perceived genetic aetiology for various phenomena.
Dr. Ilan Dar-Nimrod is an Associate Professor at the School of Psychology, University of Sydney. Ilan has completed his BA with a double major at Haifa University and his MA and PhD (social psychology) at the University of British Columbia.
Ilan’s main research focus is social cognition – the manner in which our social world affects our cognition. Within this focus, he concentrates on understanding how a deeply rooted psychological mechanism – Psychological Essentialism – is involved in categorising people into groups, leading to a host of effects on people’s beliefs, emotions, and behaviours.
In addition to this main line of research, he maintains ongoing research foci on a number of topics, such as existential social and clinical psychology, sexuality, gender psychology, and the psychology of religion. His research on this topic appeared in myriad of prestigious journals, such as Science, Psychological Bulletin, Nature Human Behaviour, and Genetics in Medicine.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/ilan-dar-nimrod
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Kristie Miller about the nature of time, perspectives of time, and temporal experience.
Professor Kristie Miller took up an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Queensland in Jan of 2006. In July of that 2006 Prof Miller moved to Sydney with the grant and in January of 2009 she was awarded a University of Sydney DVC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. Since 2011, Prof Miller has been a Senior ARC Research Fellow and is currently joint Director of the Centre for Time.
Prof Miller joins me today to discuss the nature of time, perspectives of time, how we make decisions and some fascinating empirical finding she has worked on. I really enjoyed this discussion as it stretched my mind and raised lots of questions for me to continue considering in my therapy and also in myself. Hope you enjoy the conversation.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kristie-miller
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Alexander Holcombe about the replication crisis, trust in science, and the causes of the replication crisis.
Alex Holcombe is a professor at the University of Sydney, who received his PhD in psychology from Harvard University in 2000. He has a strong interest in improving scientific practices and has been involved in the Association for Interdisciplinary Meta-research and Open Science, the Free Journal Network, PLoS ONE, the WikiJournal of Science, and the creation of the tenzing.club web app to promote scientific collaboration. As well as doing meta-science, Alex conducts psychology experiments on topics such as how humans keep track of moving objects.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alexander-holcombe
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr. Celine van Golde about the reliability of children as eyewitnesses and how that research has informed memory for repeated crimes (such as domestic violence) in adults.
Dr. Celine van Golde is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on the reliability of eyewitness memory in children and adults, both for one-off and repeated events. Specifically, how interviewing techniques in forensic settings, such as those used by police, lawyers and judges can affect memory accuracy.
She gives annual guest lectures within the NSW Police Force Child Abuse Training Program, as well as advising judges and lawyers on issues related to eyewitness memory. She is further the founder and director of Not Guilty; the Sydney exoneration project, which assesses cases of potential wrongful convictions. While applying her work in in a legal context, her expertise lies within psychology.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/celine-van-golde
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Fiona Kumfor about social cognition in clinical syndromes with a focus on dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr Fiona Kumfor holds a Masters of Clinical Neuropsychology from Macquarie University and a PhD in Neuroscience from University of New South Wales. She is currently an NHMRC Career Development Fellow, Associate Professor in the School of Psychology and registered Clinical Neuropsychologist with AHPRA. Combining her clinical training in neuropsychology and research expertise in cognitive neuroscience her work investigates social cognition in clinical syndromes with a focus on dementia, and aims to improve diagnosis and prognosis of dementia, while also informing neurobiological models of complex human behaviours.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/fiona-kumfor
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Micah Goldwater about understanding the psychology of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories.
Dr Micah Goldwater received his BA in Linguistics from the University of Rochester in 2003, completed his PhD in Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2009, and then held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Northwestern University until joining the University of Sydney in 2013.
Dr. Goldwater's research investigates the nature, acquisition, and use of knowledge. This work focuses on how children and adults can look past the superficial to recognize when disparate situations, problems, or ideas share deep structural commonalities. He examines both basic processes of cognition and development, their underlying neural mechanisms, and develops applications to improve education and public health.
To achieve these broad research goals, Dr. Goldwater investigates a number of interrelated topics such understanding the psychology of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/micah-goldwater
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Stephen Hinshaw about his work on developmental psychopathology, clinical interventions with young people and addressing mental illness stigma in the community.
Stephen Hinshaw is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was Department Chair from 2004-2011. He is also Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. He received his B.A. from Harvard (summa cum laude) and, after directing school programs and residential summer camps, his doctorate in clinical psychology from UCLA, before performing a post-doctoral fellowship at the Langley Porter Institute of UC San Francisco.
His work focuses on developmental psychopathology, clinical interventions with children and adolescents (particularly mechanisms underlying therapeutic change), and mental illness stigma. He has directed research programs and conducted clinical trials and longitudinal studies for boys and—more recently—for girls with inattention and impulse-control problems (who often express many comorbid disorders), having received over $20 million in NIH funding and an equal amount in foundation funding.
He has been Principal Investigator of the Berkeley site for the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) since 1992. He is co-director of the UCSF-UC Berkeley Schwab Dyslexia and Cognitive Diversity Center, and he directs the UCLA -UC Berkeley Awareness and Hope (stigma reduction) component of the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge. He is also co-director of the Child Teen and Family Center at the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/stephen-hinshaw
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Christopher Hunt about gambling addiction, gambling treatment, and clinical phenomena observed in gambling clients.
Dr Christopher John Hunt is the Senior Clinical Supervisor at the University of Sydney'sGambleAware clinics, which are responsible for co-ordinating government-funded gambling treatment throughout Central, Western and South-Western Sydney, operating out of the University's Brain and Mind Centre.
Dr Hunt first began work at the University in the then-titled Gambling Treatment Clinic in early 2007. Since then, he has gained wide recognition for his work with problem gamblers. He has published work on clinical phenomena observed in gambling clients, has been asked to testify before both federal and state parliamentary committees on gambling, has been extensively quoted on gambling in local, national and international media, and has written several pieces on gambling for lay audiences.
He is also responsible for co-ordinating clinical supervision to psychologists and counsellors who are working in the gambling field throughout Sydney ,and organises training seminars for mental health practitioners working in the field of problem gambling and information seminars for the general public.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/christopher-hunt
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Alina Morawska about promoting positive family relationships as an early intervention tool to promote lifelong health and wellbeing.
Alina Morawska is the Deputy Director (Research) at the Parenting and Family Support Centre, The University of Queensland. Her research focuses on behavioural family intervention as a means for promoting positive family relationships, and the prevention and early intervention for young children at risk of developing behavioural and emotional problems.
In particular, her focus is on improving the health and overall wellbeing of children and families. She completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Queensland in 2004, for which she received the Australian Psychological Society’s Excellent PhD Thesis in Psychology Award.
She has published extensively in the field of parenting and family intervention and has received numerous grants to support her research. She is a Director of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy Ltd.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alina-morawska
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Blake McKimmie about the influence of gender-based stereotypes and the influence of different modes of evidence presentation in jury decision-making.
Blake McKimmie joined the School of Psychology at UQ in 2007 having previously been a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology. Blake won a Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in 2010 and a University of Queensland Teaching Excellence Award in 2016. He led a team that won the AAUT Higher Education Teacher of the Year award in 2019, and received the edX Prize in 2018. He currently teaches a second year elective about psychology and law.
His research focuses on jury decision-making including the influence of gender-based stereotypes and the influence of different modes of evidence presentation. He is also interested in group membership and attitude-behaviour relations and how group membership influences thinking about the self.
He is a leading instructor of the award-winning course: CRIME101x and the PSYC1030x Introduction to Developmental, Social & Clinical Psychology XSeries Program of four courses on edX.org.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/blake-mckimmie
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Fiona White about the development of effective strategies to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Fiona White was awarded her PhD in 1997 by the University of Sydney. She is now a Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Sydney, and the Director of the Sydney University Psychology of Intergroup Relations (SUPIR) Lab. She is recognized internationally for advancing new and effective strategies such as cooperative contact, dual identity recategorization and perspective tacking to promote positive intergroup relations in the short- and long-term.
Across her career, Fiona has published over 90 peer-reviewed publications and her work has been cited over 4000 times. One of Fiona’s most significant research contributions has been the development of the E-contact intervention, a synchronous online tool that has been found to reduce anxiety, prejudice and stigma. E-contact has been shown to successfully improve intergroup relations between: Muslims and Christians in Australia; Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland; Turkish and Kurdish peoples; people who identify as homosexual vs heterosexual; people who identify as transgender vs cisgender; and mentally healthy people and people with schizophrenia.
In our technological age, and especially during a time of COVID-19 induced social distancing, Fiona’s E-contact interventions will play an increasingly significant role in advancing intergroup relations research, especially in situations where outgroup anxiety is high and/or there is continued physical intergroup separation. Her prejudice reduction research has a strong ‘intergroup’ focus, where the voices from both groups are encouraged to be expressed in an equal, cooperative interaction, that works toward achieving a common goal.
In recognition of her successes Fiona has received an Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) Excellence Award and two Vice Chancellor’s awards for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring. In acknowledgement of her impact on the field of intergroup relations, she accepted a funded invitation by the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) to Washington DC, as the Australian representative, alongside nine other world leading experts, to coauthor a State of the Science paper on intergroup relations (2020). In acknowledgement of her extensive 20-years of work in the field of racism reduction, Rotary invited Fiona to give the 2022 Royce Abbey Peace Oration which was titled ‘The many forms of peace and regeneration: Promoting a prejudice-free society for all’.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/fiona-white
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Frankie Fong about overimitation and the role of social learning in the development of scientific and religious beliefs and behaviours.
Dr Frankie Fong is a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Psychology at UQ. His research interests lie broadly in social learning and overimitation, with a particular focus on factors that modulate children's conformity vs eschewal of normative approaches.
Frankie is actively involved in cross-cultural research and has established a fieldsite for developmental psychology research in East Malaysia. His current research focuses on the role of social learning in the development of scientific and religious beliefs and behaviours. He is also developing a series of studies that compares children's learning and perception of information conveyed across different presentation mediums (e.g., digital-screens, books and in-person).
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/frankie-fong
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Renee Adair about End of Life Doulas and how their services provide support, options, and education assisting the needs of those who are facing death.
Renee Adair is the founder and director of the Australian Doula College, the Groundwork Program and the ADC’s charity-arm Doula Heart Network. She first began working with women and babies in 1994 as a massage and Aromatherapist and Reiki Practitioner and in 1998 after the home births of her two biological children she began studying and working as a Doula and Childbirth and Early Parenting Educator.
Renee then worked for the Australian Red Cross at a young women’s health program/refuge in Sydney’s East, setting up both the outreach and childbirth and early parenting education programs for that service.
Working In collaboration, Renee helped produce the first research on Doulas in Australia which was published in the Journal of Perinatal Education in 2013. She has spoken on a variety of radio programmes, at conferences and seminars and is a regular contributor for a range of publications, websites and podcasts.
Renee has worked to change the way we think about Doula support launching an End of Life Doula Training for the College in 2021 with a view for the wider community to see Doula support though a broader lens, supporting all major life transitions, not just in the birthing space.
In 2019 Renee proudly partnered with Charles Darwin University to co facilitate Accredited Doula training for Indigenous women in the remote First Nations community of Galiwin’ku. She now sits on the official Galiwin’ku steering committee to restore Birthing on Country. Renee has sat on the Consumer Advisory Board of the Australian College of Midwives, trained thousands of Doulas and supported hundreds of women, their partners and families through pregnancy, birth, early parenting and end of life over the course of her career.
A fierce advocate for human rights, the proud mother of three adult children and three grandkids, blends her life’s work, spending downtime with her family, friends and fur babies.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/renee-adair
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Michael Duhig about medicinal cannabis trials and research for treating various symptoms in children.
Michael Duhig is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist who has completed post-graduate training in Psychology and Health Management. While completing his studies, Michael developed his clinical skills in government and non-government sectors specifically focused on Child and Youth Mental Health. Michael has experience in counselling children and adolescents experiencing a range of difficulties including anxiety, depression, emotional and behavioural regulation, trauma, and relationship issues.
Being heavily involved in sport and a former international rugby union player, Michael is able to weave physical activity into therapy to engage and benefit clients. Michael is also proficient in academic and cognitive assessments. When not practising clinically, Michael is the Clinical Research Manager for the Centre for Clinical Trials in Rare Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CCTRND) at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. Within this role Michael and the team work to provide novel therapies to clients with rare-genetic conditions.
Outside of these roles, Michael is regularly invited to guest lecture at UQ where he holds an adjunct appointment and also QUT. Michael’s research interests have led to publishing several articles related to Autism, childhood trauma and readmission to inpatient units. Michael is also a panel member of the Mental Health Scholarships Scheme for Allied Health Professionals and serves as the Chair of the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists for Queensland.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-duhig
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Alex Haslam about identity leadership and its implications in social and organisational settings.
Alex Haslam is Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology and Australian Laureate Fellow at the University of Queensland. His research focuses on the study of group and identity processes in organizational, social, and clinical contexts.
Together with colleagues, Alex has written and edited 15 books and published over 300 peer-reviewed articles on these topics. His most recent books are The New Psychology of Health: Unlocking the Social Cure (with Catherine Haslam, Jolanda Jetten, Tegan Cruwys and Genvieve Dingle, Routledge, 2018),The New Psychology of Leadership: Identity, Influence and Power (2nd Ed. with Stephen Reicher & Michael Platow, Psychology Press, 2020), and Social Psychology: Revisiting the Classic Studies (2nd Ed. with Joanne Smith, Sage, 2017).
Alex is a former Chief Editor of the European Journal of Social Psychology and currently Associate Editor of The Leadership Quarterly. In 2005 he won the European Association of Social Psychology's Kurt Lewin Medal for outstanding scientific contribution; in 2013 he won the International Leadership Association's Outstanding Leadership Book Award for The New Psychology of Leadership (with Steve Reicher and Michael Platow); in 2016 he won the British Psychology Society Presidents' Award for distinguished contributions to psychological knowledge; in 2017 he won the International Society for Political Psychology's Sanford Prize for distinguished contributions to political psychology, and the Australian Psychological Society's Workplace Excellence Award for Leadership Development (with Nik Steffens & Kim Peters); in 2018 he won the Australian Psychological Society's Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychological Science.
In 2019 and 2020 Alex was recognised by Publons as a highly-cited cross field researcher. In 2022 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia "for significant service to higher education, particuarly psychology, through research and mentoring".
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alex-haslam
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Gwen Adshead about the psychological mechanisms that give rise to violence and life threatening behaviour toward others.
Dr. Gwen Adshead is one of the UK’s leading forensic psychiatrists and psychotherapists. She has spent thirty years working in Broadmoor, England’s largest secure psychiatric hospital, with groups and individual patients convicted of serious violent offences, as well as with people in prisons and in the community.
Gwen has a Master’s degree in medical law and ethics and has published several academic books and over one hundred papers and commissioned articles on forensic psychotherapy, moral reasoning and ethics, and attachment theory.
She is a founder member of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy and has been a visiting professor at Yale University and Gresham College in the UK.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/gwen-adshead
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Alice Shires about the possible effects of mindfulness training on anger, grief, and chronic pain.
Dr Alice Shires is a Clinical and Research Psychologist, Director of the UTS Psychology Clinic. She was Chair of the Australasian Psychology Clinic Directors association (AAPTC) for over a decade and is a member of the NSW Mental Health Tribunal and Health Professions Council Australia.
She was an inaugural board member of ACPA. She has long been involved in research and development of teaching, supervision and training in clinical psychology. Particularly in the areas of ethical and professional practice, the process of supervision and assessment of competencies in clinical psychology, and the inclusion of mindfulness training in the Clinical Psychology training process.
She has established the Mindfulness-integrated Research Clinic at UTS and her PhD research includes the efficacy of Mindfulness interventions in chronic pain. Alice is a training adviser at the Institute of MiCBT and a senior trainer of MiCBT. She has recently, co-development of the Equanimity scale 16 and co-authored The Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness‐integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (Wiley, 2018). She is a long standing Vipassana meditation practitioner and yoga teacher.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alice-shires
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Tanya Cole-Lesnick about how transformation can't take place without discomfort.
Tanya Cole-Lesnick has been a licensed clinical social worker since 1995, after receiving her master’s degree in social work from New York University. She has extensive experience in both outpatient hospital mental health and private practice settings.
Tanya’s role at the Lighthouse is both as Director of Client Programs and as psychotherapist. In her role as Director of Client Programs, she focuses on the vision of what the Lighthouse offers to clients—always striving for the most impactful, innovative, and effective offerings. With that intention in mind, she works to ensure that communication amongst the Lighthouse team and flow of work with clients goes as smoothly as possible.
In her role as psychotherapist, Tanya helps people to address issues related to anxiety, depression, relationships, careers, self-esteem, life transitions, day-to-day habits, and life satisfaction. Her specialty is in creating a safe, shame-free environment for her clients to share the sacred, very personal, stories of their lives as they explore their own growth and healing.
Her primary focus is in helping people to identify and move towards their best lives by getting clear about what does and does not serve them, where they’re stuck, what the lives they dream of look like, and making changes accordingly. Change, of course, can be challenging, and Tanya supports that process along the way with the various services she offers to help her clients achieve success with the transitions they long for.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/tanya-cole-lesnick
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Cassandra Chapman about the psychology of charitable giving, trust in nonprofits, and public responses to charity scandals.
Dr Cassandra Chapman holds a PhD in the psychology of charitable giving (University of Queensland) and is now an Associate Professor of Marketing and ARC DECRA Fellow, specialised in donor psychology and fundraising.
Having come to academia with a background in nonprofit marketing, Cassandra’s research focuses on the psychology of charitable giving, trust in nonprofits, and public responses to charity scandals. She uses diverse methods to understand when and why donors are more (or less) willing to give to particular causes and the implications such preferences have for how charities communicate.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/cassandra-chapman
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Michael Noetel about effective altruism, existential risk, and decision-making
Michael Noetel is a psychologist and an academic trying to find the best way of helping others, and to then put them into practice. He’s an awarded educator, including awards from the Australian Awards for University Teaching.
He’s a prolific early career researcher with over 30 publications in the last 4 years. He’s a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland and is the Chair of Effective Altruism Australia, a charity trying to help Australian donors to do the most good with their donations.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-noetel
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Annabelle Neall about the effects of bullying and harassment in organisational settings.
Dr Annabelle Neall is a Lecturer of Organisational Psychology at the University of Queensland. Her research aims to tackle negative workplace behaviour through bystander intervention and psychosocial risk management. Her work has been translated into practical solutions designed to optimise the psychosocial hazard assessment and management in organisations such as SA Health, Correctional Services NSW, and the Department of Infrastructure and Transport. She has published a wide range of highly cited peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and reports, and collaborates with national and international research partners to solve theoretical and practical problems in the workplace safety and wellbeing space.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/annabelle-neall
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Jolanda Jetten about the consequences of economic inequality for the social and political vitality of society.
Jolanda Jetten (PhD, University of Amsterdam, 1997) is Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Queensland. She has been employed as an ARC Future Fellowship, UQ Development Fellowship and was recently awarded the 2018 Belgian Francqui fellowship and an ARC Laureate Fellowship (2019-2013).
Her research is concerned with group processes, social identity and intergroup relations, as represented by her most recent books: Together apart: The psychology of COVID-19 (with S. Reicher, S.A. Haslam, and T. Cruwys; Sage, 2020), The wealth Paradox: Economic prosperity and the hardening of attitudes towards minorities (with Frank Mols; Cambridge University Press, 2017) and The New Psychology of Health: Unlocking the Social Cure (with Catherine Haslam, Tegan Cruwys, Genevieve Dingle and Alex Haslam; Psychology Press, 2018). She has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles, over 40 chapters and 10 books.
Jolanda is the former co-Chief Editor of the British Journal of Social Psychology and former co-Chief Editor of Social Issues and Policy Review. She was awarded the British Psychological Society Spearman Medal in 2004, the Kurt Lewin Medal from the European Association of Social Psychology in 2014, and the Life-time Achievement Award from the European Association of Social Psychology in 2020. Jolanda is the former President of the Society of Australasian Social Psychology (SASP), and the Australasian Society for Philosophy and Psychology (ASPP) and serves on the ARC College of Experts. She was elected as fellow of the Association of Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) in 2015.
She also serves as an expert on the BETA academic panel (Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government in Prime Minister & Cabinet).
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jolanda-jetten
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with James Kirby about examining Compassion Focused Therapy and his book entitled ‘Choose Compassion’.
James N. Kirby, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer, Clinical Psychologist, and the Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group at the University of Queensland. He has broad research interests in compassion, but specifically examines factors that facilitate and inhibit compassionate responding.
He also examines the clinical effectiveness of compassion focused interventions, specifically in how they help with self-criticism and shame that underpin many depression and anxiety disorders. James also holds a Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and is an Honorary Member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation UK.
In 2022 he authored Choose Compassion, and in 2020 he co-edited Making an Impact on Mental Health. He serves as an Associate Editor for two international journals Mindfulness and Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/james-kirby
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Michael Sugrue about his new best selling book entitled RELENTLESS COURAGE: Winning the Battle Against Frontline Trauma.
Michael Sugrue is a retired police sergeant with the City of Walnut Creek with over 14 years of service including specialized assignments as a Field Training Officer, SIU Detective and Undercover Special Agent assigned to California Department of Justice Drug Task Force.
Before becoming a police officer, Michael served 6 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Captain (Security Forces) specializing in Global Force Protection, Anti-Terrorism, Air Base Ground Defense, Nuclear Security and Law Enforcement.
As a new police sergeant, Michael encountered a situation that was not only tragic and surreal but it was a call for duty that changed his life forever. Michael found himself in reckless abandon and on the verge of self-destruction until he mustered the courage to ask for help.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-sugrue-2
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kristy Goodwin about practical brain-based hacks to tame tech habits and strategies to decode the neurobiology of peak performance in the technological era.
Dr Kristy Goodwin is one of Australia’s leading digital wellbeing and performance experts (and mum who also deals with her kids’ techno-tantrums!) She’s a researcher, author, speaker and media commentator who provides science-backed solutions to optimise wellbeing and productivity in a digital world.
Kristy draws on cutting-edge neuroscience and research to explain the profound impacts technology has on our performance and health, without prescribing digital detoxes and going #laptopless. Kristy worked as an educator before becoming an academic and speaker.
She’s worked with clients including Apple, Westfield, Bank of Queensland, Macquarie Bank, Foxtel, the National Broadband Network, JP Morgan, McDonalds, NSW Department of Education and Optus. She’s spoken at national and international conferences, schools, workplaces and medical conferences throughout Australia. Kristy’s on a mission to empower people to foster healthy and realistic digital behaviours that support peak performance and wellbeing.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kiristy-goodwin
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kirrilie Smout about the common elements of mental health treatment planning for children and adults.
Kirrilie Smout is a qualified clinical psychologist specialising in working children and teenagers about finding a life vision, creating community among each other, persistence, self-belief, study skills and overcoming obstacles. Kirrilie has presented at several National youth leadership forums, national adolescent health conferences and has spoken to approximately 20,000 young people across Australia. She has achieved the second highest speaking accreditation recognised by the National Speakers Association of Australia, and is one of only 10 in South Australia to have done so.
Kirrilie also speaks to parents, teachers and youth leaders about youth issues in Australia; focusing on young people's needs and desires, and how to inspire and effectively lead young people. In 2000 she was awarded the Australian National Speakers Association "Rising Star" award for most promising emerging speaker. In 2001, Kirrilie toured the United States (sponsored by the Australian Youth Foundation) researching American suicide prevention and life skill programs for teenagers.
Kirrilie has recently published her first book, The Years that Count: Maximising Motivation, Marks and Optimism in Senior School students. She has recently been asked to present the content of this book at an Australian/New Zealand Adolescent Development conference.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kirrilie-smout
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Piers Steel about how procrastination shows up in one's life and the related forces that make it irresistible.
Piers Steel likes to think he is among the world’s foremost researchers and speakers on the science of motivation and procrastination. Well, he is a Distinguished Research Chair at the University of Calgary, where he teaches human resources and organizational dynamics at the Haskayne School of Business. His research has appeared in several outlets around the world, ranging from Psychology Today and New Scientist to Good Housekeeping and The New Yorker. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, with his wife and two sons.
Aside from being a practicing procrastinator from an early age, Piers started formally studying the phenomenon while getting his doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Working with Dr. Thomas Brothen, he had access to a class administered through a Computerized Personalized System of Instruction, an arrangement that allows students to progress through a course at their own pace but is well known for creating high levels of procrastination.
Also, being a computerized course meant that every stitch of work that the students completed had a time-date stamp exact to the second. It is an ideal setting for studying procrastination. On top of this, Piers also applied meta-analysis to the study of procrastination, a technique for mathematically summarizing all previous research done on the topic (some 800 previous studies). Together, these techniques provided the results for his PhD thesis “The Nature and Measurement of Procrastination.”
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/piers-steel
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Associate Professor Alan Pegna about cognitive neuroscience and clinical neuropsychology.
Alan Pegna is a neuropsychologist whose interests lie in the field of cognitive neuroscience and clinical neuropsychology. After receiving a Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Geneva (Switzerland) and a second Masters degree in Human Physiology from University College London (UK), he obtained his PhD from the University of Geneva, using brain imaging techniques to study spatial processing in both healthy controls and brain-damaged patients.
He worked for over 20 years as a clinical neuropsychologist at Geneva University Hospital, and as an academic at the University of Geneva, where he supervised numerous research projects in the field of visual processing, again in healthy participants and in persons with focal brain lesions.
He joined UQ in 2015, where he now explores the neural basis of visual and spatial processing of emotional stimuli. More specifically, using EEG, he examines the brain's response to different facial expressions, as well as to faces that vary in their perceived approachability (e.g., their apparent trustwothiness). When possible, these studies are also carried out with brain-damaged individuals, in order to investigate the role of particular brain regions in these processes.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alan-pegna
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Steven Hayes about Process Based Therapy, psychiatric medications, and other global issues relating to mental health.
Dr Steven C. Hayes is Nevada Foundation Professor in the Behavior Analysis program at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of 44 books and nearly 600 scientific articles, his career has focused on an analysis of the nature of human language and cognition and the application of this to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering. He is the developer of Relational Frame Theory, an account of human higher cognition, and has guided its extension to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a popular evidence-based form of psychotherapy that uses mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based methods.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/steven-hayes-2
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Debbie Anderson about her experience practicing as a neuropsychologist.
Debbie Anderson works exclusively as a clinical neuropsychologist. She trained at the University of Melbourne and has practised in Queensland since completing her course in 1989. She initially worked in public hospital settings before moving into full time private work. She evaluates clients both at the referral of treating doctors and as an independent expert in medicolegal cases (personal injuries civil matters and cognitive aspects of capacity to stand trial in criminal matters). She enjoys the challenge of fully evaluating complex cases, and had given evidence in legal proceedings on a number of occasions.
She has several publications and conference presentations related to this work, which demonstrate her commitment to evidence-based practise. Debbie is also very active in the Australian Psychological Society, and most recently chaired the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists annual conference November 2018 and is currently the chair of the Qld Section of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists.
She is passionate about training the next generation of professionals, so supervises new graduates (registrars) in her practise and undertakes casual lecturing at a university in Brisbane, lecturing the students in clinical neuropsychology and assessment skills.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/debbie-anderson
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Maggie Dent about the healthy, common-sense raising of children in order to strengthen families and communities.
Maggie Dent is an author, educator, and parenting and resilience specialist with a particular interest in the early years and adolescence. Commonly known as the “queen of common sense” she is also an undisputed ‘boy champion’.
Maggie’s experience includes teaching, counselling, and working in palliative care/funeral services and suicide prevention. She is an advocate for the healthy, common-sense raising of children in order to strengthen families and communities. She is a passionate, positive voice for children of all ages.
Maggie is the host of the popular ABC podcast, Parental As Anything. She is the author of nine major books, plus several e-books and other resources for parents, adolescents, teachers and early childhood educators, and others who are interested in quietly improving their lives. Maggie is the mother of four sons and a very grateful grandmother.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/maggie-dent
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr David Demmer about the mental health challenges of the LGBTIQ+ community.
Dr David Demmer is a clinical psychologist based in Melbourne, Australia. He is a respected therapist and speaker with expertise in gender and sexual diversity, self-worth, and resilience. He is the founder and practice director of Wellington Street Psychology, a leading psychology practice in St Kilda. Through his dynamic and authentic approach to psychological wellbeing, he leads a team committed to delivering high-quality mental health support to clients.
Dave is the current chair of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists Victoria Section and a consultant to Movember as a Subject Matter Expert in mental health.
He previously lectured in psychology at Deakin University, where he chaired counselling units and was the principal researcher on numerous projects. He continues to bring his experience to numerous research projects. As a respected mental health speaker and expert, Dave regularly presents for media and other organisations.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/david-demmer
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Adam Ferrier about behavioural economics and the role of consumer psychology.
Adam Ferrier is a consumer psychologist and the global chief strategy officer and partner at independent agency Cummins & Partners. Adam is a regular commentator on consumer behaviour on TV and radio, including a regular spot on ABC’s Gruen series.
Adam Ferrier is a multi-award winning advertising creative and founder of the agency Thinkerbell. He is also a leading Australian consumer psychologist, an expert brand strategist and an authority on Behavioural Economics.
Adam is the author of The Advertising Effect and part of The Australian Creatives’ Power 20; a regular on the Gruen series and has featured on The Project, Celebrity Apprentice and ABC Radio.
A dynamic, insightful keynote speaker, he hands delegates the keys to sky rocketed motivation – whether to buy, perform or change – through cognitive behavioural psychology and a deep understanding of behavioural economics.
He is also chair of the APS consumer psychology interest group. His book, The Advertising Effect: How to Change Behaviour, was published in 2014.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/adam-ferrier
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Alan Davis about evidenced-based treatments such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.
Dr. Alan K Davis is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at The Ohio State University and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Psychedelic Research Unit at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Davis’s clinical experience includes working with people diagnosed with trauma-based psychological problems such as addiction, PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
His clinical expertise includes providing evidenced-based treatments such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. Consistent with his clinical interests, his research interests and expertise focus on contributing to the knowledge of and ability to help those suffering with substance use and mental health problems, understanding how to improve clinical outcomes through examining new treatments, and developing ways to conceptualize substance use and mental health problems through a strengths-based approach.
Psychedelic research focuses on clinical trials with psilocybin for people with depression and exploring psychological mechanisms by which psilocybin improves mental health and functioning. Upcoming studies include exploring the use of short-acting psychedelics in laboratory and naturalistic settings and assessing the application of psychedelics in vulnerable populations including people of color who have experienced racial trauma and native Spanish-speaking individuals.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alan-davis
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Matthew Sanders about development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of population based approaches to parenting and family interventions.
Matthew Sanders is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of the Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University of Queensland. He has been an consulting Professor at The University of Manchester, a visiting Professor at the University of South Carolina, and has held adjunct Professorships at Glasgow Caledonian University and The University of Auckland.
As the founder of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, Professor Sanders is considered a world leader in the development, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of population based approaches to parenting and family interventions. Triple P is currently in use in 35 countries worldwide. Professor Sanders’ work has been widely recognised by his peers as reflected a number of prestigious awards.
In 2007, he received the Australian Psychological Society’s President’s Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychology and in 2004 he received an International Collaborative Prevention Science award from the Society for Prevention Research in the US. In 2007 he received a Trailblazers Award from the Parenting and Families Special Interest Group in the Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapy and in 2008 was became a fellow of the New Zealand Psychological Society.
Professor Sanders has also won a Distinguished Career Award from the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, was named Honorary President of the Canadian Psychological Association (2009), and Queenslander of the Year (2007). He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, the Australian Psychological Society, the New Zealand Psychological Society and the Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. He received a Queensland Greats Award from the Queensland Government in 2018.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/matthew-sanders
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Sally Kenney about promoting mental health education and contributing to policy development in schools.
Sally Kenney is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist who has worked in Catholic and Independent schools since 2005. She strives to support schools to be places where young people can thrive and achieve their potential. Sally combines one-on-one student support with teacher and parent consultation, policy and curriculum development, school program design and implementation and staff professional development. She has presented to parent groups and professional bodies.
Sally is a Fellow of the College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists and a member of the National Committee of the CEDP, contributing to the CEDP Advocacy Working Group. Sally also is a Board-Approved supervisor, providing supervision to registrars, registered psychologists and Masters students, and is an honorary Fellow of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/sally-kenney
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Richard Hill and Matthew Dahlitz about their new book, The Practitioner's Guide to the Science of Psychotherapy.
Richard Hill, MA, MEd, MBMSc, DPC, has emerged from a diverse and fascinating journey to become an innovative speaker on the mind, brain and the human condition. From an early career in the creative arts, Richard returned to intellectual studies at 42 (1996) beginning with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in linguistics. This triggered a curiosity that led to a diploma in counselling and a new career in psychotherapy.
Studying continued and he has added three Masters degrees – an MA in Social Ecology; an MEd in Social Ecology; and a Masters in Brain and Mind Sciences (MBMSc) from Sydney University. Richard is also fortunate to be mentored by the esteemed Ernest Rossi PhD who has invited Richard into the International Psychosocial Genomics Research Team to study the impact of therapeutic practice on the genetic level.
Matthew Dahlitz is both university trained and an autodidactic, whose knowledge spans across the arts, technology, psychology, neuroscience, emergency medicine, and business. Studied psychology at the University of Queensland and gained a Master of Counselling postgraduate degree – now a specialist in neuropsychotherapy and the Editor-in-Chief of The Neuropsychotherapist, has taught post-graduate courses in neuropsychotherapy, and is author of the book The Psychotherapists’s Essential Guide to the Brain.
Matthew, like Richard, has a musical bent, having studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in both music technology and master of composition – having scored for film and produced a number of albums of original music he has also been a producer in a film production company. Matthew has also been an Advanced Care Paramedic for a decade, managed commercial property and property development projects in the tens of millions of dollars, is the Editor-in-Chief of the technology magazine Age of Robots, covering the technology and the social and psychological impacts of this second machine age, and runs a media and publishing company with an emphasis on cutting edge science and technology. Matt’s life is rather full!
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/richard-hill-matt-dahlitz
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Kenneth Pakenham about the processes that foster personal growth in the context of health adversities and the power of embracing inner pain.
Kenneth Pakenham, PhD, is an Emeritus Professor of clinical and health psychology in the School of Psychology at The University of Queensland, Australia. His research and clinical practice in psychology spans 40 years.
Inspired by the resilience of some people with serious illnesses, he has committed much of his career to investigating the processes that foster personal growth in the context of health adversities, and to translating his findings into interventions that help people live fully with illness. This passion has driven his empirical, theoretical and translational research, curriculum development, and clinical training and supervision.
Importantly, his work has included not only the person with chronic illness, but also his or her network, particularly the carer. Through his 160+ publications, over 70 conference presentations, 3 research awards, and more than 3 million dollars of competitive grant funding, he has become a leader in the application of positive health frameworks to several chronic illnesses, and to caregiving in these contexts. His research has helped to inform government policies, particularly those related to carers, and establish interventions and assessment protocols within government and community services.
The "living fully with illness" theme integrates his early research in stress/coping theory, his mid-career shift to incorporate the rise of positive psychology, and his current and future focus on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Using ACT to extend his research on living fully with illness has also invigorated his teaching. He developed the first ACT university course in Australia. This course integrates training in therapist competencies and self-care skills and shows published empirical evidence of fostering competent and resilient clinicians.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kenneth-pakenham
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Virginia Slaughter about the controversial topic of whether newborns have the ability to imitate.
Virginia Slaughter is Professor of Psychology at the University of Queensland, Australia, where she founded the Early Cognitive Development Centre.
Her research focuses on social and cognitive development in infants and young children, with particular emphasis on social behaviour in infancy, theory-of-mind development and the acquisition of peer interaction skills. She is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/virginia-slaughter
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Winnifred R. Louis about ways on how to create a successful activism campaign.
Winnifred R. Louis is a Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland. Her research interests focus on the influence of identity and norms on social decision-making.
She has studied this broad topic in contexts from politics and community activism to health and environmental choices. She is a Fellow of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, a Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society.
Winnifred has served or is serving on the editorial board of journals including Peace and Conflict: The Journal of Peace Psychology, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Social and Political Psychology, and Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression.
She is a member of numerous professional associations including the Centre for Research in Social Psychology, at the University of Queensland; the Association for Psychological Science; the Society for Personality and Social Psychology; and the Society for Australasian Social Psychology.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/winnifred-louis
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Eli Kotler about the use of psychedelics as a therapeutic aid to trauma and addiction.
Dr Eli Kotler is a consultant psychiatrist, holds an academic position at Monash University through the Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, and is the medical director of Malvern Private Hospital, the first addiction hospital in Australia. He is a member of the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs (APSAD). Clinically, Eli is interested in the deep connections between trauma and addiction and works within a neuro-psychoanalytic framework.
Dr Eli has overseen the development of a clinical program for addictions focused on trauma, particularly developmental trauma. This has led to an interest in medication-assisted trauma therapy. Eli worked for many years researching neurodegenerative diseases and was the principle investigator on numerous trials for novel therapeutics. He is founding member of the Melbourne Neuropsychoanalytic Group and welcomes new members. Through involvement with Monash University, Eli oversees the addiction rotation for medical students.
Dr Eli graduated from the first intake of the Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies (CPAT) in June 2021. He has also been recently appointed as the Principal Investigator to lead Emyria’s upcoming MDMA trial.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/eli-kotler
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Lyn Worsley about understanding, practicing, and developing resilience.
Lyn Worsley is the author and director of the Resilience Doughnut. As a clinical psychologist and registered nurse, her experience in a number of contexts such as hospitals, correctional facilities, child care, schools and allied health care services, informs her application of the model. She is a dynamic teacher and psychologist with a practical edge to her use of research and theory.
Training as well as therapy are key strengths for Lyn, working with over 200 schools, business, corporate and community organisations to build personal resilience, helping people to flourish and thrive.
Lyn is also the director of the Resilience Centre in Sydney Australia, which has a reputation for innovative solution-focused approaches to client change through individual and group therapies for over 21 years. At the Resilience Centre, Lyn supervises specialist psychologists, and coordinates community seminars, training workshops, and resilience groups for people of all ages.
Lyn has a dynamic style of relating and teaching across disciplines, and her teaching focus is on personal application to enhance learning. She is also the author of “The Resilience Doughnut Book – The Secret of Strong Kids” and “The Resilience Doughnut Book – The Secret of Strong Adults”.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/lyn-worsley
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Celin Gelgec about treating obsessive compulsive disorder and other related disorders including anxiety and depression.
Dr Celin Gelgec is a clinical psychologist and the director of Melbourne Wellbeing Group. She works with people affected by obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and other related disorders including anxiety (social anxiety, generalised anxiety, agoraphobia, health anxiety and panic disorder), and depression.
Her interest in OCD began in 2010 while undertaking the Clinical doctorate program at Deakin University. After her final placement with the OCD inpatient program at The Melbourne Clinic, she remained with the program for another four years. During this time, she honed her knowledge and skills and developed treatment programs using exposure and response prevention, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy. While working concurrently in private practice at Melbourne Wellbeing Group, she expanded her experience to include virtual reality in treatment as well as conducting assessments for behavioural and educational purposes. In addition to conducting research into OCD’s impact on lives, Celin also supervises clinicians and students, runs lectures for university students, as well as professional workshops for psychologists, healthcare professionals and students regarding the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of OCD. Celin is also the author of a treatment manual she wrote called Treating OCD: A Clinician's Guide to Getting Unstuck.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/celin-gelgec
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Joe Coyne about the Circle of Security Parenting Course and The Attachment Theory.
Joe Coyne has worked for 20 years in the area of child and family psychology. He is particularly interested in the developmental processes involved in healthy outcomes and the impacts of parenting and life events on personal trajectories.
In recent years he has been exploring the benefits of incorporating attachment theory and research into contemporary treatment approaches for parents, children and adults. Joe Coordinates the Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) at QUT and he is an Endorsed Clinical Psychologist and Endorsed Educational and Developmental Psychologist.
In the past he has worked in Health services delivering family and parenting interventions, and supervising clinical staff, and prior to that in a trauma focused family service. He is an accredited therapist and supervisor for the Circle of Security Intervention.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/joe-coyne
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Joel Sardi about regaining the quality of life after spinal cord injury.
Joel Sardi had a fall and broke his C2 & C5, T3, T4 AND T5 vertebrae, also breaking his sternum on the 31st of August 2014. The injury caused irreparable spinal cord damage. He underwent a 6 hour surgery after the accident where the surgeons were able to stabilise his neck fractures and prevent any further spinal cord damage by inserting a titanium cage and fusing C4 to C6. Joel is classified as a “C-5'“ Quadriplegic.
The injury that night left Joel a C5 quadriplegic, meaning that there are still some messages getting through the spinal cord and the extent of his recovery is unknown. Joel is paralysed from the shoulders down, has no movement in his legs and his upper body can only activate his biceps, forearms and wrists.
With the injury originally occurring in Adelaide where Joel was working, he was brought to the Royal Adelaide Hospital where he stayed for 10 days, before being airlifted to Melbourne's Austin Hospital. He spent the next 12 months at The Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Hospital where he underwent extensive rehab sessions to further improve his skills and learn to adjust to life as a quadriplegic before moving home in August 2015.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/joel-sardi
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Louise Byrne about the lived experience workforce development, better access to mental health services, and all about mental health issues we have today.
Dr Louise Byrne is a Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow at RMIT. Previously Louise was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholarship and inaugural RMIT Fulbright fellowship, to conduct research on the Lived Experience mental health workforce in the United States. Louise’s Fulbright research was based at Yale University, where she holds an adjunct position.
Louise is recognised internationally as a thought leader in the area of Lived Experience mental health workforce development. Louise has over 30 journal publications on this topic and has been awarded several times for outstanding contributions to research and teaching, held expert/advisory roles with State and National Mental Health Commissions and led policy development at State and National levels, including the National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines.
Louise, is a translational researcher with deep knowledge of organisational issues relevant to Lived Experience employment. Louise specialises in highly inclusive engagement and collaboration with diverse stakeholders. Louise's work is informed and shaped by her on-going relationships with industry and a commitment to meaningful, timely and impactful research. Louise's own experiences of mental health diagnosis, service use and periods of healing, as well as working in a variety of Lived Experience roles, form the perspective from which she works.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/louise-byrne
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Scott Harris about the physical and mental challenges of living with an injured brain.
Scott B Harris is a keynote speaker, author, and resilience expert.
In 2008, Scott was involved in a motorbike accident that caused lasting injuries including a Traumatic Brain Injury.
This was due to a severe Closed Head Injury, which resulted in extensive facial fractures, requiring a facial reconstruction. To reconstruct his face, 11 titanium plates were bolted to his skull. The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was so severe that he sustained extremely severe Frontal Lobe Damage and shearing of the brain.
This has left Scott with paralysis on the right side of his body from shoulder to toes, causing major instability issues. He also has a Brachial Plexus injury to his right arm involving three severed nerves.
After the accident, rehab became Scott’s full-time job – a job he took very seriously.
The intense physical and mental rehabilitation which he continues to this day is the reason he is still alive and has achieved so much.
Scott has discovered that setting and achieving goals, both mental and physical, keeps you looking forward rather than backwards and fills you with purpose.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/scott-harris
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Gaj Ravichandra about developing mental toughness and increasing mental resilience.
Gaj Ravichandra is a mindset and leadership coach, organizational psychologist, and co-founder and Managing Partner at Kompass Consultancy.
Gaj is a highly sought-after performance coach recognized for his effective leadership training techniques and passion for helping clients reach higher potential. For 20 years, Gaj has worked with leading organizations and individuals to enhance productivity, maximize performance, and accelerate growth.
As a registered psychologist, Gaj leans on his psychology training to deliver the most effective evidence-based solutions to his clients. Gaj leads individuals, sporting teams, and educational institutions to success with cutting-edge learning techniques and disruptive growth strategies that are proven to enhance potential and performance.
Recognized as an authority in peak performance and mental toughness, Gaj has spearheaded and contributed to countless programs, including executive coaching, career transitioning, mental toughness performance coaching, talent management and executive talent acquisition, employee engagement, and mentoring.
Gaj has extensive global experience, having delivered best-in-class training to clients in Australia, Middle East, Levant, UK, Europe, and Asia. His industry experience covers a wide range of sectors, including telecom, finance, healthcare, aviation, technology, industrial, consulting, retail, education, government, and oil and gas.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/gaj-ravichandra
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Christopher Love about Erectile Dysfunction and how much this condition can take a toll on men’s mental health.
Dr Christopher Love is one of Australia’s most experienced Urological Surgeons, and the foremost Penile Implant and Peyronie’s Disease Surgeon in Australia. With over 35 years’ experience, Dr Love is known throughout the industry and by his patients as a caring, thoroughly professional and experienced surgeon with exceptional outcomes.
Dr Love specialises in Erectile Dysfunction Treatment including Penile Implant Surgery, Peyronie’s Disease and Penile Curvature, Enlarged Prostate (BPH) treatment including Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapies (MIST), and other urological conditions and issues related to sexual health, prostate, bladder, kidneys, no-scalpel vasectomy, and general urology issues like urinary bleeding, stones and scrotal problems.
Dr Christopher Love graduated from Monash University, Australia, in 1978. He spent his early training years in Melbourne, Australia before moving to Sydney, Australia to commence training as a urologist. He completed his Urology training in Melbourne in 1986, and then did post-fellowship training in San Francisco., USA.
He became involved in Men’s Health in 1987 and has been a major penile implant surgeon in Australia since that time and is now the highest volume implant surgeon in Australia. He is regarded as a leading national expert in the field of prosthetic urology.
Dr Love is a mentor for International urologists who choose to come and do a post-graduate Fellowship programme with Dr. Love. Dr Love has trained urologists from USA, Canada, Israel and England. These urologists spend one year with Dr Love and his colleagues learning about the latest treatments and operations in his sub-speciality field.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/christopher-love
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Jon Lieff about how it’s our cells communicating with each other that causes feelings, sickness, thoughts, and diseases in our bodies.
Dr. Jon Lieff is a neuropsychiatrist with a BA in Mathematics from Yale University and an MD from Harvard Medical School. He pioneered the creation of integrated treatment units that focus on complex patients with combined medical, psychiatric, and neurological problems.
For ten years, Dr. Lieff has produced a weekly blog, called Searching for the Mind, where he summarized the latest scientific findings in brain science, immunology, molecular biology, animal intelligence, plant intelligence, microbes including viruses, and cellular intelligence.
Dr. Lieff has written and edited multiple books and has lectured widely over the years on a variety of subjects. His recently published book, The Secret Language of Cells, is the result of his years of work researching scientific literature for his blog. The book has received excellent reviews and endorsements, including Andrew Weil, MD who called it "a new paradigm for health and disease" and Ray Kurzweil who said "it is a must-read for anyone to understand modern biology and advanced medical science"
Furthermore, he is an expert and innovator in developing specialized, innovative treatment programs for brain-injured patients and is able to make complex scientific information easy to understand.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jon-lieff
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Prof Angela Martin about promoting workplace positivity and how we can actively manage mental health issues in the workplace.
Angela Martin is a Professorial Research Fellow of Work & Mental Health, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, and an Adjunct Professor of Management, School of Business and Economics, at the University of Tasmania. She is also a Director and the founder of Pracademia, a knowledge translation consultancy organisation.
Her PhD is in the area of industrial and organisational psychology and she is well known nationally and internationally for her research on mental health in the context of working life and for developing mental health management capabilities in leaders, managers and employees.
She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and been an investigator on several nationally competitive funded research grants for studies of interventions that aim to create healthier working environments. Her consulting work has been undertaken in diverse settings including government, small businesses, large corporations, blue collar occupations, first responder and not for profit organisations.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/angela-martin
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Michael Ronin about masculinity and the challenges of the modern men.
Michael Ronin is an interdisciplinary cultural commentator, pulling together the threads of an unraveling world to provide clarity amidst all the Crazy. If there is a single objective truth, then it is found between many different trains of thought. Therefore, he generates insights that shed light onto that “truth” from diverse angles and viewpoints.
He’s spent a large proportion of his adult life trying to see the world as it really is and coming to his own conclusions. Conclusions about everything he’s been told or have learned from others.
Most people, especially nowadays through their social media preferences, live in an echo chamber. Strangely, he finds there aren’t enough groups or people out there whose thinking is closely mirrored by his own. He finds himself constantly and intentionally challenging his thinking by reading and reviewing stuff from all over the informational map. He digests as much as possible from as wide an array of rock-solid sources as he can, picking and choosing those that make the most sense to him, and then synthesizing it all into something coherent.
As he ingests information and perspectives, he tries to accept and acknowledge his own limited ability to fully understand everything and, instead, embrace a growth mindset, however flawed or imperfect he might be at any moment. He is at war with his level of ignorance. He’s deeply concerned with society and our shared journey together as a species and in particular how it affects men.
Even in western cultures, society is “not fit for human consumption.” It in no way works for the benefit of the vast majority of people. He’s both fascinated and disturbed about how the world is screwed up, how it got to be screwed up, how he got to be screwed up, and the parts we all play in creating the best conditions for people and planet.
Something seems to have reached a tipping point in our collective consciousness, and people are becoming distressingly polarized and hysterical, if not basket cases. The causal factors for our predicament are, for the most part, available for those who care to look but are largely relegated to the fringe. More than this, he’s speaking out because so many people don’t know they’re being lied to. And they don’t know that they are being manipulated and conditioned in such a way that distracts themfrom realizing their true nature and living harmoniously with each other.
Michael feels bereft at the state of the world right now. He feels the cruelty of unconsciousness in this world and the harm it causes. This is the creature from the Black Lagoon that lurks unrecognized by most. He’s also here to speak the truth which, by its very nature, is belligerent— because it stands squarely against a world built on comfortable misperceptions, mild deceptions, and outright lies. The uncomfortable truth stands squarely at the side of the conscious man as his ally in life.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-ronin
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Michael Leiter about improving work engagement and combatting burnout.
Dr. Michael P. Leiter is Professor of Organisational Psychology at Deakin University in Melbourne Australia. He previously held the Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health at Acadia University. He has published widely on job burnout, work engagement, and workplace civility.
His recent initiatives have focused on improving the quality of worklife through enhancing the level of civility and respect among colleagues. His intervention work on improving respect and civility at work has demonstrated a close link of improved collegiality with greater engagement with work. His most recent book with Cary Cooper is the The Routledge Companion to Wellbeing at Work.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-leiter
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Arnold Bakker about work engagement, job crafting, playful work design, job stress and burnout, strengths use, and topics about work life balance.
Arnold Bakker, PhD. is Full Professor at the Department of Work and Organizational Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He is President of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, and a fellow of the American Psychological Society. In addition, he is Adjunct Professor at Lingnan University (Hong Kong), Distinguished Visting Professor at the University of Johannesburg (South Africa), and Extraordinary Professor at North-West University (South Africa).
His research interests include positive organizational behavior (e.g., job crafting, playful work design, flow and engagement at work), job demands–resources theory, burnout, work-family balance, and crossover of work-related emotions.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/arnold-bakker
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Roy Sugarman about the role of biological perspective in psychology and how those two worlds are coming together.
Dr Roy Sugarman is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society's Colleges of Clinical Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology, member of the Royal Charter of Psychologists in the UK, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Neuropsychology and Faculty of Paediatric Neuropsychology, and a member of the American Psychological Association.
In the USA he is on the advisory boards of several USA-based entities: as Neuroscience lead with Social Health Innovations and Transhuman Inc, (Sydney and Delaware), Mind Experts International (Fla), as well as directing Applied Neuroscience in the Performance Innovation Team of EXOS (Az). In this last capacity he served as a mindset coach with the USA National Men's Soccer Team, as well as providing support for various Olympic and Club level athletes in multiple sporting settings including the USF athletes and US Military Special Forces personnel. He served as an advisor to FC11 in Australia and Neurodynamic Vision in Atlanta USA. He is a foundation member and Head Neuroscientist for education technology company BoxMedia in the UK and USA. In his role with Social Health Innovations, he is co-creator of Be A Looper, and Looper Enterprise, two award-winning apps addressing the issue of suicide in mental health settings. With Mobecom Ltd in Sydney, he developed the neuroscience model behind LifeIQ, SeventeenHundred, Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology Club, Altius Life, FiiTR.me and related health apps.
He is the author of two acclaimed books, “Saving your life one day at a time”, and "Client-centred coaching: A trainer and coach's guide to motivating clients" (3rd ed), the latter with commentary by PTAGlobal in the USA, now their standard textbook for training their clients in engagement skills. He is a contributor to various other works, including The Hecht Effect by Steve Hecht, and Every Day is Game Day, by Mark Verstegen and The Road to Nowhere by Allan Munn. He has had input into major corporations' corporate health including programs at IBM, Intel, Sheraton, Walgreens, Cisco, Sony, SAP, Wesfarmers, Google, Johnson and Johnson, Optum/United Health Group, Union Pacific Railroad, KFC, Qantas, Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association and others, historically including Aviva and Singapore Armed Forces, Sun Life in Manila and Orix in Japan, as well as FWD, Cigna, Ogilvy, Mazlo, Fitness First, Primal Fitness, Department of Education and the Environment, and other corporates and organisations worldwide.
Dr Sugarman's clinical work continues in traumatic brain injury, trauma, mood and anxiety, and autism spectrum disorders in children and adults, and he serves as an Adjunct Clinical Lecturer in Psychiatry at UNSW, assisting with the assessment of candidates for medicine and research into best practice in medical education. With numerous publications, Dr Sugarman has developed an integrated approach to achieving peak performance in both body and brain, contributing to the current state of the art in both rehabilitation and peak performance circles: showcased in his books and in the well received TV series, Body and Brain Overall on OneHD and Channel 10. His online program "The neuroscience of Peak Performance", produced by EXOS Presents in the USA, has received critical acclaim. He has contributed to other EXOS Works presentations promoting best practice in professional coaching circles and is currently developing a novel approach to using Values-based methodology in coaching in both deprived and professional communities in the US with his colleagues at EXOS.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/roy-sugarman
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Anthony Biglan about his book, The Nurture Effect, which offers evidence-based interventions that can prevent many of the psychological and behavioral problems that plague our society.
Anthony Biglan, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist at Oregon Research Institute. He has been conducting research on the development and prevention of child and adolescent problem behavior for the past 30 years. His work has included studies of the risk and protective factors associated with tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; high-risk sexual behavior; and antisocial behavior. He has conducted numerous experimental evaluations of interventions to prevent tobacco use both through school-based programs and community-wide interventions. And, he has evaluated interventions to prevent high-risk sexual behavior, antisocial behavior, and reading failure.
In recent years, his work has shifted to more comprehensive interventions that have the potential to prevent the entire range of child and adolescent problems. He and colleagues at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences published a book summarizing the epidemiology, cost, etiology, prevention, and treatment of youth with multiple problems (Biglan et al., 2004). He is a former president of the Society for Prevention Research. He was a member of the Institute of Medicine Committee on Prevention, which released its report in 2009 documenting numerous evidence-based preventive interventions that can prevent multiple problems. As a member of Oregon’s Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, he is helping to develop a strategic plan for implementing comprehensive evidence-based interventions throughout Oregon.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/anthony-biglan
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Amanda Feilding about the transformative and therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds and their clinical applications.
Amanda Feilding has been called the ‘hidden hand’ behind the renaissance of psychedelic science, and her contribution to global drug policy reform has also been pivotal and widely acknowledged. Amanda was first introduced to LSD in the mid-1960s, at the height of the first wave of scientific research into psychedelics. Impressed by its capacity to initiate mystical states of consciousness and heighten creativity, she quickly recognised its transformative and therapeutic power.
Inspired by her experiences, she began studying the mechanisms underlying the effects of psychedelic substances and dedicated herself to exploring ways of harnessing their potential to cure sickness and enhance wellbeing. In 1996, Amanda set up The Foundation to Further Consciousness, changing its name to the Beckley Foundation in 1998. She realised that the potential harms and benefits of cannabis and psychedelics could only be adequately assessed by developing a sound scientific understanding of their mechanisms of action.
Through the Foundation, she set about using cutting-edge brain imaging technologies to examine the neurophysiological changes underlying altered states of consciousness. Her long-held aim is to further our understanding of consciousness and how changes in cerebral circulation and neuronal activity underlie the effects of various psychoactive substances, so that we can better harness their potential to improve the human condition.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/amanda-feilding
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In this episode, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Liam O’Donell as a guest on BrainTainment podcast about the importance of psychological flexibility.
Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT.
Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Liam O’Donell is the founder of BrainTainment podcast thataims to make the ever-growing world of 'self-help' far more digestible and enjoyable for the masses.
Liam hopes to make his content entertaining and tangible; through sharing my thoughts, and those of the guests that come on his show. You'll hear his catch-phrase quite a bit on this channel when he outlines the guidling light or mission: 'To blend Pop Culture With Personal Development'.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-psychological-flexibility
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Michael Carr-Gregg about the growing mental health crisis among young people in Australia and ways on how we can all address it.
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is one of Australia's highest profile psychologists, author of 14 books, broadcaster and a specialist in corporate mental health, families, parenting, children, adolescents and the use of technology for mental health.
Michael works in private practice at Corporate and Personal Consulting in Melbourne. He is the Commonwealth Government representative on on the Board of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. He is an accredited trainer for Mental Health First Aid Australia. Community Ambassador for Smiling Mind; Big Brother Big Sister; a Patron of Read the Play and a columnist for a number of publications.. Michael is the resident parenting expert on Ch 7's Sunrise as well as the top rating Morning Show with Neil Mitchell on Fairfax Radio 3AW.
In 2018, Michael helped launch the Green Light to Talk mental health initiative with PWC. He has subsequently worked with Westpac and AMP on mental health in the workplace. His last book, co-written with foodie Flip Shelton is called Smart Snacks. He is has just finished 2 books for 2020 with Penguin Books one Starting Secondary School with Sharon Witt, the other Surviving Year 12 with Elly Robinson which were published in February and March 2020 respectively.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-carr-gregg
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Peter Graham about the realities of retirement, the danger of boredom, and how we can prepare emotionally for retirement.
Peter Graham has been involved in the financial services industry for over 50 years. Initially, his involvement was with the marketing of life insurance but he quickly moved into the financial planning area when he established one of the original Licenced Financial Advisory businesses, in Australia, which was issued with a Securities license.
He was regularly called upon to give presentations at conference es and as part of training programs in the financial services industry.
Peter was an early contributor in the area of superannuation and management when he established the retirement fund manager, Spectrum Retirement Plan. This plan has since been institutionalised and is now a very large and successful administrator.
Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/peter-graham
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kaitlin Harkess about the empirical evidence of yoga and its positive effects to our mental health.
Dr. Kaitlin Harkess is a registered Clinical Psychologist and Senior Yoga Instructor who is passionate about supporting individuals to cultivate healthful and meaningful lives. Kaitlin is particularly interested in integrative psychology approaches and completed PhD research exploring the practice of yoga as a tool to support individuals experiencing chronic stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Kaitlin is passionate about making tools of psychological wellbeing accessible. She runs a private psychology practice in Adelaide SA called Embodied Psychology embodiedpsychology.com.au and hosts the weekly Wisdom for Wellbeing podcast drkaitlin.com
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kaitlin-harkess
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr John Gray about how couples can maintain and fuel the spark in their relationships during challenging times of COVID-19.
Dr John Gray is the author of the most well-known and trusted relationship book of all time, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. USA Today listed his book as one of the top 10 most influential books of the last quarter century. In hardcover, it was the #1 bestselling book of the 1990s. Dr. Gray’s books are translated into approximately 45 languages in more than 100 countries and continues to be a bestseller.
He has appeared repeatedly on Oprah, as well as on The Dr. Oz Show, TODAY, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, and others. He has been profiled in Time, Forbes, USA Today, and People. He was also the subject of a three-hour special hosted by Barbara Walters.
Dr. Gray has written over 20 books. His most recent book is Beyond Mars and Venus. His Mars/Venus book series has forever changed the way men and women view their relationships.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/john-gray-2
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Christopher Willard about the science of mindfulness and how it rewires our brains and bodies for greater resilience.
Dr. Christopher Willard (PsyD) is a psychologist and educational consultant based in Boston specializing in mindfulness. He has been practicing meditation for 20 years, and has led hundreds of workshops around the world, with invitations to more than two dozen countries. He currently serves on the board of directors at the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, and is the president of the Mindfulness in Education Network.
He has presented at TEDx conferences and his thoughts have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, mindful.org, and elsewhere. He is the author of Child’s Mind (2010) Growing Up Mindful (2016) Raising Resilience (2017) and eight other books for parents, professionals and children, along with six sets of cards and therapeutic games, available in more than ten languages. He teaches at Harvard Medical School.
On the personal side, he enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, reading and writing, and being a father.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/christopher-willard
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Tara J Lal about raising awareness around suicide and reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.
Tara J Lal is a professional firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW and a PhD candidate at the University of New England. She is the internationally published author of Standing on My Brother’s Shoulders – Making peace with Grief and Suicide; a memoir and self-help book that tracks her journey through childhood trauma to a life of meaning and purpose. She has been awarded an Australian Rotary Health scholarship for research into the mental health of emergency service workers and was a finalist in the Rotary Inspirational Woman of the Year awards in 2017.
She is also a Mental Health First Aid instructor and has managed the psychological wellbeing program in Fire and Rescue NSW working with researchers at the Black Dog Institute to develop programs aimed at building resilience and improving mental health outcomes in firefighters. She is also a professional speaker, integrating research and story to create healthy conversation around suicide. Her mission - to gently reframe the public narrative around mental health and suicide by changing the way people think about illness and wellness.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/tara-lal
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Nic Newling about reducing mental health stigma and lowering the barriers of seeking help through helpful conversations.
Nic Newling is an outspoken advocate for mental health, suicide prevention, and sharing personal stories. Having lived through the experience of suffering with a mood disorder throughout high school and losing his brother to suicide, he has since dedicated himself to changing the way mental illness is addressed in schools, workplaces, and communities.
Nic has reached millions of people through television, live talks, radio, print, online, documentaries, and eHealth programs. He strives to make a continuing positive impact utilizing sharing and listening to encourage helpful, unscripted conversations around mental health, suicide prevention, and getting the most out of life.
He has been featured on The TODAY Show, Australian Story, Huffington Post, and has shared his message through major radio stations and newspapers. He features in the men’s mental health documentary series Man Up and the upcoming documentary Suicide: The Ripple Effect, and was one of the subjects of his mother’s Human Rights Award winning memoir Missing Christopher. He also regularly features in awareness campaigns, most recently for an international suicide prevention campaign with Movember, and has contributed to news articles and research journals. He strongly believes in the power of research, leading the development of an online positive psychology intervention at the Black Dog Institute and collaborating on its effectiveness evaluation study through the University of New South Wales.
Nic counts himself fortunate, lucky, and grateful to have received familial, peer, and professional support allowing him to recover and heal through his turbulent teen years. It has since enabled him to focus his attention on sharing directly to young people, families, workplaces, and professionals, and the broader public.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nic-newling
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Hayley Watson about supporting the mental health of students, parents, and teachers through a practical curriculum for developing mental skills.
Dr Hayley Watson is a clinical psychologist, researcher, lecturer, and program developer who is passionate about helping people find and cultivate their inner potential and inherent value. Her most recent project is a cutting-edge video-based mental health curriculum for middle and high schools being rolled out across Australia, Canada, and the US. She also delivers teacher and parent training seminars worldwide.
Hayley is an expert in the field of group and school interventions, having developed and delivered youth intervention programs in Canada, the UK, Australia and the US. She has worked with non-profit organisations, private corporations, and educational systems to create and deliver programs that inspire, motivate, and unlock the potential of youth from all backgrounds and circumstances.
As a clinical psychologist, Hayley has extensive experience in the assessment, treatment, and support of children, adolescents, adults, and families with a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties, and has particular expertise in supporting adolescents dealing with anxiety, bullying/social exclusion, victimisation, and relational difficulties. She believes in a holistic approach and uses evidence-based clinical interventions that encompass mindfulness, the mind-body connection, and compassion for self and others, drawing on her training and experience in these areas.
Her PhD focused on changing bully/victim dynamics through forgiveness, and she has a background in mentoring and supporting underprivileged youth. She has worked within the policing, victim services, and restorative justice fields, and has a solid grounding in academia, lecturing and teaching in the fields of both Psychology and Criminology, and holding research posts aimed at evaluating the impact and effectiveness of program implementation, and evaluating the need for specific mental health interventions.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/hayley-watson
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Robb Kelly about his purpose in helping addicts and alcoholics to recover their lives from the disease of addiction.
Robb Kelly, PhD is a world-renowned addiction expert who believes in treating the problem, not the symptoms. Based on his own experiences working with addicts and alcoholics over the last 20 years, combined with a PhD in psychology, and as a recovered alcoholic himself – he is a triple threat against the disease of addiction.
Dr. Kelly’s philosophy may seem unconventional and unorthodox. But, they are based on extensive research and behavior studies that he conducted over the last 20 years. He pulls the disease out of his clients and empowers them to fight their disease head on.
Some people have referred to him as "The Gordon Ramsay of the Addiction World" because of his direct, no-nonsense, and candid approach to recovery. He has discovered that in order to get his clients to change their thinking, they must confront their disease with candor and vigor. Dr. Kelly works to "make the road of recovery less of a mystery tour."
Robb Kelly, PhD has worked with thousands of people including celebrities of film, music, and sports. He has lectured at many high profile universities and hospitals on the subject of addiction, and is recognized as a leading authority on addiction recovery methods that are changing lives all around the world.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/robb-kelly
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Martin Fisk about helping young guys reach their full potential and become the great adult men they want to be through mentoring and counselling.
Martin Fisk is the Chief Executive of Menslink and joined in March 2011 after a twenty-five year career in both the private and public sectors, including nearly ten years running his own business. Since joining Menslink, he has significantly expanded the reach of Menslink’s support programs, with nearly ten times the number of young men accessing their free counselling, mentoring and group programs than at the beginning of the decade.
An active campaigner for young men, Martin speaks to schools, businesses and community groups across the region about issues facing young men, their families and communities, including family violence, gender issues, youth mental health, drugs and suicide – still the leading cause of death in men under 40.
In 2012, Martin designed the award-winning Silence is Deadly campaign to reduce the stigma of admitting to problems and encourage more young men to get help when faced with troubled times. This program has been successfully rolled out to tens of thousands of students across high schools, colleges and universities across the Canberra region and has resulted in significantly more young men opening up about their hassles in life and getting help when they need it.
Martin is currently the Vice President of the ACT Council of Social Services (ACTCOSS) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). He serves on the ACT Government’s Gambling and Racing Commission’s Advisory Committee.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/martin-fisk
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Steve Zolezzi about outdoor learnings, spirituality, symbolism, and nature as a therapeutic aid.
Steve Zolezzi is a Registered Psychologist with 25 years experience in education and psychology and is a leading expert on school well-being and positive psychology practice. He consults widely both nationally and internationally in helping schools move to integrated academic and well-being excellence.
Steve has been a School Psychologist since 1994, having worked with the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, St Aloysius College, and currently as the Head of Positive Education at Knox Grammar School where he received the Knox Headmaster’s Award for Leadership in 2013. Steve is also a Founding member of The Australasian Biofeedback Society and International School Psychologists Society. He is a Qualified Teacher, certified Sports Psychologist and Physical Education Instructor.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/steve-zolezzi
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Prof David Sloan Wilson about how human attempts to solve problems from an evolution perspective can have unintended consequences.
David Sloan Wilson is an evolutionary biologist with a wide range of interests, including natural selection as a hierarchical process, the nature of intraspecific variation, the evolution of ecological communities and human evolutionary biology.
He is also SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University. He applies evolutionary theory to all aspects of humanity in addition to the rest of life, both in his own research and as director of EvoS, a unique campus-wide evolutionary studies program that recently received NSF funding to expand into a nationwide consortium.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/david-sloan-wilson
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Shaun O’Gorman about living a life with strength, tenacity, resilience, optimism, nurturing & generosity.
Shaun O’Gorman has seen his fair share of violence and depravity throughout his life. In fact, more like many lives worth. But it has not defined the man he has become today, despite it trying its very best. Despite his parents' divorce, a violent 13-year Police career, a diagnosis of PTSD & depression, an extended battle with suicide, a bitter divorce, and a prolonged family court custody battle, he never gave in. Shaun now lives an amazing life, he has a beautiful relationship with his daughters, a fantastic loving partner, and he lives his dream career helping others and having an impact. Now he uses his experience to inspire other people to LIVE THE STRONG LIFE.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/shaun-ogorman
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Will Henshall about personalized music that can help you focus, reduce distractions, and maintain productivity when working and studying.
Will Henshall has achieved notable global success both as a musical/visual artist and as a technical inventor. In 1987, he founded the British pop soul band Londonbeat and had two Billboard #1 hit records, “I’ve Been Thinking About You” (91) and “Come Back” (95). He founded Rocket Network, a Paul Allen/Cisco-funded San Francisco company, in 1995 and created the professional audio media transfer system, DigiDelivery. He sold the company to Avid/Digidesign in 2003.
Focus@Will started in Los Angeles in 2011 when founders Will Henshall and John Vitale became interested in why people like to listen to music while at work and studying.
Research showed 2 out of 3 of people like to listen to music while they work or study, but it’s difficult to find and manage sounds that consistently work well. So we created a new neuroscience based music service that helps increase your focus by reducing distractions, energizing you and helping you hit those critical deadlines.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/will-henshall
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Hugh van Cuylenburg about finding happiness through gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness.
Hugh van Cuylenburg has been working in education for more than 17 years, teaching both primary and secondary in a range of educational settings. He has completed postgraduate studies looking at resilience and wellbeing, and has developed and facilitated programs for more than a thousand schools Australia-wide.
In 2015, the National Rugby League asked Hugh to design and implement a series of comprehensive workshops at every single club in the competition. Since then, he has worked with the Australian cricket team, the Australian netball team, the Australian women’s soccer team, the Australian women's rugby league team, ten AFL teams, the Australian Olympic Committee and every soccer team in the A-League. Beyond the team environment, Hugh has worked one-on-one with individuals such as Steve Smith, Billy Slater and Dustin Martin.
Outside of schools and elite sport, Hugh has presented to hundreds of corporate organisations as a keynote speaker, and for three years running his national speaking tour has sold out. He is also co-host of the popular podcast The Imperfects.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/hugh-van-cuylenburg
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Rick Hanson about overcoming the brain's negativity bias and finding more happiness, self-worth, love, and peace in life.
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. His books are available in 29 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha’s Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture – with 900,000 copies in English alone. He edits the Wise Brain Bulletin and has numerous audio programs. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA and founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, he’s been an invited speaker at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide.
Dr Hanson has been a trustee of Saybrook University, served on the board of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and was president of the board of FamilyWorks, a community agency. He began meditating in 1974, trained in several traditions, and leads a weekly meditation gathering in San Rafael, California. His work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, and NPR, and 150,000 subscribers receive his free Just One Thing newsletter every week. He has a variety of popular online programs in positive neuroplasticity – with scholarships available for those with financial need.
He enjoys wilderness activities and taking a break from emails. He and his wife have two adult children.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/rick-hanson
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about career paths, selecting an organisation, finding a supervisor, and other pieces of advice for early career psychologists.
Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT.
Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and Honours Degree in Psychology and is completing a Masters Degree in this field to become a qualified psychologist. Mary has worked as a mental health community support worker, counsellor and facilitated monthly anxiety support groups. Alongside all of this, she also writes a blog at MindIntertwined.com.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-early-career-advice
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Gemma Sharp about the tremendous increase in demand for cosmetic surgery like labiaplasty, butt lifts, boob jobs, etc., and its impacts concerning body image.
Dr Gemma Sharp is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist. She leads the Body Image Research Group at the Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre (MAPrc) at Monash University in Melbourne. Her research broadly focuses on the impacts of media on body image concerns, which can lead to body image related disorders and the pursuit of cosmetic surgery. She has a particular interest in the use of novel technologies, including artificial intelligence, to assist people with body image concerns and is currently developing a conversational agent/"chatbot" together with the Butterfly Foundation. She also runs her own private clinical psychology practice, where she specialises in the treatment of body image concerns, body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/gemma-sharp
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Carla Ferrari about Forensic Assessments & Reports.
Carla Ferrari is the Director and Principal Forensic Psychologist of Ferrari Consulting Group and established the practice due to the growing demand for services for forensic clients, and to satisfy her interest in exploring the interface between law and psychology.
Carla holds full registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and endorsement as a Forensic Psychologist. She specializes in providing psycholegal assessments and reports for Court, having completed her Masters degree in Forensic Psychology in 2010. Carla is often required to give evidence in Court as an expert witness and has experience working with clients of diverse backgrounds requiring psychological assessment for criminal charges, family law, Victims of Crime, and for civil matters including personal injury claims, immigration, and institutional abuse.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/carla-ferrari
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Michael Sugrue on issues that prevent law enforcement professionals from seeking mental health services.
Michael Sugrue is a retired police sergeant with the City of Walnut Creek with over 14 years of service including specialized assignments as a Field Training Officer, SIU Detective and Undercover Special Agent assigned to California Department of Justice Drug Task Force.
Before becoming a police officer, Michael served 6 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Captain (Security Forces) specializing in Global Force Protection, Anti-Terrorism, Air Base Ground Defense, Nuclear Security and Law Enforcement.
As a new police sergeant, Michael encountered a situation that was not only tragic and surreal but it was a call for duty that changed his life forever. Michael found himself in reckless abandon and on the verge of self-destruction until he mustered the courage to ask for help.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-sugrue
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Isaac Baker about using data to improve individual, team and organisational decision-making.
Isaac Baker is an Applied Behavioural Scientist with a focus on understanding and creating strategies to nudge and influence organisational behaviour and improve organisational performance. He works across Mapien’s suite of services adopting a data-driven approach to inform culture diagnostics, behaviour change and improve individual, team and organisational decision-making.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/isaac-baker
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks about why bulk billed Telehealth is unsustainable and will do harm to psychology practices in Australia.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Government expanded it’s Medicare-subsidised telehealth services to general practitioners and other health practitioners.
Their 29 March 2020 media release states:
“We are making telehealth a key weapon in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding the consultation services available by telehealth is the next critical stage in the Government’s response to COVID-19.”
This seems to be a great announcement from the government, but it is unsustainable for psychology practices in Australia.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-telehealth
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To my psychology friends and colleagues,
Australia is at the beginning of Coronavirus and there is an unprecedented amount of uncertainty. Job losses, industry shutdowns, potential lockdown, and the domino effect of all these leads to possibly the hardest time for many Australians.
I urge all psychologists to share the benefits of maintaining good mental health and make themselves available for support in these times.
The reality is that in the current climate, stress, anxiety and depression will increase. If you are a psychologist you can, and should, promote your service. There is mixed messaging in the media on what will and won't shutdown, but as it stands right now psychology and all allied health businesses will remain open.
Sharing the benefits of your service right now is not selfish, it is critically important to clients in need.
Much love,
Nesh
PS. Make sure you self care, this stress can get to us too.
Episode links and video at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-coronavirus
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kath Koschel about her mission to achieve one million acts of kindness.
Kath Koschel is a remarkable young woman who has taught herself to walk on three separate occasions, defying her medical prognosis of paralysis. An ex-professional athlete, she has broken her back twice; once while playing cricket for New South Wales and once while riding her bike training for an Iron Man after recovering from her first broken back. Kath’s life is one of inspiration, resilience and utter strength.
There have been more than a few significant bumps along the way, but Kath has never let the setbacks get the better of her. With her physical and mental resilience, Kath has pulled herself through challenges that most of us could not comprehend, without letting them defy her belief that we all have the capacity to be better every day. But it’s her global movement and not for profit charity, The Kindness Factory that really lights her up.
Founded in 2015 in memory of her deceased partner, The Kindness Factory promotes good will all around the world on a mission to achieve one million acts of kindness.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kath-koschel
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about perfectionism and imposter syndrome.
Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT.
Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and Honours Degree in Psychology and is completing a Masters Degree in this field to become a qualified psychologist. Mary has worked as a mental health community support worker, counsellor and facilitated monthly anxiety support groups. Alongside all of this, she also writes a blog at MindIntertwined.com.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-perfectionism
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Stefan Hofmann about process-based therapy and high-density individual data. Welcome to the future of psychology.
Dr Stefan Hofmann is a clinical psychologist at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. He is one of the foremost experts in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, especially for anxiety disorders. In collaboration with Steven C. Hayes, he has been identifying the processes that underlie effective psychological treatments.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/stefan-hofmann
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Alyssa Godesky about overcoming the physical and mental limits in endurance sports.
Alyssa Godesky is an endurance sports coach, professional triathlete and ultrarunner. After 6 years in the corporate world, Alyssa made the leap to pursue triathlon full-time, and hasn’t looked back. An endurance athlete since 2006, Alyssa takes pride in pushing her limits. You can sometimes find her racing Ironmans on back-to-back weekends, or jumping into an ultramarathon. With seven top-5 Ironman finishes in the professional field, and a personal best Ironman time of 9 hours and 33 minutes, Alyssa continues to be a dominant competitor as she enters her seventh year of professional racing.
After making a name for herself in the triathlon world, Alyssa wanted to make a mark on the trail running world as well. In 2018, she set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on Vermont’s 273-mile Long Trail, breaking a 6 year record, with a time of 5 days, 2 hours and 37 minutes. Alyssa’s effort on the Long Trail was awarded the 2018 Female FKT of the Year Award.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alyssa-godesky
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with social psychologist Dr Brock Bastian on the value of pain.
Dr Brock Bastian is a social psychologist whose research focuses on pain, happiness, and morality. In his search for a new perspective on what makes for the good life, Brock has studied why promoting happiness may have paradoxical effects and why we need negative and painful experiences to build meaning, purpose, resilience, and ultimately greater fulfilment in life. Brock's first book, The Other Side of Happiness, was published in January 2018.
Links mentioned in this episode at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/brock-bastian
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Paul Atkins about building effective prosocial groups.
Dr Paul Atkins co-developed the Prosocial process which draws upon the psychology of behavior change as well as political, economic and evolutionary science to improve cooperation within and between groups.
Paul’s work has been published in the world’s leading management and psychology journals. His latest book “Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable, and Collaborative Groups” has been described as "groundbreaking”, and "chock full of clear steps" (Jane Dutton, author of Awakening Compassion at Work). It is " essential reading for anyone who works with people in group settings, and who is committed to helping these groups to be their best.” says Susan David (author of Emotional Agility).
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/paul-atkins
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about identity, awareness of the self and coping with complex identity issues.
Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT.
Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and Honours Degree in Psychology and is completing a Masters Degree in this field to become a qualified psychologist. Mary has worked as a mental health community support worker, counsellor and facilitated monthly anxiety support groups. Alongside all of this, she also writes a blog at MindIntertwined.com.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-identity
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Australian Psychological Society’s CEO, Frances Mirabelli, about the role of the APS and plans for the future of psychology in Australia.
Frances Mirabelli is the chief executive officer of the Australian Psychological Society, the leading body representing psychologists in Australia.
A former CEO of AMA Victoria, Ms Mirabelli has extensive experience in the health and not-for-profit sectors. Following an education in business administration and applied science, she held leadership roles in aged and community care management at organisations including Wintringham and the Mayflower Group. A forthright leader, Ms Mirabelli has also completed the Cranlana Colloquium and has served as a Board director for Whitehorse Community Health, Yarra Community Housing and Star of The Sea College.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/frances-mirabelli
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Louise Hayes about using a developmental approach of ACT when working with young persons.
Dr Louise Hayes is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) training for young people. She is the co-author of the best selling book Get Out of Your Mind and Into your Life for Teenagers and The Thriving Adolescent.
Louise divides her time between training and clinical work in acceptance, mindfulness and positive therapeutic approaches, treatment development, speaking, and writing. Her passion is leading trips to the Himalayan mountains to practice mindfulness.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/louise-hayes
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Warren Farrell about his book, The Boy Crisis, and the impact fathers have on young men.
Dr Warren Farrell has been chosen by the Financial Times as one of the world’s top 100 thought leaders, and by the Center for World Spirituality as one of the world’s spiritual leaders.
Dr Farrell’s books are published in over 50 countries, and in 15 languages. They include award-winning international best-sellers, Why Men Are The Way They Are, The Myth of Male Power, and The Boy Crisis which he co-authored with Dr John Gray.
Dr Farrell is currently the Chair of the Commission to Create a White House Council on Boys & Men, taught at the university level in five disciplines, and appeared on more than 1,000 TV and radio shows, from Oprah to Larry King Live. He has been featured repeatedly in Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/warren-farrell
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with clinical psychologist Marcela Lapertosa about what we can learn through our awareness, understanding and respect of different cultures.
Marcela Lapertosa is a clinical psychologist and Senior Manager of Education and Development at AFS Intercultural Programs Australia.
AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/marcela-lapertosa
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about the psychological and contextual aspects of loneliness and isolation.
Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT.
Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and Honours Degree in Psychology and is completing a Masters Degree in this field to become a qualified psychologist. Mary has worked as a mental health community support worker, counsellor and facilitated monthly anxiety support groups. Alongside all of this, she also writes a blog at MindIntertwined.com.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-loneliness-isolation
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Devon Polaschek about research and treatment of high-risk violent offenders in prisons and on parole.
Devon Polaschek is a forensic clinical psychologist, professor of psychology, and Joint Director of the New Zealand Institute for Security and Crime Science at the University of Waikato. She studies high-risk violent offenders in prisons and on parole and has done research that found intensive psychological treatment and early release on parole was more effective at reducing reoffending among high-risk prisoners than serving out full prison sentences.
In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Polaschek was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to criminal psychology.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/devon-polaschek
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Janelle Colquhoun about her incredible life before and after blindness. Her “I'm Blind, Whatever!” attitude is contagious and inspiring!
At age 10, Janelle Colquhoun was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which she ignored as she pursued her passion to be on stage. During school she took music, dance and drama lessons, performed in choirs, stage shows, dance revues and played trumpet in concert and jazz bands before winning a scholarship to study opera at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
At the end of expo Janelle accepted a full-time contract with the Australian Opera, where a highlight was singing in a trio with Dame Joan Sutherland in her Farewell Season.
Two years and many successful singing competitions later, Janelle moved to Europe where she sang with the Oper Frankfurt until aged 29 she went blind from the complications of diabetes.
She moved back to Brisbane and between many more diabetes-related health issues including stomach cancer, 3 years of dialysis, a heart attack, a kidney-pancreas transplant, and since being immunosuppressed a chronic lung infection, her ongoing professional performances continued with singing the High Priestess in Michael Edgley’s stadium production of Aida, singing the Four Last Songs with the Brisbane Sinfonia, and being a principal in the Access Arts / IHOS Opera experimental opera ‘The Divine Kiss’.
Janelle has recorded 3 solo CDs and has appeared as singer, speaker, workshop facilitator and media spokesperson throughout Australia and in Paris, Bermuda, Seoul, Chicago, Montreal, Switzerland, Dubai, London, Auckland, Berlin, New Delhi, Singapore and Kathmandu.
In 1999 Janelle established Salubrious Productions, an entertainment and production agency specialising in representing professional artists with disability. She has produced over 1400 mainstream and disability stream events including concerts, art exhibitions, pantomimes, cabarets and a film. She has held innumerable contracts with the Brisbane City Council including the classical and world music lunchtime concert series 2002-2015, and the Children’s and Music Library Series 2002-2012.
Janelle is the convener of Sisters in Crime Queensland and has sat on 24 NGO and government committees including the peer panels of the Brisbane City Council, Arts Queensland and Australia Council. Currently she sits on five state and federal health committees as a consumer representative.
Although Janelle had never previously been interested in sports, in 2017 she took up blind archery and in 2019 became the Australian Indoor and Outdoor Blind archery Champion and record holder for both.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/janelle-colquhoun
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Edward Watkins on his research in effective treatment of mood disorders, depression and rumination.
Edward Watkins is Professor of Experimental and Applied Clinical Psychology and Director of Research for Professional Doctorates at the University of Exeter, UK.
He is a clinical psychologist currently working as a researcher, teacher and clinical practitioner within the Mood Disorders Centre in the UK, which is a partnership between the University of Exeter and Devon Partnership NHS Trust.
In 2004, Professor Watkins was awarded the British Psychological Society's May Davidson Award. This award is for “a clinical psychologist who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of clinical psychology within the first 10 years of his/her work as a qualified clinical psychologist. The contribution may be through clinical research or other professional work. It should be innovative and of an order sufficient to become widely recognised as an important development in British clinical psychology”.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/edward-watkins
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kevin Polk about the the ACT Matrix and its application in both individual and clinical settings.
Kevin Polk, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and creator of the ACT Matrix. He spent approximately 17,000 hours simplifying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy down to the two lines of the matrix, which is now used across the United States and internationally. Individuals, therapists and hospitals use the ACT Matrix to improve communication and solve conflicts.
Kevin also co-hosts The Art of Being podcast with good friend, and fellow psychologist, Phil Tenaglia.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kevin-polk
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Erika Penney on the research and treatment of Narcissistic & Borderline Personality Disorder in psychology.
Dr Erika Penney is a lecturer, clinical psychologist, and external placement coordinator with the master of clinical psychology program at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She has particular interests in complex trauma, developmental trauma, stigma, and personality disorders. She has taught at a number of leading universities on personality disorders and has published papers in the areas of anxiety, stigma, and personality.
In addition to her work at UTS, Erika is a Board Approved Supervisor and supervises clinical psychologists who have particular interests in Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, personality disorders, and trauma.
In 2016 Erika founded the Foresight Psychology practice in Sydney which continues today under new leadership with a team of passionate psychologists dedicated to effective practice and trauma-informed care.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/erika-penney
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Graeme Cowan about how small, and often overlooked, rituals can make a significant impact in personal and professional life.
In his early career, Graeme Cowan worked in senior leadership positions with Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and AT Kearney. Then in 2000 began a 5-year episode of depression that his psychiatrist described as the worst he had ever treated.
He emerged from this crisis with a different view about how we can increase our resilience, mood and performance.
Graeme is the author of 4 books including the internationally acclaimed Back from the Brink, which has a testimonial from the former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. These days you will find Graeme working with leaders and teams to be more caring, resilient and growth-oriented though his workshops and presentation.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/graeme-cowan
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Alan Castel about his new book, Better with Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging, and the many myths and paradoxes about the aging process.
Alan Castel is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He studies learning, memory, and aging, and is interested in how people can selectively remember important information. He received his PhD from the University of Toronto, did a fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, and has been at UCLA since 2006. He lectures internationally to people of all ages, and has received several teaching awards. His work has been featured in the New York Times and Time Magazine. His new book is entitled Better with Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/alan-castel
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Senior Sergeant Daryl Elliot Green about his horrific experience of being ambushed on duty and shot in the face at close range, the dark years that followed and his path to recovery.
At 3:50am on 1 May 2000, in a dark Brisbane cul-de-sac, Senior Sergeant Daryl Elliot Green and his colleagues were ambushed by a gun wielding neighbour and shot numerous times. Daryl was shot in the face at close range and again in the arm.
From this horrific experience, Daryl learned what most people don't have to: how to be resilient in the face of extreme circumstances.
The legacy of Daryl’s shooting was a harrowing ten-year road to recovery despite being honoured with the Queensland Police Service’s highest accolade for bravery, the Valour Award, and a Group Bravery Citation from the Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove.
Today, Daryl shares powerful life lessons through his TWICE SHOT talks, workshops and programs. He speaks on resilience, courageous conversations, leadership and brave decisions. He also talks passionately, and from personal experience, about mental health and post-traumatic stress.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/daryl-elliot-green
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about emotional intelligence and how it can impact us in the workplace, relationships and personal decision-making.
Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT.
Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and Honours Degree in Psychology and is completing a Masters Degree in this field to become a qualified psychologist. Mary has worked as a mental health community support worker, counsellor and facilitated monthly anxiety support groups. Alongside all of this, she also writes a blog at MindIntertwined.com.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-emotional-intelligence
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Benjamin Habib about how a panic attack on live television became a turning point in his personal battle with anxiety.
Dr Benjamin Habib is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Ben is an internationally published scholar with a current research interest in intersections between grassroots sustainability and regeneration projects, environmental movements and international climate politics. Previously he as researched the political economy of North Korea’s nuclear program, East Asian security, and international politics of climate change.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/benjamin-habib
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with psychologist Natalie Cross about her personal experience of multiple pregnancy losses.
Natalie Cross is a registered psychologist working in Sydney. She previously worked at Strategic Psychology (Nesh’s practice) in Canberra. She was kind enough to reach out and offer to share her experience of multiple pregnancy losses in the hope it can help other women and families going through a similar situation.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/natalie-cross
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic is interviewed by Mary Andreadis on understanding stress and burnout and mechanisms for managing.
Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT.
Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.
Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and Honours Degree in Psychology and is completing a Masters Degree in this field to become a qualified psychologist. Mary has worked as a mental health community support worker, counsellor and facilitated monthly anxiety support groups. Alongside all of this, she also writes a blog at MindIntertwined.com.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-stress-burnout
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kirk Strosahl about an alternative approach when working with suicidal patients.
Dr Kirk Strosahl is a leading innovator in the field of clinical psychology, and in 2009 received an award for outstanding innovations in psychology from the American Psychological Association.
Dr Strosahl has a long-standing interest in developing an evidence-based model for assessing and treating suicidal behaviour and, together with colleague John Chiles MD, co-authored the book Clinical Manual for Assessment and Treatment of Suicidal Patients.
His empirically-based approach to treating suicidal behaviour has been adopted by many mental health systems of care, as well as practicing therapists. He continues to conduct workshops in this innovative approach in the US and internationally.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kirk-strosahl
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Carlos Turini about why mediation is a smart alternative to resolving family disputes and how to prepare for mediation.
Carlos Turini is an accredited specialist in family law, nationally accredited mediator and part of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee for the ACT Law Society.
With his extensive experience and knowledge of Family Law, Carlos is committed to achieving the best results for his clients, in the first instance by attempting to negotiate a settlement and if appropriate to represent his clients in court proceedings with regard to the full range of possible family law matters.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/carlos-turini-2
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Jacki Short about the benefits of play therapy when working with children.
Jacki Short is the owner and director of Sydney Centre for Creative Change. She is a registered counselling psychologist, play therapist and supervisor with over 25 years of clinical experience with children, young people and adults. Her work involves counselling, supervision, education and research.
Jackie has worked in drug and alcohol agencies, hospitals, welfare organisations, schools and private practice. She maintains a small practice in Glebe, Sydney, in counselling and supervision.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jacki-short
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr John Gray about what’s changed in relationships since Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus was released almost 30 years ago.
Dr John Gray is the author of the most well-known and trusted relationship book of all time, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. USA Today listed his book as one of the top 10 most influential books of the last quarter century. In hardcover, it was the #1 bestselling book of the 1990s. Dr. Gray’s books are translated into approximately 45 languages in more than 100 countries and continues to be a bestseller.
He has appeared repeatedly on Oprah, as well as on The Dr. Oz Show, TODAY, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, and others. He has been profiled in Time, Forbes, USA Today, and People. He was also the subject of a three-hour special hosted by Barbara Walters.
Dr. Gray has written over 20 books. His most recent book is Beyond Mars and Venus. His Mars/Venus book series has forever changed the way men and women view their relationships.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/john-gray
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Travis Rieder, PhD, about his struggle with prescription opioid withdrawal after a motorcycle accident. Although Travis had access to world-leading doctors and a supportive partner, going through withdrawal took his thoughts to dark and dangerous places.
Travis Rieder, PhD, is a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics where he directs the Master of Bioethics degree program. His research program concerns ethical and policy issues surrounding America’s opioid epidemic. Travis has published works concerning doctors responsibility for safely weaning patients off prescription opioids and is author of In Pain: A Bioethicist’s Personal Struggle with Opioids. His TED Talk, The agony of opioid withdrawal — and what doctors should tell patients about it, has been viewed over 2 million times.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/travis-rieder
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Danny Shannon about life after addiction, his work in helping others through their addiction journey, and his transition into entrepreneurship with Encapsulator.
Danny Shannon is the founder of Encapsulator, an app for securely recording your future hopes, dreams and aspirations, into a time-locked vault to be discovered at a later date.
Danny is also a recovering addict who has not had a drink or a drug since the 15th of September 2009. He is raising awareness through his personal stories about addiction and empowering and educating others about the emotional and social impacts of addiction. He earned a Diploma in Community Services and is in the process of completing a Bachelor of Counselling. He is a Senior Case Manager at Glebe House, a treatment facility for men with addiction issues who are affected by the criminal justice system.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/danny-shannon-2
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Danny Shannon about his life as a heroin addict and the journey to recovery.
Danny Shannon is the founder of Encapsulator, an app for securely recording your future hopes, dreams and aspirations, into a time-locked vault to be discovered at a later date. Danny is also a recovering addict who has not had a drink or a drug since the 15th of September 2009. He is raising awareness through his personal stories about addiction and empowering and educating others about the emotional and social impacts of addiction. He earned a Diploma in Community Services and is in the process of completing a Bachelor of Counselling. He is a Senior Case Manager at Glebe House, a treatment facility for men with addiction issues who are affected by the criminal justice system.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/danny-shannon-1
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Steven Hayes about his new book, A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters, and applications of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in modern society.
Dr Steven C. Hayes is Nevada Foundation Professor in the Behavior Analysis program at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of 44 books and nearly 600 scientific articles, his career has focused on an analysis of the nature of human language and cognition and the application of this to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering. He is the developer of Relational Frame Theory, an account of human higher cognition, and has guided its extension to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a popular evidence-based form of psychotherapy that uses mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based methods.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/steven-hayes
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Richard N. Landers about artificial intelligence, game-thinking, privacy and how data is used in organisational psychology.
Dr Richard N. Landers is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN, USA. He is also holder of the John P. Campbell Distinguished Professorship of Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
His research program concerns the use of innovative technologies in assessment, employee selection, adult learning, and research methods. Recent topics have included big data, game-based learning, game-based assessment, gamification, unproctored Internet-based testing, mobile devices, virtual reality, and online social media.
His work has been published in Journal of Applied Psychology, Industrial and Organizational Psychology Perspectives, Computers in Human Behavior, Simulation & Gaming, Social Science Computer Review, and Psychological Methods, among others, and his research and writing have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Science News, Popular Science, Maclean’s, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among others. He is also author of a statistics textbook, A Step-by-Step Introduction to Statistics for Business, editor of Social Media in Employee Selection, and editor of the upcoming Cambridge Handbook of Technology and Employee Behavior.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/richard-landers
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with John Flanagan on infidelity: how it begins, how it progresses and, most importantly, how to recover from an affair.
John Flanagan was the first social worker in Australia to become a Gottman Therapist and along with Trish Purnell-Webb, are still the only Australians to hold the title of Certified Gottman Marital Therapist, Master Trainers and Consultants. He is a certified presenter for The Art and Science of Love Couples Workshop, completed his Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment and has delivered a broad range of training in the relationship space.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/john-flanagan
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Glen Tanner, a clinical psychologist registrar, about his beginnings into a career in psychology.
Glen Tanner recently graduated from Western Sydney University with a Master of Clinical Psychology. Since graduating, Glen has relocated to Newcastle, and is working as a psychologist in a bustling private practice. Glen has a special interest in the experiences of new psychologists, and advocates for the improved mental health and general wellbeing of all those within the caring professions.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/glen-tanner
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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Bruno Cayoun about research of Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT) and its application in clinical and private settings.
Dr Bruno Cayoun is a Clinical Psychologist and principal developer of Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT). He is Director of the MiCBT Institute, a leading provider of MiCBT training and professional development to mental health services and professional associations internationally since 2003. Bruno keeps a private practice in Hobart, Australia, undertakes mindfulness research at the MiCBT Institute, and co-supervises several studies in collaboration with various institutions, including Monash University, University of Tasmania, University of Technology Sydney, and Massey University. He has practised mindfulness meditation and undergone intensive training in France, Nepal, India, and Australia since 1989.
He is author of three MiCBT books and co-author of The Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy: A Step-by-Step Guide for Therapists.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/bruno-cayoun
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kym Robinson about modern-day challenges in the bedroom techniques for rebooting your sex life.
Kym Robinson began her career as a Registered Nurse (RN) and completed her bachelor of nursing at the University of Canberra. She combines more than 15 years’ experience working both locally and internationally with a Master’s of Science in Medicine (MScMed) in Sexual Health Counselling from the University of Sydney. She is a certified Psychosexual Therapist and member of the Society of Australian Sexologists.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kym-robinson
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with ACT Minister for Mental Health, Shane Rattenbury, about mental health services and how politics works to improve policy and implementation.
Shane Rattenbury is the Minister for Mental Health and Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability. Since he was first elected in 2008, he has promoted important issues including clean energy, marriage equality, and major public transport.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/shane-rattenbury
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Trish Purnell-Webb about practical strategies that go to the heart of what makes relationships strong, meaningful and connected.
Trish Purnell-Webb is a Clinical Psychologist and Certified Gottman Marital Therapist, Master Trainer and Consultant. Trish and her business partner, John Flanagan, founded Relationship Institute Australasia, an organisation with a guiding principle to utilise sound, evidenced-based approaches to help people build, repair and rejuvenate strong, sustainable relationships. Trish leads live training workshops across Australia, NZ, and Asia.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/trish-purnell-webb
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Joseph Ciarrochi about aggressive versus pro-social behaviour and the benefits of being anti-social.
Joseph Ciarrochi, PhD, is a professor at the Institute of Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University. He has published over 100 scientific journal articles and many books, including the widely acclaimed Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life and Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology. He has been honored with over four million dollars in research funding. His work has been discussed on TV and radio, and in magazines and newspaper articles.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/joseph-ciarrochi
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Randolph Sparks about effective pain management treatments. Randolph explains why pain is necessary for survival, how the brain receives signals and interesting experiments in pain management.
Randolph Sparks is a clinical psychologist and runs a successful private practice in Canberra, Top Psychology. He completed his clinical training at the Australian National University and continues an association there teaching in the Clinical Psychology program, as well as regularly appearing as a guest lecturer in both the undergraduate and postgraduate Psychology programs.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/randolph-sparks
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Bruce Stevens about his life in forensic psychology. The discussion ranges from treating murderers and psychopaths to schema therapy for couples.
Professor Bruce Stevens obtained his PhD at Boston University in 1987. He is Wicking Professor of Aging and Practical Theology at Charles Sturt University and was previously Associate Professor in Clinical and Forensic Psychology in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Canberra.
He has written seven books for leading publishers such as Random House, Harper Collins, PsychOz Publications, Australian Academic Press and Wiley-Blackwell.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/bruce-stevens
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Anya Aidman on family separation, coparenting, domestic violence, spousal maintenance and stories of the good, the bad and the ugly of separation.
Anya Aidman is a qualified Independent Children’s Lawyer specializing in working with families going through separation. She completed Master of Laws at the Australian National University (ANU). In addition to being a family lawyer, Anya is a qualified and Nationally Accredited Mediator.
Fun fact: Anya started out working in criminal law and she speaks fluent Russian.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/anya-aidman
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In this mini episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic answers Dr Antonio Di Dio’s question on how he works with clients and their symptoms.
"I don't care for symptom reduction because a lot of what we experience in life will never go away."
– Nesh Nikolic
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Antonio Di Dio about mental health, hospital beds and acute care in Australia's capital.
Dr Antonio Di Dio is the Australian Medical Association's ACT branch president and general practitioner in his Canberra-based private practice. He is actively involved in helping medical practitioners and government entities to work closer together for a better doctor / patient outcome.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/antonio-di-dio
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Rachel Menzie about death anxiety and links to mental health disorders.
Rachel Menzies is a registered psychologist and lead editor of the book Curing the Dread of Death: Theory, Research and Practice, published by Australian Academic Press in 2018. She has published extensively on the causes of various disorders, including depression, OCD, panic disorder, illness anxiety, social anxiety, agoraphobia, generalised anxiety disorder and the specific phobias, as well as on gender differences in anxiety.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/rachel-menzies
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Richard Humle about treating complex trauma using Schema Therapy and Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
Dr Richard Humle is a clinical psychologist with experience in working with a broad range of psychological challenges including trauma, substance-related and addiction challenges, depression and bipolar disorder.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/richard-hulme
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with NeLi Martin about the relationship and integration of yoga, mindfulness and psychology.
NeLi Martin is a psychologist in private practice based in Noosa, Australia. She uses mindfulness and evidence-based interventions in her clinical work. She also teaches yoga, dance and meditation, with a focus on integrating body and mind.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/neli-martin
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Gregg Chapman about the Gottman Method approach to relationship counselling.
Gregg Chapman is a psychologist with 38 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults and couples. He previously worked as a teacher and school counsellor in primary and secondary schools and was a specialist Regional Assessment School Counsellor / Psychologist focusing on Specific Learning Disabilities. He currently works at Strategic Psychology in Canberra.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/gregg-chapman
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kylie King about ABC’s ‘Man Up’ documentary, masculinity and suicide rates in Australia.
Kylie King is a research fellow at the Centre for Mental Health in the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne. She is also a psychologist. Her research focuses on male mental health and she recently led the randomised controlled trial of the impacts of the Man Up documentary, a novel media-based population level television documentary that explored the interplay between masculinity and suicide.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kylie-king
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Carlos Turini about Alternative Dispute Resolution and processes that enable parties to resolve their disputes without the need for litigation.
Carlos Turini is an accredited specialist in family law, nationally accredited mediator and part of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee for the ACT Law Society.
With his extensive experience and knowledge of Family Law, Carlos is committed to achieving the best results for his clients, in the first instance by attempting to negotiate a settlement and if appropriate to represent his clients in Court proceedings with regard to the full range of possible family law matters.
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/carlos-turini
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In this episode of the Better Thinking podcast, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Bruce Arroll about how he uses Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT) to assist his clients in making rapid change in short 15 to 20 minute interventions.
Bruce Arroll is a Professor of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland New Zealand and a practising GP at Greenstone Family Clinic in Manurewa in South Auckland. He does regular general practice and special consultations using Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT).
Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/bruce-arroll
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Welcome to the Better Thinking podcast!
On every episode you will hear inspiring conversations with leading experts in the fields of psychology, sports, personal growth, nutrition and other fields in order to gain clarity and understanding on how to deal with life in these exciting, yet challenging times.
Every week, Nesh will bring raw, down-to-earth and nonchalant talks right into your ears that are designed to make you think smarter and better so you can deal with life as it is - no sugar-coating or playing “happy.”
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