Potential Psychology: Recent Episodes

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In this episode, Ellen introduces systems thinking as a powerful tool for personal and professional growth and development. She provides a worksheet and an example to help you start applying systems thinking in your life. Ellen also shares her personal journey and the reasons behind her decision to pivot the podcast towards systems thinking.

Links and Resources:

• Download the systems thinking worksheet at potential.com.au/podcast

• Learn more about systems thinking at https://thesystemsthinker.com/introduction-to-systems-thinking/

• Subscribe to Ellen's newsletter for updates and additional resources at https://potentialpsychology.substack.com/

Contact:

• Send feedback or questions to podcast@potential.com.au

Social Media:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenjacksonpotential/

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/potentialpsychology/

Credits:

• This episode is brought to you by Potential Psychology but if you'd like to sponsor the show, let us know - podcast@potential.com.au

• Audio editing by Andy Maher

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/potentialpsychology/message

To hear more, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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Our guest for this episode is a long time friend of the show. This is her third appearance and we love having her here. Dr. Sarah McKay, neuroscientist, science communicator, online educator and author of the new book "Baby Brain: The surprising neuroscience of how pregnancy and motherhood sculpt our brains and change our minds (for the better)"

In this illuminating conversation Sarah and I chat about:

• The paradox of 'baby brain' - women's experience versus the science.
• The many factors at play in the early life of a new mum
• How hormones 'resculpt and rewire' our brains in pregnancy - and why
• Those weird intrusive thoughts about 'breaking' your baby - What's that about?
• Alloparenting - What is it and why is it important to new parents
• Does having a baby affect other caregivers neurologically sense too?
• And so much more!

Are You Ready to Fulfil Your Potential?

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

ABOUT OUT GUEST:

Dr. Sarah McKay is the founder of Think Brain and the Neuroscience Academy which offers a suite of training programs in applied neuroscience and brain health. Sarah has been published extensively for public, academic and professional audiences. She's been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Body & Soul. And she can be seen and heard 'explaining the brain' on SBS's Insight, ABC Radio National, Mamamia, NZ Radio National, ABC's Catalyst, and on stage at Business Chicks, Canberra Writers' Festival and Happiness & Its Causes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Baby Brain: The surprising neuroscience of how pregnancy and motherhood sculpt our brains and change our minds (for the better)

The Women's Brain Book: The neuroscience of health, hormones and happiness

Demystifying The Female Brain: A neuroscientist explores health, hormones and happiness

Sarah has previously appeared on the Potential Psychology podcast talking about:

Mythbusting, neuroscience and a woman's brain

Don't Blame The Reptilian Brain

If you'd like to hear more from me about fulfilling your potential, I'm a guest on "Breakfast with Steve Martin: Behind the news and an insight into life in Ballarat" on ABC Ballarat, every second Wednesday.

Thank you for listening in and spreading the word about our podcast.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"Performance is about focusing on the most important thing at the most important time"

My guest today on the Potential Psychology Podcast is sports and performance psychologist, Michael Inglis. Michael is Director and Co-founder of The Mind Room. He works with athletes, coaches and teams to build high performance environments and develop key mental skills to enhance performance.

In this episode, Michael and I take a peek at the fascinating world of sport and performance psychology and dig into:

• What a sports and performance psychologist does and why you might seek one out.
• Your values as your guardrails for performing, whatever that looks like for you
• The evershifting dynamic between performance and wellbeing
• Why the present moment is critical to achieving your goals
• Tolerating discomfort in pursuit of your goals
• How your values bring meaning to challenging moments

Are You Ready to Fulfil Your Potential?

Download your FREE copy of ‘Creating Thriving, Motivated Teams: A How To Guide’ by entering your details below

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

ABOUT OUT GUEST:

Michael has worked in the mental health field since 1999 but focused on sports and performance since co-founding The Mind Room in 2012. He believes in a holistic approach to performance and that the wellbeing of athletes off the field is just as important as their performance on it. He is currently lead psychologist for the PFA and works with the Tasmanian Women’s Cricket team.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Atomic Habits by James Clear

ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Values cards from the Mindroom

What is Mental Conditioning?

Michael's Mental Conditioning Program at The Mind Room

If you'd like to hear more about how to fulfil your potential, I'm a guest on "Breakfast with Steve Martin: Behind the news and an insight into life in Ballarat" on ABC Ballarat, every second Wednesday.

Thank you for listening in and spreading the word about our podcast.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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This is part 2 of my interview with my fabulous guest Bea Boccalandro, the author of Do Good at Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing (New York: Morgan James Publishing, 2021).

In this episode, Bea and I continue our conversation about work, purpose and making a contribution with:

• The importance of empathic connection
• What is Corporate Social Responsibility and how is it different to job purposing?
• How to use your strengths to drive success and wellbeing
• Examples of simple acts that drive purpose and meaning

About our guest:

Bea is the founder and president of the global purpose advisory firm, VeraWorks, She has two decades of experience helping businesses make customer interactions more human, products more inclusive, operations more environmentally sustainable, marketing more charitable or otherwise make work more meaningful.

If you’re interested in seeing Bea speak live and attending a workshop on job purposing with her she will be doing both of those things in Ballarat, Victoria on the 23rd of March 2023. She is the keynote speaker for the Committee for Ballarat’s Corporate Citizenship Conference. Come and join us in beautiful Ballarat!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Veraworks

Do Good at Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing

Job crafting and meaningful work

The VIA Character Strengths Survey

If you'd like to hear more from me about fulfilling your potential, I'm a guest on "Breakfast with Steve Martin: Behind the news and an insight into life in Ballarat" on ABC Ballarat, every second Wednesday.

Thank you for listening in and spreading the word about our podcast.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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In this episode I'm talking about purpose with my fabulous guest Bea Boccalandro, the author of Do Good at Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing (New York: Morgan James Publishing, 2021). Her book has received critical acclaim and she is a joy to talk to.

In our conversation, Bea and I discuss:

• Social purpose - What is it and why does it matter?
• The difference between sense of purpose and meaning.
• How purpose can be woven into our working lives.
• How small social acts of purpose create a huge impact on yourself and others.
• Tips for workplace leaders on finding social purpose.
• Stories of job purposing and how other people found opportunities to find meaning on their work.

Bea is also founder and president of the global purpose advisory firm, VeraWorks, Bea has two decades of experience helping businesses make customer interactions more human, products more inclusive, operations more environmentally sustainable, marketing more charitable or otherwise make work more meaningful.

If you’re interested in seeing Bea speak live and attending a workshop on job purposing with her she will be doing both of those things in Ballarat, Victoria on the 23rd of March 2023. She is the keynote speaker for the Committee for Ballarat’s Corporate Citizenship Conference. Come and join us in beautiful Ballarat!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Veraworks

Do Good at Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing

Ikigai

Job crafting and meaningful work

Adam Grant's books

The VIA Character Strengths Survey

Anthony L. Burrow, Cornell University - Purpose researcher

If you'd like to hear more from me about fulfilling your potential, I'm a guest on "Breakfast with Steve Martin: Behind the news and an insight into life in Ballarat" on ABC Ballarat, every second Wednesday.

Thank you for listening in and spreading the word about our podcast.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel

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We're back for season 14 and celebrating this month as the Potential Psychology Podcast has now been on the air for 5 years. Half a decade of great conversations, insights and ideas all helping you to fulfil your potential. This is our 123rd episode, so, let's dive in 1-2-3, go!

In this brief 'welcome back' episode, I talk about:

• What's in store in our upcoming conversations
• Our fabulous guest line up

I also get nerdy with some podcast proliferation facts and my question for you - 'How we should celebrate the podcast's birthday?'

Thank you for listening in as we get back into the swing of things here at PPHQ. We appreciate you spreading the word about our podcast.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"Will the robots replace us? The future is very hard to predict, but we're very adaptive."

It's a wrap! This is our last episode on our mini-series on 'The Future of Work." Big thanks to my co-host this season, Dr. Joe Sweeney, who is a long time friend of the show and our guest expert in the areas of education and AI. You can learn more about him here.

In our survey "Parenting, Education, and The Future of Work," we asked parents about their worries and concerns as well as their hopes for their children in the future workplace. One fascinating question that sums up the fears parents have is "will the robots replace us"? Joe and I have fun answering this question and discussing:

• Parents' answers to "what jobs might come up in the future?" (lot's of fun answers like: AI Prompt Developer, Chief Productivity Officer, Robot Consultant)
• Will AI, Machine Learning, and Automation eliminate current jobs?
• How will machines and humans work together in the future workplace
• What jobs will be replaced and what jobs will stay

There's an infographic sheet that comes with each episode as a bit of advanced reading/homework for parents. Don't forget to download a copy!

Join the exciting discussion by sharing your thoughts on the future of work via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's Homework for Parents:

Will AI, ML, and automation make jobs disappear? Send in your questions. Let's learn together!

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"Antifragility is more than just resilience. It means you can lean into uncertainty and stress and that you've got what it takes to be able to embrace change."

From the results of our recently concluded survey on "Parenting, Education, and The Future of Work," we found that 79% of parents are worried about their kids ability to thrive in the future workplace, and that doesn't come as a surprise. As humans, we're all fearful of things that are outside of our control. We've also had some major disruptions (like the pandemic) that have had an impact on our view of the future. But there's always a silver lining. We dug a bit further and asked parents how they see the future workplace and found that a lot of the parents were actually hopeful that society will thrive and that businesses will prosper in the future of work.

In this episode, Joe and I explore these worries and discuss:

• How do we prepare our kids for thriving in the future environment?
• Mega trends that can impact change in the future.
• Scenario planning and finding risk and opportunities from all this change.
• Tips on how to build antifragility and resilience in our children.
• What new jobs might exist in the future.

There's an infographic sheet that comes with each episode as a bit of advanced reading/homework for parents. Don't forget to download a copy!

Join the exciting discussion by sharing your thoughts on the future of work via the Spotify Q&A feature! And you can become a special VIP Member of the Potential Psychology Podcast by subscribing here - https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe

This week's Homework for Parents:

How are you using current events to enhance learning?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Scenario Planning

The Child Who Had To Grow Up: Using Scenario Planning to Prepare for Uncertain Future Contexts in Digital Education

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"We have the components of psychological hope to drive and motivate us - the will and the way"

We're at the half-way point of our podcast series on "The Future of Work." My co-host, Dr. Joe Sweeney, and I explore the answers to questions we put to parents in our recently concluded survey on "Parenting, Education, and The Future of Work." Here are some interesting talking points of the study:

The top 5 most important personal traits parents think their kids should have in the future workplace are:

1. Flexible
2. Focused
3. Dedicated
4. Ethical
5. Resilient

The top 5 most important skills parents think their kids should have in the future workplace are:

1. Communication
2. Stress Management
3. Complex Problem Solving
4. Creativity
5. Cognitive flexibility

Aside from these interesting stats, Joe and I also discuss:

• What is Hope Theory?
• What are the components of psychological hope and how do those help us prepare our children for the future workplace?
• Activities and steps to establishing helpful pathways to achieve goals
• Willpower, Why-power, and We-power

There's an infographic sheet that comes with each episode as a bit of advanced reading/homework for parents. Don't forget to download a copy!

Join the exciting discussion by sharing your thoughts on the future of work via the Spotify Q&A feature! And you can become a special VIP Member of the Potential Psychology Podcast by subscribing here - https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe

This week's Homework for Parents:

How can we help prepare our children for jobs that don’t exist yet? (sheet attached)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

"A New Hope" for Positive Psychology: A Dynamic Systems Reconceptualization of Hope Theory by Rachel Colla, Paige Williams, Lindsay G. Oades, and Jesus Camacho-Morles

Hope Theory: Rainbows in the Mind by C.R. Snyder

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"Artificial intelligence can change the world and that's not entirely a bad thing."

In our study on "parenting, education, and the future of work", we asked parents about their most pressing concerns for their children.

This is what's on their minds:

• "Will there be enough jobs for our kids in the future?"
• "What will the quality of jobs be?"
• "Will humans and machines work together?"
• "What industries will be in demand in the future workplace?"
• "Will machines replace people's jobs or make present jobs obsolete?"
• "How will technology impact future employment options?"

At the heart of these questions is our very human fear of the uncertain. Technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning are evolving rapidly but for many of us it feels like science fiction. It's a very normal human response for these changes to bring uncertainty and it's why in today's discussion, Joe and I answer some pressing questions and focus on the jobs and skills that will always be needed no matter how much things change.

Listen in to hear us chat about:

• How much of an impact AI, machine learning, robotics, or automation will have on the future of work
• The industries that will be impacted by automation in the future
• The skills that will remain constant and needed in the future
• The nature of AI - What it is, and the role it will play in the future workplace
• The skills can we teach our children to help them adapt to disruption.

There's an infographic sheet that comes with each episode as a bit of advanced reading for parents and those interested in the jobs of the future. Don't forget to download a copy!

Join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature! And you can become a special VIP Member of the Potential Psychology Podcast by subscribing here - https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe

This week's Homework for Parents:

What other skills will never go out of style? Download the infographic sheet from our website.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Fostering Hope and Purpose in Our Kids with Rachel Colla

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"Job crafting is something we should be teaching to school students. How do I craft my job in the smallest way to maximise my purpose in life?"

Do you worry about your children's ability to thrive in the future workplace?

In the survey that my co-host for this podcast series Dr. Joe Sweeney ran to give us some juicy data for our conversations, an overwhelming 79% of parents answered 'YES' to that very question. Understandably, a key concern that came up was about job security for our future workforce. Parents are asking:

• Will my kids have the same secure work experience that I had or will their life be constantly adapting, changing jobs, scrambling to find employment?

To answer this question, Joe and I embarked on a conversation about "the dynamic nature of the future of work" and the skills that kids (and all of us) will need as the nature of work changes into the future.

And because the joy of podcast conversations is that they are rarely linear, we also explore:

• The purpose of purpose at work and the role that employers can play in helping us to thrive at work through social contribution
• Why it's important that we get involved in policy making to make the future what we want it to be
• Motivation and the mechanisms that drive it
• The top, timeless skillsets we need to cultivate in our children for them to thrive in the future including communicating effectively, empathy, stress management, complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and self-regulation.
• Neurodiversity, where it works well at work and while we're all neurodiverse in some ways.
• The importance of understanding yourself and others for thriving at work
• Tips on the activities parents can engage in with their kids in to enhance the necessary skillsets. There's an infographic sheet that comes with each episode as a bit of advanced reading/homework for parents. Don't forget to download a copy!

Don't forget that you can join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature! And you can become a special VIP Member of the Potential Psychology Podcast by subscribing here - https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe

This week's Homework for Parents:

How do we give our kids an edge in the future workplace?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Do Good At Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing by Bea Boccalandro

Job Crafting and Creating More Meaning in Work with Cass Dunn

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

PO: Beyond Yes and No by Edward de Bono

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "

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"Hope, in the psychological sense, is a combination of pathways and agency. What we're doing is creating HOPE. "

Welcome to our new podcast series: "The Future of Work", with guest expert Dr. Joe Sweeney.

I'm really excited about this series as not only do I get to talk to a great friend of the show, but he and his team have done some very cool research with parents to explore their hopes and worries when it comes to future employment for our kids. The extensive survey work that Joe has done informs our discussion. It's research in action and makes for a great conversation.

A bit about Doc Joe.

Joe is first and foremost an educator, but he is also a technologist, advisor, writer, game designer, and an expert in workforce transformation. His particular area of interest is around pathways to employment, which makes him the perfect co-host for this podcast series exploring the future of work. He's been on the Potential Psychology Podcast twice before, once in episode 17 in which we talk about "Kids, Education and The Future of Work" and in episode 79 where we talk about "The Perks and Pitfalls of Working From Home." You can learn more about Joe here.

In this very meaty first episode of our podcast series, Joe and I answer the following questions:

• What did we ask parents for our study - and what did they tell us?
• What worries parents about the future of work for kids?11
• The importance of hope for dealing with an unknown and rapidly changing world - and what does 'hope' really mean?
• Why, and how, parents should be involved in the education of their children, and
• How can we create real opportunities for our kids to thrive despite upcoming challenges?

We also share tips on the best things you can do to help your children be interested in education and learning (pro tip: read to them!).

There's a great infographic that comes with each episode in this series as a helpful guide with tips for parents. Don't forget to download a copy!

You can also join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's Question for Parents:

What skills can help prepare our children for jobs in an uncertain, highly disruptive future?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Kids, Education and The Future of Work with Dr. Joseph Sweeney

The Perks and Pitfalls of Working From Home with Dr. Joe Sweeney

APAC Zoom Education Summit : Transforming the Education Experience

The will and the ways: development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

On

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month. This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"A good night's sleep starts the moment we wake up."

We're almost at the end of Season 11 with 2 more episodes left. Today, we're back with our second to the last episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. We're exploring the last beam of the BEACON model; a model of thriving that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.

In this episode, we talk about Nurture - the one and only beam of the BEACON model that is about our physical health and how it interplays with our mental health. Nurture focuses on four aspects: eating, moving, sleeping, and being mindful. All of which revolve around, energy.

Marie and I talk about:

• Why maintaining energy is important in helping people thrive
• A handy acronym to help us remember how to keep our energy levels sustained
• Why do we need sleep
• How important is sleep for productivity, performance, and mental health
• How sleep deprivation impacts cognitive abilities and emotional regulation
• What is sleep hygiene and why we need to think about it
• Factors that affect our sleep and some practical tips to improve our sleep quality

Your quest for the week: Nurture yourself by making improvements to your sleep quality. You can check out the cheat sheet to "Seven Steps to Splendid Sleep" in Marie's website or any of the resources listed above for tips on how to improve your sleep hygiene.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Dr. Matthew Walker

Fast Asleep by Dr Michael Mosley

Headspace

Don't Blame The Reptilian Brain with Dr. Sarah McKay

Indulge Your Neurobiology TedTalk by Dr. Sarah McKay

Sleeping Well with Dr Kate Sprecher

The National Sleep Foundation

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at

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We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month. This series first went to air in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"When we feel a moment of hope, pride, love, serenity, gratitude, inspiration... we actually open up and quite literally. We broaden our peripheral vision and expand our brain."

In the 6th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive," co-hosts Marie and Ellen explore the fifth "beam" of the BEACON model: Optimism.

To recap, the first four beams are: Belonging, Engagement, Accountability, and Compassion. They are discussed in detail in the past 4 episodes of season 11. In each episode, Marie and Ellen talk about the science behind each beam and key you in on how each of these can help you thrive as they share practical applications and real-life experiences.

In this exquisitely optimistic episode, Ellen and Marie talk about:

• How emotions impact our brain and therefore our behaviour
• Are some people more wired towards optimism than others?
• How we can rewire our brains for a more positive disposition
• How our brain is hardwired to broaden, build, and perform better with positive emotions
• The neurological benefits of optimism and why is it important to notice the moments that give us a jolt of joy
• Practical tips to increase your positive vs negative emotions ratio

Your quest for this week: Create a "joy jar" by putting in a list of things that can help uplift your mood. You can enlist the help of your family, friends, or co-workers in this quest. The more ideas there are, the more opportunities there are to experience and share positive moments.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Charles Richard Snyder's Hope Theory

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson's Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Jimmy Rees' Meanwhile in Australia

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month. This series first went to air in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"If only each of us realized the full extent to which all our problems, fears, and desires are shared by the rest of humanity, we'd all be so much more connected, self-forgiving, vulnerable, open, and free."

In this, the 5th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive" Marie and Ellen explore the fourth "beam" of the BEACON model: Compassion.

It's relatively easy to feel compassion for others but practicing self-compassion is more challenging. Why, when we would give a friend facing struggle words of encouragement, do we beat ourselves up for not reaching expectations?

And how is self compassion a super power?

We discuss the answers and more in this episode.

Listen in to hear Marie and I ask:

• What is compassion?
• How does it differ from kindness and empathy?
• Why is balance is important and how do we avoid 'empathy fatigue'?
• Why is it important to pay attention to our self-talk?
• What are the most common stumbling blocks on the road to self-compassion? And what are the tips for overcoming them?
• What are the three steps to self-compassion?

Your quest for this week: Recall a time when you're were not proud of the way you showed up. How did you take the more self-compassionate route? Did you follow the three steps to self-compassion? (notice the moment, know that we are perfectly imperfect, and bring the intent to soothe ourselves rather than beat ourselves up)

Tell us about it, we'd love to hear from you!

Resources mentioned in this episode: Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

The Compassionate Mind (Compassion Focused Therapy) by Paul Gilbert

Awakening Compassion at Work: The Quiet Power That Elevates People and Organizations by Monica C. Worline and Jane E. Dutton

The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky

Kristin Neff's The three elements of self-compassion

Developing the Indomitable Gift of Compassion with Dr. Stan Steindl

The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP? You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"Thriving is not a spectator sport. You can't sit back and watch it happen."

This is the 4th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.

In this week's episode we explore the third "beam" of the BEACON model: Accountability.

This might seem an unusual element of thriving but there is no thriving without doing - and sometimes we need to hold ourselves accountable to get the doing, done.

Listen in as Marie and Ellen discuss:

• What accountability means when it comes to thriving and why it's important
• Real life, practical examples of where people struggle with accountability (because it's something we all struggle with from time to time)
• How our personal beliefs impact our goals and motivation.
• How to find your "why" to build motivation.
• Tips and techniques for holding yourself accountable to your action steps for thriving.

Your quest for this week: Get curious and challenge yourself to try a new activity for a week that you know will help you to thrive - even if it's difficult to get started. You might like to reflect on the activities we've spoken about already in this series - connecting with others, discovering or using your strengths to find 'flow' - or maybe it's an activity you've not tried before or you want to re-integrate into your life. Ellen and Marie discussed yoga and meditation as activities they'd like to get back into. Walking, social activities or new hobbies are also great ideas.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you.

Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive. To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum. Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"Flow requires us to use our strengths. Sadly many of us don't really know what those are. One of the first things that you must do is to identify these strengths. What are those things that your brain is wired to do, those things that you love doing?"

This is the 3rd episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.

Today, we recap what we learned about Belonging and talk about how we did on our weekly quest. We then explore the second "beam" of the BEACON model: Engagement.

We discuss:

• Deep focus or "flow" and how it improves our quality of life, satisfaction and happiness
• Does personality affect how easy it is to get into a state of flow
• How can we craft our lives in order to get into a "flow" more often
• Understanding your profile of individual strengths and how to use that to increase engagement

Your quest for this week: Go with the way you're wired and spend more time doing the things you're good at. What activities get you into a state of flow and how do they make you feel? Share your experience with us. We'd love to hear from you. If you need a little help finding your strengths, take the VIA strengths survey.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

http://potential.pro.viasurvey.org - VIA Strengths Survey

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

In this episode, we talk about the first "beam" of the BEACON model: Belonging. We ask:

• What do we mean by belonging?
• How important is having close connections to others to our wellbeing?
• What is a Thrive Tribe and how do we cultivate and sustain one?
• Who gets to be in our "thrive tribe?"
• What's a micro-moment of connection? And how does it help us to build relationships?

Your quest for this week: Find opportunities to create micro-moments of connection and tell us about them!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Positivity resonance - Watch this video from Dr. Barbara Fredrickson about Positivity Resonance and Positive Connection

Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TED Talk

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

This 75-Year Harvard Study Found the 1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilling Life

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

In this podcast series, Marie and I go deep into the practice of positive psychology and wellbeing science, sharing how we live what we teach in our work and in our lives. We dive into what it means to thrive and dissect a beam of the BEACON model, Marie's evidence-based model of thriving, in each episode. We even have do-at-home exercises for you to complete along with us. That means YOU get to participate in this fabulous collaboration too.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What the BEACON Model is and how it helps you to thrive
• What each beam of BEACON stands for
• What we mean by well-being literacy
• The history and origin of the positive psychology
• About finding emotional equilibrium
• Why is it important to look for the things that go well in life.

Today's quest: What went well for you? How to focus on what's strong rather than what's wrong and rewire your brain for positivity.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Delightful app that Marie and I are using

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Positivity resonance - Watch this video from Dr Barbara Fredrickson about Positivity Resonance and Positive Connection

Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TED Talk

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"In order to make progress when we're working towards meaningful goals - we need to stop and celebrate our wins."

This is my last conversation with Dr Mike Rucker in this podcast series about "Fun and Wellbeing" which is a little sad, but the conversation itself is a cracker. In it Mike and I discuss:

• The role that fun and pleasure play when pursuing social goals and making a difference to our community.
• Meaning, purpose and contribution.
• Finding the small wins in the 'infinite game' of social change.
• The Progress Principle
• How to create an environment that helps you collect memories/resources to enable fun.
• How to make sure that you are having fun even in environments that don't readily allow you to do so.
• Why working towards meaningful goals and ensuring that you have an aspect of pleasure can help propel you forward.
• For organisations: how kindness and fun have the same effect on wellbeing and how you can incorporate that into your CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program.

Join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's point to ponder:

How can you use fun for social good?.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Progress Principle: Teresa Amabile TEDx talk

Brene Brown

Repair Cafes

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"Growth and mastery happen when you don't hit the mark."

Sometimes fun doesn't feel that fun. Not in that exact moment anyway. It's only later, when we reflect on the experience that we realise how beneficial it was to us. This is what's known as Type II fun.

In this conversation Mike and I explore this Type II fun, peak experiences, awe and wonder, mastery and the importance of pushing through discomfort to reach the sense of accomplishment and wellbeing on the other side.

We also discuss:

• Why 'failure' is important
• How fun and positive experiences are not 'one size fits all.'
• The importance of understanding what's positive and important to you as a unique individual
• How this approach to fun relates to Carol Dweck's 'growth mindset'
• How and where to find awe and wonder in order to broaden your perspectives.
• Where to find avenues for fun but challenging activities to help you take the first step towards mastering the art of fun.

Join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's point to ponder:

How can you add fun as an ingredient to your more challenging tasks and situations?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

PLAY Model

What is Type II fun? Article in the Washington Post

Episode 3 - Fun & Wellbeing - How to Amplify Fun's Power

Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization by Scott Barry Kaufman

The Fun Scale

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"We have the autonomy to take moments of fun and expand and magnify their usefulness."

We're at the half-way point of our "Fun and Wellbeing" mini-series, co-hosted with Dr. Mike Rucker, author of The Fun Habit: How the pursuit of joy and wonder can change your life.

To recap the previous episodes, we talked about:

• How peppering your life with fun is better for your wellbeing than the active pursuit of happiness (Happiness Paradox).
• How we can tweak our lives in small ways to find more whimsy.
• We also explored the PLAY model to understand how to use our time to maximise our opportunities for fun (habit bundling).
• We look at fun at work - how to craft more opportunities to find fun at work and how to make sure our time off work incorporates fun.
• And lastly, we share tips on how to get a balance or a blend of both work life and personal life.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Savouring, Relishing, and Reminiscing - these are SAVOUR tools used to amplify fun's power.
• How to find moments of fun and amplify their usefulness in order to enhance your wellbeing.
• The tools that help us savor, relish, and reminisce.
• The importance of preserving tangible mementos to take us back to fun moments
• How to create a repository of fun memories such as a memory garden, and
• Unpacking bittersweet experiences to uncover their fun

Join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's point to ponder:

How do you amplify fun’s power in your life?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/message

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"If we keep doing what we've always done - we can't expect brilliance to appear."

In the 3rd episode of our brand new mini-series 'Fun and Wellbeing,' My co-host, Dr. Mike Rucker and I geek out about whether work can be fun.

Feeling like you have control of your time and have enough time each day is a predictor of happiness. It's known as 'time affluence.' When we have the autonomy to choose the activities we spend our time on - at work and at home - our happiness quotient increases.

In this conversation we explore:

• How taking time for fun and pleasure promotes productivity.
• The difference between 'algorithmic work' and 'knowledge work' and why we need to make the rules of the work game clear.
• What counts as work and some quick and easy tips on how to change your mindset about it in order to encourage creativity.
• Do prescribed 'fun' activities at work, work?
• How to reframe our thoughts, reclaim autonomy, and look for opportunities that invigorate to have more fun.
• Why protecting and reclaiming your time are key activities for increasing your fun quotient.

Join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's point to ponder:

Do you have fun with your work tasks? Tell us about it!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

How to Thrive: Optimism and Creating Jolts of Joy

John Cleese on Creativity in Management - You Tube

Time Poverty & Time Affluence

Having Too Little or Too Much Time is Linked to Lower Subjective Well-Being
Sharif, Marissa, Cassie Mogilner, and Hal Hershfield (2021), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Giving Time Gives You Time
Mogilner, Cassie, Zoë Chance, and Michael I. Norton (2012), "Giving Time Gives You Time," Psychological Science

Time Will Tell: The Distant Appeal of Promotion and Imminent Appeal of Prevention
Mogilner, Cassie, Jennifer L. Aaker, and Ginger L. Pennington (2008), “Time Will Tell: The Distant Appeal of Promotion and Imminent Appeal of Prevention,” Journal of Consumer Research

What Do Happy People Do?
Robinson, J.P., Martin, S. What Do Happy People Do?. Soc Indic Res 89, 565–571 (2008).

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "

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"Stack the decks in your favour - make sure that what you're doing are things that you are going to enjoy."

In the 2nd episode of our brand new mini-series 'Fun and Wellbeing,' we talk about the importance of wonder and delight and how creating opportunities for fun is as important as actually having fun.

Our co-host for this series, Dr. Mike Rucker, happens to be a VW bus aficionado. You can see pictures of his VW bus on Instagram @thewonderoffun. In this episode, Mike shares a fun anecdote about how he uses his VW bus to add a fun factor to an otherwise mundane activity. I then share my experience of learning to ballroom dance and how I went from terrified novice to performing live to audience of 300! We also discuss how we're pre-dispositioned to look for the bad and how to cultivate a healthy 'bias towards fun'.

Plus these:

• What is FUN?
• PLAY and how to use the PLAY model for changing your entire approach to balancing life and work, fun and toil.
• Tips for incorporating 'jolts of joy' to experiences to boost energy and maximise fun's benefits.
• Ways to incorporate a “bias toward fun” into every aspect of life and some exercises to help you reconnect to wonder, delight and your natural playfulness.

Join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's point to ponder:

Which of life's activities will you swap out for more fun?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

How to Thrive: Optimism and Creating Jolts of Joy

The Rucker PLAY model

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic".

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"Emotions, if we sit with them, help us start to understand their purpose. To be emotionally healthy, you should have a wide range of emotions. We can still invite joy and delight even in areas where the emotional state of happiness might not be appropriate."

We're back for Season 12 and we're having fun! We're talking about the science of fun and how to make it work for you at home and at work.

My co-host for this mini-series is Dr. Mike Rucker, author of The Fun Habit: How the pursuit of joy and wonder can change your life. Mike is a behavioural scientist and a health technology entrepreneur. He is a charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association and a member of the American Psychological Association.

You can get to know Mike in this short Q&A.

As a scientist Mike made a commitment to implementing the science of happiness in his everyday life - until misfortune intervened and he found himself more miserable than ever. He was left with the burning question: 'If deliberately chasing happiness made me miserable, where do I turn?'

His answer? To have fun. Mike says that, unlike happiness, fun isn’t a subjective condition that might arise under the right circumstances. Having fun is something you can engage in almost anywhere, anytime. It’s also enormously beneficial, physically and psychologically.

In this episode, Mike and I explore:

• The 'happiness paradox'. What is it and how does it stop us from living our best life? And what should we seek instead of happiness for better wellbeing?
• How sitting with your thoughts can lead to better emotional health and reframe our understanding of happiness.
• How autonomy can help us reclaim the lost art of fun and wonder.
• The science of fun (yes, it's a science), its components (fascinating!) and how Mike's book came to be.

You can now join the discussion! Share your thoughts via the Q&A feature on Spotify.

This week's point to ponder:

What ideas do you have for incorporating more fun and whimsy into your life?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Mike's book: The Fun Habit: How the pursuit of joy and wonder can change your life.

A wandering mind is not a happy mind - Killingsworth & Gilbert

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? Email podcast@potential.com.au

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our

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The Potential Psychology Podcast is BACK!

We've been off the air since January 2022 due to pandemic disruptions but the hiatus gave us an opportunity to rejig, reshape and reinvigorate the show and add some brand new features to the show.

What's coming up? Well, we have 2 new co-hosted mini-series starting this month:

Fun and Wellbeing with Dr. Mike Rucker

Next week, we'll kick-off our brand new season with brand new mini series that's all about FUN. We'll talk about the science behind fun and share tips and strategies to boost wellbeing, enhance productivity, build connections, and make a difference. This mini-series is co-hosted with our guest expert, Dr. Mike Rucker, whose book, The Fun Habit: How the pursuit of joy and wonder can change your life, is set to be released in early 2023.

The Future of Work with Dr. Joe Sweeney

The second mini-series is all about 'Parenting, Education, and The Future of Work'. What will the future of work be like? How might learning change in the future? Will Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, robotics and automation make jobs disappear? We'll be answering your burning questions in this mini-series which I will be co-hosting with a dear friend of the show, Dr. Joe Sweeney (Joe was on episode 17 and 79). Joe has done a lot of research into the subject and his day job involves finding innovations in the workplace. You can help our ongoing research by sharing your two cents on what you think the future of work might be like, here.

As for the exciting new features of the Potential Psychology Podcast:

You now have the ability to make this a two-way conversation with the new direct chat feature via the Q&A feature on Spotify. If listen to the show on Spotify, look for the Q&A button on the episode page.

PLUS bonus content will soon be available for our subscribers in the new VIP subscriber feature. This could include early releases, archived content, Q&A episodes, video podcasts. There are so many options so please, test out the Q&A function for this episode on Spotify or Anchor.fm and answer the first audience question: What special subscriber content would you like as a VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast?

To sign up as a subscriber via Spotify or Anchor.fm, the link is https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe

For more information on subscriber-only podcast episodes, visit https://blog.anchor.fm/paid-subscriptions#listeners

Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic".

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a 5-star rating over at Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.au

Check out our YouTube Channel here

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"Hope is believing that the future will be better than what life is today and believing that we have the power to make that so."Who else needs to hear that right now?Want to know more? Well, hope is the hot topic for this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast!We've reached the conclusion of this weekly series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model of thriving that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life. The 6 'beams' of the BEACON model are:* Belonging * Engagement * Accountability * Compassion * Optimism * Nurture

Each one has a dedicated episode where we explore each of the beams and how they help us in our goal to thrive and flourish. Make sure you catch them all.In this episode, Marie and I recap of our quest of getting better sleep from the Nurture episode, we discuss our plans and what we're looking forward to in 2022, and we explore:* What's next for the "How to Thrive" series (hint: there's a documentary) * Hope - what does it mean and why is it absolutely essential for our mental wellbeing? * Tips for mapping out a vision of our "best possible future self" * How to set intentions and take steps to plan our thriving year * What's in store for 2022 (hint: e-learning and possibly an e-book)

Your last 'How to Thrive' quest: 1. Visualise your "best possible future self." If everything went as well as it possibly could, what would your life look like? 2. What goals are you going to set to bring that vision to life? 3. Consider the potential obstacles and plan around them. 4. Check-in frequently to see how you're going. 5. You can use the resources mentioned here and in our previous episodes to help you with this exercise.

Resources mentioned in this episode:Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths by Charles Richard Snyder and Shane J. LopezSeligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychologyFacing Your Fears and Learning to Grow with Dr Patricia Zurita OnaDr. Peggy Kernhttp://potential.pro.viasurvey.org - VIA Strengths SurveyLittle Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Ellen's new online program for leaders grappling with hybrid teams in a post-COVID world is now open. Register here.Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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......................................................................................................................................................................................................................"A good night's sleep starts the moment we wake up."We're almost at the end of Season 11 with 2 more episodes left. Today, we're back with our second to the last episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. We're exploring the last beam of the BEACON model; a model of thriving that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.In this episode, we talk about Nurture - the one and only beam of the BEACON model that is about our physical health and how it interplays with our mental health. Nurture focuses on four aspects: eating, moving, sleeping, and being mindful. All of which revolve around, energy.Marie and I talk about:* Why maintaining energy is important in helping people thrive * A handy acronym to help us remember how to keep our energy levels sustained * Why do we need sleep * How important is sleep for productivity, performance, and mental health * How sleep deprivation impacts cognitive abilities and emotional regulation * What is sleep hygiene and why we need to think about it * Factors that affect our sleep and some practical tips to improve our sleep quality

Your quest for the week: Nurture yourself by making improvements to your sleep quality. You can check out the cheat sheet to "Seven Steps to Splendid Sleep" in Marie's website or any of the resources listed above for tips on how to improve your sleep hygiene.Resources mentioned in this episode:Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Dr. Matthew WalkerFast Asleep by Dr Michael MosleyHeadspaceDon't Blame The Reptilian Brain with Dr. Sarah McKayIndulge Your Neurobiology TedTalk by Dr. Sarah McKaySleeping Well with Dr Kate SprecherThe National Sleep FoundationLittle Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Ellen's new online program for leaders grappling with hybrid teams in a post-COVID world is now open. Register here.Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"When we feel a moment of hope, pride, love, serenity, gratitude, inspiration... we actually open up and quite literally. We broaden our peripheral vision and expand our brain."In the 6th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive," co-hosts Marie and Ellen explore the fifth "beam" of the BEACON model: Optimism.To recap, the first four beams are: Belonging, Engagement, Accountability, and Compassion. They are discussed in detail in the past 4 episodes of season 11. In each episode, Marie and Ellen talk about the science behind each beam and key you in on how each of these can help you thrive as they share practical applications and real-life experiences.In this exquisitely optimistic episode, Ellen and Marie talk about:* How emotions impact our brain and therefore our behaviour * Are some people more wired towards optimism than others? * How we can rewire our brains for a more positive disposition * How our brain is hardwired to broaden, build, and perform better with positive emotions * The neurological benefits of optimism and why is it important to notice the moments that give us a jolt of joy * Practical tips to increase your positive vs negative emotions ratio

Your quest for this week: Create a "joy jar" by putting in a list of things that can help uplift your mood. You can enlist the help of your family, friends, or co-workers in this quest. The more ideas there are, the more opportunities there are to experience and share positive moments.Resources mentioned in this episode:Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.Charles Richard Snyder's Hope TheoryDr. Barbara Fredrickson's Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive EmotionsSeligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychologyJimmy Rees' Meanwhile in AustraliaLittle Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Ellen's new online program for leaders grappling with hybrid teams in a post-COVID world is now open. Register here.Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"If only each of us realized the full extent to which all our problems, fears, and desires are shared by the rest of humanity, we'd all be so much more connected, self-forgiving, vulnerable, open, and free."In this, the 5th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive" Marie and Ellen explore the fourth "beam" of the BEACON model: Compassion.It's relatively easy to feel compassion for others but practicing self-compassion is more challenging. Why, when we would give a friend facing struggle words of encouragement, do we beat ourselves up for not reaching expectations? And how is self compassion a super power? We discuss the answers and more in this episode.Listen in to hear Marie and I ask:* What is compassion? * How does it differ from kindness and empathy? * Why is balance is important and how do we avoid 'empathy fatigue'? * Why is it important to pay attention to our self-talk? * What are the most common stumbling blocks on the road to self-compassion? And what are the tips for overcoming them? * What are the three steps to self-compassion?

Your quest for this week: Recall a time when you're were not proud of the way you showed up. How did you take the more self-compassionate route? Did you follow the three steps to self-compassion? (notice the moment, know that we are perfectly imperfect, and bring the intent to soothe ourselves rather than beat ourselves up) Tell us about it, we'd love to hear from you!Resources mentioned in this episode:Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.The Compassionate Mind (Compassion Focused Therapy) by Paul GilbertAwakening Compassion at Work: The Quiet Power That Elevates People and Organizations by Monica C. Worline and Jane E. DuttonThe How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja LyubomirskyKristin Neff's The three elements of self-compassionDeveloping the Indomitable Gift of Compassion with Dr. Stan SteindlThe Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry KaufmanLittle Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Ellen's new online program for leaders grappling with hybrid teams in a post-COVID world is now open. Register here.Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"Thriving is not a spectator sport. You can't sit back and watch it happen."This is the 4th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.In this week's episode we explore the third "beam" of the BEACON model: Accountability.This might seem an unusual element of thriving but there is no thriving without doing - and sometimes we need to hold ourselves accountable to get the doing, done.Listen in as Marie and Ellen discuss:* What accountability means when it comes to thriving and why it's important * Real life, practical examples of where people struggle with accountability (because it's something we all struggle with from time to time) * How our personal beliefs impact our goals and motivation. * How to find your "why" to build motivation. * Tips and techniques for holding yourself accountable to your action steps for thriving.

Your quest for this week: Get curious and challenge yourself to try a new activity for a week that you know will help you to thrive - even if it's difficult to get started. You might like to reflect on the activities we've spoken about already in this series - connecting with others, discovering or using your strengths to find 'flow' - or maybe it's an activity you've not tried before or you want to re-integrate into your life. Ellen and Marie discussed yoga and meditation as activities they'd like to get back into. Walking, social activities or new hobbies are also great ideas.Resources mentioned in this episode:Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychologyCharles Duhigg's The Power of HabitBJ Fogg's Tiny HabitsLittle Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Ellen's new online program for leaders grappling with hybrid teams in a post-COVID world is now open. Register here.Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"Flow requires us to use our strengths. Sadly many of us don't really know what those are. One of the first things that you must do is to identify these strengths. What are those things that your brain is wired to do, those things that you love doing?"This is the 3rd episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.Today, we recap what we learned about Belonging and talk about how we did on our weekly quest. We then explore the second "beam" of the BEACON model: Engagement.We discuss:* Deep focus or "flow" and how it improves our quality of life, satisfaction and happiness * Does personality affect how easy it is to get into a state of flow * How can we craft our lives in order to get into a "flow" more often * Understanding your profile of individual strengths and how to use that to increase engagement

Your quest for this week: Go with the way you're wired and spend more time doing the things you're good at. What activities get you into a state of flow and how do they make you feel? Share your experience with us. We'd love to hear from you. If you need a little help finding your strengths, take the VIA strengths survey.Resources mentioned in this episode:Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.http://potential.pro.viasurvey.org - VIA Strengths SurveyHow to Support Your Employees (and Yourself) While Working From Home? - Little Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Starting Soon. Don't miss out!Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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We're back with another episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model of thriving that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.In this episode, we talk about the first "beam" of the BEACON model: Belonging. We ask: What do we mean by belonging? * How important is having close connections to others to our wellbeing? * What is a Thrive Tribe and how do we cultivate and sustain one? * Who gets to be in our "thrive tribe?" * What's a micro-moment of connection?* And how does it help us to build relationships?

Your quest for this week: Find opportunities to create micro-moments of connection and tell us about them!Resources mentioned in this episode:Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.Positivity resonance - Watch this video from Dr. Barbara Fredrickson about Positivity Resonance and Positive ConnectionRobert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TED TalkSeligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychologyQuiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan CainThis 75-Year Harvard Study Found the 1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilling LifeHow to Support Your Employees (and Yourself) While Working From Home? - Little Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Starting Soon. Don't miss out!Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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We're shaking things up a bit in season 11 of the show with a new format. I am co-hosting this series with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod - our wonderful guest from our "How To Thrive" episode in season 10.In this podcast series, Marie and I go deep into the practice of positive psychology and wellbeing science, sharing how we live what we teach in our work and in our lives. We dive into what it means to thrive and dissect a beam of the BEACON model, Marie's evidence-based model of thriving, in each episode. We even have do-at-home exercises for you to complete along with us. That means YOU get to participate in this fabulous collaboration too.In this episode, you will learn:What the BEACON Model is and how it helps you to thriveWhat each beam of BEACON stands forWhat we mean by well-being literacyThe history and origin of the positive psychologyAbout finding emotional equilibriumWhy is it important to look for the things that go well in life.Today's quest: What went well for you? How to focus on what's strong rather than what's wrong and rewire your brain for positivity.Resources mentioned in this episode:The Delightful app that Marie and I are usingMarie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.Positivity resonance - Watch this video from Dr Barbara Fredrickson about Positivity Resonance and Positive ConnectionRobert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TED TalkSeligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychologyHow to Support Your Employees (and Yourself) While Working From Home? - Little Lessons for Leaders Masterclass: Creating Hard Stops on Meeting Creep and Zoom Gloom. Starting Soon. Don't miss out!Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email podcast@potential.com.auWant to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcastCheck out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

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"Go and see a psychologist because you want to be premium" - Dr Jo MitchellIn our world the number 100 is of great significance. 100 is the basis of percentages, 100° Celsius is the boiling point of pure water at sea level, currencies use 100 subunits to make 1 unit, and a score of 100 in school is the perfect score!Today we're excited to celebrate our 100th episode with a very special guest. We return to our roots by welcoming our first ever guest Dr. Jo Mitchell back to the show. Jo is the Director & Co-Founder of The Mind Room in Melbourne. She is a clinical and coaching psychologist who works with professionals and performers in sport, small business and creative industries. She is passionate about building lives with meaning. She and her team at The Mind Room believe that "if people know more about how their minds work, they suffer less and live more meaningful, connected and satisfying lives". As Jo and I discuss in this conversation, that's a philosophy that we share and one that made Jo the perfect person with whom to celebrate 100 episodes; where we've come from, where we've been and where we are going.In this episode, Jo and I talk about:* The changes, growth, and new contributions of the Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Science community * How The Mind Room came to be and what drives it * Why shared spaces and collaboration are important not only for clients but for psychologists as well * The role of community in happiness and wellbeing * How we can smash the stigma around mental illness by doing things differently * What the wellbeing landscape looks like under lockdown * The future of Wellbeing Science and practice and those who are taking the field into the future.

Thank you so much for sharing 100 episodes of the Potential Psychology Podcast with us. This conversation is a celebration of who we are and why we do what we do; to help us all to fulfill our potential. Listen in and please let me know what you think - and stay tuned for news about what's next for the Potential Psychology Podcast.Onwards and upwards,Ellen.Where can you find Jo:https://twitter.com/themindroomhttps://facebook.com/TheMindRoomhttps://instagram.com/themindroomResources mentioned in this episode:The Indigo ProjectProject Thrive

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"The key thing is to know if it's in your 'zone of genius' or if you could actually hand that down to someone who can do it 10x faster. Let go of the need for control."In this wonderful discussion my guest and I are talking work and business but not in terms of targets, revenue and turnover. We're talking about being human at work and the critical role that values, connection and heart play in getting things done and feeling good about what we do.My guest is Kristy Smith, the energetic and inspiring Founder, Director & Driver of Virtual Elves, an outsourcing and business support team that serves small to medium sized businesses - including Potential Psychology - to do really fulfil their potential. As Kristy says, 'You have to let go to grow' - a philosophy that has helped me greatly here at PP.In this episode, we talk about:* The long and fascinating history of Virtual Elves and how Kristy was working with a work-from-home team well before the pandemic * What is a Virtual Assistant, who needs one and how do they help small businesses to grow and small business owners to stay sane? * Learning to let go and delegate in order to be more productive. An important life lesson. * How Kristy got into the business of helping people and providing virtual support to others * Building trust and camaraderie within a virtual community * Uncovering your "zone of genius" and how that works across cultures and organisations * The joys of working from home and understanding how disruption has lead to exciting breakthroughs in the way we work * How working with remote teams has brought people closer and kept businesses afloat

Where can you find Kristy:TwitterFacebookLinkedInResources discussed in this episode:VirtualElvesSelf CompassionTest Your Level of Self CompassionDr Kristin Neff on The Healing Power of Self Compassion - The Psychology Podcast

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"At its core, this study emphasises that our bodies are important. Anything that gets you out of your head and creating an in-the-moment kind of awareness is a powerful and useful thing. Physical awareness is an extra option and options have value."Scientific research, especially in the psychological sciences, is rarely linear. There is no definitive answer and, as with most things, context is important. This is evident in the conversations that have sparked around 'Power Posing' or the idea that body positions can change the way you think and feel.My guest today's guest is Tom Loncar, executive coach, writer, researcher on leadership psychology and mindset and founder of “Grow Gravitas." In a recent article for the British Psychological Society Tom examined power posing’s 10-year journey and the role that it has played in social science research. It's a great article about a fascinating topic - whether small postural adjustment make us feel more powerful when facing stressful situations. But while power posing is interesting in its own right, it has an even more fascinating back story that sees it embroiled in psychology's replication crisis'.Listen in to hear Tom and I geek out about:* Power posing: What it is and why it took the world by storm. * Why there is rarely a 'silver bullet' for behaviour change. * How Tom got started in his in-depth research by diving down rabbit holes. * A short but long history of embodiment or 'embodied cognition' and how our bodies influence our emotions. * The role Power Posing played in behavioural science's 'replication crisis'. * Where the dialogue is now for 'power posing' and where it might take us next.

About our guest:In addition to his work as an executive coach and researcher, Tom is also a regular contributing writer on leadership for the Australian Financial Review and BOSS Magazine. His articles have covered a wide variety of topics examining leadership growth and the often unseen barriers that can get in the way of doing what matters.Where to find Tom:Twitter - https://twitter.com/TomLoncarLinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/tloncarResources mentioned in this episode:A Decade of ‘Power Posing’: Where Do We Stand? by Tom LoncarDoes "Power Posing" really work? ABC Radio interview with Tom LoncarPresence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy CuddyTEDTalk: Your body language may shape who you are with Amy CuddySmiling does make you happier – under carefully controlled conditionsAssessing the Robustness of Power PosingSocial Sciences Replication ProjectWhen the Revolution Came for Amy Cuddy

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"Thriving is not a spectator sport. Sometimes, showing up is enough but you have to hold yourself and other people in your space accountable for thriving. Find the balance between grit and grace. Know when you need to dig in deep or when you need to fall back with self compassion."In this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast we're exploring the science of what is right about the human experience and how positive psychology can progress the conversation about mental ill-health in our community. My guest is Marie McLeod, Director of Thriveability and the guiding force behind the upcoming documentary, 'How To Thrive: practical guide to happiness.' in which she coaches 10 volunteers with mental health issues to help them learn ‘how to thrive.'In this episode, Marie and I discuss:* How the documentary come about - the magic of synchronicity! * Mechanisms and tools that help us get through difficulties. * The BEACON model of wellbeing and how to use it. * Self-compassion and finding the balance between 'grit and grace.' * Exploring the capacity to thrive despite struggle - documentary participants' real life stories. * Why Marie was inspired to use the documentary format and an exclusive peak behind the scenes of the "How To Thrive" project.

You can watch the trailer to the magnificent documentary "How To Thrive" here.Where can you find Marie:FacebookInstagramLinkedInResources mentioned in this episode:Food Isn't Medicine by Dr Joshua WoolrichPast episodes discussing Acceptance - Dr. Laura Braid, Eric Winters, Dr Patricia Zurita-Ona, Dr Diana HillAbout How To ThriveHow to Thrive: a practical guide to happiness - TrailerWebsite (coming soon!)Subscribe to our newsletter YouTube channel

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"When you step out of your comfort zone, there's going to be a whole slew of thoughts that show up. There are going to be uncomfortable emotions that show up. Acceptance is our capacity to really get curious, open and allow and be willing for that to happen without getting bogged down or entangled in it." - Dr Diana HillIn today's show we're getting curious about psychological flexibility - the skill of not getting sidetracked or bogged down when difficult thoughts, feelings and sensations arise.Being human is hard. We're often outside of our comfort zone, whether that's dealing with a tough situation at work or home, challenging yourself to try something new or just dealing with everyday busy and overwhelm. Today's guest, Dr Diana Hill, talks us through the skill of acceptance - getting curious about life outside our comfort zone as the path to living, working and feeling at our best.Join Diana and I as we explore:* Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) and its benefits for work, performance, sports, parenting and flourishing as a human * Psychological flexibility - what it is and how it's like a Rubiks Cube * The skill of perspective-taking how we can use it to our advantage in the workplace * Shifting your self-image to open yourself up to new capabilities and possibilities * How to get off the roundabout of uncomfortable feelings * A practical technique that can help us break down the stories we craft about ourselves that limit our psychological flexibility - Listen in as my psychological flexibility is tested!

About our Guest:Dr. Diana Hill is a clinical psychologist, yoga teacher, podcaster, author and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) practitioner. Diana helps her clients build a values-rich life and unpacks the science of ACT through the cutting-edge podcast "Psychologists Off the Clock" as well as through her online courses and retreats. She is the author of the book "ACT Daily Journal: Get Unstuck and Live Fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy."You can find Diana on:Website: https://drdianahill.comFacebook: @drdianahillInstagram: @drdianahillTwitter: @drdianahillResources:Here's where you can find Diana's blog, book, and the Act Daily Journal Promotional Toolkit

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"Most humans have been training for anxiety their whole life. We live in a mostly anxious society where it's all about hustling, getting straight A's...it's just really stressful. So (our) brain is designed for an anxious life. If we give our brain the practice in relaxing every single day, it's gonna get better at it." - Erika FlintWhen we think of hypnosis we often imagine the magician with a swinging pocket watch. But hypnosis is more than a stage act. It's a genuine psychological therapy that helps us access deeper parts of our minds. Yet many of us still fear it. Today's guest is here to dispel common media misrepresentations and myths surrounding hypnosis.Erika Flint is a Board Certified Hypnotist and Accredited Certified Professional Hypnotherapy Instructor. Her lifelong goal is to help bring hypnosis into mainstream healing and thinking.In this episode, we talk about:* What is Hypnosis and how does it work * Dispelling fears surrounding hypnosis with science based facts * How much is our behaviour driven by our subconscious * How is hypnosis different from mindful meditation * Is there such a thing as self-hypnosis? * What is "hypnotic suggestion"? * How can hypnosis help with stress management, goal attainment, high performance, and wellbeing * How long does it typically take to realise results from hypnotherapy * Are there any risk associated with hypnosis * Where to start if you want to get hypnotherapy

Erika is also the author of the best-selling books "Reprogram Your Weight" and "Lighter", that combines leading edge hypnosis techniques with client success stories of weight loss.Where to find Erika:(socmed accts)Website - https://cascadehypnosiscenter.com/Books by Erika Flint:https://www.amazon.com/Erika-Flint/e/B01I2DB3OS%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_shareResources mentioned in this podcast:https://podcastnotes.org/tim-ferris-show/brene-brown-tim-ferriss-self-acceptance-trauma/https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/taken-for-granted-bren%C3%A9-brown-on-what-vulnerability-isnt/

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Today's podcast guest is the energetic Cassandra Dunn. Cass is a clinical & coaching psychologist and mindfulness meditation teacher. She is also a podcaster, author, online course creator, speaker and workshop facilitator. In this episode, Cass and I talk about the importance of job satisfaction for our happiness and how we can craft our work circumstances to increase our fulfilment without having to make a major career change.We also discuss: The origin story behind Cass's hugely successful podcast "Crappy to Happy" * Real life tools and strategies that we can use to move from crappy to fundamentally happy * What does living according to your values mean and how does that help us live more authentically and feel more fulfilled? * How changing our perception of work or changing the scope of what we do can help us feel happier about our current job * How to incorporate play and creative elements to invigorate your job and become more engaged in your work * Cass's book, Crappy to Happy: Love What You Do*

Cass is the vibrant host of the Crappy to Happy podcast. It has consistently ranked in the Top 5 health and wellbeing podcasts on Apple Podcasts since it launched and has been downloaded MILLIONS of times! It's been featured in Apple Podcast’s Best of 2018 list, iTunes “Influencers” category in February 2019 and was iTunes Number 1 in the “Inspiring Women” category for International Women’s Day, March 2019. The show is available on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts.Cass has also authored the Crappy to Happy book trilogy. The books detail simple steps to live your best life, find meaning in your work, and build stronger relationships. She also offers online programs, retreats, and workshops for anyone who is ready to take action towards living their happiest and most meaningful life.Cass has very generously given all our Potential Psychology Podcast listeners 15% OFF on all of her books and online programs. To avail of this great deal, go to cassdunn.com, pick the books and programs you'd like to explore, and use the promo code POTENTIAL at checkout.Where to find Cass on Social Media:TwitterFacebookInstagramCass's books and programs:Crappy to Happy booksCass's online servicesAlso mentioned in this episode...Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine EvaristoEllen facilitating the Arts & Culture Ballarat 'Creative Block' panel. It all went well!

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Do you have conversations about sleep in your workplace? Do you know what shift work, working across time zones or catching up on work into the night can do to your safety, productivity and wellbeing? Ever wondered about the strategic use of caffeine and naps to mitigate the risks of interrupted sleep?Today's guest on the Potential Psychology Podcast is a researcher and the Co-Director of the Behaviour-Brain-Body Research Centre at the University of South Australia, Professor Siobhan Banks. We're talking about a topic that might interest you because, despite the fact that it has been a huge part of the universal human experience and is a favourite activity for many of us, sleep remains one of science's greatest mysteries. Siobhan will help explore and explain the mysteries of sleep and its significant role in health and wellbeing.In this episode, we discuss:* Why sleep is important to our wellbeing and how we function. * How much sleep do we really need and how do we know if we are indeed getting enough? * What are the impacts of sleep deprivation and why is it dangerous? * Sleep, wellbeing, and work performance. * How to mitigate the risks of unavoidable sleep issues created by shift work. * Caffeine, napping, and other strategies to manage the effects of shift work on sleep.

Siobhan has done extensive research on the impact of inadequate sleep on cognitive performance and health. She has more than 100 published works on sleep and fatigue,Where can you find Siobhan:Resources mentioned in this episode:National Sleep FoundationPotential Psychology Podcast Episode 038: Sleeping Well with Dr Kate SprecherEllen Jackson on how mindset and personality impact your life admin: LifeAdmin LifeHacks PodcastPositive LeadershipPracticing Positive Leadership

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We all struggle at times with our relationships, in parenting, at work. We all get sad, stressed and worried. We might feel lonely or isolated. We might feel fear, guilt or shame. These are all forms of suffering, much of which comes from rumination, self-criticism and the complex work of our minds. The good news is that we can alleviate much of this suffering by uncovering our Compassionate Self - the key to a healthier mental life.Today's guest is an expert in compassion, Clinical Psychologist, Adjunct Associate Professor, and Author of the insightful and beautifully written book: "The Gifts of Compassion: How to understand and overcome suffering", Dr Stan Steindl.In this episode, Stan gives us a starting point to understanding compassion and guides us through discovering our most compassionate selves.Join us today as we answer the following questions:* What do we mean by compassion? * What is the difference between empathy and sympathy as interpersonal skills? * Why understanding suffering is the key to unlocking our most "compassionate selves" * Identifying fears, blocks, and resistance to open yourself up to receiving self-care and self compassion * How self criticism disguises itself as self challenge with short term benefits but is actually counterproductive * What is shame and how is it relevant in self compassion? * The difference between shame and guilt * Using imagery to learn about and develop your most compassionate self

Where can you find Stan:https://psychologyconsultants.com.au/team/dr-stan-steindl/YouTube (Compassion in a T-Shirt)https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCujCvGkc_TFF7KmA0Sk4E7ASoundCloud (The Compassion Initiative with James Kirby)https://soundcloud.com/jamesn-kirby(please add links to Stan's social media, see guest tab)Dr. Stan Steindl's book:https://www.australianacademicpress.com.au/books/details/336/The_Gifts_of_Compassion_How_to_understand_and_overcome_sufferingOther resources mentioned in this episode:About Compassion Focused Therapy - https://positivepsychology.com/compassion-focused-therapy-training-exercises-worksheets/Link and abstract for the meta-analysis on the effectiveness of compassion-based interventionshttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005789417300667Link to my coaching services on the web site please :-)

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Happy New Year, everyone! After a restful and well deserved break, we're back for Season 10 and we've got a very timely topic: training our body and brain to improve our wellbeing and perform at peak state. This episode is perfect for those who need a motivational nudge with their new year, 'new you' resolutions.My guest is the multi talented Andrew May. He is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, CEO and founder of StriveStronger.com, a boutique media and digital consultancy that delivers workplace wellbeing, coaching and leadership programs. Andrew's unique background in professional sport, academia, performance coaching and business positions him perfectly to discuss mind-body training for peak performance. In addition, Andrew's media experience, communication skills and experience as a coach allow him to cut through by asking simple, yet profound questions that inspire individuals, teams and organisations to reach their full potential.In this thought provoking episode, Andrew and I discuss:* How the stories we tell ourselves limit our beliefs and our concept of success * Why having a B-side to our life and persona helps us with acceptance * Why positive self talk is important * The power of writing to get your thoughts in order * The 6 key areas in your life that you need to optimise, from his brilliant book MatchFit, co-authored with Dr Tom Buckley.

Andrew is author of the bestselling book Flip the Switch and the recently released MatchFit which has sold more than 75,000 copies. He has a regular segment on ABC News Breakfast and appears across multiple media platforms including TV, radio, printed publications and online. His popular Business Fit Podcast is designed to support small business owners manage their physical and psychological wellbeing.

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Today's international episode is an extra special one and got me thinking "why haven't done this earlier?" It explores the dynamics of remote working teams and gives us a peek inside the inner workings of the Potential Psychology Team. My guests on the podcast are the people who make Potential Psychology possible: podcast producer, Jaie Obillo, podcast audio producer, Andy Maher, and online business manager Tamsin Parry.In this episode, we discuss:* What has life been like Covid-style in each team member's part of the world? * What have been their the challenges and upsides? * What have they done to maintain self-care? * A little Christmas wish for our audience

Jaie is a freelance content writer, licensed teacher, and disaster response volunteer. Andy Maher is an audio producer and voice over artist with 25 years of experience in Australian media. Tamsin Parry supports entrepreneurs build healthy and profitable online businesses, through systems, automations and team management.Are You Ready to Fulfil Your Potential?Download your FREE copy of ‘Creating Thriving, Motivated Teams: A How To Guide’ by entering your details belowIf you like this podcast, please give us a rating at https://reviewthispodcast.com/Potential. We appreciate your support.

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Our guest today is self leadership coach, speaker and author Eric Winters. His book, "Swipe Right on Your Best Self: Simple steps to a bolder life with fewer regrets", is an uplifting and informative guide that describes simple strategies backed by science to meet challenges more effectively, in our professional and personal lives.In this episode, we delve into:* What is Self Leadership? * Applying Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) in your personal and professional life * Practicing courage and developing the capacity to take action * Working through and working around self limiting mindsets and expectations * 3 human predicaments that cause most people to live smaller, timid lives * Recognising alternative effective motivating strategies * Steps to help you prepare for meeting challenges more effectively

Eric is English by birth and now based in Sydney. He has lived and worked in Scotland, Germany, the Middle East and Australia. He is a leadership development specialist, performance coach and speaker with particular expertise in developing resilience, courage and well-being for greater professional success. His work is grounded in over 20 years of international corporate experience, 2 masters degrees in human behaviour change, and over 12 years experience in helping leaders and their teams become more proactive, courageous and collaborative.He's also a great conversationalist who peppers this discussion with humour, insight and positivity. Listen in!If you like this podcast, please give us a rating at https://reviewthispodcast.com/Potential. We appreciate your support.

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Do you move your body to improve your mind?We are all aware the mind and body connection and how one affects the other, but this connection goes well beyond common cliché. Movement actually affords us a host of physical and neurological benefits that can help us make better decisions, keep physically fit and stay psychologically sound.Today's special guest on the podcast is neuroscientist, neurologist, and esteemed author, Dr. Scott Grafton. He joins us from sunny California.In this insightful episode, Scott and I explore:* What is Physical Intelligence? * Why the mind and body connection is not merely a metaphor * The wonders of the human body and how wonderfully designed we are * How our brain benefits from movement * Cool stuff about advancements in the engineering fields with regard to movement * The concept of 'optic flow' and the profound difference between physical engagement in complex environments versus exercise * The importance of body identity * The impact of fatigue and perseverance on mood and choice.

Scott is a distinguished professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara and is director of UC Santa Barbara’s Brain Imaging Center. He uses his personal experience, camping and hiking around California’s High Sierra region to write the highly illuminating book, "Physical Intelligence: The Science Of Thinking Without Thinking."If you enjoyed and learned something from this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast, please give us a rating and leave a review at https://reviewthispodcast.com/Potential. We appreciate your support!

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What are your beliefs about anger?Is it a 'negative' emotion? The cause of distrust and destruction? Does it equate in your mind to aggression? Indignation? Rage?Can anger be helpful? Does it fuel action? Motivate? Even inspire?Our guest today, Dr. Steven Laurent is an expert on anger and the co-author of ‘The Anger Fallacy: Uncovering the Irrationality of the Angry Mindset.’ He argues that there is always an alternative to anger. That's not just touchy-feely psychologist-speak either. He contends that anger doesn't make sense strategically. No matter your goal or the relationship context, it turns out that getting angry does you in the eye. There are wiser ways, he says, of making your point.In this intriguing episode, Steven and I discuss:* Why anger is the most commonly experienced negative emotion * The paradox of anger or why people actually like holding on to anger * Anger fallacies, beliefs and misconceptions * How people find themselves in a rage spiral and how to get out of it * More progressive and useful approaches to resolving conflict * What is "shoulding" * The empathy factor in anger

Steven completed a PhD in Psychology at Sydney University, and Masters in Clinical Psychology at the University of New South Wales. He writes Psychology Today’s anger blog, entitled Chill Pill and operates a generalist psychology practice in Sydney. He's currently working on a new book about love and relationships.

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Today, speaker, media personality, and Australian-based neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay, returns to our podcast to talk about our emotions, our brain, some misconceptions about reptiles and why we're not beholden to emotional and behavioural triggers.In this information packed episode, we get our geek on about:* What we're getting wrong if we talk about 'lizard brains' and emotional triggers * Why getting the scientific fundamentals right is vital when talking about our brain and behaviour * An alternative to fear, fight and flight and how the words we use shape our physiological responses and emotional experience * Current theories of constructed emotion and how our feelings might be an emergent property of the meaning we make from the world around us * Taking control through choice and mindset * Science education and watching the scientific method unfold during a pandemic

Sarah is an Oxford University-educated neuroscientist, presenter of ABC Catalyst, director of The Neuroscience Academy, and author of The Women's Brain Book. The neuroscience of health, hormones and happiness.

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My guest today is a licensed clinical psychologist from sunny California. Dr Patricia Zurita Ona, fondly known as Dr. Z, is talking to us about overcoming the challenges of fear-based responses, an experience she knows well. Growing up in Bolivia in the midst of a dictatorship, she understood at a early age what it meant to be shaped by fear. This lead to her passionately pursuing her practice, helping others to overcome anxiety and trauma.In our conversation, Dr Z and I explore the questions:* What are fear-based reactions, and how do they shape us? * Why do we get stuck and find it hard to change our safety seeking patterns? * What is perfectionist behaviour and how we can use it in a more functional, helpful, and workable way? * How we can learn to be more flexible, mindful and adaptive?

Dr Patricia Zurita Ona gives us a few tips and tools to reshape our fear based thinking and make incremental but important improvements to achieve personal growth.Tune in to learn how to face your fears, get unstuck and fulfill your potential.

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After taking a long-ish hiatus from the Potential Psychology Podcast to focus on introspection, self-care, and exploring available opportunities in the midst of a pandemic, I am back with inspiring guests and engaging episodes for you.But first, let's get up to speed with what's happening on PPHQ:* What happened on Potential Psychology since our last episode (if you missed it, catch it here: Finding Antifragility in a World of Failure with Dr Paige Williams) went on air. * Exploring deeper community involvement and taking on an exciting new role. * Growth opportunities within the PP Team and fruitful partnerships. * And more importantly, The Self Care Club - what is it and why you should be in it.

Also, please keep an eye out on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for our "Lockdown Life" tips - a tips series on living in the 'new normal', with thought provoking notes on topics such as ambiguous loss, surge capacity and adjusting to a ‘new normal’.

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“As complex adaptive systems, it’s actually struggle that helps us thrive.”I am so pleased to be joined in this episode by Dr. Paige Williams to chat about her work in learning and teaching others about resilience and becoming ‘antifragile’. Paige is an incredible author who just released her new book, Becoming AntiFragile: Learning to Thrive Through Disruption and Challenge.In her career, Paige has honed her focus on resilience and helps others to become antifragile leaders. She is both a captivating conference speaker and leadership development program specialist that insights change and cultivates resiliency in leaders. Paige also shares her passion for resiliency by continuing her research as an Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Positive Psychology and teaching at Melbourne Business School at the University of Melbourne.After the recent release of Becoming AntiFragile, Paige is delighted to share her vast psychological knowledge of resiliency and what it means to be antifragile.In my conversation with Paige, we cover:· What is means to be ‘antifragile’.· How she believes being antifragile will help us through the Coronavirus pandemic.· Finding resiliency through a combination and balance of thriving and struggling.· The R.O.B.U.S.T. Principles and why they are important to becoming antifragile.· How antifragility translates in professional spaces and personal life.In my interview with Paige she provides clear insight into her research of resiliency and the best ways to shift from fragility to being antifragile. Paige’s wisdom and ability to articulate her powerful perspective is inspiring and beneficial in harnessing resiliency in daily life.Tune in to learn how to become antifragile to achieve resilience in every aspect of life.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or TwitterEXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A BECOMING ANTIFRAGILE MASTERCLASS WITH PAIGEWebsite: https://drpaigewilliams.com/book/Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1922357081If you purchase the book on Tuesday 28th July you have the opportunity to win a seat at an exclusive online Becoming AntiFragile Masterclass hosted by me. To enter the draw send proof of purchase of the book to: antifragile@drpaigewilliams.com

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Today I am joined by Andrew Martin, Scientia Professor, Professor of Educational Psychology, and Co-Chair of the Educational Psychology Research Group in the School of Education at the University of New South Wales, Australia. In addition to his many accolades, Andrew has passionately dedicated his career to studying educational psychology.It’s through this study that Andrew has gained a remarkable understanding of the best ways to learn, grow and adapt. His insight is enlightening and informative, especially in the face of our current state of transition and change. In this episode Andrew offers his vast knowledge of learning to adapt and tapping into our capacity to be adaptable.In my conversation with Andrew, I uncover: What “adaptability*” is from a psychological perspective. * How to adapt through the Coronavirus Pandemic. * Employing, facilitating and teaching healthy ways for children to adapt to change. * How to address children’s learning and adaptation at every stage of maturity. * The link between our ability to adapt and our wellbeing. * The difference between adaptation and resilience in the face adversity and change. * Strategies to adapt well, no matter what life throws at you.

Andrew so wonderfully explains the three key components we need to consider when we’re trying to adapt to change or new circumstances. He outlines the tools we need to regulate our reactions in order to adapt to our situation and maintain resilience in trying times.Listen in to learn more about the significance of adaptability, how to learn the skills of adaptability and the role adaptability plays in creating thriving lives.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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"Sometimes, the true act of self-care is the thing you least feel like doing. It's tying up incompletions. It's looking at what's depleting you and taking action on that. Sometimes, it's addressing areas of pain and discomfort" - Suzy Reading, psychologist & authorI'm thrilled to welcome Suzy Reading back to the show today to discuss the topic of self-care. Suzy is an accomplished Chartered Psychologist that has devoted her practice to stress management, wellbeing, and shifting to a healthy lifestyle as well as a talented yoga teacher and personal trainer.Suzy's passion is offering a cohesive approach to wellbeing by connecting with the head, heart, and body, and work to empower people through self-care practices. She shares this passion with us by offering advice, tips, and useful approaches to self-care.Suzy's new book, Self-Care for Tough Times, speaks magnificently to the current state of the world by defining and teaching the underlying skills that help us navigate stressors, such as anxiety, grief, and change and transitions.In this episode, Suzy and I chat about: What the realisation of our need* for self-care looks like. * How to check-in, take notice, and give ourselves permission to invest in ourselves lovingly. * The Vitality Wheel and how it allows us to map out our self-care. * The importance of self-care every day, but especially while coping with the Covid-19 Pandemic. * Five reasons we all need to practice and prioritise self-care. * Overcoming the idea that we are not worthy of self-care. * Quick "wins" to easily practice self-care.

Suzy does a wonderful job of explaining the importance of self-care, framing it as "health care," and bringing light to the benefits of self-care, not only in our own lives but in the way we impact those around us. By describing her own learning and experience with self-care, Suzy uncovers the barriers and challenges we face when we neglect our own self-care.Learn more about Suzy Reading.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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“There are some fundamental principles that parents want kids to follow: respect themselves, respect other people, and, in a nutshell, if they’re doing those things, they’ll be able to enjoy themselves and stay safe wherever they go online.” - Martine OglethorpeLife lately has been unusual. With school, work and socialising conducted from home, the pressure has dialled up for juggling parents. Where do 'screen time' rules fit in? What's reasonable device use right now? And how do we adapt when screens are all we have?As parents we try to do right by our kids and in the digital world that often means a battle over technology. Screen time is inevitable especially now when we are confined to home but my guest, Martine Oglethorpe, says that it's still possible to raise a great kid in a very digital world.In this episode we explore how to arm ourselves with the right tools, awareness, and mindset to ensure our kids partake in healthy, constructive and enjoyable screen time.In my conversation with Martine, we discuss:* How much is too much screen time, and what questions parents should be asking to determine the types of screen time their children are partaking in? * How parents should position their digital presence to understand, be aware of online activity, and be able to communicate about it with their kids. * Ideas to facilitate healthy screen time for children to hang out with friends during the Coronavirus outbreak. * Ways to set appropriate boundaries for different age groups online.

About our guest:Martine Oglethorpe is a speaker, author, an e-safety and digital parenting expert, a mother of five and the author of the recently released book, The Modern Parent: Raising a Great Kid in a Digital World. She is well versed in working with children and families and is passionate about technology’s effect on children and parenting in the digital world. Martine speaks to several challenges that parents face when it comes to approaching screen time and parenting in the age of social media and online activity. Her perspective is refreshing and motivating, allowing parents to feel confident rather than defeated when handling their children’s digital interactions.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Is working from home working for you? Are you running staff meetings from your kitchen? Home schooling in the lounge? Have you discovered your partner’s ‘work persona’ - a side you’ve never seen before? And is your dining table still there, beneath the laptops, monitors, notebooks and files? Working from home, once the ultimate office-worker perk, is rapidly becoming a major wellbeing challenge as we’re thrust into a new world, largely unprepared. In today’s conversation I ask Dr Joe Sweeney, industry analyst for digital workforce innovation, policy and education and a researcher in workforce transformation to share his tips and insights into working and schooling from home. Joe has worked for a fully distributed (remote) work-from-home organisation for the past 16 years and successfully home-schooled his son. He is currently advising employers on establishing simple, effective work from home policies, tailored to employer and employee needs during this global pandemic. Joe knows what works and what doesn’t and in this episode he shares his knowledge and advice from both a strategic and a practitioner’s perspective. In this conversation Joe and I discuss:* What employers and employees should keep in mind as many of us transition abruptly to working from home. * His tips for working well and keeping well when working from home, including workspace needs, work life balance and keeping psychologically well. * Home schooling - what works and what doesn’t, how to juggle it all and where to turn for help. * What the working world might look like, post COVID-19.

Joe is a fantastic podcast guest; smart, insightful, thoughtful, practical and entertaining. He is generous with his tips and recommendations and he’ll get you thinking, whether you’ve made the move to working from home or your an employer suddenly responsible for a distributed workforce. Listen in to learn. For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Hello wonderful humans. I’m mixing things up for this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast. I had planned an episode on Personality and How It Drives What We Do for this week on the back of our fun webinar with some members of the PP community last Monday morning. But given the state of uncertainty we’re in right now due to this new coronavirus, COVID-19 and its impact on almost every facet of life, I’ve parked that and decided to share some tips that might help us face some of our more immediate challenges.In this solo episode I talk you through:* How our brain responds to uncertainty and why we're seeing the best and worst of human behaviour right now * What to do when you can't control what's happening and why focusing on your 'inner circle' gives you power * Breaking the negative cycle of worry, checking and more worry with one simple question * 5 simple strategies for maintaining calm and building emotional resilience - because we might be in this for the long haul!

Two weeks ago I could not have imagined that this would be the topic for this episode. For the past week it has been all I have talked about. The demand for strategies to maintain mental health is strong and while I wish this wasn't where we are right now, I'm so glad that positive psychology, as a field of research and practice, can bring us 20 years of knowledge to support us to thrive in the face of challenge.And you can bet that I'm practising every one of these strategies every day right now!Please listen and share widely. I know this content can help x

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In the midst of COVID-19 uncertainty and the anxiety it is provoking it can do the heart and mind good to be distracted with positive stories of people doing good in our world. We need that right now.My guests for this episode are Naomi Hunter and Jeremy Hunter, the co-Managing Directors of Empowering Resources, a boutique publisher of children's books that encourage meaningful conversations between kids and their trusted adults.Their books handle tough topics with nurturing and understanding. They allow conversations to evolve to where kids need them to go.Naomi is the author of A Secret Safe To Tell, a gentle book that encourages meaningful conversations about body safety, the importance of not keeping secrets and confiding in trusted adults if something is making you uncomfortable. Naomi wrote it when she became a mother, working through her own experience of childhood sexual abuse. She hoped that she could empower other children to share their experiences and get the help and support that they need much earlier in life than she was able to.Within the first three months of its release, A Secret Safe to Tell encouraged 10 young children to disclose sexually abusive situations to their carers. These children were instantly validated and the abuse stopped. They did not need to wait until becoming an adult to start to heal, as Naomi had to. A Secret Safe to Tell and Even Mummy Cries (Naomi's second book) were both nominated for Children's Book of the Year in Australia and the Simplified Chinese version of A Secret Safe to Tell just won a gold award at a children's choice book awards in China, where 1.3 million children voted for their favourite book!Empowering Resources publish for many authors whose stories help kids to feel validated, to feel seen and to feel empowered. As high profile psychologist and past guest here on the show, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg says, 'These are some of the most important books that exist.'This is a joyful conversation with both Naomi and Jeremy. I ask them:* Who is Empowering Resources and why do the books you publish matter? * Naomi, why did you write A Secret Safe to Tell? How did writing it help you and how has publishing it helped others? * What feedback to you get from parents and professionals about the books, how they use them and how they may have helped? * Where do professionals go for resources like these/where can the books be found? * What is your advice to parents and care givers about having difficult conversations with kids?

It's a privilege to share Naomi, Jeremy and their authors' work with you. Please listen in to be reminded of the good in the world.

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I'm delighted to have Dr Suzy Green back on the show today. Suzy was one of my lecturers when I completed the Masters of Coaching Psychology at The University of Sydney (some time ago now) and today I'm proud to call her a colleague. I'm also thrilled to be introducing you to her new book, The Positivity Prescription: A six week wellbeing program based on the science of positive psychology.Over the past 20 years Suzy has asserted herself as a pioneer of Positive Psychology. She is the founder of the Sydney-based The Positivity Institute and her evidence-based psychological strategies have helped thousands of Australians prevent and overcome mental health issues.With the release of The Positivity Prescription, Suzy is excited to be sharing her knowledge and experience with a broader audience.In this conversation Suzy and I discuss: What it means to 'flourish,' psychologically-speaking. * Her hopes for The Positivity Prescription* and bringing positive psychology to a broader audience. * How positivity and happiness differ and what the science says about the benefits of positivity. * The six 'Ms' of wellbeing - Meaning, Might, Mood, Motivation, Mindfulness and Mindset * How have the 6Ms have helped her face challenges and live a flourishing life. * Suzy's tips for living a flourishing life, and * Where to buy the book!

Suzy does a marvelous job in this interview of not only explaining the science of positivity in simple terms but also sharing her personal examples of how she puts that science to work in her life with verve and gusto.Listen in to learn a little more about living a flourishing life.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Joining me on the show for this episode is science communicator and content creator Ryan O’Donnell, a.k.a RyanO. Ryan wakes up daily trying to fill the gap between the amazing science of behavior and the billions of people that it could impact for the better. He does this by creating content for behavioral science enthusiasts via The Daily BA on YouTube, The Controversial Exchange and CHATTcon while preparing for his next big venture. (He gives us a sneak peak into that during our podcast chat.)Ryan started his career as a Behaviour Analyst but his interests have grown to include everything from entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, reinforcement learning, social media, podcasting, and vlogging. These interests and skills have allowed him to work with a lot of great people, travel and share the science of behaviour with the world at large and that’s what we are talking about today - how to bring the science of behaviour to a bigger world.In this episode I ask Ryan:* What is Behaviour Analysis and why does it matter? * What attracted you to the field? * How did you move from straight BA work to film making and digital content creation? And why? * What it the bigger purpose for you of bringing the science of behaviour to YouTube and the digital world? * How did you develop your video and content creation skills? * How do you think our communities can benefit from bringing behaviour to a bigger world?

If you have a passion for science communication, helping others to learn, grow and flourish or the innovative use of digital content and story telling, don’t miss this fantastic conversation.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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How do we learn, grow and fulfil our potential today and into the future?My guest for today's conversation arrived in the United States from Kenya at the age of 18 with $273 to his name and a mission to survive. As he tells it, he is LGBTQ and grew up in a world in which his identity either did not exist or was punishable by death or a lifetime in prison.Upon his arrival in the US he was granted a diversity scholarship to attend college which led to both a Bachelor and Masters Degree from Stanford University, a role with the prestigious Boston Consulting Group and a successful stint as Group Business Product Manager at LinkedIn. Today Thomas Igeme is the co-founder & COO of Trybe.ai - a technology platform that uses the science of habit building to help people reach their full potential.His LinkedIn bio simply states, ‘I build tech that unlocks the potential of people and teams’ but in this conversation you will discover that there is so much more to him than that.During our discussion Thomas and I explore:* How Trybe.ai is disrupting the professional learning experience using the latest in technology as well as the best of science. * The complexity of work today and why the development needs of leaders and professionals are more akin to high performance athletes than ever before * What's required to build 'soft skill' muscle and habits * The three scientifically-supported elements that lead to behaviour change * Why professional development is personal, especially for Thomas * Diversity and Inclusion and why it matters for our workplaces and our society * The importance of 'giving everyone a fair shot', and * Connection, belonging and fulfilling our potential.

This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by PAFOW - People Analytics and the Future of Work. You can hear and see Thomas speak at PAFOW Sydney20 on 3rd and 4th March 2020.

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I was introduced to Tess Walton at an event late in 2019 and we clicked straight away. We got talking about her specialist topic - the future of work - and I quickly realised that this was a podcast episode in the making.It took us a little while to co-ordinate schedules but we connected last week for this amazing conversation which weaves and wends its way through a whole lot of topics all focused on the future.* How do we create the future? * What could it look like? * What skills and what kind of thinking do we need to get there? * How does working with the leaders of large organisations to visualise and create the future parallel working with individuals to create and live our best life? * And how do we get curious - about everything? *

This interview was so much fun and I walked away full of energy. I’m sure you will too.About Tess WaltonTess specialises in Workforce Planning, People Metrics, HR Strategy, Change Management, Business Analysis, Business Strategy, HRMS Implementation, HR Projects and Productivity Improvements. She’s a thinker and a facilitator and an excellent asker of questions. You can hear and see Tess speak at PAFOW Sydney20 on 3rd and 4th March 2020.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Today on the show we’re talking a bit about exercise, a bit about spirituality, a bit about indigenous cultures and quite a bit about a very select group of people who choose to run around and around an extended city block in New York City for not just days but weeks at a time!My guest is Sanjay Rawal, an award winning documentary maker based in New York City. We’re talking about his film 3100: Run and Become, a beautiful and intriguing documentary about the Self Transcendence 3100 Mile Race and the role that running plays in personal growth. But as you’ll hear the film is just a starting point for a deeper, wide ranging and insightful conversation about the many different paths we can take to be our best self.During our conversation Sanjay and I discuss:* The Self Transcendence 3100 Mile Race - What is it and how did it come to be? * Who enters it and why? * How to manage your mind to run for 52 days. * Finding flow through exertion and contemplation through movement * Staying in the moment to manage challenge and hardship * How striving towards a goal contributes to our wellbeing * The role of running in traditional cultures * Finding meaning and purpose through serving others.

This conversation and Sanjay’s film has completely reframed exercise and exertion for me. Rather than dwell on discomfort and challenge I am finding the joy in exertion and the peace in each moment, even when it hurts.Thanks to our partner PAFOW20 Sydney for this episode of the podcast. Join me at PAFOW20 Sydney on March 3 & 4 2020 to Honour the Human Experience in the Age of AI & Perpetual Change.

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The one in which I share my family's brush with bushfires on New Years Eve 2019 and then explore the effects of calamity and catastrophe on children with psychologist and author Karen Young.Welcome back to the Potential Psychology Podcast and our eighth season of the show. It's great to be back.We've had a turbulent start to 2020 in Australia. We're no strangers to bushfire but as of as of 14 January 2020, fires this season have burnt an estimated 186,000 square kilometres (72,000 square miles), destroyed 2,779 homes) and killed at least 34 people. It's estimated that anywhere up to one billion animals have also died as a result of the fires.News coverage of the disaster was global with graphic images of fire ravaged communities broadcast on every conceivable platform. It was all we could talk about. For weeks eastern parts of the country were swathed in smoke and for many communities lives have been turned upside down.After our own escape from the fire affected NSW South Coast early in January I was keen to talk to an expert on the impact of these events on kids in particular. Karen Young, psychologist, author and expert on kids and anxiety joined me on the show and during our conversation I asked:* How should we talk to kids about catastrophic events? * What's a 'normal' reaction to trauma in kids - and what's not? * What happens in kids' minds when exposed to catastrophe or news of catastrophe? * Does age make a difference to the impact and how we talk to them about these events? * How can we as parents and carers help? * When should we worry? * And if we're worried - what should we do?

Karen shares her wisdom, knowledge and tips for parents and carers. She reminds us that kids are resilient and that our role is make them feel safe, even in the moments when we're not feeling so safe ourselves.Join me as we kick off a new season and a new year with a personal conversation about fires, fear and the role of a parent.Thanks to our partner for this episode PAFOW20 Sydney. Join me at PAFOW20 Sydney on March 3 & 4 2020 to Honour the Human Experience in the Age of AI & Perpetual Change.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by PAFOW and their upcoming Sydney event, PAFOW20 Sydney: Honoring the Human Experience in the Age of AI & Perpetual ChangeWelcome back. Our Summer Series - in which we are revisiting favourite past episodes - is drawing to a close. We will be back next week with new interviews and new guests and another big year.Today we revisit my conversation with Dr Adrian Medhurst. Adrian is a psychologist, a speaker, an author and the CEO of - Benny Button, a wellbeing and performance organisation.Adrian mission is life is to improve the lives of as many people as possible through wellbeing and performance initiatives, starting with our workplaces.In this interview Adrian and I chat about* Agility and finding the balance between being well and performing at our peak * Using little tweaks to enhance our happiness * How to live well and have impact * Mindfulness * And how to master daily stress - something we might all like to get a better handle on as we throw ourselves into 2020

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It’s week three of our Summer Series of the Potential Psychology Podcast. While the team and I are busy behind the scenes prepping Season 8 of the show, we're taking a look back at some of our favourite episodes.And this quote encapsulates the essence of today’s show…. ‘Don’t waste a lot of time and money pushing kids in directions they don’t want to go. Instead, find out what weirdness they excel at and encourage them to do that. Then get out of the way’ - Seth GodinMy guest is Professor Lea Waters, one of the world’s leading experts on Positive Education, Positive Organizations and Strength-Based Parenting and Teaching. She’s a psychologist, a past president of the International Positive Psychology Association, and the Founding Director of Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Melbourne.Lea is also author of The Strengths Switch: How the new science of strength-based parenting can help your child and your teen to flourish and the creator of The Strengths Switch online program, your online guide to becoming a strength-based parent.Join me as I talk to Lea about: Strength-based parenting - What are strengths and how do you identify them in your child? * The benefits of strength-based parenting for parents* * Why we default to finding weakness rather than strength and how to counteract this * Stopping the cycle of criticism and the benefits of a strength-based approach for teens * How to create harmony at home, and * Practical strategies for building a strength-based approach in your family.

It's a refreshing, fun and positive conversation about parenting and kids!For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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It’s week two of our Summer Series of the Potential Psychology Podcast. Over the next few weeks while the team and I have a short break and get started behind the scenes on the next super cool series of the show, we’re revisiting some of our favourite past episodes.Today we are talking about one of my favourite topics - Sleep! My guest is Dr Kate Sprecher and she is speaking to me from Colorado, in the United States, where she a is post-doctoral researcher in the Sleep and Chronobiology Lab at the University of Colorado, Boulder.Kate’s passion is understanding how sleep affects our physical and mental health with her guiding question being, 'How we can get the best sleep possible?'In this conversation I ask Kate about:* The impact of sleep (or lack of it) on our health and wellbeing * How she and her team study sleep in the lab * Her tips for better sleep, and * Her recommended resources for learning more about better sleep and how to get it.

We also discuss: The impact of our natural and unnatural* environments on our sleep cycles * The role of sleep for the human body, from how we think and feel to the impact on our hormones and even deep down to our mollecular level * The simple strategies we can use to maximise the quality of our sleep for greater happiness and wellbeing.

Sleep (or lack of it) affects us all and Kate explains the science of sleep in such an easy to understand, engaging way.Join me for this very important conversation about something we all do every day.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Our Summer SeriesWe're back after a slight delay due to the Australian bushfires. My family and I were caught up in the bushfire drama on the NSW South Coast where we were holidaying with family (15 adults, 7 kids and a dog) on New Year's Eve 2019. We're all safe and home now but it was a tense and difficult day as we prepared to defend my sister-in-law's home and our lives. Thankfully the worst we experienced was heat, smoke, anxiety and exhaustion as our little pocket of the coast, whilst surrounded by fire, was saved. We spent two and a half days unable to leave as the roads were closed, with no power or communication - so no means of uploading a podcast episode! We were eventually able to evacuate when Mother Nature gave us a brief window of respite. We had 14 hours on the road and covered 1100km but made it home safely.My heart goes out to all of those who have suffered loss during these fires. We will be talking further about it on the show in our next series.In the meantime and in an effort to regain some normality, here is the first episode of our Summer Series 2020, 'Revisiting Why Everything You Know About Motivation Is Wrong'

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Today we meet Emma and Carla Papas, The Merrymaker Sisters.These real-life sisters are Yoga, Pilates and Meditation teachers, entrepreneurs, podcasters, authors, social media stars and, as I discover in this interview, flourishing personified.They quit their full time government desk jobs in July 2014 to pursue their passion of bringing health and happiness to the lives of others. Since then they’ve created the #1 mobile recipe App Get Merry, published the best selling healthy cookbooks Make It Merry and Get Merry, host the #1 GetMerry podcast as well as created MerryBody: an online yoga, pilates and mindset studio.Every month they reach over 200 000 people through their products and programs, with a mission to live in a world where people finally accept, love and respect their bodies and themselves.In this high energy conversation Emma, Carla and I explore:* Following your bliss and thriving through challenge * Finding the courage to do hard things * The benefits of yoga and pilates beyond 'a better body' * Why other people matter * The best decision they ever made, and * The science of flourishing.

It's a very merry way to close out the season and the year and to inspire you to get ready for an incredible 2020.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Hands up if you procrastinate.Okay, hands down.Of course you procrastinate. You're human aren't you? The question is, are you one of the 80 per cent who procrastinate over some tasks, some of the time? Or the 20 per cent who procrastinate over most tasks, most of the time?And why do you procrastinate?What is procrastination from a psychological point of view? (It might not be what you think it is)How are feelings involved?And how do you stop?I'm exploring all this and more in this SOLO episode of the show.I've got tips, strategies, some myth busting, the research and a lot of the 'why' of procrastination that helps us understand it and then change it.Join me to get a grip on your time and tasks and set yourself up for less procrastination in 2020!This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by the Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference, Australia’s leading multi-disciplinary, evidence-based wellbeing and resilience conference. April 28 & 29, 2020. See you there!

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Tales from the Valley of Death: Reflections from psychotherapy on the fear of death. It sounds morbid but it's not. It's fascinating.Tales introduces us to the complex lives of 10 individuals who have been crippled by death-related fears and related existential issues. Their stories are told through interviews with their psychotherapist, internationally renowned clinical psychologist Professor Ross Menzies. It's a captivating read.In this episode Rachel and I explore these stories and discuss cultural responses to death anxiety. We delve into some of the existential issues surrounding our fear of death and rejoice in the Death Positive Movement - a revolution in our approach to death.Questions I ask Rachel include:* Why write a book about death and psychotherapy? * What is 'death anxiety' in a modern, psychological sense? * Do we all worry about death and at what point do these worries become problematic? * What does science say about the link between death anxiety and complex mental illness, particularly OCD? * How is a family history of anxiety and trauma linked to death anxiety and OCD? * What role does a sense of meaning and purpose in life have in protecting us from mental illness and death anxiety? * How can our relationships transform our wellbeing?

I also reflect on my rituals, superstitions and childhood worries about danger and death and ask Rachel, 'Is this normal?'It's a fascinating topic and I walked away from the interview knowing so much more about psychotherapy, the relationship that a therapist forms with a client, obsessive compulsive disorder and the experiences that shape us to become who we are. Most of all I learned about the resilience of individuals facing the most difficult of fears and circumstances. Listen in!For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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What is it like to thrive and flourish at work? Not just survive, but really have the opportunity to be your best self? My guest for this episode is Dr Peggy Kern. Peggy is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Positive Psychology in the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education. (She's also a speaker at the Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference, our fabulous podcast partner, in Melbourne on 28 & 29 April 2020.)Peggy is an expert in workplace thriving and in this conversation I had the chance to pick her brain and uncover; - what it means to feel and function well at work - how we can measure workplace thriving, and - what workplaces can do to create environment in which people thrive. We also explored:* How understanding ourselves and living in alignment with who we are helps us to navigate a purposeful life * Why we should care about feeling and functioning well at work * Navigating the work/life blend and how thriving at work lifts us up in every area of life * Finding meaning, purpose and a sense of identity through our work * The role of careers in healthy ageing * Getting workplace well being programs right through conversation.

It’s an insightful episode for anyone keen to feel and function well at work.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by the Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference, Australia’s leading multi-disciplinary, evidence-based wellbeing and resilience conference. April 28 & 29, 2020. See you there!What do you do when life gets tough?Do you retreat? Avoid? Get angry? Self medicate? Exercise your need for control?Life throws us all a curve ball eventually and in this episode of the podcast my guest suggests that the remedy for life's difficult patches is not in avoiding what's hard but in wrestling with it and emerging a more complete individual.Dr Sarah Sarkis is a psychologist, a writer, and a performance consultant. She has a private practice in Honolulu and also works with The Flow Research Collective, a science-based peak-performance research and training organization doing some very cool stuff exploring and understanding the science behind ultimate human performance.Sarah blends psychoanalytic theory, positive psychology, existential psychology, neurobiology and functional medicine to bring an integrated approach to her clients' quest for wellbeing. She emphasises collaboration, partnership, and personal empowerment and she's not afraid of the occasional swear word.In this conversation Sarah and I talk about challenge, struggle and suffering and how they relate to happiness, resilience and being our best selves.Questions I ask Sarah include:* What is the role of struggle suffering and pain in our lives? * Why can't we fast forward through it? * We often wanted to diagnose or medicalise our suffering. What is your take on that? * What is the relationship between struggle, resilience and happiness? * What do you think is a more helpful way to reframe struggle and suffering? * What are your tips for thriving through life's tough moments?

It's an upbeat interview with a passionate guest, filled with tips for making life's challenges a little easier. Join us to live, learn and flourish!For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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If we have the same 24 hours as Beyonce, how should we use them if we want to be happy and well?Do we pour our time into work? Do we sacrifice sleep for exercise? What trade-offs do we make? Because I don't care who you are, you can’t fit 30 hours into 24!My guest for this episode is Professor Tim Olds from the University of South Australia. Tim is a time-use epidemiologist and the first of our guests who will be speaking at the upcoming Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference - a 2 day science-based wellbeing event taking place in Melbourne at the Melbourne Exhibition and Conference Centre on 28 & 29 April 2020.Tim’s presentation at the Conference is titled: How to Build Your Best Day and in this episode we're getting a sneak peak into his research, his knowledge and his wisdom on what 'best days' look like and how to create yours.Questions I ask Tim:* What is behavioural and time-use epidemiology? * What is the Goldilocks Day? * What is the relationship between our time use and our mental health and well being? * What is the 'perfect' amount of time for each activity? For adults? For kids? * What are the trade offs? * What's the state of play for young people and their health today? As parents, are we helping them to get their time-use right? * Are adults getting their time-use right? * Given the trade offs and necessary compromises, what are your tips for building your best day? * Does every 24 hours need to look roughly the same for happiness and wellbeing? Or can it vary? * And why do things tend to go pear shaped healthwise on holidays?

It's a fascinating conversation that got me thinking about how I juggle my time, the necessary choices we need to make and why it's important to be conscious about how we use our time if we want to maximise our wellbeing. Listen in to learn and thrive!For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or TwitterThis episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by the Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference, Australia’s leading multi-disciplinary, evidence-based wellbeing and resilience conference. April 28 & 29, 2020. See you there!

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This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by the Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference, Australia’s leading multi-disciplinary, evidence-based wellbeing and resilience conference. April 28 & 29, 2020.See you there!What can we, as humans, learn from horses to boost our wellbeing and overcome struggle?My guest for this episode is Naomi Rossthorn. Naomi is a psychologist and the Clinical Director of Harnessing Wellness, a psychological counselling service located in the beautiful Yarra Ranges in Victoria in the SE of Australia. Harnessing Wellness is not your ordinary counselling practice. Rather than sitting in a room with a therapist, clients and therapists take to the great outdoors with a gorgeous horse or pony. Naomi and her team have a specialist interest in equine assisted psychology; the use of horses in the therapeutic process.During our conversation Naomi and I discuss:* The ins and outs of equine assisted psychology: What is it? Who accesses it? And why? * The life skills that can horses teach us. * The lack of good quality research available on the efficacy of equine assisted treatments and how Naomi and the Harnessing Wellness team are working to change this. * How Naomi, as a former city girl, got interested in equine-assisted psychology and how the events of Black Saturday led to the establishment of her practice. * Naomi's upcoming guide for budding Equine-Assisted Psychologists which will take you through the steps to setting up an equine-assisted practice.

For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by the Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference, Australia’s leading multi-disciplinary, evidence-based wellbeing and resilience conference. April 28 & 29, 2020. See you there!Do you think in one dimension? Or two dimensions? Or maybe even three?I kick off this episode of the podcast with some reflection on Tim Urban's article, The Thinking Ladder from Wait But Why and his insight into multidimensional thinking - the what and the why of human behaviour. I then get chatting to my guest, Dr Jarrod White, who most certainly thinks in at least two dimensions. In fact it’s the why of human behaviour that drives him, his work and his passion for spreading the word about emotional wellbeing and human potential to a wider audience.Jarrod is a Melbourne-based clinical psychologist and the co-founder of The Lives of Others, an Instagram platform that allows followers to share their mental health and mental ill-health stories. While Jarrod works one-on-one with clients as a psychologist and runs group workshops for The Mind Room, he’s also curious about the potential and future possibilities for mental health and wellbeing.In this conversation we ask the questions:* How do we 'scale up' conversations about wellbeing and mental health? * Where are the opportunities to provide mental health and wellbeing services in different formats to traditional one-on-one therapy? * How can we reach bigger groups and different audiences? * What are we missing by keeping psychologists in a therapy room? * What is the role of mental health conversation in our community, our professions, our industries and our political arena?

It’s a conversation that aligns beautifully with the purpose of the Potential Psychology Podcast and I’m very excited to bring it to you.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is brought to you by the Wellbeing Evidence and Horizons Conference, Australia’s leading multi-disciplinary, evidence-based wellbeing and resilience conference. April 28 & 29, 2020. See you there!Welcome back to the Potential Psychology Podcast and our seventh season of the show. Seven seasons! And it's only getting better from here.Today my guest is Dr Gordon Spence. Gordon and I studied together at The University of Sydney in the early 2000s and our paths have crossed a few times since. In July 2019 we met up by chance at the IPPA World Congress on Positive Psychology in Melbourne and what began as a quick, 'Hi, how are you?' quickly escalated into an intense and fascinating conversation about Gordon's upcoming book and his interest in exercise, longevity and motivation.I walked away from that conversation so inspired and excited about the work that Gordon is doing that I just had to get him on the show. Here we recapture that conversation with all of it energy plus Gordon's tips for returning to exercise, fuelling motivation, setting goals and living a long, healthy and active life.We discuss:* How Gordon 'got over his own nonsense' and motivated himself to return to marathon running just prior to his 50th birthday * Why we can be intrinsically motivated by something and yet still not act on it - and how to get past that * Planning for a healthier, happier future by asking the question, 'How do I want to be in 25 years time?' * Gordon's Dad's professional rowing career that he commenced aged 85! * What we can learn from those active in their 70s and 80s about living life to its fullest - and healthiest * Gordon's tips for 'having a crack' and upping your energy and activity.

For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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My guest today is passionate about reducing stress and chaos in people’s lives.Tom Cronin knows first-hand the power of meditation in overcoming mental health issues and the potential this ancient practice has for personal healing and human transformation.Tom is a meditation teacher, a film maker, an international speaker and founder of The Stillness Project - a global movement to inspire one billion people to sit in stillness daily. He is also the author of six books for adults and one children’s book - Missy Moo Meditates.In this episode Tom and I are talking about The Portal - an upcoming experiential documentary that he has co-produced - and his commitment to a planetary shift.Can stillness transform individuals, communities and the world?Tom and I also explore:* His transformation from financier to meditation teacher * The power of our connected world to educate, inform and inspire * How you know when your life must change * Teaching meditation to CEOs * Why stillness and meditation is vital to busy workplaces * The creation of The Portal and telling global stories * What the world could look like if 7 billion people go through the portal or start meditating. * Why it's up to you to be part of the change.

It’s an inspiring conversation, filled with possibility and thought-provoking idea about our individual responsibility and power to change the world. I can't wait to see the film.

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My guests on the podcast today are the living embodiment of 'testing and learning', particularly when it comes to life admin - everything from getting your mobile phone plan and contract sorted out to planning family holidays to filing your tax return.Mia Northrop and Dinah Rowe-Roberts are the co-hosts of the Life Admin Life Hacks Podcast. Their mission is to help you save time, money and achieve a little more peace of mind and household harmony.Mia gets a thrill when they unearth processes and tools that help their listeners. She says it's 'satisfying to know we've made someone's life a little easier in some way by giving them a shortcut or nudging them to finish something or make a better decision'.In 2018 Dinah decided to take a break from the corporate world to see how she could find more balance and purpose in her life. During that break she decided she needed to do two things: 1. Find a job at an organization where she genuinely believed in the purpose and thought she could make a meaningful contribution. 2. Make her family's life admin more efficient so that they all felt more calm and in control.Together they formed Life Admin Life Hacks and every tip, tool, process, strategy and hack that they recommend comes from testing and learning everything themselves - underpinned by a bit of psychology, behavioural economics and decision science.Listen in as Mia, Dinah and I discuss:* Reducing the mental load in family life * Creating calm from chaos * How 'life admin life hacks' relate to wellbeing * Their five pillars of an organised household * To critical importance of self awareness * And why no-one can get their digital photos organised!

For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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"Australian men over 85 have the highest rate of suicide in the country"Wellbeing in older adults. It's a conversation we don't often have, but we need to. My guest today is Dr Julie Bajic-Smith, an aged care psychology consultant and mentor, and she is passionate about the need to shape a better future for everyone in aged care.For five years Julie travelled to aged care homes and facilities to provide treatment and face-to-face intervention for the elderly. Her career took a turn when she kept hearing the same thing from her patients - I’m not getting the right emotional support from my caregivers. It's not that caregivers didn't care. They just didn't have the skills, knowledge and confidence to provide emotional as well as physical support and care to their clients.Julie set about changing this. Today she provides education to aged care workplaces, support to families and mentoring to clinicians who share her vision of greater wellbeing, reduced isolation and better mental health for older people.In this episode Julie and I discuss:* The wellbeing issues faced by older adults, including isolation, financial constraints, changes in circumstance and health and how these impact on mental health * How Julie came to specialise in the field * Her goal to boost the wellbeing - and halve the depression rate - of Australian adults in aged care * Why there is a dearth of mental health professionals working in aged care - and what Julie is doing to change this * Julie's tips for better conversations about ageing and mental health *

September 12 is RUOK Day in Australia - a national day of action encouraging us all to start life-changing conversations to support those who might be struggling with life's challenges and to create a more connected world. Julie and I hope that this episode prompts more conversations about emotional wellbeing in our older adults.If you work in aged care or have older adults in your life, listen in. You will be inspired by Julie's words and passion, I promise.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Imagine controlling the world directly with your mind. That was my guest's dream - and she and colleagues brought that dream to life.Ariel Garten has a fascinating and eclectic background in psychotherapy, art, fashion design, neuroscience, technology and start ups. She is a co-Founder of Interaxon, the developers of Muse, a brain sensing headband that translates your mental activity into the guiding sounds of weather to help you find focused calm. Busy mind? Stormy weather. Calm mind? Peaceful weather.Ariel has lived a life without limitations. Her curiosity has led her to pursue bold, audacious goals within a broader quest to have a positive impact on humanity. In this conversation Ariel and I talk about:* Interaxon's project to create mind powered light installations across Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics * How she came to be the CEO of a technology start up that started in a basement * Muse - the brain sensing meditation headband. How it works, how it helps and my experience making the birds chirp * The impact Muse is having on schools, clinical settings, research and individuals across the globe * Using your mind to better understand your heart, breath and body * And because you never know where a podcast conversation will take you - Ariel's interpretation of my mum's dreams

Are you ready to be informed and inspired? Then listen in!For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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How does a psychologist become a psychologist? What does the training involve? How long does it take? And could YOU last the distance?In this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast I’m joined by Glen Tanner, a recently registered Clinical Psychologist and we’re talking about life in the early years of this fascinating career.Glen and I discuss: The path to become a psychologist in 2019. (Did you know that it takes 8 years?) * What led Glen to psychology as his second* career? * Why he chose clinical psychology as his area of specialty * The rigours and challenges of eight years of study * The competitive nature of the training and registration process * His tips for current and impending students * Where he hopes to take his career and make his mark.

Glen’s passion for his work and profession shines through in this informative and enjoyable conversation. A must listen for all trainee and wannabe psychologists.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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If you could upgrade yourself to 'You Version 2.0' what would that look like? Who would you be? What would you do? And how would you get there?Our guest for this episode is pursuing these very questions in a year long adventure in brain hacking. James Garrett, psychologist, former academic, entrepreneur and fellow podcaster has embarked on The Deep Change Project in 2019, exploring neuro technology, neuroplasticity and personal change to uncover the very best of James Garrett Version 2.0James has been a guest on the show before. He's a great conversationalist, very knowledgeable and always keen to share his personal insights and experiences.In this episode James and I discuss:* The Deep Change Project and his attempt to rewire his brain in 2019 * New brain technology and the second cognitive revolution * The neurotech that James has tested including direct brain stimulation, trackers, meditation devices and vibration tools for stress reduction. * Making the choice: Do you create the future or be subject to it? * Disruption and navigation the future of the human species * How to prepare your kids for the future

If you're interested in performance, progress, technology and your brain, make sure you listen in. You'll walk away a little smarter, I promise.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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My first ever SOLO episode and we're talking motivation. Where does it come from? How do we create it in ourselves and others? And why is everything you know or think about motivation wrong?Motivation is one of my favourite topics. I have two public workshops coming up in Ballarat exploring Six Simple Steps to an Engaged, Motivated Team, which I’ve cheekily subtitled ‘Why everything you know about motivation is wrong’. Both workshops have now sold out I’ve had several people ask if I’m planning to run more or run them in different locations - which sadly I’m not right now - but I did think maybe I should share the tips here on the podcast as then no-one misses out?So that’s what we’re doing in this episode. Just you and me delving into motivation and why everything you know about motivation is wrong!Tune in to discover:* The myths of motivation and where they come from * Why rewards and punishment are counter productive * Psychology's best kept motivation secret * The three needs that drive our motivation * 5 top tips for motivating ourselves and others

Creating a solo episode was hard work but I'm excited to share with you what I've learned - and lived - when it comes to motivation.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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I have been talking to several clients recently about productivity, attention, focus, our expectations of ourselves and the feelings that come along with juggling all of the things - work, parenting, health, self-care, friendships, family, goals and plans. Worry, overwhelm, frustration and impatience are recurring themes. So I thought it timely to revisit a conversation that has helped me with all of these things. In Season 2 of the Potential Psychology Podcast I interviewed James Garrett, the founder and CEO of Brain By Design - a US-based organisation that teaches strategies for getting more from your mind. About JamesJames is a psychologist, a former academic, co-founder of a highly successful social venture and now host of The Deep Change Podcast. In this episode we discuss the science behind:* Why your focus and attention is like a battery that requires recharging. * How to get more done by working less * How to use your mind to start on difficult or unpleasant tasks * The importance of taking breaks for your productivity and creativity and why your brain doesn't know how to do this * Why the standard '8 hours at your desk' is a disaster for your effectiveness, innovation, happiness and wellbeing. * James's online programs and the science of productivity and wellbeing, and * How he reads one book per week!

For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Join me behind the scenes at the IPPA 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology in Melbourne, AustraliaIf you follow Potential Psychology on social media you might have seen me out and about with my portable recorder, Potential shirt and matching red headphones at the International Positive Psychology Association’s 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology in July 2019.The World Congress was a four day event at which world’s positive psychology, happiness and wellbeing experts descended on Melbourne, put their collective heads together and explored and shared the most mind-blowing quantity (and quality!) of research and knowledge on what helps us all to thrive and flourish.There were great thinkers and speakers, research presentations, exhibitors, well being adventures, conversations, global perspectives and over 1000 people in attendance and and I’ve captured as much as I can to share with you in this episode of the podcast.Join me as we:* Race around Melbourne, well being adventure-style with Associate Professor Aaron Jarden, Dr Jo Mitchell, Dr Suzy Green and others * Take to the streets in a #Happtivist March * Unplug and Hug with Nicola Lipscombe * Learn about how technology is boosting our young people’s well being with Professor Dianne Vella Brodrick * Listen in to psychology luminaries including Jonathan Haidt, Roy Baumeister, Michael Steger and Barbara Fredrickson * Are inspired by outgoing IPPA President and past podcast guest Professor Lea Waters to go forth and heal the world.

You’ll also hear me get lost in the streets of Melbourne and try to keep my balance while interviewing on a moving tram. This is onsite recording folks!A huge thanks to everyone who agreed to be interviewed for this episode, the team at ASN Events for helping me to coordinate a media pass to the event and the IPPA Conference Leaders for allowing me to wander around and pester people with my microphone and hence bring you this behind-the-scenes episode.For full details, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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'If the 5 trillion spiders in the Netherlands took to eating humans rather than insects, they’d consume all Dutch people in just three days.' Not a nice thought, especially if you have a spider phobia but that was the Tweet that led me to today's guest and our discussion of phobias.My guest is Dr Celin Gelgec, a clinical psychologist based in Melbourne, who specialises in anxiety and all of the different ways in which it manifests and challenges us, including phobias! Celin is a Senior Clinical Psychologist & the Director of the Melbourne Wellbeing Clinic. She works with children, adolescents, and adults who experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and anxiety disorders, as well as secondary depression.In this episode Celin and I talk about phobias but we also venture into her favourite topic, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.My questions to Celin...* What are phobias? * Do we all have them? * What causes them? * Are some phobias innate? Or do we learn them? * When do they become more than harmless? * What are the symptoms and effects? * What are some of the more common phobias? * And how do we treat phobias?

We also explore...* Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - What is it? And can you really be 'a little bit OCD?' * The role of thoughts and emotions in anxiety and OCD * The logic defying nature of the human brain * And more!

For a heavy topic this is such a light hearted and fascinating interview and a great reminder that worries and fears plague us all but knowing why helps us to overcome them.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Imagine this. You're 20 years old and a newly minted teacher with sole responsibility for a small rural primary school and the nine students who attend each day. It's your ninth day at work and although it starts in the same way as days one to eight, it will end very differently - with you and your nine students chained and captive in a remote camp site.This is the true (crime) story of my guest, Rob Hunter. We're exploring what happened on that day 42 years ago and the impact that it has had on teacher and students.Rob and I talk about:* The incredible events of February 14 and 15, 1977 in Gippsland, Victoria * The after effects of drama and trauma * How times have changed when it comes to our approach to understanding and dealing with traumatic events * Gratitude, forgiveness and resilience as tools for recovery and growth * Rob's conversations with high school students and using his story to help them understand and access theirs * Rob's new book - Day 9 at Woreen: Kidnapped with Nine Children

Listen in to hear Rob's amazing story of high drama, true crime, forgiveness and strength unfolding in the Australian countryside.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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'It’s ‘digital heroin’: How screens turn kids into psychotic junkies' That was the NY Post headline that sent the internet into meltdown in 2016. The article went on to state that 'your kid’s brain on Minecraft looks like a brain on drugs' and every parent who has ever experienced a pang of guilt watching their child immersed in a screen-based game felt that guilt engulf them.But is it true? Are video and screen-based games as terrifying as the headlines suggest?In this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast I'm talking to Peter Gray, Research Professor of Psychology at Boston College. Peter is the author of both a widely used introductory psychology textbook, Psychology which is now in its seventh edition and Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for LifePeter writes a popular blog for Psychology Today entitled "Freedom to Learn". He is frequently invited to speak to groups of educators, parents, and researchers about children's need for free play and the ways in which children are designed, by natural selection, to control their own education.Peter says that he was intrigued by the increasing anxiety about video games amongst parents attending his seminars and presentations. He too read the news headlines and wondered if we were getting the full story. So, being the good scientist that he is, he set about exploring the available evidence on the effects of video games on the brain.In this episode Peter and I discuss: Whether your kid's brain on Minecraft really looks like a brain on drugs * What we know from scientific research about the effects of video games on the brain * The role of parents and society in the rise of gaming * Internet Gaming Disorder. Is it really a thing?* * When should parents worry about their child's video game use? * What are the pros, cons and alternatives to restricting use?

It's an intriguing discussion that may generate more questions than answers but it certainly opened my eyes to the complexity of the topic and gave me food for thought as a parent.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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We’re doing something a little different on the podcast today. For the first time, we are revisiting a past episode. In fact it’s episode two of the podcast - my interview with parenting and e-safety expert Martine Oglethorpe from The Modern Parent.Have you noticed a resurgence of interest in the mainstream media lately in video games and their impact on kids?Specifically, the instances and issues surrounding video gaming as an addiction or disorder?In late May of 2019 the World Health Organisation officially recognized "gaming disorder" as a mental health condition — adding the disorder to the International Classification of Diseases, or the ICD-11, the organisation's official diagnostic manual.Screen time, video games and internet gaming are confusing topics. Everyone has an opinion. Parents feel guilt and uncertainty. 'Screen time' creates a huge amount of conflict within families. I wonder whether the conflict, anxiety and stress around internet games and screen time does more harm that the screens themselves?So I thought it was timely to revisit Martine’s wise advice on the topic, both as an expert and a parent to five teen boys.About MartineMartine works with students and parents through schools and other organisations to help them safely and smartly incorporate technology into their lives. She also works with teachers to explore how they can incorporate digital literacy into their classrooms.In this episode Ellen and Martine talk positively about:* Why parents don't need to fear technology when it comes to their kids * Why parenting in the digital age is just parenting and the same rules apply * The importance of teaching kids to think critically about their technology use, and * Martine's 9 questions to ask when it comes to kids and screen time.

For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Have you imagined what it's like to be a judge presiding over a court? To maintain calm in the court room, absorb and synthesise complex information, listen to sometimes deeply difficult stories and make decisions that affect the lives of others- and at times our society - in critical ways?These are just some of the tasks facing our judicial officers - our judges and magistrates. They are tasks that can have a significant impact on their stress and well being.My guest for this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is Carly Schrever. Carly is the Judicial Wellbeing Advisor for the Judicial College of Victoria, a current PhD Candidate and researcher at the University of Melbourne, a lawyer, a psychologist and mum to three year old twin boys. She's a busy woman.Carly had worked with the Courts for sometime as a Judicial Educator when she commenced her Masters of Clinical Psychology. She had a conversation with the then Chief Judge of the County Court of Victoria - Michael Rozenes - who had identified the need for robust research into judicial stress and wellbeing. He encouraged Carly to take up the challenge and this became her PhD project, which then led to her Judicial Wellbeing Advisor role and the opportunity to work with judges in Victoria, around Australia, and overseas. Carly is passionate about facilitating meaningful and enriching conversations with our judges and magistrates about judicial stress and ways in which we can work towards possible interventions and solutions.In this insightful conversation Carly and I explore:* The Court system in Australia - all the things you didn't know about how it works. * The finding's of Carly's research. How stressed are our judiciary? And why? * Why the mental health and well being of our judges and magistrates is important to our community * Keeping a lid on your emotions at work - the task and the impact. * Secondary Traumatic Stress. What is it and how does it affect judicial officers, lawyers and other professionals? * Work-related satisfaction and how a sense of meaning in our work buffers us against stress and burnout.

A word of cautionCarly and I touch on content in this episode that some listeners may find distressing. If traumatic content is difficult for you right now, perhaps sit this one out.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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What do you know about therapy?Did the producers of The Sopranos get it right? And are we all a little bit mad?The answer is 'yes' according to my guests today, both highly experienced Sydney-based psychotherapists and clinical psychologists.Professor Gillian Straker and Dr Jacqui Winship join me to talk about their new book,‘The Talking Cure: Normal people, their hidden struggles and the life-changing power of therapy' in which they introduce us first to relational psychotherapy through its depiction in The Sopranos, and then to their clients, fictional amalgams of real-life cases. They explain the relationship between the therapist and the patient as the essence of successful therapy and reveal how the art of talking and listening helps us to understand deep-seated issues that profoundly influence who we are in the world.In this fascinating conversation we explore: Psychotherapy - What is it? And how does it differ from other forms of therapy or counselling? * Why being human is to be a little bit mad - and why that's okay. * How common childhood experiences can lead to struggles later in life. * Our role as parents. Should we be worried about 'screwing up' our kids later in life? * The role of diagnosis in mental health. Are we medicalising* normal humanness? And what does this mean for happiness and wellbeing?

This episode will leave you intrigued by the possibilities of the little understood but transformative process of psychotherapy and how we relate to each other.For a full transcript, guest profile, expert tips and the resources mentioned in this episode, visit potential.com.au/podcast or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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NEWS We're taking a break from regular programming for a special mini episode celebrating the winners at the 2019 Australian Podcast Awards!Australians were on tenterhooks on Saturday 18 May 2019 as we awaited news of the winners and losers. Yes we had a Federal Election but more importantly, it was the 2019 Australian Podcast Awards.Mr Potential Psychology and I headed north to Sydney to join in the festivities and fun, mingle with audio royalty and learn a little more about what's great on the Australian podcast scene.Listen in to discover my pick of the winners, who I'm listening to right now to live, learn, laugh and flourish, and whether the Potential Psychology Podcast walked away with a gong.For more details visit potential.com.au/podcast or join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

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Music and our moods are intrinsically linked. We seek sad songs when we're blue, upbeat vibes to work out, maybe classical for a bit of zen. But how does this work? What happens in your brain when you listen to music? And how can you use music strategically to boost your mood and your performance? My guest today is Dr Sandra Garrido. Sandra is a pianist, a violinist, an author, a mum and researcher. She started studying law but found that she didn’t really like arguing with people for a living, so she returned to University to study music and psychology and this has been the foundation of her career ever since.At present Sandra is an NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Fellow at the MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development at Western Sydney University, exploring mood regulation using music and how we might use music to improve the quality of life in people with mild dementia.In our podcast chat, Sandra and I explore:* Why music is important to humans * The role music plays in our physiological, cognitive, social and emotional experience * How music can positively effect our wellbeing * Why the music of our teens years sticks with us throughout life, and * Why we're drawn to sad songs when we're down - and how this can help and hinder us.

Tune in to learn why music moves us.For more detail including a full transcript of the interview, visit potential.com.au/podcast.

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With an increasing number of children in the western world diagnosed with life threatening food allergies, the parents of these kids can find themselves overwhelmed, and anxious, with their well being and mental health under threat.My guest for this conversation knows this from lived experience. When her third child, Caleb, was just four months old he was diagnosed with multiple food allergies. At that moment Callie Mackenzie and her family were plunged into a world in which nothing felt safe.Callie was overwhelmed by the responsibility of feeding her family in the face of multiple allergies. The thought of leaving Caleb in someone else’s care, starting preschool or school seemed unimaginable and much of the joy was drained from food and the life surrounding it.In this episode Callie, a trained medical doctor, shares some of what she has learned in the three years since. We discuss:* Current understanding within the medical community of the causes of food allergies * The social isolation that comes with a child’s food allergies * The impact of a parent’s personality on dealing with allergies and the restrictions they bring * The impact of food allergies on a child and parent’s mental health * The strategies that Callie has developed to reduce the overwhelm, enhance her wellbeing and bring pleasure back to food and eating. * Callie’s online resource, Kid Proof Food, and how she helps parents to stay well in the face of a child’s food allergies.

I was drawn to Callie as a guest for the podcast through her blog post, The Art of Wellbeing as an Allergy Parent. She speaks our language of positive mental health and wellbeing and in this episode she shares insights that I know will help all of us, allergy parent or not.

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Our doctors help to keep us well, but who looks after the doctors when they're struggling with stress, exhaustion and overwhelm?My guest today is Dr Rebekah Hoffman, a GP (General Practitioner) in regional NSW, a University lecturer and a PhD candidate at the University of Wollongong. As a junior doctor Rebekah began to struggle with the effects of long hours, limited sleep and a heavy workload. Following a holiday during which she realised that she was no longer the person she wanted to be, she changed the trajectory of her career and began to research the effects of stress and burnout on her fellow junior doctors.In this conversation Rebekah explains:* The challenging nature of work as an early career doctor - the hours, the workload and the expectations * The social and technological changes that make medicine today a vastly more complex field than it once was * The psychology of a junior doctor - the expectations of self that both drive and sometimes thwart those who pursue the profession * Her research into stress and burnout in junior doctors and the three factors that contribute to it

Rebekah and I also explore:* Her tips for self care and preventing burnout - tips that apply to all of us * The important role of mentors in medicine and allied professions * The media-driven changes that are shaping the profession for future generations.

This is a must-listen conversation for early career doctors, medical students and those who teach, care, work with and support them.Find out more at potential.com.au/podcast

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Welcome back to the Potential Psychology Podcast.My guest today once specialised in psycho-oncology, the human side of cancer. In 2010 at the age of 37 she received the terrifying news that she had not one but two primary breast cancers. This became a frightening opportunity to practice what she preaches. The practitioner became the patient.Dr Jodie Fleming has recounted her story in a touching memoir, 'A Hole in My Genes' published in February 2019. In this episode we talk about:* Her book (it made me cry - and laugh!) * Death anxiety and survivor guilt * What she has learnt about living with a cancer diagnosis as a psychologist, a survivor, a partner, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sibling and a friend * How to reframe even life's toughest moments and thrive through cancer * Jodie's tips for supporting someone through cancer

Rarely have I met someone so positive, so resilient and so open as Jodie. This is a wonderful conversation and an opportunity for us all to learn about an experience that touches so many.Join me to hear Jodie's story and let her words help you to fulfil your potential.

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We're back for Season 5 and we have some exiting news! The Potential Psychology Podcast is up for an award. I'll give you the low down in this episode.My guest for the first episode of this season is Associate Professor Brock Bastian from the University of Melbourne and we're asking the question, 'Are we getting resilience wrong?' Resilience is a hot topic right now, with programs designed to build resilience featuring on the training schedules of our schools and workplaces. But what do we really know about resilience from a scientific perspective? Can we build it? And how?In this episode Brock and I explore: What we do and don't know about resilience from a scientific perspective * Why we often get resilience wrong * Why we need risk and vulnerability to develop our resilience - and our kids' resilience! * Resilience as a dynamic and developable process, and * How to build a challenge mindset.*

About my guestBrock Bastian is a researcher, a practitioner, and and the author of The Other Side of Happiness: Embracing a More Fearless Approach to Living. His research focuses on issues related to ethics and wellbeing and his passion is connecting the more abstract ideas that he works with in his research to the everyday problems and issues that people and organisations face. In his practice as a psychologist Brock sees private clients dealing with a range of mental health and wellbeing issues, and in his role as a consultant to organisations he assists with issues related to ethics, wellbeing, and organisational culture.This is a fascinating, helpful and thought-provoking conversation to kick off Season 5 of the Potential Psychology Podcast!

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Welcome to our special event celebratory podcast episode! We are celebrating because today, March 20, is the UN’s International Day of Happiness and tomorrow, March 21, is the Potential Psychology Podcast’s 1st birthday! We’ve been sharing the science of wellbeing on the air for one whole year. Throughout our first year we’ve explored well being, performance, goals, parenting, health, sleep, sport. resilience, yoga, work, strengths, hope and more.Our amazing guests have educated and inspired us in so many topics relating to happiness but do you know what I’ve realised? I’ve realised that in 12 months and 39 episodes we’ve never asked the question, ‘What is happiness? And how do we get more of it?This are the questions we answer in today's episode. What's more, I've got our listeners and past guests involved!Listen to our audience’s and guests' messages about what makes them happy as they help me to answer the questions: What does the science say about happiness? What is it? What isn't* it? And how do you find more of it? * What are the 10 simple, free ways to find more happiness, every day?

You'll also hear what makes the Potential Team happy and discover that calm, contentment and happiness is within your control, just by taking simple action.Listen in and join the celebration!You can find out more in our Episode and Show Notes or in the world of social at Facebook or Instagram

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How does where you work affect how you feel and behave? And is there a better way to build workspaces so that we can thrive and flourish at work?These are the questions that my guest and I explore in this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast.Dr Jacqueline Vischer is Professor Emeritus at the University of Montreal, an environmental psychologist, author, consultant and expert in how the space we work in affects the way we think, feel and behave.Jacqueline’s consulting agency Buildings-In-Use advises companies and government agencies on planning, designing, implementing and managing new and innovative workspaces. She also teaches and researches on the social and behavioral impacts of workspace innovation. In this conversation we discuss:* Environmental psychology and how our built environment affects how we think, feel and behave. * Why we tolerate outside noise at work but can’t stand our desk neighbour’s phone conversations. * The human need for personal space at work * Technology, Activity Based Working and dealing with change at work. * Why workplaces should be built around knowledge not tasks * The future of workplaces, designing for disability and coworking.

This is such an exciting and relatively new field of psychology and a topic that will shape our experience of work for future generations. You can find out more and download Jacqueline's tips for creating a flourishing workspace here. Thanks for listening!

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Today we are talking about one of my favourite topics - Sleep! My guest is Dr Kate Sprecher and she is speaking to me from Colorado, in the United States, where she a is post-doctoral researcher in the Sleep and Chronobiology Lab at the University of Colorado, Boulder.Kate’s passion is understanding how sleep affects our physical and mental health with her guiding question being, 'How we can get the best sleep possible?'In this conversation I ask Kate about:* The impact of sleep (or lack of it) on our health and wellbeing * How she and her team study sleep in the lab * Her tips for better sleep, and * Her recommended resources for learning more about better sleep and how to get it.

We also discuss: The impact of our natural and unnatural* environments on our sleep cycles * The role of sleep for the human body, from how we think and feel to the impact on our hormones and even deep down to our mollecular level * The simple strategies we can use to maximise the quality of our sleep for greater happiness and wellbeing.

Sleep (or lack of it) affects us all and Kate explains the science of sleep in such an easy to understand, engaging way.Join me for this very important conversation about something we all do, every day.You can find out more and see the show notes for this episode at Potential Psychology

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Today I am kicking off the first of a few conversations specific to well being within particular professions.My guest for this episode has spent 10 years researching why the mental health of Veterinarians has become so compromised and what can be done about it.Dr Nadine Hamilton is a psychologist who has worked with Vets in her private practice to help them develop better coping strategies and get on top of stress and psychological fatigue to avoid burnout and prevent suicide. She also works with veterinary practice managers and owners to increase wellbeing, productivity and the retention of vets in the workplace - and she is the author of a new book, ‘Coping with Stress and Burnout as a Veterinarian’Listen in as Nadine and I discuss:* The 'Dark Side' of the Veterinary Profession * Sources of stress for Vets and their colleagues * The ways in which Positive Psychology and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy can help * Nadine's Coping and Wellbeing Program for Veterinary Professionals

A 'must listen' conversation for Veterinarians and those who love them, Vet Science students and those who teach them, and pet owners everywhere.Learn more at Potential Psychology or follow Ellen and Potential Psychology on Facebook or Instagram

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I’m delighted to have Matthew Condie on the podcast for this episode.Matt is the kind of eclectic psychologist that I love talking to. He’s held several key roles in clinical psychology including child protection, youth and adult mental health, forensic drug and alcohol, emergency psychiatric services, perinatal and infant mental health, and refugee mental health working in refugee camps overseas. But Matt also has sport in his veins and he works with athletes and as an educator in the United States, teaching in the area of Sport and Performance psychology and leadership.In this conversation Matt and I traverse the terrains of identity, vulnerability, self compassion and leadership. We explore the different identities that we possess - worker, family member, child, sibling, partner, parent - and how it’s easy to get lost in these to the detriment of who we are as individuals. * We discuss values and how knowing your core values helps you stay true to yourself * Matt introduces us to self-compassion and its importance in complex situations and emotions. * Brene Brown’s book, Dare to Lead, comes up and we examine what we means by leaning in* to vulnerability in order to experience our full range of emotions and possibilities. * And we demonstrate our own vulnerability as we grapple with some tech challenges and accept that failure and struggle is part of life and success.

Join me for this thoughtful and thought-provoking conversation.Learn more at Potential Psychology or follow Ellen and Potential Psychology on Facebook or Instagram

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Do you know how to keep your brain healthy and well as you age?That’s what we’re talking about in this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast. My guest is psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Desiree Dickerson who joins me from a little Spanish town near Denia. Desiree’s passion is sharing up-to-date, science-backed tools and lifestyle strategies to stay mentally sharp and improve your brain health today and for the years to come.She gives public talks on brain health and well-being and runs workshops on how to rewire your brain for effective behaviour, habit change and lifelong wellbeing.In this episode I ask Desiree,‘Why should we keep our brain healthy?’‘How do we do it?’And‘What does it take to keep our brain resilient to reduce the risk of dementia in later life?’Desiree shares her five strategies for staying mentally sharp and building a resilient brain. She also recommends some great resources for learning more about the vital but often overlooked power centre we possess between our ears.Join me for life changing insights into caring for your brain and wellbeing.Learn more at Potential Psychology or follow Ellen and Potential Psychology on Facebook or Instagram

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My guest today has found a way to take the human experiences that we’re often not great at talking about openly and make them accessible through story and story telling.Her name is Anna Box. She is a psychologist and story strategist and on any given day she might be working with screenwriters and actors on unpacking a character’s psychology, or working with an elite sport organisation on narrative, or working with a school to bring together positive psychology with spirituality and faith based messaging - or maybe teaching leaders about The Hero’s Journey.Anna’s work explores stories and film and research and well being and performance and thriving. She is passionate about everything she does and that passion spills forth in every word of this conversation.Join me and Anna as we discuss:* The stories we tell ourselves - how they help and how they hinder us * Unpacking and understanding our stories in order to grow and flourish * Qualitative research and understanding what counts and what doesn’t * Branding, strategy, values and stories in organisations * Recognising your shadow side and doing the work to be the best that you can be - for yourself and for others * Recognising and thinking critically about the stories we swim around in each day * How Anna principles of Positive Psychology and Acceptance Commitment Therapy to brands, strategies and stories in organisations * Movies, narrative and their emotional impact on us * How movies, TV and stories can help us to understand ourselves better * Anna’s Screen + Soul workshops and her passion for sharing the intersection of stories and the science of thriving.

We delve deeply into everything from parenting to personal development to therapy and finish up with a fun chat about Anna’s favourite movies. It’s a fascinating, insightful and very enjoyable conversation.Learn more at Potential Psychology or follow Ellen and Potential Psychology on Facebook or Instagram

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Tired of nagging and arguing with the kids? Today's guest suggests that you flip the switch to positive for happier, healthier kids and greater harmony for the whole family.Professor Lea Waters is one of the world’s leading experts on Positive Education, Positive Organizations and Strength-Based Parenting and Teaching. She’s a psychologist, the president of the international positive psychology association, the Founding Director of Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Melbourne.Lea is also author of The Strengths Switch: How the new science of strength-based parenting can help your child and your teen to flourishNow before you imagine her as someone so impossibly smart and talented and therefore nothing like you and I, she is also a parent, who due to a difficult upbringing herself, was determined to parent differently, successfully and with a wealth of research behind her approach.Join me as I talk to Lea about: Strength-based parenting - What are strengths and how do you identify them in your child? * The benefits of strength-based parenting for parents* * Why we default to finding weakness rather than strength and how to counteract this * Stopping the cycle of criticism and the benefits of a strength-based approach for teens * How to create harmony at home, and * Practical strategies for building a strength-based approach in your family.

It's a refreshing, fun and positive conversation about parenting and kids!Learn more at Potential Psychology or follow Ellen and Potential Psychology on Facebook or InstagramThanks for listening.Ellen

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Has the mental health pendulum swung too far?Distress is a contentious topic. We no longer accept ‘toughen up, don’t cry’ as the appropriate message for our kids, schools, even workplaces but my guest today argues that ‘medicalising’ distress and jumping too quickly to diagnoses and clinical support might not be helping either.Professor Lindsay Oades is the Director of the Centre for Positive Psychology at The Melbourne Graduate School of Education. He firmly believes that "wellbeing is everybody's business" and his mission is to enable others to enable others.In this episode of The Potential Psychology Podcast Lindsay and I discuss:* How we learn to thrive and the complexity of well being * Sharing the language of well being * Putting well being on the agenda at a national and international level * Aiming for more than the prevention of illness * How our schools and communities act as a lever for healthier generations * Lindsay’s ‘thrivability theory’.

It’s a conversation that will inspire you to think about preparing future generations for mental health, happiness and well being.Learn more at Potential Psychology or follow Ellen and Potential Psychology on Facebook or Instagram

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With me in this episode is Dr Adrian Medhurst. Adrian is a psychologist, speaker, author and thought leader on a mission to optimise performance and wellbeing for people and organisations. He specialises in performance psychology, wellbeing science, mindfulness, innovation and emerging technology.Adrian is the author of "Meditate on This: The Science of Mindfulness” and the CEO of - Benny Button, a wellbeing and performance business.Adrian describes himself as ‘dedicated to improving the lives of as many people as possible through wellbeing and performance initiatives.’ A man after my own heart!During our conversation, Adrian and I cover:* Agility and finding the balance between wellbeing and performance * Using little tweaks to enhance our happiness * How to live well and have impact * Mindfulness and the skill of being self aware * Mastering daily stress, and * Benny Button’s 8 Factor Model for Wellbeing and Performance.

Adrian is also offering listeners a chance to try the Benny Button Wellbeing and Performance Profiler for FREE.I’m so pleased to be sharing this insightful conversation with you.For links to Adrian's great list of recommended resources mentioned in this episode, go to Potential Psychology or follow Ellen and Potential Psychology on Facebook or Instagram

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We're back with Season 4 of the Potential Psychology Podcast!In this mini episode I give you the low-down on the up coming expert guests and topics for another insightful and inspiring 10 week listening experience.Are you ready to learn from some of the world's authorities on wellbeing, performance, parenting and mastering your mind and behaviour?Are you ready to fulfil your potential?Come listen in! I'm looking forward to sharing the season with you.If you're new to the podcast, you can catch up on past seasons at http://potential.com.au/podcastOnwards and upwards,Ellen.

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Drowning in email? Swamped by notifications? Stressed by endless work demands?How do you disconnect in a working world that’s switched on 24/7? In this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast I talk to Dr Melissa Marot, Clinical Neuropsychologist and Organisational Psychologist about work, stress, technology and finding balance in a constantly connected world.I ask Melissa:* What happens in our brain when we’re stressed? * How should we respond to stressful situations at work? * What does the changing nature of work, workplaces and constant contact mean for stress and wellbeing? * How do we set expectations and boundaries to better manage 24/7 connection? * What are her tips for managing email inbox overwhelm?

Melissa also shares: The importance of decompression, healthy routines and working with intention. * How to create a life in which you actively and intentionally* switch on and switch off. * Burnout - What are the physical and psychological symptoms?

If you want to better balance work and life, listen in!

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It’s time to talk on the podcast about work and the role that work plays in our well being.Joining me for this episode is Organisational Psychologist and well being expert Karen Gillespie from the New South Wales-based consulting firm EEK & Sense. Karen is passionate about helping us get the blend right between our work and non-work lives, meeting the daily challenges of being at our best, feeling fulfilled at work, staying physically fit and healthy and being present for the other significant people in our lives. She tries to ‘practice what she preaches’ by not only running a thriving business with her business partner Audrey McGibbon but also spending time with her family, walking her dog, doing yoga and taking good, long holidays.During our conversation I ask Karen: What are the wellbeing challenges for leaders in all organisations? * How do you lead and grow a business and still be the best parent, best partner and best person you can be? * Why leaders? * What is existential wellbeing? * Why is intellectual wellbeing important? * How do we help leaders ensure they are on the right personal path to fulfilment? * And what are the elements of true and complete* wellbeing? *

Karen and I explore the Global Leadership Wellbeing Survey - a holistic assessment of a leader’s sources and status of psychological wellbeing and we have a chat about gender differences - What are men and women getting right when it comes to work and health?Join us as we explore how and why, as Simon Sinek says, ‘The leader sets the tone’ when it come to creating a thriving, flourishing workplace

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This episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast is for the men and boys - and the parents and partners of men and boys.My guest is Carl Nelms, psychologist and founder of Blokes Psychology, a psychology practice in Melbourne, Australia dedicated solely to males. During his training Carl noticed that many of our therapeutic services are designed for ‘therapy lovers’ and those open to discussion of feelings, emotional needs and concepts like mindfulness. It was his judgement, as a psychologist, a man and a mental health practitioner working primarily with men that this ruled many men out as therapy’s target audience. They weren’t attracted to these ideas. They were comfortable seeking help from these services. The ‘branding’ was all wrong.So Carl started Blokes Psychology to offer a plain-speaking, male oriented form of therapy - and it’s working!In this episode I ask Carl;* What brings men to therapy? * What do parents of boys need to know to help their sons to thrive and flourish? * How can men help each other when things get tough? and * What are the emotional health and well being challenges that men face?

We also discuss:* What the future might look like for the mental health of our young men (and women) * Identity and the father, worker and partner roles * The transition to fatherhood and the challenges it brings * The importance or retaining friendship, hobbies and a sense of self as boys become men * Self care - not just a conversation for women!

It was fascinating to get a different perspective on well being, both as a psychologist and as a women living in a house of men and boys.Listen in!

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“This is a generation that is ­really struggling. It speaks to me of a lack of ­resilience. The bottom line is that I don’t think we are preparing even the little kids or the biggest kids for adversity.’’ That’s my guest, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, talking about the mental health and well being of our young people - the topic of this episode’s podcast discussion. Michael is one of Australia's highest profile psychologists, author of 11 books, broadcaster and a specialist in parenting, children, adolescents and the use of technology for mental health. He is a media commentator, columnist for a number of national publications and the resident parenting expert for several high rating Australian television and radio programs. This was a challenging interview for me. As an incurable optimist it was difficult to face the dismal facts that Michael presented regarding the state of youth mental health here in Australia. I didn’t resist, deny or despair as I was inclined to though. I got curious and asked the question, ‘What can we do about it?’ The result was a conversation rich in resources, recommendations, tips and strategies for parents, teachers and any one charged with the well being and happiness of our kids, teens and young adults. Tune in to find out, ‘Are we building strong people?’

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We are turning our attention to kids and young people for our next couple of episodes of the podcast and in this episode I’m talking to psychologist Rachel Colla from Merakai about helping our kids to find a sense of hope and purpose. Merakai is an educational consultancy that helps schools and organisations to lead the way in wellbeing and performance. Rachel is the Director. She is also a speaker, facilitator, Lecturer at The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Positive Psychology and mum to four girls. Rachel is passionate about helping us all to achieve optimal wellbeing and happiness in our lives in order to be better parents, friends, colleagues and members of our community and this passion shines through in our conversation.We cover: * The psychological nature of hope. It’s not just ‘fingers crossed for the future’! * The role that hope plays in kids’ well being, persistence and resilience * Practical tips for helping kids to develop hope and succeed at school and in life * How to discover your purpose in life and help kids to do the same, and * Finding ways to solve problems, grow, learn about ourselves from others and thrive and flourish.

This is a must-listen for parents, teachers and everyone charged with the well being of students, kids and young people.

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We all eat but have you given much thought to why you eat what you eat? Or when you eat? Or how you eat? Have you thought about your relationship with food?My guest today is Dr Naomi Malone, from A Life Simply Lived, a rural psychology practice located in Boort, a town of just under 900 people in the Mallee District of Northern Victoria .Naomi has a specialist interest in eating psychology and the intersection between nutrition and mental health. She’s fascinated by our relationship with food and eating and she works with her clients to uncover what helps and hinders them when it comes to what they eat and the impact that this has on their emotional and physical wellbeing.In this episode Naomi and I discuss:* The psychology of eating * The rules we set ourselves when it comes to food * The role of gut health in our mental health * The mind-body connection and the importance of food * Our toolkit for eating for better wellbeing * The importance of savouring * Mindful eating and what we can learn from kids

We also chat about the ups and downs of rural life.Join me to learn more about the role that food plays in our mental health

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Ever felt nervous before a big presentation, exam or performance? The sweaty palms? Jumpy tummy? Racing heart?Have you noticed what where your mind goes in these moments? Do worries of impending disaster or freezing at the critical moment creep in? Want to know how to manage your mind - and your nerves?Joining me for Episode 24 of the Potential Psychology Podcast is psychologist, music teacher, concert pianist and performance coach Anastasia Hronis. Anastasia is an expert performer, making her solo debut as a pianist at the Sydney Opera House at the ripe old age of six and more recently performing - again as a soloist - at Carnegie Hall in New York. With her combination of performance credentials and psychological knowledge she knows a thing or two about conquering your nerves to produce a stellar performance - in whatever you do.Today Anastasia and I discuss:* The role of nerves in performance and making those nerves your friend * The importance of mental preparation, not just practice * Why you shouldn’t believe everything your mind tells you before a big event * The link between performance anxiety and social anxiety * How to help kids practice any skill, and * Anastasia’s tips for stellar performance in any domain

With an extra special treat thrown in!Join me as we discuss how to conquer your nerves for stellar performance.

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We all know what we’re supposed to do achieve our study, work and life goals but we rarely do it, do we? Instead we procrastinate and worry, waste time and stress ourselves out.My guests today are co-authors of a new book, ‘The Rubber Brain: A toolkit for optimising your study, work and life!’ and we’re talking about the emotional and motivational factors that cause us to stumble when we’re pursuing our goals.Associate Professor Jacquelyn Cranney from UNSW is passionate about leading education innovation. She researches in the areas of student learning, success and wellbeing, and she’s very keen to spread the word about how to be a happier human, particularly when studying.Dr. Sue Morris is a Lecturer in Psychology at UNSW, also with a focus on student wellbeing and flourishing. She been a director on the Board of a kindergarten to year 12 school for 10 years so she is well versed in the whole student life cycle AND she’s currently parenting her second consecutive Year 12 student, so the idea of enhancing student resilience is also very personal. Together we discuss:* Your imperfect mind, how sub-optimal thinking leads us astray and developing a ‘rubber brain.’ * Why being a successful student is much more than study strategies. * What students need to know about themselves to make education and career choices. * Tips for increasing motivation. * Why student wellbeing and mental health has deteriorated in the last 20 years. * How our education system and career expectations are at odds with an optimal life.

If you’re a student, the parent of a student or you’re keen to learn more about the role of your mind in success, this episode is for you!

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My guest for this episode is Dee Anderson, a Performance and Wellbeing Specialist who has worked with some of the world's most successful elite athletes to assist them with transitions in their lives and their personal development.Dee is a Director of the Performance and Transition Institute. She has been a national leader in the world of University sport and the development of student athletes. She is a director of Australian University Sport, the National Rugby league Players Ass (NRLPA), the Michael Hughes foundation and the International College of Management, Sydney.Dee has been acknowledged worldwide for her contribution to elite athletes, and has a lifelong commitment to supporting the development of young people.Dee and I enjoy a wide-ranging conversation about the psychological life of elite athletes and the many complex factors that affect athlete well being. It’s not all about sport though! As Dee and I talk, we discover the many parallels between well being in sporting life, family life and work life.Topics covered include* The challenges for elite athletes in trying to live a normal life * The importance of self awareness and deep self knowledge for wellbeing in sport - and life. * Grief, getting stuck and transitioning to a new life and identity. * The complexities of life and performance for young athletes. * ‘Athlete foreclosure’ and the catastrophic effect of a shrinking world * The importance of ‘psychological safety’ in performance * The role of family, coaches and organisations in an athlete’s wellbeing. * Practical tools for understanding goals and values for better balance, decision making and our transitions in life.

Find out more about Dee and her tips for wellbeing at www.potential.com.au/podcast

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My guest today is Caroline Anderson from Performance Edge Psychology. Caroline is one of those people who seems to have hit the talent jackpot. She not only runs two successful psychology practices, she also delivers programs and workshops to athletes, sporting organisations and corporate clients on high performance and wellbeing AND she is a former Olympic athlete herself.In this episode Caroline and I discuss the role of the mind and wellbeing in peak performance.We cover:* The psychological link between performance and well being * What psychology offers athletes and high performers * How managing your mind, attention and emotions help you to perform at your best in any high stakes environment * How elite sports performance is like wrangling a toddler! * The importance of learning to rest and recover from our everyday 'mental marathons' * How to find ways to improve your performance that don't involve working harder and longer * What Caroline learned about performance and wellbeing as an Olympic athlete

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Hi Ellen here. If this is your first time listening to the podcast, welcome! I’m your host and I’m here with this mini episode to tell you a bit about what’s coming up on the podcast in Season 3.This season we have a performance theme for this upcoming season and by performance I don’t mean how to perform bigger, better or faster although I know you will pick up some tips on that if that’s what you’re looking for.Our focus is on the individual experience of performing, whether as an athlete, a leader, a musician, a business owner or just someone working really hard to achieve meaningful goals. I’m exploring with my guests the stuff that sits below the surface but plays a really important part. Things like self awareness, understanding our values, identity, mindset and the role of families and relationships in supporting our goals and performance..Listen in to learn more and to hear about my plans for experimentation this season. Our first guest interview goes live on September 12.Thanks for listening!

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Love it or hate it, today’s show is about exercise - and how you can use it to fulfil your potential.My guest is Nonie Carr, a Melbourne based psychologist from Enhance Life Psychology. Nonie has a passion for cycling and the benefits of exercise for our wellbeing and success.Nonie began her career in schools, first as a high school teacher and later as a school psychologist. She left education to start her private practice and she now works with individuals to help improve their well-being and relationships and boost their motivation to pursue their goals.She’s here on the podcast to talk to us about the benefits of exercise for your brain and mind - and give us some tips on how to incorporate it into our daily life.Nonie and I discuss:* The neurological effects of exercise and how the hormones released into the brain during exercise boost our mood and brain function * The emotional effects of exercise for our wellbeing and mental health * How exercise can be motivating * The best types of exercise for our mental and physical health * ‘Find Your 30’ and simple ways to make moving fun.

By the end of this episode you’ll be ready to get out there and exercise!

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This episode is one for the new parents and parents to be.My guest is clinical psychologist and parenting expert Nadene van der Linden. We're chatting about the psychological transition that we make when we move from non-parent to parent. What are the challenges? Why is it harder for some of us than others? And how can we best prepare ourselves?Much of the focus when you’re expecting or a new parent is on the baby and what’s best for him or her. But parents and their well being are just as important and becoming a parent is a BIG deal that can have unexpected effects on our mental health and state of mind.In this episode Nadene and I share our personal stories of becoming a parent - the good, the bad and the ugly. We consider:* The work life juggle that comes with parenting * How your expectations of parenthood - and yourself - can mess with your head * The role of identity in the transition to parenthood * Nadene's tips for making the journey easier

Join us as we get a little personal about parenting.

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My guest today is on a mission to disrupt education and spread well being throughout schools, organisations and our community.Andrea Downie is co-founder of Project Thrive, an Australian consultancy firm that collaborates with its clients, co-creating school and work environments that help us all to live and work at our best. She and her colleagues fuse positive psychology, education, sociology, anthropology, wellness and leadership in their - and from my experience in this interview, I bet they laugh a lot too!Listen in as Andrea (a former primary classroom teacher and school leader in Wellbeing, Learning Enhancement, Technology, Gifted Education and a former Deputy Principal) and I explore:* Eco-systems of well being - How parents, their work, home life, teachers and schools interact to affect students learning and well being. * Andrea's vision for disrupting education and helping kids to find meaning and purpose in their school days. * The insight that kids have into what's good for them. * Well being, motivation and performance as a University subject. * Experiential positive psychology - living and breathing it, not just learning it. * Hope and what it means for our resilience.

Andrea shares many wonderful ideas in this episode. Make sure you listen in!

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What is the future of work and how do we prepare our kids for it?Are schools and universities setting kids up for future success? Does technology in the classroom improve outcomes for kids? Should every school student be learning to code?And what are the skills that kids will need in tomorrow's world?These are just some of the questions I ask Dr Joe Sweeney, technologist, researcher, writer and expert in workforce transformation in this episode of the Potential Psychology podcast.Joe and I discuss schools, education, technology, tools, parenting and the future of work. We talk about why LEGO is important for the digital world, the role of books in future happiness and success and why the most important thing we can do for our kids is teaching them to think.Join me as we explore the future - and the past - with Dr Joe Sweeney.

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Something to get you thinking today. I'm talking to Dr Madeline Fernbach, Australian Clinical Psychologist with expertise and a passion for working with the transgender and gender fluid community.Madeline is fascinated by identity and the way people see themselves. She explains in this episode that during her awkward middle teenage years she drifted at the fringes of many social groups. Without a fixed groups of friend until later in her life she developed an interest in what makes humans belong - or not belong - in groups.This is interest drove her to complete a PhD on the topic, after which she began work at the Australian Research Centre for Sex, Health And Society at Latrobe University. Throughout her career she has been involved in sexual health and identity research, and in the last five years these interests have coalesced, leading her to specialise in supporting the transgender community.She says, 'The best part of my job is talking about identity and providing support so that people can take control of their lives in ways that are consistent with who they are.'In this episode Madeline and I discuss:* What identity is and how it relates to gender. * Social identity theory and the sense of self we get from the groups we belong to. * The importance of authenticity for our wellbeing. * How our mental health is affected when there is a gap between our public and private selves. * The Genderbread Person. What is it and how does it help us to understand the many facets of gender? * The fascinating, complex nature of gender and how we express it. * Madeline's tips for individuals and families grappling with gender and identity.

This is a really thoughtful, insightful and frank interview that might get you thinking about your identity, your personal and public personas and what it means to you to live a truly authentic life.

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Something completely different for you on the podcast this week.I recorded this episode at the 13th Happiness & Its Causes Conference in sunny Sydney, Australia. It's five pocket interviews and an insight into the conference highlights for me.Happiness and Its Causes is the world's largest happiness and wellbeing conference, with speakers exploring the many and varied causes for a happy and fulfilling life. The line up was formidable with no less than His Holiness the Dalai Lama making an appearance (he is quite the comedian). We were inspired by an impressive array of experts from psychology, education, the world of media and entertainment, the corporate world and incredible individuals like Domestic Violence Campaigner Rosie Batty who shared their personal stories of connection and compassion with us.In this episode you'll hear some familiar voices such as Dr Suzy Green, a previous podcast guest, and some exciting new interviewees such as Dr Justin Coulson and Sue Langley who I'm lining up for future podcast appearances!Join me for a whistle-stop tour of Happiness and Its Causes 2018.

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I'm very excited that my guest for this episode not only shares two of my personal passions - psychology and yoga - but she combines the two in her professional practice to help everyday people thrive through life's challenges and difficult moments.

Suzy Reading is UK based psychologist, yoga instructor and personal trainer. She is the author of The Self Care Revolution which was published in the UK late in 2017 and in Australia in early 2018. She is passionate about helping to bring people back from stress, overwhelm, crisis and grief to a place of feeling whole, energetic and on the path to a rewarding life.Our conversation in this episode ranges from:* What it means to nurture head, heart and body and how you can incorporate these simple steps into your life everyday. * How to recover when you are 'energetically bankrupt' * Why Suzy believes yoga is 'body-centred therapy' * The two minute yoga sequences that we can all use every day to calm the body and mind - or energise it! * How movement helps us to process emotion and recover from life's challenges * The parallels between the Eastern philosophies of yoga and Western psycholocial sciences, and * Suzy's personal experience that flattened her then led her to breathe again and create a flourishing life.

Be inspired by Suzy's wisdom, calmed by her soothing style and discover her simple tips for self-care and rediscovering your vibrant, flourishing self.

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My guest today is Karen Young, founder of the popular 'Hey Sigmund' website. Karen is a psychologist, an author, a speaker, an educator and a parent.She founded Hey Sigmund after realising the power of solid information to help us to manage life's challenges and live well. The website attracts millions of readers each year worldwide. Her articles have been translated into a number of languages and her work has been published on various international sites including The Good Men Project, The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Yahoo Health.My conversation with Karen is a wellspring of wisdom ranging from career advice to parenting teens, to understanding and managing anxiety to book, exercise, meditation and tips for staying happy and well.We dive into:* Karen's book ‘Hey Warrior’, which she wrote for kids to help them understand anxiety and find their ‘brave’. (The book has now been translated into a number of languages). * The power of parents to support and guide kids through life's more challenging days * How to help teens when they stuff up monumentally. * We even get existential with a chat about the nature of being human.

Listen in and enjoy!

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My guest today is James Garrett, the founder and CEO of Brain by Design - a US-based organisation that teaches strategies for getting more from your mind. He’s a psychologist, a former academic, co-founder of a highly successful social venture - Think Unlimited, which taught innovation and creativity to young people in the Middle East - and he’s chatting to me today about using your brain to enhance your productivity and creativity and live your best life.

This is an exciting and illuminating conversation and James and I have a ball discussing the science behind:

• Why your focus and attention is like a battery that requires recharging.
• How to get more done by working less
• How to use your mind to start on difficult or unpleasant tasks
• The importance of taking breaks for your productivity and creativity and why your brain doesn't know how to do this
• Why the standard '8 hours at your desk' is a disaster for your effectiveness, innovation, happiness and wellbeing.
• James's Brain in Mind Program and the science of productivity and wellbeing, and
• How he reads one book per week!

Listen in to discover James's tips and strategies.

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Today’s guest and I are separated by 13,000 km and the mighty Pacific Ocean but thanks to the wonders of technology we chat in this episode as though we're in the same room.

Eileen Lenson is in California and she is talking to us about adversity, resilience, courage, hope and her recently published book Overcoming Adversity: Conquering Life’s Challenges.

In her words, 'No one searches for adversity. Bad experiences are simply part of life. Yet how many of us will know what to do to prevent our lives from spiralling out of control when we encounter traumatic events that threaten our safety, careers, emotions, health, or relationships?'

In this episode Eileen and I explore:

• Eileen's experience as a Medical Social Worker specialising in trauma in a number of US hospitals and how this led her to write Overcoming Adversity.
• The nature of resilience and why two people who face similar trauma might cope and emerge from the experience so differently.
• Stories of forgiveness, courage, perspective, perseverance and hope in the face of sometimes unimaginable challenge.
• Eileen's tips and strategies for learning to manage our feelings and respond to both devastating events and every day difficulties.
• How to develop the skills you need to seek healthy coping options and change your life for the better.

It's a practical, positive conversation that weaves Eileen's professional experience in trauma assistance with true stories from her book and the science of positive psychology.

Have a listen!

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Hi, it's Ellen. I’m taking this opportunity to give you a glimpse into the hive of behind the scenes activity that is taking place as we await the launch of Season 2 of the Potential Psychology Podcast. Guest interviews are in full swing. I’m not going to ruin the surprise by giving away any names but listen in to this mini-episode to get an insight into the wealth of amazing topics we'll cover in the coming weeks.
Season 2 launches on 6 June 2018. Looking forward to seeing you then.

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This is such a fun interview with exuberant and engaging coaching and clinical psychologist Cassandra Dunn. Cass and I chat, laugh and explore our way around career paths, taking chances, reframing risk and finding happiness.

We examine:

• The long and winding road that Cass has taken to find her passion and purpose
• The uncertain but exciting nature of careers and how following your curiosity can take you to where you need to be
• Life coaching - what it is and how does it help you?
• High expectations, anxiety and letting go of jugdgement,
• and Cass's tips for success, wellbeing and happiness.

Ellen also shares her gratitude to those who have made Season One of the Potential Psychology Podcast a rewarding and successful experience.

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Welcome to Episode 9 of the Potential Psychology Podcast!

In this episode I chat to the delightful Laura Braid from The Sweet Life. Laura started her career as a forensic psychologist in Scotland, delivered ground breaking programs with offenders in the New Zealand prison system and now runs her private practice, the gorgeously named, The Sweet Life, in Auckland.Our discussion delves into therapy, courage, vulnerability, acceptance and happiness.We discuss:* Mindfulness and how to let judgement exit stage left * Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a tool for a happier life * How to keep psychologically flexible so that our 'negative' thoughts don't take control, and * Getting out of our heads and into our lives!

It's a wonderful, in-depth discussion filled with humour, insight, ideas and self revelation!Enjoy.

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In Episode 8 of the Potential Psychology Podcast we take a fascinating little side path into the world of food, cooking, simplicity and wellbeing.

My guest is Jules Clancy from StoneSoup: Simple Weeknight Dinners. Jules is a food scientist, a former winemaker, an author, a photographer, founder of the StoneSoup Virtual Cookery School, and a passionate advocate of minimalism and simplicity, especially in the kitchen.Jules and I start with a conversation about meals and recipes for a busy family. We traverse minimalism and de-cluttering for mental health, self experimentation in everyday life, 'tree changes' and our mutual relief at living traffic-free. We end up 45 minutes later deep in discussion about mindful eating and what triggers our hunger cues.Along the way you will learn about:* How to think about your weekly rather than daily nutrition. * The role of a food scientist and life on the ‘Tim Tam’ team. * Decluttering your kitchen and what to do when your toaster breaks, * Reframing your cooking and kitchen tasks to reduce overwhelm, increase your joy and improve marital harmony

It's a magical, meandering episode through fascinating, functional topics.

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Dr Tess Crawley is a clinical and forensic psychologist from Hobart, Tasmania. She has spent over ten years mentoring other psychologists and she’s seen the challenges that even the experts face in balancing work and life and wellbeing. Tess is a former university lecturer, actor and theatre-company owner and now the Director of a busy multi-location private psychology practice.

In this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast Tess and Ellen talk about her mentoring program for mental health professionals, the challenges of becoming a leader, how to make successful transitions in life and the importance of passion and purpose in motivation and achieving your goals.

They also discuss:

• Tips for building confidence as a new leader
• The future of psychology
• Tess's book recommendations for self-belief, new ventures and success
• Gary Vaynerchuk, Mel Robbins and Brene Brown

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Dr Sarah McKay is an Oxford educated neuroscientist who hung up her lab coat 10 years ago to teach, write and speak about brain health and applied neuroscience. She's also the author of recently released and fascinating read,‘The Women’s Brain Book: The neuroscience of health, hormones and happiness.'In this entertaining and informative episode Ellen and Sarah discuss:* Nature, nurture and neuroplasticity * Baby brain, menopause and the life of the female brain * PMS - Myth or reality? * The science of napping, and * The secret to a long and flourishing life.

Sarah also her shares her tips for a happy, healthy brain.Come and listen in!

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In this episode Suzy discusses 'performance and character strengths' - a foundation of positive psychology - and how they inform our career choices and energise us in the workplace. She shares inspiring stories of helping people to discover their strengths at work and the confidence, joy and awe that this brings.

Suzy and Ellen also discuss:* Positive Education and the work that The Positivity Institute does to bring strengths and the science of wellbeing to students, teachers and school communities * Why Suzy feels that as a psychologist she has a duty of care to help kids to understand their emotions, themselves and others in order to prevent episodes of mental illness in the future * Suzy's journey from early school leaver to world leader in her field, and * The Positivity Institute's mission to increase worldwide wellbeing.

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Inthis episode Ellen talks to Chelle Taylor, child and family psychologist, about helping kids to manage stress and anxiety. Chelle is an expert in neurodevelopment and she explains how our brain responds to stress and why, for some kids, that response can be extreme.

Chelle shares her tips for helping kids to manage their emotions - tips that apply to grown ups too - and she encourages us all to learn more about how our brain and emotions work in order to live happier and calmer lives.Chelle and Ellen also explore: How jumping on the trampoline or eating a crunchy apple can help to calm kids down * Some counter-intuitive ideas for behaviour management * ​T*he ways our kids tell us, without words, when they’re doing it tough, and * Great books for understanding kids' brains and behaviour.

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In this episode of the Potential Psychology Podcast Ellen chat's to Mel Schilling, psychologist and relationship coach. You might know Mel as one of the experts on Married At First Sight Australia. As well as being a TV psychologist, Melalso workswith organisations, individuals and the media on all things ‘relationship’, so everything from dating and intimacy through to business negotiation and influencing. In this episode Ellen and Mel explore:

• Power posing
• Building confidence and self belief
• Women and the workplace
• Mel's tips for relationships, new and old, and
• How she juggles a family in Bali with work in Australia.

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Welcome to the first episode of the Potential Psychology podcast, with your host, Australian psychologist Ellen Jackson.
In this episode Ellen interviews Dr Jo Mitchell, Director of The Mind Room - a wellbeing, psychology and performance clinic in the uber hipster inner-city suburb of Collingwood in Melbourne.Jo tells us about her work with high performers, the benefits of screwing up and she gives us her tips for success, happiness and fulfilling your potential.Jo has really diverse interests in psychology, all with strong focus on helping high functioning people to maintain their balance, stay happy and well and sometimes bounce back from mental illness, burnout, or episodes of significant stress.

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In Episode 2 of the Potential Psychology Podcast your host, Ellen Jackson, chats to parenting and e-safety expert Martine Oglethorpe. Martine works with students and parents through schools and other organisations to help them safely and smartly incorporate technology into their lives. She also works with teachers to explore how they can incorporate digital literacy into their classrooms. In this episode Ellen and Martine talk positively about:

• Why parents don't need to fear technology when it comes to their kids
• Why parenting in the digital age is just parenting and the same rules apply
• The importance of teaching kids to think critically about their technology use, and
• Martine's 9 questions to ask when it comes to kids and screen time.

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And so it begins! The Potential Psychology Podcast is for you.Your host, Ellen Jackson, has created it to share the wisdom, knowledge, passion and experience of her amazing guests - and they are amazing - so that you can take what they knowand use it to grow, flourish and continue to fulfil your potential.

In this brief introduction Ellen shares the story of Potential Psychology and her excitement in moving beyond the work she does with fabulous workplace clients to bring theexpertise of her fellow psychologists to a bigger audience via the Potential Psychology Podcast. She introduces her guests in upcoming episodes and she welcomes you to the Potential Psychology Community. It's short, informative - and it's just the beginning.