After growing up in a family overwhelmed with mental health challenges, violence, and drug abuse, Dr Michelle McQuaid just longed to be happy.

And so, she went about ticking off the list that we’ve been told leads to happiness. Despite steadily fulfilling the realisation of a great career, financial security, good friends, a loving family, travelling the world and more, the life that looked great on paper internally looked like a mess of stress and chasing tail. So, she went back to school – to discover the latest science and to seek ways to thrive, even in the midst of the struggles we all encounter. 

Here, we talk about what she found out about people pleasing, how we socialise young girls and boys, and why we need to see struggle and pain for what it is. Plus, we find out about her big life – how she’s navigated what has been a big life – childhood trauma and leaving home at 16, a separation, big jobs both in Australia and overseas, her son’s autism diagnosis, and how she found compassion for her parents.

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This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

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