Little Addicts

To kick off Season 2 of Little Addicts, I'm swapping seats. My friend and colleague Philly Powell, founder of Wellbeing First and creator of Wellbeing Tick, interviews me about my new book, Little Addicts: Why We Do What We Do.

It's an honest, open and personal conversation about the things we reach for to change how we feel—from wine, scrolling and shopping to people-pleasing, overworking and needing to be liked. I share my own patterns, what they were doing for me, and why understanding them matters more than giving myself another stern talking-to.

We explore:

• When "I enjoy this" quietly becomes "I need this"—and when self-soothing starts costing us.
• Why knowing better doesn't always mean doing better, and why willpower alone falls short.
• Homer and Yoda: our impulsive Reactor and more reflective Responder.
• Why wanting something and enjoying it aren't always the same thing.
• The hidden costs of people-pleasing, perfectionism and socially rewarded busyness.
• The 3 N's—Notice, Name, Need—and how to pause, stay with discomfort and choose what matters.
• Why I included psychedelics in the book, including therapeutic support and integration.
• The power of an accountability buddy, including our ongoing "not eating after dinner" experiment. Yes, we still have to fess up.

This conversation is about curiosity, compassion and creating more choice. No personality overhaul required by next Tuesday.

A question to take away: What is this behaviour doing for me—and what is it costing me?

Get the book: Little Addicts: Why We Do What We Do. Podcast listeners can use DISCOUNT10 for $10 off.

We also discuss why serious addiction needs professional treatment and support beyond the everyday practices explored here.

To contact Kerene go to the website.

What if addiction isn't just about substances… but about what we reach for when life feels hard, empty, overwhelming, or just a bit too much?

In this honest, fascinating, and occasionally mind-bending conversation, I sit down with psychotherapist and Addiction Specialist Tommy Benefield to talk about addiction, recovery, trauma, psychedelics, and the deeper human search underneath all of it.

Tommy shares his own story of addiction and recovery, his cautious path into ayahuasca and plant medicine, and why healing isn't always calm, blissful, or a "good trip."

This is a conversation about relief, escape, consciousness, distress tolerance, and what people may really be looking for when they reach for something outside themselves.

In this episode, we explore:

• Tommy's personal history with addiction and recovery
• Why addiction often starts as a solution before it becomes a problem
• The role of guilt, values, and your inner compass
• Why some people feel more internal conflict around addiction than others
• Why psychedelics are not a magic bullet
• Why "bad trips" may not actually be bad at all
• The idea that addiction may be less about wanting a fix… and more about wanting connection
• Why distress intolerance matters more than most of us realise
• The role of integration after psychedelic experiences
• What might sit underneath the coping

A few standout ideas:

• Addiction often begins as an attempt to soothe, regulate, or escape discomfort
• The things we reach for aren't always the problem — sometimes they're the clue
• Freedom isn't needing life to feel good all the time. It's being able to stay with yourself when it doesn't
• Why insight without integration doesn't change much

Books, thinkers, and ideas mentioned

• Michael Pollan – How to Change Your Mind
• Christopher Bache – LSD and the Mind of the Universe
• Ram Dass
• Eckhart Tolle
• The Bhagavad Gita
• Default Mode Network (DMN)
• 12-step recovery
• Trauma, distress tolerance, and integration

Final thought

If you've ever found yourself asking: "Why can't I stop?"

This conversation invites a more useful question: "What am I actually needing when I reach?"

To contact Tommy Benefield, go to his website https://tommytherapy.com/

Show Notes:

• In this special episode, Kerene reflects on the journey (23 conversations diving deep into addiction, behaviour change, and what it means to be human).
• She shares her biggest takeaways: that addiction isn't just about substances – it's about our need to numb, to avoid, and to self-soothe in a world that says "be happy" at all costs.
• Hear excerpts from past episodes that cracked her open.
• She reminds us that real change begins not with white-knuckling or shame, but with curiosity, compassion, and the willingness to feel.
• This episode isn't a farewell – it's a pause while Kerene writes her book, deepens her coaching work, and percolates what might come next.

Key message: Addiction isn't a moral failing – it's a survival strategy built into us all. We're wired to seek comfort and relief. The trouble begins when self-soothing turns into self-harm. The first step to freedom? Seeing that truth together.

Connect with Kerene:

Website - mindfulatwork.co.nz

LinkedIn - Kerene Strochnetter

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kerene_strochnetter

In this refreshingly raw and witty episode, Lotta Dann—author, sobriety advocate, and anti-diet warrior—talks about the tangled web of body image, addiction, and freedom from toxic cultural norms. Lotta unpacks the truth behind diet culture and shares her own vulnerable journey from extreme dieting to empowered body acceptance.

We discuss:

• Lotta's Wake-Up Call
• No big bang—just a slow anti-diet awakening via social media
• Her "aha" moment: realising diet culture is a lie built on profit and control
• The Addiction Crossover
• How her battle with alcohol and diet culture shares common roots
• Emotional coping, control, and the myth of "healthy" restriction
• "When self-soothing becomes self-harm"—the turning point
• Inside Diet Culture's Dirty Lies
• Diets don't work—most people regain the weight (plus some!)
• Fat ≠ unhealthy; health at every size is real
• The billion-dollar shame machine keeps us hooked
• The Recovery Shift
• From thigh gaps to food freedom: Lotta's personal healing
• Learning to eat what she wants—without guilt, without obsession
• Mindfulness and awareness as superpowers in recovery
• Shame and the Inner Critic
• A jaw-dropping reading from her journal: brutal self-talk laid bare
• Humour, honesty, and mindfulness to disarm the shame cycle
• Practical Tools & Advice
• Daily habits: challenge negative thoughts, ditch the scales, unfollow toxic accounts
• Morning pages (a la Julia Cameron) for mental decluttering
• Surround yourself with anti-diet practitioners and media
• Choose movement for strength, not weight loss

Standout Quotes

"My life was diminished down to two sets of scales—one for my body, one for my food." "The pants aren't wrong for not fitting your body—your body isn't wrong for not fitting the pants." "Diet culture is noisy—because it's hungry." "Sobriety is a gift that keeps on giving."

Resources & Mentions

• Lotta's book: Mrs. D is Not on a Diet
• Website: Living Sober
• Movement: Health at Every Size (HAES)
• Book: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
• Anti-diet dietitians and social media (found at the end of Lotta's book)

Final Thought

This episode is a gentle yet fierce invitation to disentangle yourself from the shame spiral and reclaim your body, mind, and joy. Whether you've ever counted calories or counted drinks, Lotta's message hits home: You are enough, just as you are.

Episode Overview:

In this deeply moving episode, I speak with Izzy, a young woman in recovery from meth addiction, and her fiercely loyal mum, Lisa. Together, they peel back the layers of chaos, courage, love and connection.

Life Before Addiction

• Izzy shares how her growing dependency on meth began.
• Emotional suppression and disconnection paved the way for substance use.
• Lisa reflects on the challenges of seeing your child in pain.

The Chaos of Addiction – Living in the Messy Middle

• Izzy describes the raw realities of life gripped by addiction: shame, secrecy, and survival.
• The breakdown of trust, daily crises, and the toll on family relationships.
• Lisa talks about the balance between boundaries and compassion.

Turning Point – The Spark of Change

• The moment Izzy realised she wanted more than just survival.
• How self-awareness became her first real tool for transformation.
• Lisa's role: to love Izzy while letting her take responsibility.

Tools for Recovery – Regulating the Storm

• Izzy shares the importance of self-love.
• Rebuilding trust with others—and with herself.
• Community, structure, and professional support are non-negotiables.

A New Chapter – From Addiction to Advocacy

• Izzy is now thriving and training to become a support worker.
• Her mission? To help others feel seen, safe, and supported, just like she needed.
• Lisa reflects on how this experience changed her understanding of love and strength.

Key Takeaways:

• Addiction affects the whole family, but so does recovery.
• Healing is messy, non-linear, and absolutely worth it.
• Support doesn't mean fixing—it means staying.
• Self-love is the foundation for long-term change.

Links mentioned:

Narcotics Anonymous

Brave Hearts NZ

Facebook Watershed Addictions

Facebook NZ P-Pull

In this raw and resonant episode, Philly Powell interviews Kerene Strochnetter about Chapter One of her upcoming book. Kerene unpacks the origins of self-soothing and why we reach for wine, work, sugar, our phones, or even people-pleasing to feel better.

This episode is a loving wake-up call. You'll laugh, maybe squirm a little, and come away seeing your own patterns with more clarity and compassion.

About the Book

Kerene's upcoming book (title TBC) explores how evolutionary brain patterns, cultural myths, and unconscious behaviours drive unhealthy habits and addiction—and how to change that through self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-compassion.

Chapter One sets the stage with the ultimate truth: Everybody self-soothes. What you do with that awareness is up to you.

In this episode:

• What Self-Soothing Actually Is

Kerene sees self-soothing as a normal response that begins in utero: everyone does it.

• How Your Fast Brain (Homer) Keeps You On Autopilot

Drawing from Chapter 4 of her book, Kerene explains how our fast brain (Homer) runs the show in moments of stress, making quick, comfort-driven decisions to avoid discomfort.

• Cultural Conditioning & Shame

Why self-soothing is often hidden beneath shame, and how our culture glorifies productivity, control, and stoicism while quietly fuelling burnout and addictive behaviour.

• The Addiction Continuum

Addiction doesn't just mean "hard drugs." Kerene reframes addiction as a spectrum, and how even "acceptable" habits can keep us stuck if we're using them to avoid our feelings.

• The First Step is Seeing It

You can't change what you can't see. Awareness is what interrupts the pattern, not willpower.

Key Takeaways

• Self-soothing is normal. We all do it. It's only a problem when it's our only strategy.
• Your fast brain just wants relief (like now!). It doesn't care if it costs you tomorrow's peace.
• Awareness is your superpower. You can't interrupt what you cannot see.
• There's power in pausing, noticing, and asking: What am I trying to avoid right now?
• This isn't about discipline—it's about understanding. You don't need to shame yourself into change. You need to outsmart your old wiring.

Contact Kerene:

• Kerene Strochnetter – Mindful at Work
• Kerene LinkedIn
• Follow Kerene on Instagram

Contact Philly

• Wellbeing Tick

Love this episode? Please share it with a fellow human who's navigating their own soothing strategies. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow Kerene on Instagram for new episodes, resources, and updates.

David Hanna is a fifth-generation Tangata Tiriti (people of the Treaty), a leader in community-led development, and the director of Wesley Community Action.

This conversation delved into addiction, trauma, social systems, and how grassroots initiatives can bring about meaningful change.

David challenges us to rethink how we address addiction, not just as an individual issue but as a symptom of broader systemic challenges.

We discussed:

The Role of Compassion and Judgment in Leadership

• David shares insights into his leadership philosophy, emphasising the importance of working at multiple levels of the system—from community practitioners to government ministers.
• He highlights the necessity of compassion without judgment and the dangers of "othering" marginalised groups.

Overcoming Bias

• A personal story about overcoming judgment that led to a discussion about unconscious bias, social conditioning, and the importance of openness and curiosity.

The Real Cost of Systemic Issues

• Spending on negative investment—prisons, addiction treatment, and care systems—rather than proactive community support.
• He argues that a healed society would redirect resources toward arts, environmental restoration, and whānau well-being.

Addiction: A Response to Trauma

• David reinforces the idea that addiction is often a coping mechanism for trauma.
• Highlighting the spectrum of addictions, from substance abuse to socially accepted addictions like workaholism.
• Childhood adversity and the intergenerational impact of trauma.

A Grassroots Solution: The Walk-In Initiative

• David shares the inspiring story of a community-led initiative where people affected by meth addiction create safe spaces to support each other.
• This grassroots effort has become a national movement, offering judgment-free support for individuals and whānau.

Looking Up the Microscope: Self-Reflection on Privilege

• David introduces the concept of "looking up the microscope", a practice where individuals in privileged positions reflect on their family history, wealth, and inherited trauma.
• This initiative fosters self-awareness and a deeper understanding of systemic inequities.

The Role of Māori Knowledge in Healing

• David emphasised how Te Ao Māori offers valuable wisdom in addressing social issues.
• He highlighted how integrating Māori perspectives into mainstream society benefits everyone and is an area where New Zealand is leading globally.

The Power of Presence and Balance

• Discussing the neuroscience of addiction and modern society's obsession with growth, David argues that a balance between action and reflection is crucial.
• He advocates for slowing down, creating space for self-awareness, and fostering a culture that values relationships over relentless productivity.

Final Thoughts and How to Support Wesley Community Action

• David closes by inviting listeners to explore Wesley Community Action's work at www.wesleyca.org.nz.
• He encourages involvement in Just Change, an initiative that fosters learning and action for systemic change.

Connect with Kerene:

Website – Mindful at Work

LinkedIn - Kerene Strochnetter

Instagram – Kerene_strochnetter

Facebook – Mindful at Work

Join me for a fascinating chat with nutritionist Bilge MacPhee as we explore the power of food, the truth about bariatric surgery, and why ultra-processed foods are designed to keep us hooked.

Bilge MacPhee is a Wellington-based nutritionist with a background in biological sciences and human nutrition. Her holistic approach to health is deeply influenced by her Mediterranean roots, emphasising the connection between food and disease. She specialises in bariatric nutrition, supporting patients before and after weight loss surgery.

Key Topics Discussed

Bilge's Journey into Nutrition

• Growing up in Germany with Turkish heritage, food played a central role in daily life.
• Inspired by her grandmother's belief in the healing power of food.
• Transitioned from biological sciences to nutrition, developing a passion for holistic health.

Bariatric Surgery: What It Is & Who It's For

• A life-changing operation for those struggling with severe metabolic health issues.
• Not a quick fix but a tool for patients who have exhausted other weight-loss methods.
• Involves a rigorous pre-surgery assessment, including consultations with a nutritionist, psychologist, and surgeon.

Common Misconceptions About Bariatric Surgery

• "It's the easy way out" – In reality, it requires significant lifestyle changes and commitment.
• "It's a waste of taxpayer money" – Research shows it reduces long-term healthcare costs by preventing conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
• "People regain weight because they lack willpower" – Success is often tied to access to proper post-surgery support.

The Role of Food & Addiction

• Bilge challenges the term "food addiction," arguing that ultra-processed foods are not 'food' and chemically engineered to be addictive.
• The food industry, like the tobacco industry, designs products to manipulate cravings and create dependency.
• Nutrient-dense, whole foods do not trigger addiction in the same way as processed foods.

Post-Surgery Challenges & The Importance of Support

• Patients must learn new eating habits, such as mindful chewing and portion control.
• Emotional and psychological adjustments are key to long-term success.
• Those who attend follow-up care and support programs tend to have the best outcomes.

Dangers of Overseas Bariatric Surgery

• Cheaper options in countries like Turkey and Mexico may lack the necessary post-surgery care.
• Without ongoing nutritional and psychological support, patients are at a higher risk of complications and weight regain.

Listen now for an eye-opening conversation about food, health, and the real impact of bariatric surgery!

Connect with Bilge

Email

Instagram

Connect with Kerene

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

Breaking free from the endless cycle of craving—whether through shopping, food, or relationships—Natalie Snooke explores how self-awareness, meditation, and the Enneagram can lead to true inner peace beyond external validation.

Natalie Snooke is an experienced life and leadership coach, mindfulness facilitator, humanitarian, yoga and meditation teacher.

She is the founder and director of Momentum Coaching & Yoga.

A specialist of the 'inner life' Natalie has maintained a committed yoga and meditation practice for over 18 years. She has participated in more 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreats than she can count!

Natalie is a Certified Transformational Presence Coach, Certified Enneagram Coach, and member of the International Coach Federation.

Natalie is a Certified Partner at Triple Goal, a global leadership growth company that empowers leaders and teams to master self-awareness, growth mindset and psychological safety.

A respected senior yoga teacher, Natalie has served on the Executive Committee of Yoga Australia, the peak professional body of yoga in Australia. She regularly leads international retreats and pilgrimages to India and Bali.

Natalie is equally comfortable sitting around the boardroom table with executives, sitting cross-legged on the floor in meditation caves, or at the feet of yoga masters in India.

In this episode, we discuss:

Craving and Emptiness of the Heart

• Natalie explores addiction through the lens of emotional longing rather than substances.
• Early experiences of feeling unseen led to seeking external validation through shopping, overeating, and relationships.
• Society often overlooks these addictive tendencies in daily life.

The Journey to Self-Understanding

• There was no single epiphany, but rather a series of insights.
• Transformational moments came from recognising she is more than her wounds.
• Relationship breakdowns served as significant turning points.

Healing Through Yoga and Meditation

• Self-awareness is key—beyond the body and mind, to the essence of being.
• True fulfilment comes from stillness, not external achievements.
• Yoga and meditation are paths to self-realisation, not just stress relief.
• Once deeply experienced, people naturally want to return to these practices.

Breaking Free from Craving

• Whether it's materialism, relationships, or substance use, the craving never stops.
• Addiction is often a symptom of forgetting our true nature.
• Awareness reduces the grip of addiction over time, shifting from an overwhelming force to a subtle presence.

The Enneagram as a Tool for Awareness

• A system for understanding human motivation and patterns.
• Helps recognize unhelpful tendencies and move toward freedom.
• Not about being a "better" version of yourself but about true self-acceptance.

Self-Compassion & Kindness

• Many people believe self-discipline requires self-criticism, but this is learned behaviour.
• Being kind to yourself creates space for growth without judgment.
• Compassion is contagious—when we practice it, others around us follow.

Slowing Down in a Busy World

• Society pressures us to stay busy, but stillness is essential.
• Simple steps like removing "I'm busy" from vocabulary can shift mindset.
• Awareness practices naturally lead to a slower, more intentional life.

Self-Regulation & Breathwork

• Change happens in moments of choice—fall back into old habits or take a new path.
• Breath is the key to self-regulation, reducing stress, and increasing clarity.
• Even simple breathwork practices can be enough to create lasting change.

Connect with Natalie

Website

LinkedIn

Connect with Kerene

Website – Mindful at Work

LinkedIn - Kerene Strochnetter

Instagram – Kerene_strochnetter

Facebook – Mindful at Work

Lotty is a forward thinker in Emotional Culture, Change and Resilience, with over 20 years of experience leading and coaching people through large-scale change and transformation programmes.

During her journey as a senior leader, competitive runner and mum of 3 boys, Lotty discovered the power of Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence to help her with various challenges, including an auto-immune condition, chronic pain, double hip replacement and corporate burnout. Through her experience, learning and research into the wisdom of emotions and mindfulness-based practices to attend to the ongoing challenges and constant change of working life, Lotty instantly saw an opportunity to integrate these teachings into approaching leadership, culture, resilience, burnout and change.

Lotty founded MiND.U, where she is devoted to helping workplaces, leaders, and individuals build the capability, resilience, and 'know-how' to mindfully lead and navigate today's ever-changing and dynamic environment.

Lotty works with clients across New Zealand and internationally. She also runs retreats and public workshops and regularly speaks about Emotional Culture, Personal Resilience, and Mindful Change.

She lives in Wellington with her husband and three sons.

Lotty's story is one of transformation through self-awareness and intentional change. She advocates for therapy, emotional intelligence and mindfulness as essential tools for personal growth.

In this episode:

Lotty shares her journey through work, exercise, and addiction.

• Her reflections on self-doubt and imposter syndrome in helping others while facing personal struggles.
• Spending over 20 years in the corporate world, being a competitive runner, a mother, and briefly a fitness model.
• Driven by a need for achievement and external validation.

Childhood & Early Influences

• Growing up in a volatile home with addiction, relationship conflicts, and illness.
• Learning from a young age to seek validation through achievement.
• Using exercise to control her appearance and emotions, leading to competitive running.

Work & Achievement Addiction

• Excelling in corporate roles and rising through the ranks.
• How managing multiple roles: employee, athlete, mother—came at a high personal cost.
• Burnout (twice!) exacerbated by postpartum depression after her second child.

Marriages & Personal Struggles

• Experiencing another marriage breakdown due to personal and professional pressures.
• Meeting her third husband, whom she considers her soulmate.

Health Crisis & Turning Point

• Developing chronic pain and being diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis.
• Requiring a double hip replacement at 42—forced to slow down—and was a pivotal moment that allowed her to reflect and reassess her life choices.

The Role of Mindfulness & Therapy

• Discovering mindfulness as a tool for managing both physical and emotional pain.
• Recognizing her addiction to busyness to numb emotions.
• Prioritising self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and values alignment.

Leaving the Corporate World

• Realizing the corporate lifestyle was unsustainable for her health and well-being.
• Now integrates mindfulness and emotional awareness into her work.

Addiction & Societal Conditioning

• Initially, she did not see her behaviours as addiction but saw the patterns later.
• Work, exercise, and people-pleasing are socially accepted but can be addictive.
• Society often rewards burnout culture, making it difficult to recognise the problem.

Postscript:

Kristin Neff and Chris Germer co-created the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program. They also co-founded the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.

Michele McDonald, a Vipassana teacher, originally developed the RAIN model—Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Non-Identification. Tara Brach later popularised this model and adapted it by changing the final step from Non-Identification to Nurture, emphasising self-compassion.

Connect with Lotty

Website MiND.U

Instagram

LinkedIn

Connect with Kerene

Website – Mindful at Work

LinkedIn - Kerene Strochnetter

Instagram – Kerene_strochnetter

Facebook – Mindful at Work