Potential Psychology

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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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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 is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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 public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

"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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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com