Well, hello anxiety with Dr Jodi Richardson

Can anxiety, depression, OCD and other mental health diagnoses be viewed differently?

In this thought-provoking and deeply respectful conversation, Dr Jodi Richardson sits down with psychiatrist, author and speaker Dr Fred Moss, who spent more than four decades working in mental health before challenging many of the assumptions that underpin modern psychiatry. 

Dr Fred shares why he entered psychiatry despite disagreeing with much of the system, what led him to question diagnoses and medication, and why he believes that communication, connection and self-expression sit at the heart of human healing. 

Together, Jodi and Fred explore:

• Why Dr Fred believes there may be "nothing wrong with you" 
• The role of anxiety as part of the human experience 
• Mental health diagnoses, identity and labels 
• Medication, therapy and differing perspectives on treatment 
• The importance of communication and authentic human connection 
• The "Moss Method" and practices that support wellbeing 
• Creativity, self-expression and finding your true voice
• Why suffering is a universal part of being human 

This conversation presents one clinician's perspective and is designed to encourage curiosity, reflection and discussion. It is not intended as medical advice.

Resources & Links

📖 Welcome to Humanity by Dr Fred Moss
https://welcometohumanity.net 

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does your tween or teen ask “why am I like this?” Maybe they freeze when given a simple task, fall apart after school, or feel like they’re “too much”. In this episode, Dr Jodi and author and educator Sharon Witt explore what’s really going on inside a neurodivergent brain, and how to help young people understand themselves, ask for what they need and thrive. Sharon’s new book, My Brain Works Differently, is a colourful, easy-to-dip-into guide for tweens, teens and the adults who love and support them.  

Dr Jodi Richardson and Sharon Witt discuss:

• Why simple tasks can feel impossible, and how to help
• Giving young people the words to self-advocate
• Easing sensory overload at home and school
• Rejection sensitivity and catching “thought thieves”
• Seeing neurodivergence as a discovery, not a disorder

Connect with Sharon Witt:

https://www.sharonwitt.com.au/

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever left something to the last minute and promised yourself that next time you’ll start well ahead? Maybe there’s a task you’re putting off right now, and you can’t quite work out why getting started feels so hard.

It isn’t because you’re lazy, and it isn’t because you’re not capable.

In this episode, Dr Jodi Richardson is joined by Brendan Mahan, an internationally recognised ADHD and executive function expert, host of the ADHD Essentials podcast, and author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful. Brendan has given a name to the invisible emotional barrier that builds up between us and the tasks we struggle with, and once you understand it, so much starts to make sense.

Whether it’s you, or a child or teen you parent or teach, this conversation offers fresh language, a lot of reassurance and some simple ways to get moving.

In this episode, they explore:

• What the Wall of Awful is, and why everyone has one
• How emotions like disappointment and rejection build the wall, with anxiety holding it together
• Why “just do it” doesn’t help, especially for young people
• Simple strategies to get moving, from music and movement to body doubling
• Why the wall never disappears, but we get stronger at getting past it

Connect with Brendan Mahan:

https://brendanmahan.com/

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anxiety can arrive out of nowhere, leaving us confused, overwhelmed and wondering why now. In this episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson is joined from London by Lily Felton, trainee clinical psychologist at King’s College London and author of Outsmart Anxiety: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Empowering Your Mind. Lily brings a rare blend of research, clinical training and lived experience to a conversation about why anxiety isn’t something to eliminate, and how we can stop it from keeping our lives small.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What Lily would tell her younger self, who felt anxiety in her body and carried shame about it for years
• The case of SM, a woman who couldn’t feel fear, and what it teaches us about why we need anxiety
• How “worry time” with a worry book can help settle racing thoughts at night
• Recognising when it’s time to seek professional support, and why that step takes real courage
• Why confidence follows action, and how repetition turned Jodi’s nerves about live radio into something she now looks forward to
• Graded exposure and willingness: taking small steps toward the things we love
• The anxiety cycle explained, and why avoidance keeps us stuck
• The meaning behind the name Well, Hello Anxiety

Connect with Lily Felton:

LinkedIn

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if being an athlete has nothing to do with elite competition?

In this inspiring conversation, Dr Jodi Richardson sits down with coach, athlete, photographer, community builder and founder of Hybrid Edge, Lucy Piper, to explore the powerful connection between movement, identity, courage and anxiety. 

Lucy shares her vision for The Embodied Athlete, a coaching framework designed to help people understand the patterns, beliefs and identities that shape how they show up in sport and in life. Together, Jodi and Lucy discuss authenticity, self-trust, social anxiety, community, and why so many people struggle to claim the title of "athlete" even when they train consistently. 

They also explore:

• Why sport can be a fast track to courage and personal growth 
• The link between identity and anxiety 
• How our internal stories shape our lives 
• Lucy's athlete archetypes and diagnostic tool
• The difference between performing and authentically showing up for yourself 
• Building community through movement and connection 
• The three levers you can pull to create change: state, story and strategy 

If you've ever doubted yourself, struggled to back yourself, or felt like you're waiting for permission to become the person you want to be, this episode is for you. 

Connect with Lucy

Instagram:@hybrid_edge 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucypiper

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High performers often look calm and capable on the outside, while underneath their thoughts are racing and their body is carrying the strain. In this episode, host Dr Jodi Richardson welcomes back psychologist Harriet Iles, founder of Restorative Space Psychology, to explore what's really happening for overthinkers, high achievers and busy professionals, parents and athletes operating at a fast pace.
Harriet explains how high performance often comes with demands from others and from ourselves, and how stress and anxiety build when those demands feel greater than the resources we have to meet them. She also challenges a common belief among high achievers: that the inner critic drives their success.

This episode dives into:

The difference between stress and anxiety, and why a little stress can actually help us perform
Recognising whether the expectations we place on ourselves are driven by our values or by fear
Why being our own cheerleader supports success more than self-criticism does
How connecting to meaning, not fear of failure, helps protect us from burnout
Practical ways to ease the load, from reprioritising and setting boundaries to automating everyday decisions. 

Harriet shares grounded strategies for anyone performing under pressure, along with a reassuring reminder that sometimes we are simply doing too much, and reprioritising is the perfect place to begin.

Connect with Harriet Isles:
https://restorativespace.com.au/

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn't a lack of knowledge, time or opportunity, but fear?

In this inspiring and deeply honest conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes long-time friend, coach, speaker, podcaster and newly completed PhD candidate Craig Harper for a discussion about grief, resilience, behaviour change and human potential. Together, they explore why so many of us struggle to make the changes we know would benefit us, and what it really takes to create meaningful, lasting transformation.

Craig shares insights from decades of coaching experience, reflects on the recent loss of his father, and offers a powerful reminder that while life is often uncertain, our capacity to grow, adapt and change is far greater than we realise.

In this episode, you'll discover:
• Why fear of failure, fear of discomfort and even fear of success can keep us stuck where we are.
• The reason knowledge alone isn't enough to create change, and why action is the missing piece.
• How lasting habits are built through consistency rather than motivation.
• Why identity plays such an important role in personal transformation.
• Practical ways to improve your health, wellbeing and mindset without trying to overhaul your entire life overnight.
• The importance of self-compassion when you slip up or fall short of your goals.
• How to stop waiting for the "right time" and start creating momentum today.
• Why most people dramatically underestimate their own potential.

Resources mentioned
Connect with Craig Harper

Instagram: @craiganthonyharper
The You Project Podcast
Website: https://craigharper.net

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

🎙️ Follow Well, Hello Anxiety for more evidence-based conversations about anxiety, mental health and wellbeing

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if better sleep could improve your anxiety, stress levels, relationships, performance and even longevity?

In this episode of Well, Hello Anxiety, Dr Jodi Richardson is joined by behavioural scientist and sleep expert Dr Jemma King to explore the powerful connection between sleep and mental wellbeing. Drawing on her work with elite athletes, police, military personnel and high performers, Dr King explains why sleep isn't simply about getting enough hours, but about protecting the quality and consistency of your sleep every night.

Together, they unpack why sleep deprivation makes us more reactive to stress, how REM sleep helps the brain process fear and emotional experiences, and why poor sleep may be contributing to the rising rates of anxiety many people experience today. They also discuss the impact of caffeine, technology, artificial light and modern lifestyles on our ability to get truly restorative rest.

You'll also learn practical, evidence-based strategies for improving sleep, including how to manage middle-of-the-night wake-ups, use cognitive shuffling to quiet a busy mind, create a sleep-friendly environment, and build the sleep consistency that supports both physical and mental health.

If you've ever found yourself lying awake at 3am with a racing mind, feeling anxious, overwhelmed or exhausted, this conversation is packed with insights that could transform the way you think about sleep and wellbeing.

Resources:
📖 Sleep First by Dr Jemma King (available in bookstores and on Audible)

Connect with Dr Jodi Richardson:

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

🎙️ Follow Well, Hello Anxiety for more evidence-based conversations about anxiety, mental health and wellbeing

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trauma is something we all encounter in different ways -but what if healing from it could lead to growth, deeper connection and a renewed sense of purpose?

In this episode of Well, Hello Anxiety, Dr Jodi Richardson speaks with clinical psychologist Dr. Edith Shiro, author of The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: The Path to Post-Traumatic Growth.

Dr Edith explains what trauma really is, why it isn't always a major or obvious event, and how trauma can affect our relationship with ourselves, others and the world around us.

Together, Jodi and Dr Edith explore her five-stage model of post-traumatic growth:

Radical acceptance
Safety and protection
New narratives
Integration
Wisdom and growth

They also discuss why healing isn't necessarily linear, how we can recognise intergenerational trauma, and how becoming aware of what we've inherited from previous generations can help us create a different story for the generations that follow.

Dr Edith shares a powerful perspective on healing: “I’m healing my wound and from the wound comes the medicine and from the pain comes a purpose.”

Mentioned in this episode

📖 The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: The Path to Post-Traumatic Growth — Dr. Edith Shiro
🌐 Dr. Edith Shiro’s website — includes a post-traumatic growth questionnaire and information about her work and professional certification.

📱 Dr. Edith Shiro Instagram and Facebook: @DrEdithShiro

Dr Jodi Richardson

• Website: https://drjodirichardson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodirichardson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When anxiety makes school attendance feel impossible, what alternatives are available?

In this episode, Dr Jodi Richardson chats with Alex Cork, Head of Admissions at Crimson Global Academy, about online schooling for young people experiencing anxiety, school avoidance, bullying or challenges in the traditional school environment.

They explore the difference between homeschooling and online schooling, how online learning can help rebuild academic confidence and resilience, and how young people can maintain friendships and social connections outside the traditional classroom.

Alex also shares stories of students who have used online schooling as a stepping stone back to traditional school - and explains why sometimes, finding the right school environment simply means doing things differently.

Links mentioned:

Crimson Global Academy: https://cga.school/

Chronic Pain Australia: https://www.chronicpainaustralia.org.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.