After workplace trauma left her with PTSD and chronic fatigue, former high school teacher Amanda Battle found herself unable to work, physically depleted, and emotionally shut down. But one unexpected invitation—to a free diving retreat—set in motion a powerful journey of recovery and reconnection. In this deeply moving conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson and Amanda explore: 🌊 The science and soul of “blue therapy” and why the ocean is so calming for an anxious mind 🫁 How freediving helped Amand...
Jul 08, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 199
Have you ever thought about your relationship with alcohol - not because of a problem, but out of curiosity or concern for your mental wellbeing? In this episode, Jodi sits down with sobriety coach, entrepreneur, and former ESPN anchor James Swanwick to talk about the surprising and powerful links between alcohol, anxiety, sleep, and overall health. James shares his personal story of quitting alcohol after a moment of reflection in a hotel mirror and how that decision changed his entire life. To...
Jul 01, 2025•55 min•Season 1Ep. 198
Why do we feel like we’re not enough - even when we are ? In this follow-up to their powerful first conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson and psychologist Claudette Foley unpack the hidden forces that make anxiety so hard to shake in our everyday lives. From the thousands of ads we’re exposed to each day, to the curated lives we scroll past online, they explore how modern life feeds discontent — and what we can do about it. Together, they talk about: Why advertising is designed to make us feel like ...
Jun 24, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 197
Welcome to Part 1 of Dr. Jodi Richardson’s powerful conversation with community psychologist Claudette Foley , who brings more than 35 years of expertise across psychology, education, sociology, neuroscience and wellness. In this episode, we zoom out from the individual experience of anxiety and explore the larger social, cultural and environmental forces that impact how we feel—often without us even realising. If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why am I like this?” or felt alone in your struggles, ...
Jun 17, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 196
Welcome back to Part 2 of Dr. Jodi Richardson's fascinating conversation with biohacking expert Camilla Thompson. In this episode, we dive deeper into the practical science of optimising your health and wellbeing through evidence-based biohacking strategies. Camilla shares her personal approach to intermittent fasting, revealing how the 16:8 method can support cellular regeneration, boost energy levels, and potentially slow the aging process. Discover why " genetics load the gun, but lifestyle p...
Jun 10, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 195
Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes biohacking trailblazer Camilla Thompson to demystify the world of biohacking and make it accessible for everyday people. Far from being just for Silicon Valley elite or those with unlimited budgets, biohacking offers practical, evidence-based strategies that anyone can incorporate into their daily routine. Camilla, a nutritionist, wellbeing coach, and author of the new book "Biohack Me," shares her personal journey from chronic mold illness to optimal health, reveali...
Jun 03, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 194
In this special episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes two brilliant minds in child psychology for an in-depth conversation about supporting anxious children and their families. Join Dr. Chris McCurry, clinical child psychologist and author of "Parenting Your Anxious Child with Mindfulness and Acceptance," alongside Emma Waddington, clinician, author, and founder of Us Therapy, as they explore the vital role parents play in helping anxious children not just survive, but truly thrive. In this epis...
May 27, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with Yale and Stanford researcher Dr. Emma Seppälä to explore the profound science behind human connection and its impact on our mental wellbeing. Dr. Seppälä, author of "The Happiness Track," shares groundbreaking research on how compassion and social connection serve as powerful antidotes to anxiety, stress, and burnout in our increasingly isolated world. From explaining the neurological mechanisms that make kindness feel good to debunking common misconceptions ab...
May 20, 2025•19 min•Season 1Ep. 192
In this gripping first installment of a two-part series, Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes Yale and Stanford researcher Dr. Emma Seppälä, who reveals the traumatic 9/11 experience that changed her life forever. When traditional anxiety remedies failed her, a skeptical scientist discovered an ancient breathing practice that not only healed her own PTSD but would later transform the lives of war veterans who'd lost all hope. Dr. Seppälä shares how "sovereignty" - making your inside stronger than your o...
May 13, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 191
Dr. Jodi is joined by Sarah Macdonald , founder and director of Canine Comprehension , a pioneering organisation that uses therapy dogs to support emotional literacy and mental health in school communities across Victoria, Australia. Sarah shares her own mental health journey and opens up about how her personal experiences have shaped her passion for helping young people — especially those struggling to regulate emotions, engage at school, or feel seen in the classroom. With warmth and honesty, ...
May 06, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 190
In this powerful follow-up conversation with Dr. Jodi Richardson - Jane O'Brien shares how she’s navigated life after her transplant with deep presence, gratitude, and inner strength. We explore the fleeting nature of illumination, and how she’s turned daily practices like meditation and gratitude into anchors for resilience. Jane opens up about her experience with panic attacks, PTSD, and how modalities like EMDR helped her process trauma. She also shares an extraordinary story from her time in...
Apr 29, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 189
In this powerful and deeply emotional episode, host Jodi speaks with Jane O'Brien, a mother of three and former media professional, who shares her remarkable journey through chronic illness, resilience, and life-saving transformation. After being diagnosed at 38 with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, Jane spent 15 years battling progressive lung disease and vocal cord paralysis. Her life changed forever when, at the edge of lung failure, she received the gift of a double lung transplant. Jane ...
Apr 22, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 188
Dr. Jodi Richardson continues her illuminating conversation with psychologist Jodie Wassner, diving into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and its transformative approach for families navigating childhood anxiety. What you'll learn: Why building connection and understanding must precede cognitive work with anxious children How to use the powerful ACT question: "Is that just something your mind is telling you?" Practical strategies for helping both parents and children tolerate uncertainty ...
Apr 15, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 187
In this insightful episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with Jodie (Jordana) Wassner, a neuro-affirming Educational and Developmental Psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with young people and their families across Melbourne and Sydney. Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal lived experience with neurodivergence, Jodie shares her unique approach to supporting neurodivergent youth through radical acceptance and values-based strategies. As an author, speaker, ...
Apr 08, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 186
Join Dr. Jodi Richardson in this powerful and deeply moving episode as she welcomes acclaimed author and psychotherapist Dr. Stephanie Dowrick to discuss her transformative new book, "Your Name is Not Anxious." In this raw and vulnerable conversation, Dr. Dowrick invites listeners to reconsider their relationship with anxiety, describing it as a "coloniser" that takes over your identity and a "liar" that distorts your perception of reality. Together, they explore how negative self-talk erodes ou...
Apr 01, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 185
An unforgettable conversation about trusting your instincts. In this powerful episode, host, Dr. Jodi Richardson, sits down with Kathy Rhodes, who shares her harrowing yet ultimately triumphant battle with stage 3 cervical cancer. When she sensed something was wrong with her body, doctors repeatedly dismissed her concerns — but her persistence saved her life, leading to a diagnosis that changed everything. Kathy takes us through her extraordinary journey to becoming cancer-free, including her co...
Mar 25, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 184
Expert insights on creating a more inclusive world for our children's mental wellbeing This week, we're joined by renowned mental health professional Dr. Mark Cross for a profound conversation about the mental health challenges facing young people today. Dr. Mark Cross shares eye-opening statistics from groundbreaking research and offers practical guidance for parents and caregivers navigating these crucial conversations. Together, our guests explore how creating a truly inclusive society—one th...
Mar 18, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 183
What does it truly mean to live a happy life? This PART 2 of the conversation with our special guest Declan Edwards , a happiness researcher and the Founder of BU Happiness College , to explore the science and skills behind lasting well-being. Declan shares insights into how we can make change toward happiness , the importance of accepting who we are, and highlights why you should create a happy organisation . Even in our hardest moments, can we challenge ourselves to find happiness! Tune in to ...
Mar 11, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 180
What does it truly mean to live a happy life? In this episode, we sit down with Declan Edwards , a happiness researcher and the Founder of BU Happiness College , to explore the science and skills behind lasting well-being. Declan shares insights into hedonic vs. eudaimonic happiness , the importance of embracing emotions with curiosity , and how businesses can cultivate a culture of happiness . From ancient Greek philosophy to modern workplace strategies, this conversation is packed with practic...
Mar 04, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 179
Many of us were raised to be “good girls” - girls who strive to perform perfectly, fearing criticism; who try to please everyone, fearing rejection; and who protect others, fearing abandonment. In the short term, these behaviors often win us the appreciation, recognition, and love of others. But in the long term, they can lead to exhaustion, loss of self-identity, resentment, and worse. In this powerful episode, Dr. Jodi talks with Dr. Michelle McQuaid, co-founder of The Good Girl Game Changers,...
Feb 25, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 178
Anxiety doesn’t discriminate. While we know this to be true, it’s rare to hear from a Clinical Psychologist who not only works with patients to manage anxiety but also has a personal anxiety journey he's happy to talk about. In this engaging conversation Dr Daniel Berends offers a unique perspective from both sides of the therapist’s couch. He shares his journey to becoming a Clinical Psychologist after a 'gap decade', how the brain is wired to keep us 'safe, not happy', powerful metaphors to un...
Feb 18, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 177
Dr Jodi's guest, Andrew Rooke, was emotionally and physically exhausted when he collected his last corporate paycheck. He was unfulfilled, in poor health, and knew something had to change. Through his own personal journey to living a vibrant, healthy, values-aligned life, Andrew began coaching others to do the same. He is now a sought-after transformational health and energy coach, guiding people to live with energy, wisdom, and optimal body and brain functioning. In this thought-provoking episo...
Feb 11, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 176
Everyone worries—it’s a perfectly human thing to do. But for some, worry is constant and all-consuming. It can even feel gut-wrenching at times when it’s out of control. Worry can not only make us feel emotionally drained and mentally overwhelmed but can also take a toll on our physical health, disrupting sleep and affecting our ability to focus and enjoy life. When we worry, our attention is dragged into the future, leaving everything that's right in front of us out of reach. This episode is pa...
Feb 04, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 175
When a child is going through the process of receiving an autism diagnosis, it can be an incredibly challenging time for families. The uncertainty of not knowing what lies ahead, the emotional weight of the diagnosis, and the flood of questions about how to best support their child can feel overwhelming. Every family’s experience is unique, and the journey often comes with a mix of emotions—ranging from fear and confusion to relief and hope. Understanding autism, finding the right support, and n...
Jan 28, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 174
Have you considered investing in wearable technology to better manage stress and improve your healthspan and longevity? In this episode, Dr. Jodi talks with Dr. Torkil Færø, a medical doctor and author of 'The Pulse Cure' who explains how our heart rate reflects the state of our health and what it can teach us about stress and recovery. Dr. Færø unpacks the science behind heart rate variability (HRV), highlights why wearable devices like smartwatches are game-changers for monitoring the state of...
Jan 21, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 173
This interview with renowned Developmental Paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey is a must listen for any parent, teacher or clinician supporting a child or teen with anxiety. Dr Billy shares understanding, strategies and hope in spades as he shares insights from his clinical work supporting children of all ages, and their families, with anxiety and other mental health challenges. He shares how to explain anxiety in a way that kids and teens understand, the main components of Cognitive Behavioural Thera...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 172
In this week's episode Dr Jodi speaks with Dr Kristen Neff on self-compassion. Dr. Kristen Neff is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas, she has written numerous academic articles and book chapters on the topic of self Compassion and has been recognized as one of the most influential scholars in the field of psychology. Well over 5000 studies have been conducted on self-compassion by various scholars since her seminal articles were first published...
Jan 07, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 171
Ever find yourself trapped in a cycle of overthinking; going over and over the same situation in your mind without knowing how to move on? Maybe you worry a lot about things that might happen, or you're very good at jumping to the worst case scenario? Overthinking, rumination and worry can make life extremely difficult. The tendency to replay situations or events from the past, or worry about something that might happen, is common but doesn't have to be debilitating. In this conversation, Dr Jod...
Dec 31, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 170
Join us on "Well, Hello Anxiety" for a thought-provoking episode with Sarah Rusbatch as we explore the concept of sobriety in today's alcohol-centric culture. In a society where alcohol is ubiquitous and often synonymous with celebration and relaxation, Sarah challenges us to consider the possibility of living a fulfilling and joyful life without it. Drawing from her own experiences and insights shared on her website, Sarah offers valuable perspectives on the benefits of sobriety, debunking myth...
Dec 24, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 169
Step into the world of resilience and transformation with Lucy Holmes, the vibrant host of 89.9 TheLight's Breakfast in Melbourne. Join her as she collaborates with the insightful Dr. Jodi Richardson to unveil a dynamic new podcast partnership brought to you by Positive Media. In our debut episode, we'll delve into the gripping terrain of personal triumph in the face of adversity. Discover the remarkable journey of rising from the rubble when life takes a drastic turn. Explore how the darkest mo...
Dec 17, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 168
