THRIVING MINDS PODCAST

We are joined by Susanne M. Jaeggi, Ph. D discusses how working memory is an essential system that underlies the performance of virtually all complex cognitive activities. People differ in terms of how much information they can hold in working memory, and also, how easily they can hold that information in the face of distraction. These individual differences are related to the fact that the functi...

Kerry and I have more in common than we realised. Our siblings, Francesca and Randall, were both made ward of the state at Wolston Park in 1970's and 1980's.  This interview is for them. Their wish is that others do not suffer the same fate.   Kerry Lyn Carrington FASSA (born 1962) is an Australian criminologist, and an adjunct professor at the School of Law and Society at the University...

Jeremy is using film, animation, and photography to break the silence about child abuse. He is helping break the unspeakable. How does someone that was about to become the mechanical engineer designing aircraft and then supercars. He was going to work on a Formula One team. He worked at McLaren team.  Things started to change, and he noticed more about his childhood. His story is not an outlier st...

Have you wondered what your brain's potential can be?  Imagine working out the brain health of the globe. Dr Julie Fratantoni, Center for Brain Health at University of Texas, Dallas is the Head of Operations, for the Brain Health Project, a 10-year longitudinal study to help people see the potential of the brain. They have developed a brain health index. Cognitive, social interactions, well-b...

Professor Debbie Haski-Leventhal understands resilience. Her personal story of  growing up in an ultra-orthodox Jewish family but became secular at the age of 19. Her family were some of the first families into the Kabbalah centre, decades before Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow made it famous.   She watched first hand, how power and money change people from their original intentions of doing good. Her...

Making brain health everyone's business with Dr. Sandi Chapman is one of the nation’s preeminent cognitive neuroscientists furthering our understanding of what makes the brain stronger, faster and last longer. She is committed to enhancing human cognitive capacity and the underlying brain systems across the lifespan. She is committed to democratizing access to brain health strategies and tool...

Prescription mindfulness, how much is enough , how much is too much with Dr Sarah Strohmaier, Mindfulness researcher, UK   A short time of mindfulness, 5 mins, over 2 weeks compared to a longer-term, 20 mins over 2 weeks is more effective for people that have not practiced mindfulness before.  Understanding- think about running a marathon, would not expect to run a marathon on the first day. Start...

Dr Diwadkar has imaged the Iceman's brain- Wim Hof.  "They have shown how his brain responds during experimentally controlled whole-body cold exposure. These investigations are part of the scientists' series of seminal studies launched in 2014 on how the human brain responds to thermoregulatory challenges. The results document compelling brain processes in The Iceman and present int...

Learn why sugar is embedded in the food chain, is addictive and what to do about it.  https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-neuroscientist-on-sugar-the-damage-to-your-brain/id1246679887?i=1000557120286 Interviewed on the Healthy-ish podcast by Felicity Harley. She has 20 years media experience, Felicity Harley is one of the most respected editors in women's publishing. In 2017 she launched...

 Dr Mark Williams who is a cognitive neuroscientist discusses his new book. The Connected Species: How the evolution of the human brain explains and offers solutions for societal challenges including racism, sexism, marginalisation, and extremism.  Mark says in his book: "as a card-carrying cognitive neuroscientist, I firmly believe that understanding our brain and how it works will help us u...

In the podcast we discuss with Dr Randolph Nesse his foundational and pioneering work in evolutionary medicine and his work with patients. He talks with his patients and explains to them that, in many cases, their disorders are not a disease or some kind of failing, as they have been told by other practitioners, but rather a natural and inherently useful response that has “gone overboard”. Evoluti...

Hello everyone, this is such an important and very delicate conversation with an expert. I do hope you find useful resources and compassion in this podcast.    If you are struggling and have suicidal thoughts, please know you are not alone and help is available. Please contact any one of the following organisations in Australia are listed below, at the bottom of this post. "Boys do Cry"...

Join us today, learn all about how the western diet is making us unhappy, unhealthy, and weak. Dr Robert Lustig is a pioneer and advocate, author of "Fat Chance" and "Metabolical". You can learn more at his website and links below. Addicted to the western diet. Dr Lustig discusses on the podcast that certain foods — “hyperpalatable foods” — particularly processed foods that are...

“Mind the Hype” An open secret about the side effects of mindfulness and meditation Did you know that mindfulness and meditation can cause sickness and side effects for some people? You may be shocked to read and learn about this. As all the information tends to portray that nothing can go wrong with mindfulness and meditation and every gets better. There have been about many articles published ab...

In this extraordinary episode with Kurt Fearnley. He asks us to think about who we are?  Are you the type of person that gives blood once a month.? Are you the person that runs next door to help someone in need? Are you a paraolympian representing your country? At this extraordinary time in history, with the world order changing. What a great time to reflect on this question.  Would you stay in Au...

There is no doubt, to be human right now is not easy. It is almost impossible not to feel the shift underneath in the world order and the feeling is palpable. For us in Queensland and NSW, this is on top of catastrophic floods, and the pandemic. It is Ok to be human and feel the suffering. It is also OK, to escape for a few minutes into worlds that seem far removed from danger, clean-up, masks, an...

Imagine knowing that there are ingredients in food and drinks that  when consumed over time are slowly and silently leading toward type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and in the worst case  blindness.  In this powerful episode with Dr James Muecke AM who is the Lieutenant Governor of South Australia  and an Adelaide-based eye surgeon we discuss how a poor diet is the leading cause of death. The s...

I can hear you now. I don’t run, or I am too old to run or the classic, I want to protect my knees, and the list goes on. This is exactly what I use to think. Exercise is the one thing shown across several studies to help the brain produce new cells or neurons, also called neuroplasticity. Dr Tara Walker, a neuroscientist, at the Queensland Brain Institute has spent the last 20 years trying to wor...

James Rhee now has 1 million views on TED, for his kindness at work talk. This is not the “being nice” version of kindness nor the “Love Eat Pray” version of love. This is about the human need to be seen and heard and the feeling of safety generated that leads the people and their brain health toward creativity, innovation, and purpose. James is an expert at building back businesses, especially wh...

Have you wondered how you create a brand-new product, an idea or way of living out of nowhere? Today, we speak to Lydia Pearson, fashion designer and teacher and someone creating new products and ideas every day. Having led a global fashion brand, Easton Pearson, through the highs and lows of the picky and tricky fashion world. Lydia is not shy about giving something hard a good shot. Nor is she a...

 Mark Ryan's story of courage. He grew up in a single-parent household in public housing in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane (parents divorced when my twin brother and I were three years of age after a relationship characterised by domestic violence - mental and physical) He showed promise academically and was included in various gifted and talented programs as a child - One of the first students...

For decades Sheryl Batchelor, CEO and Founder of Yiliyapinya Indigenous Corporation has been teaching young people about their brain to improve cognition and self-regulation.  In the podcast, we discuss the techniques she helps to engage young people with neuroplasticity. The revolution of the 80s and 90s taught us how important physical exercise is for our overall health and well-being, brain fit...

Dr Marcia Devlin is a qualified teacher and registered psychologist who began her education career as a primary teacher before moving into the tertiary sector.​ She has extensive experience in professional learning for teachers and facilitating improved student learning, including through excellent teaching and learning leadership.​ Her most recent executive role was Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor...

Let's talk about brain training! Professor Selena Bartlett is a Group Leader in Neuroscience and Neuroplasticity at the Translational Research Institute and a Research Capacity Building Professor at QUT. Join us for a fantastic conversation about brain training, flow states and the importance of working in teams for creativity. Links/References Selena Bartlett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drs...

Imagine exiting a train station and rounding the corner in an urban part of London for the first time, on your own without knowing a single person to start studying in a Design School, after growing up in a small town. This is exactly the unlikely path taken by Lisa Scharoun, now Professor and Head of the School of Design. This never occurred to her growing up as one of 5 children in the middle of...