Well, hello anxiety with Dr Jodi Richardson

In part two of this essential conversation, host Dr. Jodi Richardson continues her discussion with Dr. Lexi Frydenberg about supporting children and teens struggling with anxiety. Dr. Frydenberg shares practical, real-world examples of how parents can shift from focusing on challenging behaviours to catching their kids doing things right - from messy kitchens to difficult playdates. She explains t...

In this episode, Dr Jodi Richardson welcomes Dr Lexi Frydenberg, a pediatrician with over 20 years of clinical experience working with children and families at a large pediatric hospital in Melbourne and the Victorian Children's Clinic. Dr Frydenberg shares what she's seeing in the clinic and how anxiety in children has changed, particularly post-COVID. She explains how anxiety often shows up in w...

In Australia, 1 in 10 families are navigating life with food allergies - and the anxiety that comes with keeping children safe can be overwhelming. In this essential conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes Tamara Hubbard, founder of the Food Allergy Counselor and author of May Contain Anxiety: Managing the Overwhelm of Parenting Children with Food Allergies. Tamara is pioneering mental health s...

In this episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with social worker Jessica Homicki to explore anxiety in primary school-aged children and its impact on families. Jessica, who leads Uniting's School Attendance Support Program in Southern Melbourne, brings over ten years of experience working with families affected by trauma and disadvantage. Together, they discuss: How anxiety presents differently i...

When was the last time you truly played? Not exercised, not scrolled - but actually played like a child? In this energising conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with Dale Sidebottom, co-founder of the School of Play and TEDx speaker, to explore why play isn't just for kids - it's a powerful tool for reducing stress, anxiety, and building connection in our adult lives. Dale shares his journe...

In this heartfelt and honest conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with accredited mental health social worker and couples/family therapist Marie Vakakis to discuss a challenge every parent faces: how do we support our children when we're struggling ourselves? Marie shares practical strategies for parents who are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or burnt out. From the importance of self-compass...

In this powerful two-part conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with Gus Worland, co-founder of Gotcha4Life and mental health advocate, to discuss the urgent need for open conversations about suicide prevention and mental fitness in Australia. After losing his dear friend and mentor to suicide, Gus dedicated his life to reducing Australian suicide deaths to zero. In this episode, he shares t...

In this powerful two-part conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with Gus Worland, co-founder of Gotcha4Life and mental health advocate, to discuss the urgent need for open conversations about suicide prevention and mental fitness in Australia. After losing his dear friend and mentor to suicide, Gus dedicated his life to reducing Australian suicide deaths to zero. In this episode, he shares t...

In this episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes back Sarah Rusbatch for her third appearance on the podcast—a conversation that has truly been life-changing for Jodi's own alcohol-free journey. Sarah, a specialist in gray area drinking and menopause coach based in Perth, Western Australia, shares her expertise on supporting midlife women through some of life's biggest transitions. From underst...

In this deeply moving episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson speaks with author and health journalist Casey Beros about the realities of becoming a caregiver for aging or terminally ill loved ones. Casey shares her personal journey of uprooting her young family to care for her father through his terminal mesothelioma diagnosis, offering both heartfelt storytelling and practical guidance. Casey opens up abou...

Join Dr. Jodi Richardson in this insightful conversation with parenting educator and author Maggie Dent as they explore the complexities of raising teenagers in today's world. Maggie, known as the "Queen of Common Sense," shares her expertise on adolescent brain development, explaining the pruning process, heightened emotions, and why teens behave the way they do. In this episode, you'll discover:...

Feeling anxious about artificial intelligence? You're not alone. AI anxiety is actually defined in scientific literature as "feelings of apprehension or fear stemming from the accelerated development of AI technologies." In this episode, Dr Jodi Richardson speaks with Leanne Shelton, founder and CEO of Human Edge AI and author of "AI Human Fusion," about why AI is causing widespread anxiety and wh...

In this powerful episode Dr. Jodi Richardson sits down with Ruby Riethmuller — Deputy Commissioner of Lived Experience at the NSW Mental Health Commission and founder of Womn-Kind. Ruby opens up about her personal journey with anxiety, from being a teenager in regional Australia searching for answers, to becoming a national leader and advocate for youth mental health. Together, Jodi and...

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson continues her deep dive with internationally acclaimed scientist and author Dr. Stacy Sims —a global leader in women’s exercise physiology and nutrition. This episode unpacks the science every woman needs to know about: Protein: how much we really need, why the RDA is outdated, and how hitting the right targets changes everyt...

In this game-changing conversation, Dr. Jodi Richardson welcomes internationally acclaimed exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims . With her groundbreaking mantra that “women are not small men,” Stacy unpacks why the diet and fitness advice we’ve been given for decades is letting us down—and what to do instead. Discover why eating more (not less) can i...

Have you ever looked at a yoga teacher or wellness business and thought, “They must have it all together” ? Calm, grounded, cruising through life? Today’s conversation is a powerful reminder that what we see on the outside rarely tells the full story. In this episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson is joined by Nova Rosaia, founder of  Warrior One Yoga , whose thriving studios and inte...

Why do we keep putting things off — even when they matter deeply to us? In this follow-up episode, psychologist and author Dr Patricia Zurita Ona returns to share the second half of her powerful framework for understanding anxious, overwhelmed, perfectionistic procrastination. Last week, Dr Patricia introduced the first 3 of 6 reflection questions to help us uncover what’s really drivi...

If you've got a pile of half-finished projects, an inbox full of “start laters,” or a dream you keep pushing aside — this episode is for you. Psychologist and clinical hypnotherapist Dr Patricia Zurita Ona (aka Dr Z) joins Jodi to dive deep into a misunderstood topic: anxious, overwhelmed, perfectionistic procrastination. This is not about being lazy or unmotivated. This is about...

Welcome back to Part 2 of this powerful conversation with psychologist and clinical hypnotherapist Dr Amanda Ferguson. This week, we dive into the tight grip of anxiety’s “what-if” questions—the intrusive, spiralling thoughts that keep us stuck—and how to disarm them with clarity, confidence, and calm. Dr Ferguson shares her expert techniques for interrupting anxious...

Why does anxiety still show up—even when life looks good on paper? In this deeply human conversation, Dr Jodi Richardson welcomes psychologist, author, and hypnotherapist Dr Amanda Ferguson to explore the profound link between anxiety and the existential dilemmas we all face. In Part 1, they unpack the five universal challenges—freedom vs. responsibility, meaning, isolation, mortality,...

Welcome to Part 2 of my heartfelt conversation with psychologist Harriet Iles , founder of Restorative Space Psychology . If you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, we encourage you to go back - this episode builds on the powerful insights we shared last week about befriending anxiety with compassion and curiosity. In this episode, we dive deeper into the nervous system—what it is, how it...

What if anxiety isn’t something to battle, but something to listen to? In this powerful episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson is joined once again by psychologist Harriet Iles for a deeply compassionate conversation about learning to befriend anxiety rather than resist it. Together, they unpack how reframing your relationship with anxiety - by approaching it with curiosity, kindness and self-awarenes...

Let’s be honest—talking to our kids about sex, puberty and where babies come from can bring up more anxiety for us than them. In this episode, Dr. Jodi Richardson is joined by educator, author, and parenting expert Michelle Mitchell to guide parents through these tricky conversations with compassion, clarity, and confidence. Drawing from decades of experience and her brand new book, Wh...

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 scien...

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 alco...