Minding Your Mind

MYM - Armed Forces Veterans and Mental Health

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Exposure to combat can bring all sorts of mental health challenges - PTSD, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks and depression. How well do we understa...

MYM - Changes to the NDIS

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Who is affected by changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme? What will be different for the those with a mental illness in the scheme? What...

MYM – Living Well As An Introvert

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How can introverts, especially busy ones, design a life where they have enough quiet times to refresh and replenish themselves? How can extroverts lea...

MYM – Becoming More Creative

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are only some people capable of being creative? No! How can we all find creative outlets? What are the benefits of doing so?If you have any questions ...

MYM – Routine

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Having a fixed routine can be efficient and comforting, but can it also become a prison? How much routine is too much? Plus, do we miss people more be...

MYM – Memory and Intelligence

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Does having a good memory make you smarter? How does memory work? Can we improve our memory? What is the relationship between intelligence and memory?...

MYM – More Than One Mental Illness

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Having one mental illness is hard enough, but how do people deal with being diagnosed with two, or even three, at the same time? How can multiple ment...

MYM – Rebuilding Trust 2

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ian and James share five more ideas to rebuild trust in politics, the media and society in general.If you have any questions or comments, email Ian an...

MYM – Rebuilding Trust I

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ian and James share five ideas to rebuild trust in our politics, media and society.If you have any questions or comments, email Ian and James at ⁠⁠...

MYM – Pride

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are you proud of yourself? Are you proud to be an Australian? Pride is feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction at your own achievements. Is it a sign o...

MYM – When Can't You Trust Your Feelings?

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

People often say, "Trust your gut. If you feel something, act on it." But often our feelings push us to act impulsively. Anger is rarely a ...

MYM – How Do We Talk to the Dying?

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How do we talk to those who are dying? Is everything different now, or should we try to act normal and pretend it’s business as usual? Why does it f...

MYM – Listener Questions: Inequities in the Health System, and Diagnosing ADHD

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why aren’t resources shared evenly across the health system? Why can getting an ADHD diagnosis be so challenging?If you have any questions or commen...

MYM – Listener Questions: Asexuality

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What determines how high your libido is? Are some people asexual? Is our level of sexual desire more a reflection of our biology or our personality?If...

MYM – Listener Questions: Why do some cry more than others?

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some people cry every week, while others haven’t cried since they were four? How do we strike the right balance between controlling our emoti...

MYM – Trust

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why is trust in government and media declining? What can be done to restore trust in our institutions?If you have any questions or comments, email Ian...

MYM – Listener Questions: Loners

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are some people simply loners from birth or is it a learned behaviour? Is it okay to be a loner? Can it be unhealthy?If you have any questions or comm...

MYM – Reair: Self-Talk

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What is self-talk? Does everyone have a little voice in their head? Or only some of us? How can self-talk help us, and hinder us? Can we control our s...

MYM – Reair: How to stop worrying in a scary world

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The more we learn about the world, the more there is to worry about. Do we have an obligation to stay well-informed about every terrible thing that is...

MYM – Reair: King Lear with John Bell

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can we learn about our mind from one of the greatest and most complex characters of fiction, Shakespeare’s King Lear? We are joined by Shakespe...

MYM - Bondi

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Bondi shooting rocked Australia. How do we process and deal with it, as individuals and in groups?If you have any questions or comments, email Ian...

MYM - What is an Existential Crisis?

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More listener questions. What is an existential crisis? What is the connection between bipolar disorder and the body clock? And how much do we know a...

MYM – What is consciousness?

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is consciousness? Is it being aware of your thoughts? What does it have to do with our memory, feelings, perception and imagination? Do we all ex...

MYM – Dashed Dreams

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when you realise that some of the things you dreamed of happening in your life, aren’t ever going to happen? How do you make peace with...

MYM – Mental Illness and Work

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How should people discuss their mental illness with an employer? Should you disclose it a job interview? After you have been offered a job? Or not at ...

MYM – Tidiness and Untidiness

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are some people tidy and others untidy? If you’re tidy, does it mean you’re organised? If you untidy at home, does it suggest your whole life ...

MYM – The Social Media Ban

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In December, Australia will ban many social media platforms for those under 16. Is it a good idea? Will it work? Does the evidence in favour of the ba...

MYM – Favourite Kids

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have a favourite child? Were you a favourite child? Or was one of your siblings? How can being, or not being, the favourite affect people? Is i...

MYM – Coordination, the Body and the Brain

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you tie your shoelaces, slice onions and juggle? Is it just repetition and muscle memory? Or is your brain in charge, directing every tiny move...

MYM: Bipolar and Relationships

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are common relationship challenges for those with bipolar disorder and whose moods wildly fluctuate? And for those in relationships with them? Ho...

MYM - Aging. Fight it or Accept It?

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As we age should we accept the fact that we are slowing down or fight against it? What is the best mix of the two? If you have any questions or comme...

MYM: Manic Episodes and Sexuality Plus New Body Clock Research

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can a manic episode affect someone’s sexuality? Plus, new research on Melatonin underlines the importance of taking care of our body clock.If yo...

MYM – Nationalism, Patriotism and Shared Values

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can you make any valid generalisations about national character? Can 25 million people who live in the same country really all share the same values? ...

MYM – Feeling Insecure

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When someone feels insecure, what does it mean? It is doubting yourself? Not thinking you’re good enough? What is insecurity and how do we deal with...

MYM – Toxic Positivity

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"It’s all good." Is it, though? Optimism is good for our mental health, but is toxic positivity – the belief that no matter how dire a s...

MYM – All Types of Parents

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We look at the many ways someone can be a parent. You can adopt a child, have kids via IVF, partner with someone who already has kids and become a ste...

MYM – Grief 2 – Job, Career, Identity

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do we deal with losing a job or a career, or our health or our home? Is the sense of loss grief, or something else?If you have any questions or co...

MYM – Grief 1 – Death and Relationships

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do we deal when we lose someone we care about, either through death or the end of a relationship? Are there really five stages of grief? If you h...

MYM – Family Estrangement

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Families are wonderful, except when they’re not. How do families become estranged? Should we try to reconcile? How? If you have any questions or co...

MYM – Vagueness

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some people never lose their keys or run late. Others always do. Why? What is vagueness? Do some people have a different relationship with reality tha...

MYM – Money and Mental Health

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a world where how much you have influences the amount of freedom and autonomy you have. A million books advise you what to do with your mon...

MYM – Tiger Mums and Stubborn Parents

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Another listener questions ep. The pros and cons of Tiger Mums. How do you take care of an ageing parent who doesn’t want to be taken care of?If you...

MYM – The Connection Between Your Mental Health and Your Gut

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why does anxiety give us a clenched stomach? What is the relationship between our mind and our stomach? Can changing our diet and taking better care o...

MYM – Sophie Scott

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Former ABC health  journalist and now wellbeing expert Sophie Scott joins us to discuss her own mental health journey, the things that have helped he...

MYM – GPs Treating ADHD

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One in 20 Australians have ADHD. Given its prevalence, should GPs be given the power to diagnose and treat ADHD? Or is it a specialised condition that...

MYM – Self-Talk

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is self-talk? Does everyone have a little voice in their head? Or only some of us? How can self-talk help us, and hinder us? Can we control our s...

MYM – Dissociation and Sexual Abuse

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dissociation occurs when a person feels disconnected from reality. Are those prone to dissociation more likely to have been subject to abuse when youn...

MYM – Hypocrisy

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hypocrisy is when we believe one thing but  do something different. Are you a hypocrite? Of course not! But are you? Ever thought that no one should ...

MYM – Listener Questions: Dealing with Workplace Conflict and Fear of Vomiting

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ian and James answer listener questions. How do you deal with tension and conflict at work? Why do some have a fear of vomiting? How can they deal wi...

MYM – Knowing Yourself

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to know yourself? How do we come to better understand temperament, and our strengths and weaknesses? Is it important that we do so?I...

MYM – Recovery from Mental Illness

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When people have a mental illness, sometimes it seems clear that medication, therapy and some lifestyle changes lead to their recovery. But other time...

MYM – Medicinal Cannabis, Unpleasant Daydreams and the Future of Mental Health Research

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ian and James answer listener questions. Can medicinal cannabis help treat mental illness? Why do we sometimes have unpleasant daydreams, and how can ...

MYM – The Upside of Failure – Enjoying the Ride

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can we learn from failure? Should we be less obsessed with achieving goals, and focus more on enjoying thejourney toward them? We discuss comedia...

MYM - Enlightenment

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is enlightenment? As we move through life, do we gradually become more enlightened, or can it happen suddenly? Can mental illness be instantly cu...

MYM – How to stop worrying in a scary world

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The more we learn about the world, the more there is to worry about. Do we have an obligation to stay well-informed about every terrible thing that is...

MYM – Who's offering what for mental health in the 2025 Federal Election

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ian and James compare Labor and the Coalition’s mental health promises and policies, and discuss what they have both left overlooked.If you have any...

MYM – "Adolescence" - Mental Health, Social Media and Teens

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The show Adolescence was compelling. It raised many issues about teenagers, mental health, social media, family dynamics and the confusion and uncerta...

MYM – Physical Appearance and Mental Health

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is the relationship between how we look, how we THINK we look, and our mental health? Do those who have Botox, plastic surgery, lifts, tucks, or ...

MYM – Self-Harm

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do people harm themselves? What are the best ways of helping those who self-harm?If you have any questions or comments, email Ian and James at ⁠...

MYM – Fantasists

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Belle Gibson falsely said she had cancer. Many others have invented untrue parts of their life. Why do they do it? Some are after money, but at its co...

MYM – Anxiety Study

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One in three Australians will have an anxiety disorder at some point. We tend to focus on the environmental causes of anxiety (exams, spiders, deadlin...

MYM – Children whose parents have a mental illness

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s it like for kids growing up in homes where a parent has a mental illness? What is the best way to support them?If you have any questions or c...

MYM – Beliefs

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are your fundamental beliefs? Where do they come from? How do they influence the decisions you make? It’s easy to say we have certain beliefs (...

MYM – Why are some people so competitive?

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are some people more competitive than others? Is being ultra-competitive an advantage or a disadvantage in life? It might help you win, but will y...

MYM – Acceptance

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When something bad happens and we can’t change it – we miss a promotion, our partner leaves, someone we care about dies – how can we learn to mo...

MYM – Swimming

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We know exercise is good mental health, but could swimming confer extra special benefits? Why does just being near water make us feel good? If you hav...

MYM – Why are N.S.W. psychiatrists resigning?

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are around half of New South Wales Health Psychiatrists threatening to resign? Is it about money, or the long-term neglect of the mental health sy...

MYM - Listener Questions

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An ep  full of listener questions. Can the mood of those you live with influence and your own mood? Why do injured runners find resting so difficult?...

MYM - Dreams

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are dreams? Random, surreal short films directed by our subconscious? Are our dreams trying to tell us something? Or are they just the brains way...

MYM - Culture

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A society’s culture is its’ beliefs, social behaviours and practices. Our culture includes everything from food, sport, Christmas and dress to lan...

MYM - King Lear with John Bell

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can we learn about our mind from one of the greatest and most complex characters of fiction, Shakespeare’s King Lear? We are joined by Shakespe...

MYM – Reair: How to make good decisions

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Through life we are regularly confronted with tricky decisions. What do I do after school ends? What job should I apply for? What career? What partner...

MYM – Reair: Peace and Contentment

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s good to have a busy, active life, but for good mental health, we also need to find some peace and contentment. Is that harder now than it was i...

MYM – The Limits of Psychiatry

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Psychiatry has come a long way in the last 50 years, but what are its limits? Are there people with mental illnesses that psychiatrists are unable to ...

MYM – Recurring Thoughts

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have a lot of thoughts. They come, they go, and sometimes they come again. Recurring thoughts are those that keep coming back and go around and aro...

MYM – Hard Truths

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes you care about someone and you want to tell them something important like, "You're very negative about things," or, "I wonder if you might b...

MYM – How do we spend our leisure time?

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone has at least a little bit of leisure time. What is the best way to spend it? Should we be active and exercise and learn stuff, or is it bette...

MYM – Co-operate or Compete?

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At work we co-operate, but we also compete with each other. The higher you go, the less room there is. Which is better for our mental health, co-opera...

MYM – Power and Powerlessness

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How much power do you have? In your job, in your relationships, in your life? How does having power affect our mental health? How does a sense of powe...

MYM – The Things That Work For You

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We often discuss strategies we can use to maintain and improve our mental health BUT not every strategy works for everyone. The important thing is to ...

MYM – Privilege

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Privilege is a special, often unearned, advantage, available only to those in specific groups, often based on race, gender, religion, socioeconomic st...

MYM – Loving Yourself

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is loving yourself really the greatest love of all? What is loving yourself? Is it healthy? Or can it veer into arrogant narcissism?  If you have any...

MYM – Pets and Mental Health

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How does having a pet affect your mental health? Is it good for us to have a dog, cat or stick insect to take care of? Why do some people like having...

MYM – Gifted Children

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is a gifted child? What are the signs a child might be gifted? If you have a gifted child what should you do? What happens to gifted children wh...

MYM – Boredom

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is boredom the enemy? Or can it also be a gateway? Should boredom be rigorously avoided, or can it lead to the creation of new ideas? Most importantl...

MYM – Homesickness

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is homesickness about missing home, or missing people at home? Or is it really just travel anxiety? Whatever it is, how do we deal with homesickness? ...

MYM – How to be wise

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes we read something, or someone says something, that just sounds wise. What is wisdom? What is it made up of? Is it knowledge plus experience...

MYM – Victims

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If something bad happens, it’s natural to think of ourselves as a victim: of crime, of  cancer, of harassment. Does identifying as a victim help us...

MYM – Brain stimulation treatments for mental illness

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treats depression and other mental illnesses by stimulating parts of the brain. How does it work? Do TMS and o...

MYM – Being Controlling

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Being able to make decisions about our life is good for our mental health, but the desire to control everything – our environment and other people...

MYM – Obesity and Mental Health

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Obesity rates in Australia are 8 percent for children and 32 percent for adults. Plus, another 18 percent of children and 34 percent of adults are ov...

MYM – Sanity and Insanity

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In old books and films, sometimes people "go insane" as if a switch had flicked. Now we know that mental health is a spectrum, not a switch....

MYM – How to make good decisions

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Through life we are regularly confronted with tricky decisions. What do I do after school ends? What job should I apply for? What career? What partner...

MYM – Does depression have an evolutionary purpose?

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most things humans do have some purpose. Anxiety helps us identify threats and prepare for them. Depression, though, does not seem like something that...

MYM – Irritability

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever feel really irritated with everyone, about everything? What is irritability? Why can it descend on us?  What can we do about it? How do you deal...

MYM – Embarrassment

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Being embarrassed is surely one of the worst feelings in the world. You say or do something wrong, then feel incredibly self-conscious, and wish the g...

MYM – Active Listening

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s listening, and then there’s active listening. When we talk to someone who has a mental health issue, active listening is much better tha...

MYM – Chris Gambian and Australians for Mental Health

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What role can a community organisation play in improving the mental health of people? Can solving local problems within communities improve the mental...

MYM – Peace and Contentment

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s good to have a busy, active life, but for good mental health, we also need to find some peace and contentment. Is that harder now than it was i...

MYM – Should we always support our friends?

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

People often say their friends will always support them. But should they? When a friend does something you think is bad, should you be an uncritical s...