All In The Mind

Why do people lie? Why do relationships fall apart? Can trauma change your brain?

Every week on All in the Mind, award-winning journalist Sana Qadar explores the psychology behind the biggest questions in our lives — how we think, feel and behave.

Featuring leading experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross, you’ll hear personal stories and practical insights that will leave you thinking long after the podcast ends.

Whether it’s debunking pop psychology trends or translating the latest neuroscience research, more than 100,000 listeners join Sana each month to learn the best strategies for surviving life with your mental health intact.

All in the Mind is created for ABC’s Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and was awarded Best Health and Wellness podcast at the 2026 Australian Audio Awards

Latest Episodes:

Seeing red — anger and aggression Feb 20, 2022

Show notes

What happens when we let our most destructive emotion dominate?

On All in the Mind this week, we explore why we get angry, how you might control aggression and whether it can ever be ... useful.

Toxic positivity — when happiness becomes harmful Feb 13, 2022

Show notes

We're urged to stay positive and keep up a cheerful disposition ... but sometimes things are just awful, aren’t they?

On All in the Mind this week we look at why we engage in toxic positivity, why it's so damaging when we do and whether something called 'tragic optimism' could be the antidote.

Controlling the chatter in your head Feb 06, 2022

Show notes

Most of us have an inner voice – it reminds you to pick up milk on your way home, helps problem solve, or rehearse what you’re going to say.

But there are times that helpful voice veers into harmful chatter.

How our brain chemicals drive our behaviour Jan 30, 2022

Show notes

You’ve heard of adrenaline, oxytocin and cortisol, but what about glutamate and GABA?

And how much do you really know about the chemicals coursing through your brain?

On All in the Mind this week, we take a whistle stop tour through your brain to learn how various chemicals influence our behaviour.

Post-partum psychosis Jan 23, 2022

Show notes

Having a baby is supposed to be a joyous time, despite the sleep deprivation and constant crying.

But for many women, it can be a dark time. We know one in six suffer post partum depression, but there's another condition that affects women during this period that you may not have heard of.

It's called post-partum psychosis. It's rare, but for those who get it, it can be utterly debilitating.

This episode was first broadcast on 25 April 2021.

The damage done by emotionally immature parents (and how to heal) Jan 16, 2022

Show notes

How would you describe your parents?

Nobody's perfect, of course, but some parents leave more of a mark than others.

On All in the Mind this week, we look at the life-long impact of having 'emotionally immature' parents.

This episode was first broadcast on 30 May 2021.

Does self-help ... help? The problem with pop psychology Jan 09, 2022

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Have you ever tried a self-help book? Did it… well, help?

On All in the Mind this week, why self-help sometimes falls short ... and the problem with pop psychology more generally.

The making of a magnificent memory Jan 02, 2022

Show notes

One spring weekend a few years back, around 15 people gathered in a south Melbourne office space.

They were mostly neuroscience and maths types and there for something super niche and somewhat nerdy — the Australian Memory Championships.

Anastasia Woolmer was a first time competitor — but she’d go on to win.

On All in the Mind, she explains the techniques memory athletes use, and how you can apply them to everyday life.

This episode was first broadcast on 30 May 2021.

Mood and the magic ion Dec 26, 2021

Show notes

It’s the lightest metal on the periodic table. Its origins lie in the very beginnings of our universe. And it's taken, in the form of a pill, by thousands of Australians every day.

Join us as we dive deep into the story of this wonder element lithium — the magic ion, as it's sometimes called — and its remarkable impact on mood.

This episode was first broadcast on 28 March 2021.

Misadventures in multitasking Dec 19, 2021

Show notes

How many times in a day are you doing just one thing?

Or is it more common that you’re multitasking – maybe texting and walking? Reading while listening to music?

We all multitask to some degree, but do any of us do it well? And is that even possible?

This week on All in the Mind, we look into the science of multitasking – why we struggle to do it, why some of us are better at it than others – and how to do it effectively if you must

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