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:

The paradox of petty problems: Why small annoyances can snowball Feb 08, 2026

Show notes

Slow walkers. Unmelted cheese in a toastie. Bad formatting in documents.

If these small annoyances make you weirdly mad, you're not alone (in fact, you're human). But when little pet peeves add up, they can contribute much bigger problems like chronic stress. So what can you do about it?

Today: why small annoyances have such an outsized impact; why judging yourself doesn't help; and how elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help you better navigate these moments (as well as the bigger challenges in life).

And if you're not a fan of radical acceptance, which was covered in a recent episode, we go deeper on what it really means.

You can catch up on more episodes of the All in the Mind podcast with journalist and presenter Sana Qadar, exploring the psychology of topics like stress, memory, communication and relationships on ABC Listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

Guest:

Dr Patricia Zurita-OnaClinical psychologistAuthor

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: Roi Huberman

More information:

Relationship of daily hassles, uplifts, and major life events to health status The peculiar longevity of things not so bad Patricia's website and resources

Other recommended listening:

Chronically stressed? These small changes can help Difficult people and radical acceptance: answering your questions about tricky relationships

Grief and guilt: losing a loved one to suicide Feb 01, 2026

Show notes

When Blake's dad died by suicide, it came as a complete shock. Overwhelming grief, combined with confusion and guilt — it uprooted his life. The loss made him rethink his own mental health, and eventually, channel that into the community — fundraising and taking on three world records.

Today, we're talking about suicide bereavement; how it can affect family and friends, its long lasting impacts on mental health, and how to support someone going through the experience. It can be really tricky to talk about suicide, so how do you tackle talking to kids about this kind of loss?

Also, why are rates of suicide not going down, despite millions spent on prevention? And why do some people experience something called post-traumatic growth while others don't?

This episode discusses suicide, grief and mental illness in depth. Please take care while listening.

Guests:

Blake JohnstonFormer pro surferSurf CoachMental Health advocateAuthor, Swellbeing

Associate Professor Karl AndriessenPrincipal Research Fellow, Centre for Mental Health and Community WellbeingMelbourne School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of Melbourne

Tanja HirvonenClinical psychologistChief Executive Officer, ThirriliBoard Director, Australian Indigenous Psychologists AssociationBoard Director, Black Dog Institute

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Producer: Rose Kerr
Senior producer: James Bullen
Sound engineer: Harvey O'Sullivan

Thanks to freesound.org users tim.kahn and juskiddink

Support and resources:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Thirrili 1800 805 801

13 YARN 13 92 76

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

StandBy Support 1300 727 247

Roses in the ocean

More information:

Coping With A Parent's Suicide Alarming rise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide rates A better way: suicide prevention in First Nations communities

Driving me mad: why we get road rage Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

Simon considers himself a calm, conscientious, conflict-avoidant type of person. But in the car, his personality flips — and it scares him.

It can be hard to admit, but many of us do experience road rage.

So what is it about being in the driver's seat that makes us so quick to anger? And does the type of car a person drives have anything to do with their propensity for aggression?

Today, we're talking about road rage; owning up to times we've lost our temper and finding out what we can do about it.

Guests:

Dr Amanda StephensSenior Research Fellow,Monash University Accident Research Centre

SimonAll in the Mind listener and business owner

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: Harvey O'Sullivan

More information:

Estimated car cost as a predictor of driver yielding behaviors for pedestrians Higher social class predicts increased unethical behavior The fast and the furious: Research shows that owners of high-status cars are on a collision course with traffic

The cognitive distortions of a high achiever Jan 18, 2026

Show notes

Over years of practice, clinical psychologist Dr Mary Anderson started to notice a peculiar pattern across her many clients.

Despite being impressive high achievers on the outside, inside they were struggling with burnout, imposter syndrome, anxiety and self-criticism.

So she set out to develop a guide for these high achievers. A framework to support their success ... without sacrificing their mental health.

This episode first aired in May 2025.

Guests:

Dr Mary AndersonClinical Psychologist; Author, The Happy High Achiever

Credits:

Presenter/Producer: Sana Qadar
Producer: Rose Kerr
Senior Producer: James Bullen
Sound Engineer: Tegan Nicholls

You can find the transcript for this episode on its original webpage here.

Extra Information:

The Happy High Achiever - Pan Macmillan Australia

Healing from self-hatred Jan 11, 2026

Show notes

Many of us have felt self loathing at some point in our lives — maybe when you've failed at an important task at work, or lost an important relationship.

But some people hate themselves all the time — their inner monologue is a constant drumbeat of self-criticism and self-loathing.

Where does this kind of all-encompassing self-hate come from? And is there a way to unlearn it?

We speak to psychiatrist Dr Blaise Aguirre, author of I Hate Myself: Overcome Self-Loathing and Realize Why You're Wrong About You.

This episode discusses the topic of suicide - please take care while listening.

This episode first aired in February 2025.

Guest:

Dr Blaise AguirreChild and adolescent psychiatristAssistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical SchoolAuthor, I Hate Myself: Overcome Self-Loathing and Realize Why You're Wrong About You

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: Isabella Tropiano

Thanks to Freesound.org users 7by7, qubodup, laft2k, andre.nascimento

To find the transcript for this episode, head to it's original webpage.

Resources:

The fight for focus in a world of distraction Jan 04, 2026

Show notes

Be honest, how many times have you checked your notifications in the last hour? Or opened a new, totally unrelated tab? Or stopped what you're doing even though you really need to do it?

Distractions are everywhere. And whether they're self-imposed or coming from our environment, it can be hard to focus.

Today, we explore the ramifications of our rapidly shrinking attention spans, debunk some myths about focus, and discuss the art of taking a break.

This episode first aired in March 2025.

Guests:

Dr Emma Fitzgerald Clinical Neuropsychologist

SebEmma's son and distracted teenager

Gloria Mark, PhDChancellor's Professor Emerita, University of California, IrvineAuthor, Attention Span

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: Bella Tropiano

To find the transcript for this episode, head to its original webpage.

Extra info:

Gloria's The Future of Attention substack

Smartphones in the nursery: Parental smartphone use and parental sensitivity and responsiveness within parent–child interaction in early childhood (0–5 years): A scoping review Ditching your smartphone won't stop you being distracted, study finds

Got the ick? Dating, disgust and evolutionary psychology Dec 28, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever experienced "the ick"?

It's that sudden, visceral feeling of being put off by someone you're dating. Maybe it's their hat, a hobby or even the way they laugh.

Stories of the ick are prolific online, but it leaves us with a question - what causes it?

To separate red flags from disgust, we get into the psychology of the ick - why you might feel icky, if it should be a deal breaker, and what it says about your own attachment style.

This episode first aired in March 2025.

Guests:

MichaelaSingle and ick-prone

Adam HorvathClinical Psychologist at Personal Psychology

Professor Gery Karantzas, PhDCouples therapistDirector, Science of Adult Relationships laboratoryDeakin University

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineers: Tegan Nicholls and Michael Grossman

You can find the transcript for this episode on its original webpage here.

More information:

The ick: Disgust sensitivity, narcissism, and perfectionism in mate choice thresholds

What to know about kids mental health Dec 21, 2025

Show notes

Developmental paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey has seen a lot of kids with behavioural issue over the years, and there are ten things he wishes all parents understood about their kids mental health.

From insecure attachment to separation anxiety to emotional difficulties – he gives us the low down on why kids get labelled ‘bad’ – and what’s really going on (usually).

This episode first aired in February 2025.

Guest:

Dr Billy GarveyDevelopmental paediatricianAuthor, Ten things I wish you knew about your child's mental healthPodcast co-host, Pop Culture ParentingFounder, Guiding Growing Minds

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: John Jacobs

Difficult people and radical acceptance: answering your questions about tricky relationships Dec 14, 2025

Show notes

Difficult people are everywhere. Maybe you're one of them, or maybe you're about to sit through an awkward holiday situation with someone you REALLY don't know how to handle.

This week, clinical psychologist Rachel Samson returns to answer all your questions on challenging people from the All in the Mind mailbox.

How do I deal with my coworker who's crossing boundaries? Should I try and make peace with my problematic family member?

We'll answer these questions and more — from how to avoid becoming a difficult person yourself, to the power of radical acceptance.

Thank you for listening to All in the Mind this year! If you have an episode idea for next year or want to send some feedback, you can email us at mind_rn@abc.net.au

Guest:

Rachel SamsonClinical psychologistCo-author, Beyond DifficultDirector of the Australian Association of Psychologists

Rachael Samson also appeared on our episode in November called Narcissist, or just a pain? How to deal with difficult people.

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: Bethany Stewart

From prohibition to social media - what makes bans succeed ... or fail? Dec 07, 2025

Show notes

From the prohibition era in the US, to gun control in Australia, bans have been used throughout history to change behaviour.

Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Sometimes, they lead to a whole lot of unintended consequences.

With the social media ban for under-16’s taking effect this week, we uncover the three factors that can determine whether a ban is more likely to succeed or fail – and find out what the history of bans tells us about how effective this policy might be (or not).

Plus – how solid is the research on the link between mental ill health and social media use?

Guests:

Dr Alexis WhittonAssociate Professor and psychologistThe Black Dog Institute and University of New South WalesDr Kate Harrison BrennanProfessor of Practice and Academic Director of the Sydney Policy LabHonorary Associate at the Sydney Law SchoolUniversity of SydneySeb, Eva, Ciara, Lily

With additional thanks to Associate Professor Susanne Schweizer, from the University of New South Wales.

Credits:

Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: Micky Grossman

A big thank you to everyone who sent us emails and voice memos with their thoughts on the social media ban. We couldn't include everyone but we appreciate getting to hear your perspectives.

Thanks to freesound.org users TRP and davidbain

More information:

Support for under-16 social media ban soars to 77% among Australians Illegal tobacco is a deadly $10 billion industry wiping out legitimate businesses Smoking rates continue to decline while vaping triples, national household drug survey shows Psychological reactance to system-level policies before and after their implementation The presence of laws and mandates is associated with increased social norm enforcement Youth mental health enters 'dangerous phase'

Social psychologist and author of best-selling book The Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidt talks to News Breakfast about Australia's world-first under 16 social media ban — ABC Lifestyle

eSafety appoints Stanford University-led academic advisory group to assess the impacts of the Social Media Minimum Age obligation Digital mental health, Black Dog Institute