Better Thinking

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Michael Leiter about improving work engagement and combatting burnout. Dr. Michael P. Leiter is Professor of Organisational Psychology at Deakin University in Melbourne Australia. He previously held the Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health at Acadia University. He has published widely on job burnout, work engagement, and workplace civility. His recent initiatives have focused on improving the quality of worklife through enhancing the level of civility and respect among colleagues. His intervention work on improving respect and civility at work has demonstrated a close link of improved collegiality with greater engagement with work. His most recent book with Cary Cooper is the The Routledge Companion to Wellbeing at Work. Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-leiter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Arnold Bakker about work engagement, job crafting, playful work design, job stress and burnout, strengths use, and topics about work life balance. Arnold Bakker, PhD. is Full Professor at the Department of Work and Organizational Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He is President of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, and a fellow of the American Psychological Society. In addition, he is Adjunct Professor at Lingnan University (Hong Kong), Distinguished Visting Professor at the University of Johannesburg (South Africa), and Extraordinary Professor at North-West University (South Africa). His research interests include positive organizational behavior (e.g., job crafting, playful work design, flow and engagement at work), job demands–resources theory, burnout, work-family balance, and crossover of work-related emotions. Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/arnold-bakker See omnys

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Roy Sugarman about the role of biological perspective in psychology and how those two worlds are coming together. Dr Roy Sugarman is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society's Colleges of Clinical Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology, member of the Royal Charter of Psychologists in the UK, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Neuropsychology and Faculty of Paediatric Neuropsychology, and a member of the American Psychological Association.  In the USA he is on the advisory boards of several USA-based entities: as Neuroscience lead with Social Health Innovations and Transhuman Inc, (Sydney and Delaware), Mind Experts International (Fla), as well as directing Applied Neuroscience in the Performance Innovation Team of EXOS (Az).  In this last capacity he served as a mindset coach with the USA National Men's Soccer Team, as well as providing support for various

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Anthony Biglan about his book, The Nurture Effect, which offers evidence-based interventions that can prevent many of the psychological and behavioral problems that plague our society. Anthony Biglan, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist at Oregon Research Institute. He has been conducting research on the development and prevention of child and adolescent problem behavior for the past 30 years. His work has included studies of the risk and protective factors associated with tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; high-risk sexual behavior; and antisocial behavior. He has conducted numerous experimental evaluations of interventions to prevent tobacco use both through school-based programs and community-wide interventions. And, he has evaluated interventions to prevent high-risk sexual behavior, antisocial behavior, and reading failure. In recent years, his work has shifted to more comprehensive interventions that have the potential to prevent the entire r

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Amanda Feilding about the transformative and therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds and their clinical applications. Amanda Feilding has been called the ‘hidden hand’ behind the renaissance of psychedelic science, and her contribution to global drug policy reform has also been pivotal and widely acknowledged. Amanda was first introduced to LSD in the mid-1960s, at the height of the first wave of scientific research into psychedelics. Impressed by its capacity to initiate mystical states of consciousness and heighten creativity, she quickly recognised its transformative and therapeutic power. Inspired by her experiences, she began studying the mechanisms underlying the effects of psychedelic substances and dedicated herself to exploring ways of harnessing their potential to cure sickness and enhance wellbeing. In 1996, Amanda set up The Foundation to Further Consciousness, changing its name to the Beckley Foundation in 1998. She realised th

In this episode, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Liam O’Donell as a guest on BrainTainment podcast about the importance of psychological flexibility. Nesh Nikolic is a Canberra-based clinical psychologist with over 15,000 hours of one-on-one therapy experience. He has trained in a number of therapy modes including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Schema Therapy and he is also recognised by Medicare Australia as a qualified provider of specialist clinical psychology services. His therapeutic passion lies in utilising Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for his clients and has trained clinicians around Australia in ACT. Nesh holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Association for Contextual Behavioural Science and Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists. Liam O’Donell is the founder of BrainTainment podcast thataims to make the ever-growing world of 'self-help' far more digestible and enj

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Michael Carr-Gregg about the growing mental health crisis among young people in Australia and ways on how we can all address it. Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is one of Australia's highest profile psychologists, author of 14 books, broadcaster and a specialist in corporate mental health, families, parenting, children, adolescents and the use of technology for mental health. Michael works in private practice at Corporate and Personal Consulting in Melbourne. He is the Commonwealth Government representative on on the Board of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. He is an accredited trainer for Mental Health First Aid Australia. Community Ambassador for Smiling Mind; Big Brother Big Sister; a Patron of Read the Play and a columnist for a number of publications.. Michael is the resident parenting expert on Ch 7's Sunrise as well as the top rating Morning Show with Neil Mitchell on Fairfax Radio 3AW. In 2018, Michael helped launch the Green Lig

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Peter Graham about the realities of retirement, the danger of boredom, and how we can prepare emotionally for retirement. Peter Graham has been involved in the financial services industry for over 50 years. Initially, his involvement was with the marketing of life insurance but he quickly moved into the financial planning area when he established one of the original Licenced Financial Advisory businesses, in Australia, which was issued with a Securities license. He was regularly called upon to give presentations at conference es and as part of training programs in the financial services industry. Peter was an early contributor in the area of superannuation and management when he established the retirement fund manager, Spectrum Retirement Plan. This plan has since been institutionalised and is now a very large and successful administrator. Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/peter-graham See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kaitlin Harkess about the empirical evidence of yoga and its positive effects to our mental health.  Dr. Kaitlin Harkess is a registered Clinical Psychologist and Senior Yoga Instructor who is passionate about supporting individuals to cultivate healthful and meaningful lives. Kaitlin is particularly interested in integrative psychology approaches and completed PhD research exploring the practice of yoga as a tool to support individuals experiencing chronic stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression.  Kaitlin is passionate about making tools of psychological wellbeing accessible. She runs a private psychology practice in Adelaide SA called Embodied Psychology embodiedpsychology.com.au and hosts the weekly Wisdom for Wellbeing podcast drkaitlin.com Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kaitlin-harkess See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr John Gray about how couples can maintain and fuel the spark in their relationships during challenging times of COVID-19. Dr John Gray is the author of the most well-known and trusted relationship book of all time, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. USA Today listed his book as one of the top 10 most influential books of the last quarter century. In hardcover, it was the #1 bestselling book of the 1990s. Dr. Gray’s books are translated into approximately 45 languages in more than 100 countries and continues to be a bestseller. He has appeared repeatedly on Oprah, as well as on The Dr. Oz Show, TODAY, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, and others. He has been profiled in Time, Forbes, USA Today, and People. He was also the subject of a three-hour special hosted by Barbara Walters. Dr. Gray has written over 20 books. His most recent book is Beyond Mars and Venus. His Mars/Venus book series has forever changed the way men and women vie

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Christopher Willard about the science of mindfulness and how it rewires our brains and bodies for greater resilience. Dr. Christopher Willard (PsyD) is a psychologist and educational consultant based in Boston specializing in mindfulness. He has been practicing meditation for 20 years, and has led hundreds of workshops around the world, with invitations to more than two dozen countries. He currently serves on the board of directors at the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, and is the president of the Mindfulness in Education Network. He has presented at TEDx conferences and his thoughts have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, mindful.org, and elsewhere. He is the author of Child’s Mind (2010) Growing Up Mindful (2016) Raising Resilience (2017) and eight other books for parents, professionals and children, along with six sets of cards and therapeutic games, available in more than ten languages. He teaches at Harvard Me

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Tara J Lal about raising awareness around suicide and reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. Tara J Lal is a professional firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW and a PhD candidate at the University of New England. She is the internationally published author of Standing on My Brother’s Shoulders – Making peace with Grief and Suicide; a memoir and self-help book that tracks her journey through childhood trauma to a life of meaning and purpose. She has been awarded an Australian Rotary Health scholarship for research into the mental health of emergency service workers and was a finalist in the Rotary Inspirational Woman of the Year awards in 2017. She is also a Mental Health First Aid instructor and has managed the psychological wellbeing program in Fire and Rescue NSW working with researchers at the Black Dog Institute to develop programs aimed at building resilience and improving mental health outcomes in firefighters. She is also a pro

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Nic Newling about reducing mental health stigma and lowering the barriers of seeking help through helpful conversations. Nic Newling is an outspoken advocate for mental health, suicide prevention, and sharing personal stories. Having lived through the experience of suffering with a mood disorder throughout high school and losing his brother to suicide, he has since dedicated himself to changing the way mental illness is addressed in schools, workplaces, and communities. Nic has reached millions of people through television, live talks, radio, print, online, documentaries, and eHealth programs. He strives to make a continuing positive impact utilizing sharing and listening to encourage helpful, unscripted conversations around mental health, suicide prevention, and getting the most out of life. He has been featured on The TODAY Show, Australian Story, Huffington Post, and has shared his message through major radio stations and newspapers. He featur

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Hayley Watson about supporting the mental health of students, parents, and teachers through a practical curriculum for developing mental skills. Dr Hayley Watson is a clinical psychologist, researcher, lecturer, and program developer who is passionate about helping people find and cultivate their inner potential and inherent value. Her most recent project is a cutting-edge video-based mental health curriculum for middle and high schools being rolled out across Australia, Canada, and the US. She also delivers teacher and parent training seminars worldwide. Hayley is an expert in the field of group and school interventions, having developed and delivered youth intervention programs in Canada, the UK, Australia and the US. She has worked with non-profit organisations, private corporations, and educational systems to create and deliver programs that inspire, motivate, and unlock the potential of youth from all backgrounds and circumstances. As a c

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Robb Kelly about his purpose in helping addicts and alcoholics to recover their lives from the disease of addiction. Robb Kelly, PhD is a world-renowned addiction expert who believes in treating the problem, not the symptoms. Based on his own experiences working with addicts and alcoholics over the last 20 years, combined with a PhD in psychology, and as a recovered alcoholic himself – he is a triple threat against the disease of addiction. Dr. Kelly’s philosophy may seem unconventional and unorthodox. But, they are based on extensive research and behavior studies that he conducted over the last 20 years. He pulls the disease out of his clients and empowers them to fight their disease head on. Some people have referred to him as "The Gordon Ramsay of the Addiction World" because of his direct, no-nonsense, and candid approach to recovery. He has discovered that in order to get his clients to change their thinking, they must confront their dise

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Martin Fisk about helping young guys reach their full potential and become the great adult men they want to be through mentoring and counselling. Martin Fisk is the Chief Executive of Menslink and joined in March 2011 after a twenty-five year career in both the private and public sectors, including nearly ten years running his own business. Since joining Menslink, he has significantly expanded the reach of Menslink’s support programs, with nearly ten times the number of young men accessing their free counselling, mentoring and group programs than at the beginning of the decade. An active campaigner  for young men, Martin speaks to schools, businesses and community groups across the region about issues facing young men, their families and communities, including family violence, gender issues, youth mental health, drugs and suicide – still the leading cause of death in men under 40. In 2012, Martin designed the award-winning Silence is Deadly campa

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Steve Zolezzi about outdoor learnings, spirituality, symbolism, and nature as a therapeutic aid. Steve Zolezzi is a Registered Psychologist with 25 years experience in education and psychology and is a leading expert on school well-being and positive psychology practice. He consults widely both nationally and internationally in helping schools move to integrated academic and well-being excellence. Steve has been a School Psychologist since 1994, having worked with the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, St Aloysius College, and currently as the Head of Positive Education at Knox Grammar School where he received the Knox Headmaster’s Award for Leadership in 2013.  Steve is also a Founding member of The Australasian Biofeedback Society and International School Psychologists Society.  He is a Qualified Teacher, certified Sports Psychologist and Physical Education Instructor. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/steve-zolezzi See omnystudio.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Prof David Sloan Wilson about how human attempts to solve problems from an evolution perspective can have unintended consequences. David Sloan Wilson is an evolutionary biologist with a wide range of interests, including natural selection as a hierarchical process, the nature of intraspecific variation, the evolution of ecological communities and human evolutionary biology. He is also SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University. He applies evolutionary theory to all aspects of humanity in addition to the rest of life, both in his own research and as director of EvoS, a unique campus-wide evolutionary studies program that recently received NSF funding to expand into a nationwide consortium.  Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/david-sloan-wilson

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Shaun O’Gorman about living a life with strength, tenacity, resilience, optimism, nurturing & generosity. Shaun O’Gorman has seen his fair share of violence and depravity throughout his life. In fact, more like many lives worth. But it has not defined the man he has become today, despite it trying its very best. Despite his parents' divorce, a violent 13-year Police career, a diagnosis of PTSD & depression, an extended battle with suicide, a bitter divorce, and a prolonged family court custody battle, he never gave in. Shaun now lives an amazing life, he has a beautiful relationship with his daughters, a fantastic loving partner, and he lives his dream career helping others and having an impact. Now he uses his experience to inspire other people to LIVE THE STRONG LIFE. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/shaun-ogorman 

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Will Henshall about personalized music that can help you focus, reduce distractions, and maintain productivity when working and studying. Will Henshall has achieved notable global success both as a musical/visual artist and as a technical inventor. In 1987, he founded the British pop soul band Londonbeat and had two Billboard #1 hit records, “I’ve Been Thinking About You” (91) and “Come Back” (95). He founded Rocket Network, a Paul Allen/Cisco-funded San Francisco company, in 1995 and created the professional audio media transfer system, DigiDelivery. He sold the company to Avid/Digidesign in 2003. Focus@Will started in Los Angeles in 2011 when founders Will Henshall and John Vitale became interested in why people like to listen to music while at work and studying. Research showed 2 out of 3 of people like to listen to music while they work or study, but it’s difficult to find and manage sounds that consistently work well. So we created a new neu