Better Thinking

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Isaac Baker about using data to improve individual, team and organisational decision-making. Isaac Baker is an Applied Behavioural Scientist with a focus on understanding and creating strategies to nudge and influence organisational behaviour and improve organisational performance. He works across Mapien’s suite of services adopting a data-driven approach to inform culture diagnostics, behaviour change and improve individual, team and organisational decision-making. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/isaac-bakerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks about why bulk billed Telehealth is unsustainable and will do harm to psychology practices in Australia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Government expanded it’s Medicare-subsidised telehealth services to general practitioners and other health practitioners. Their 29 March 2020 media release states: “We are making telehealth a key weapon in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding the consultation services available by telehealth is the next critical stage in the Government’s response to COVID-19.” This seems to be a great announcement from the government, but it is unsustainable for psychology practices in Australia. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-telehealthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To my psychology friends and colleagues,  Australia is at the beginning of Coronavirus and there is an unprecedented amount of uncertainty. Job losses, industry shutdowns, potential lockdown, and the domino effect of all these leads to possibly the hardest time for many Australians.  I urge all psychologists to share the benefits of maintaining good mental health and make themselves available for support in these times.  The reality is that in the current climate, stress, anxiety and depression will increase. If you are a psychologist you can, and should, promote your service. There is mixed messaging in the media on what will and won't shutdown, but as it stands right now psychology and all allied health businesses will remain open. Sharing the benefits of your service right now is not selfish, it is critically important to clients in need.  Much love, Nesh PS. Make sure you self care, this stress can get to us too. Episode links and video at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/nesh-nikolic-c

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kath Koschel about her mission to achieve one million acts of kindness. Kath Koschel is a remarkable young woman who has taught herself to walk on three separate occasions, defying her medical prognosis of paralysis. An ex-professional athlete, she has broken her back twice; once while playing cricket for New South Wales and once while riding her bike training for an Iron Man after recovering from her first broken back. Kath’s life is one of inspiration, resilience and utter strength. There have been more than a few significant bumps along the way, but Kath has never let the setbacks get the better of her. With her physical and mental resilience, Kath has pulled herself through challenges that most of us could not comprehend, without letting them defy her belief that we all have the capacity to be better every day. But it’s her global movement and not for profit charity, The Kindness Factory that really lights her up. Founded in 2015 in

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about perfectionism and imposter syndrome. 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. Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and Honours Degree in Psychology and

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Stefan Hofmann about process-based therapy and high-density individual data. Welcome to the future of psychology. Dr Stefan Hofmann is a clinical psychologist at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. He is one of the foremost experts in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, especially for anxiety disorders. In collaboration with Steven C. Hayes, he has been identifying the processes that underlie effective psychological treatments. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/stefan-hofmannSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Alyssa Godesky about overcoming the physical and mental limits in endurance sports. Alyssa Godesky is an endurance sports coach, professional triathlete and ultrarunner. After 6 years in the corporate world, Alyssa made the leap to pursue triathlon full-time, and hasn’t looked back. An endurance athlete since 2006, Alyssa takes pride in pushing her limits. You can sometimes find her racing Ironmans on back-to-back weekends, or jumping into an ultramarathon. With seven top-5 Ironman finishes in the professional field, and a personal best Ironman time of 9 hours and 33 minutes, Alyssa continues to be a dominant competitor as she enters her seventh year of professional racing. After making a name for herself in the triathlon world, Alyssa wanted to make a mark on the trail running world as well. In 2018, she set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on Vermont’s 273-mile Long Trail, breaking a 6 year record, with a time of 5 days, 2 hours and 37 min

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with social psychologist Dr Brock Bastian on the value of pain. Dr Brock Bastian is a social psychologist whose research focuses on pain, happiness, and morality. In his search for a new perspective on what makes for the good life, Brock has studied why promoting happiness may have paradoxical effects and why we need negative and painful experiences to build meaning, purpose, resilience, and ultimately greater fulfilment in life. Brock's first book, The Other Side of Happiness, was published in January 2018. Links mentioned in this episode at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/brock-bastian See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Paul Atkins about building effective prosocial groups. Dr Paul Atkins co-developed the Prosocial process which draws upon the psychology of behavior change as well as political, economic and evolutionary science to improve cooperation within and between groups. Paul’s work has been published in the world’s leading management and psychology journals. His latest book “Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable, and Collaborative Groups” has been described as "groundbreaking”, and "chock full of clear steps" (Jane Dutton, author of Awakening Compassion at Work). It is " essential reading for anyone who works with people in group settings, and who is committed to helping these groups to be their best.” says Susan David (author of Emotional Agility). Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/paul-atkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about identity, awareness of the self and coping with complex identity issues. 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. Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors a

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Australian Psychological Society’s CEO, Frances Mirabelli, about the role of the APS and plans for the future of psychology in Australia. Frances Mirabelli is the chief executive officer of the Australian Psychological Society, the leading body representing psychologists in Australia. A former CEO of AMA Victoria, Ms Mirabelli has extensive experience in the health and not-for-profit sectors. Following an education in business administration and applied science, she held leadership roles in aged and community care management at organisations including Wintringham and the Mayflower Group. A forthright leader, Ms Mirabelli has also completed the Cranlana Colloquium and has served as a Board director for Whitehorse Community Health, Yarra Community Housing and Star of The Sea College. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/frances-mirabelliSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Louise Hayes about using a developmental approach of ACT when working with young persons. Dr Louise Hayes is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) training for young people. She is the co-author of the best selling book Get Out of Your Mind and Into your Life for Teenagers and The Thriving Adolescent. Louise divides her time between training and clinical work in acceptance, mindfulness and positive therapeutic approaches, treatment development, speaking, and writing. Her passion is leading trips to the Himalayan mountains to practice mindfulness. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/louise-hayesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Warren Farrell about his book, The Boy Crisis, and the impact fathers have on young men. Dr Warren Farrell has been chosen by the Financial Times as one of the world’s top 100 thought leaders, and by the Center for World Spirituality as one of the world’s spiritual leaders. Dr Farrell’s books are published in over 50 countries, and in 15 languages. They include award-winning international best-sellers, Why Men Are The Way They Are, The Myth of Male Power, and The Boy Crisis which he co-authored with Dr John Gray. Dr Farrell is currently the Chair of the Commission to Create a White House Council on Boys & Men, taught at the university level in five disciplines, and appeared on more than 1,000 TV and radio shows, from Oprah to Larry King Live. He has been featured repeatedly in Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/warren-farrell See omnystudio.com/

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with clinical psychologist Marcela Lapertosa about what we can learn through our awareness, understanding and respect of different cultures. Marcela Lapertosa is a clinical psychologist and Senior Manager of Education and Development at AFS Intercultural Programs Australia. AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/marcela-lapertosaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Mary Andreadis about the psychological and contextual aspects of loneliness and isolation. 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. Mary Andreadis is a Melbourne-based provisional psychologist. She has completed a Bachelors and

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Devon Polaschek about research and treatment of high-risk violent offenders in prisons and on parole. Devon Polaschek is a forensic clinical psychologist, professor of psychology, and Joint Director of the New Zealand Institute for Security and Crime Science at the University of Waikato. She studies high-risk violent offenders in prisons and on parole and has done research that found intensive psychological treatment and early release on parole was more effective at reducing reoffending among high-risk prisoners than serving out full prison sentences. In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Polaschek was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to criminal psychology. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/devon-polaschekSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Janelle Colquhoun about her incredible life before and after blindness. Her “I'm Blind, Whatever!” attitude is contagious and inspiring! At age 10, Janelle Colquhoun was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which she ignored as she pursued her passion to be on stage. During school she took music, dance and drama lessons, performed in choirs, stage shows, dance revues and played trumpet in concert and jazz bands before winning a scholarship to study opera at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. At the end of expo Janelle accepted a full-time contract with the Australian Opera, where a highlight was singing in a trio with Dame Joan Sutherland in her Farewell Season. Two years and many successful singing competitions later, Janelle moved to Europe where she sang with the Oper Frankfurt until aged 29 she went blind from the complications of diabetes. She moved back to Brisbane and between many more diabetes-related health issues including stom

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Professor Edward Watkins on his research in effective treatment of mood disorders, depression and rumination. Edward Watkins is Professor of Experimental and Applied Clinical Psychology and Director of Research for Professional Doctorates at the University of Exeter, UK. He is a clinical psychologist currently working as a researcher, teacher and clinical practitioner within the Mood Disorders Centre in the UK, which is a partnership between the University of Exeter and Devon Partnership NHS Trust. In 2004, Professor Watkins was awarded the British Psychological Society's May Davidson Award. This award is for “a clinical psychologist who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of clinical psychology within the first 10 years of his/her work as a qualified clinical psychologist. The contribution may be through clinical research or other professional work. It should be innovative and of an order sufficient to become wid

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Kevin Polk about the the ACT Matrix and its application in both individual and clinical settings. Kevin Polk, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and creator of the ACT Matrix. He spent approximately 17,000 hours simplifying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy down to the two lines of the matrix, which is now used across the United States and internationally. Individuals, therapists and hospitals use the ACT Matrix to improve communication and solve conflicts. Kevin also co-hosts The Art of Being podcast with good friend, and fellow psychologist, Phil Tenaglia. Episode links at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kevin-polkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Erika Penney on the research and treatment of Narcissistic & Borderline Personality Disorder in psychology. Dr Erika Penney is a lecturer, clinical psychologist, and external placement coordinator with the master of clinical psychology program at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She has particular interests in complex trauma, developmental trauma, stigma, and personality disorders. She has taught at a number of leading universities on personality disorders and has published papers in the areas of anxiety, stigma, and personality. In addition to her work at UTS, Erika is a Board Approved Supervisor and supervises clinical psychologists who have particular interests in Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, personality disorders, and trauma. In 2016 Erika founded the Foresight Psychology practice in Sydney which continues today under new leadership with a team of passionate psychologists dedicated to effective practice an