One of the first things many of us become aware of when we first start mindfulness training is the presence of an incessant inner mean voice, which criticises and judges everything we do. But what is the purpose of this constant bombardment of self-criticism? Although having an inner critic can be helpful (I know mine forces me to be a better mother, a better friend, and a better journalist) the problem is, left to its own devices, self-criticism can cause measurably destructive effects, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders. This week's episode is an interview with the self-compassion... Read full article »

If you're interested in learning how your brain works and how to use that knowledge to make healthy changes in your life, then this week's podcast is for you. This episode is my extended interview with Dr. Judson Brewer, who is an Associate Professor and the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University. As an addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist who studies how we form unhealthy habits and routines, he's researching mindfulness-based techniques to help us change for good.     ALSO AVAILABLE ON:   SOMETHING YOU WANT TO KNOW? If you have a question for my... Read full article »

After listening to this week's podcast, I suspect that you won't be able to stop yourself from taking a moment to reflect on what really matters to you the most in life, on what is truly important to you... and why. This episode is with Professor Michael Steger – a world-leading expert in finding meaning in life. He's the Founder and Director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at the University of Colorado. Among other things in the interview we discuss: Why feeling that we have more meaning and purpose makes us biologically healthier The new research showing that... Read full article »

When I interviewed Matthieu Ricard, the world-famous French cellular geneticist-turned Buddhist monk, I remember thinking, whatever he’s on, I want some. I was struck by how the 71-year old (whose busy schedule involves international speaking tours and writing deadlines for his best-selling books, as well as overseeing 200 humanitarian projects) could possibly juggle everything and still seem so… well... happy. Matthieu has earned a place in popular media as the ‘happiest man on earth’ after neuroscientists published a series of seminal experiments involving his brain. I drove home from my interview with him thinking, could it be possible for me,... Read full article »

Although the idea of a mind-body connection used to be thought of as fringe, New Age ju ju, these days scientists are no longer asking if our mind, body and health are connected, but rather, how they are connected. This episode is an extended interview with Professor Elissa Epel, the Director of the Aging, Metabolism and Emotion Center at University of California San Francisco Medical School. Among many other things, she co-authored a best-selling book called The Telomere Effect, with the Nobel Prize winning molecular biologist, Elizabeth Blackburn. Elissa's work is at the forefront of an ever-growing evidence-base which supports... Read full article »

When I began my year-long documentary experiment to see what would happen to my health and wellbeing if I meditated every day for a year, a key motivating force was a special issue of The Lancet which declared that every country in the world is facing and failing to tackle a host of mental health issues. Crucially, the special issue was published before COVID19 changed the world and introduced a whole new range of global mental health challenges. This is why I'm especially keen to share this week's podcast with you. Now, more than ever, we robust discussions about "the... Read full article »