Meditation has a lot of benefits, but could it also have risks?

Over the past decade, meditation and mindfulness have been promoted to reduce stress and increase relaxation.

But there is another story of meditation that rarely gets told... one that involves anxiety, insomnia — even psychosis.

Today, how one person went from being an evangelical mindfulness meditator, to a leading researcher on the adverse effects of meditation.

Guests:

Willoughby BrittonAssociate professor, Brown University Medical School and director of the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab

Pawan SharmaAssistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Pattan Academy of Health Sciences School of Medicine

Pierce SalgueroProfessor of Asian History and Health Humanities at Penn State University

Credits:

• Presenter: Sana Qadar
• Reporter/producer: Fiona Pepper
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr

Extra information:

• Defining and measuring meditation-related adverse effects in mindfulness-based programs
• Prevalence and 20-year trends in meditation, yoga, guided imagery and progressive relaxation use among US adults from 2002 to 2022
• Prevalence and predictors of meditation use in Australia and New Zealand: results from a nationally representative survey
• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves polysomnographic and subjective sleep profiles in antidepressant users with sleep complaints
• Meditation-induced psychosis: a narrative review and individual patient data analysis
• Psychiatric Problems Precipitated by Transcendental Meditation
• The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists
• Cheetah House

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Closure can feel like the ultimate solution to help us heal. But is it all it's cracked up to be?

Today, we learn about ambiguous loss — the type of grief that comes without closure. 

We know navigating uncertainty is tricky, so what practical steps can we take to process this kind of loss?

A heads up, this episode touches on some heavy topics around loss and trauma.

Guests:

Carly DoberPsychologist

Dr Pauline BossProfessor emeritus, University of MinnesotaAuthor, Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic Author, Change and Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief

Credits:

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

More information:

• The psychology of closure — and why some need it more than others
• Motivated closing of the mind: "seizing" and "freezing"
• Beyond dogmatism: The need for closure as related to religion
• Need for cognitive closure, tolerance for ambiguity, and perfectionism in medical school applicants
• Ambiguous loss

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Nature is good for our wellbeing. But how much green space does a community need, before you can see a wellbeing boost?

And how do we encourage people to spend more time outdoors?

This episode first aired in September 2023.

In celebration of National Science Week, make sure to vote in ABC Radio National's poll for Australia's most amazing wildflower.

Guests:

Belinda McCawleyFounder, Mindful in Nature

Dr Xiaoqi FengProfessor of Urban Health and EnvironmentSchool of Population Health,University of New South Wales (UNSW)Founding Co-Director of PowerLab

Josh BrownCo-founder, Deadly Ed

Credits:

• Presenter: Sana Qadar
• Reporter/producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound engineer: John Jacobs

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

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Since the days of gladiator battles and public hangings, dark tourism — our attraction to places linked to death and despair — has been a part of human behaviour.

But there's something in the 21st century that's causing debate… Selfies.

Digital media isn't all bad though. It's also creating opportunities for authentic storytelling.

Today, we examine what dark tourism is, if it's ethical, and when it is (and isn't) appropriate to snap a selfie.

This episode first aired in June 2024.

Guests:

• Dr Craig Wight, Associate Professor, Business School, Edinburgh Napier University
• Dr Nicole Basaraba, Assistant Professor, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies and Centre for Digital Humanities, Trinity College Dublin
• Dr Mariko Smith, Head of First Nations Collections & Research, First Nations Division, Australian Museum

Credits:

• Presenter/Producer: Sana Qadar
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Senior Producer: James Bullen
• Sound engineer: Beth Stewart

Other information:

To read the transcript from this episode, head to its original webpage.

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Why is gaming addictive? How do you know if it's a problem? And what should parents do if they're worried about their kids' gaming habits?

This week, psychiatrist and author Dr Alok Kanojia (Dr K) unpacks gaming addiction.

Long before Dr K was the co-founder of Healthy Gamer, he had his own story of addiction — playing for 20 hours a day and failing out of uni. How did he turn his own struggles into a global online community supporting gamers?

And what practical advice does he have for gamers (and the parents raising them) who want to find a balance?

Guest:

Dr Alok Kanojia (Dr K)PsychiatristAuthor, How To Raise A Healthy GamerCo-founder, Healthy Gamer

Credits:

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

More information:

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Whether you're anxious or avoidant, there are steps you can take to make your relationships more secure. And the benefits extend beyond dating — finding secure people can help you build a community and maybe even live longer.

Today, neuroscientist, psychiatrist and author Dr Amir Levine joins Sana to discuss all things secure attachment. From tiny meaningful moments with strangers, to prioritising the right people in your life, Amir shares his top advice for anyone wanting to change their attachment style.

Guest:

Dr Amir LevinePsychiatristNeuroscientistAssociate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia UniversitySecure: The Revolutionary Guide to Creating a Secure Life

Credits:

• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound engineer: Tegan Nicholls

More information:

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Aggression, not listening, interruptions ... bad behaviour is on the rise in schools. What's causing this trend? Is it parenting styles or the pandemic?

Nurse Erin has had plenty of challenges with her son, leaving her family at the end of their tether. But one therapy just clicked.

Today, a family's story of oppositional defiant disorder and giving Parent-Child Interaction Therapy a go. Can coaching parents through one-way mirrors and ear pieces help build stronger relationships? And why is PCIT so effective for kids with ODD?

Guests:

ErinNurse and motherPCIT participant

Professor Eva KimonisClinical PsychologistDirector of the UNSW Parent-Child Research Clinic

Credits:

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

More information:

Soul Search

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

How stressed have you been lately? Are you heading towards burn out?

Time and time again, Dr Rangan Chatterjee has seen chronic stress wreak havoc on his patients' lives — contributing to autoimmune disorders, gut problems, low libido and more.

But the most devastating blow struck his own family, when his father's punishing work schedule forced him to medically retire in his 50s. It’s an experience that led Rangan to rethink his own work and approach to medicine.

Today, Dr Chatterjee, a GP and host of a mega popular wellbeing podcast, shares his story, as well as strategies for better managing stress in your own life.

This episode first aired in June 2025.

Guest:

Dr Rangan ChatterjeeGP, author and host of Feel Better, Live More

Credits:

• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound engineer: Tegan Nicholls

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

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Languages are so much more than words and sounds — they encode culture and shape our identity. So how do you connect to your culture, if language is lost?

While many Indigenous languages have already been lost, and more are at risk of extinction, in Australia, people are increasingly trying to revitalise certain Indigenous languages.

ABC Radio National presenter and Gamilaraay woman Rudi Bremer is on her own journey of reconnecting with her mother tongue, and it's bringing up a mixed bag of feelings — from a profound sense of loss, to deep contentment and belonging.

Guests:

Jade McHughes, PhD candidate and Ngarrindjeri woman 

Trinity Clarke, Language worker and Kuku Yalanji woman

Credits:

• Reporter/presenter: Rudi Bremer, Gamilaraay woman
• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Producer: Kaylene Langford, Guringai woman
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Senior producer: James Bullen

You can hear more from presenter Rudi Bremer on Word Up and Awaye!

To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

At some point in our lives, we all face the question, "how will I ever get through this?". You know the moments — a sudden loss, a messy break up, an unexpected diagnosis or a career halted…

These questions are close to Lucy Hone's heart, not just because of her work as a resilience researcher, but also because of her own experiences of life-altering grief.

So today, Dr Lucy Hone shares her tips for navigating the world when it feels like everything is falling apart.

Guest:

Dr Lucy HoneResilience researcherAdjunct Senior Fellow, University of Canterbury in New Zealand Co-director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and ResilienceAuthor, How Will I Ever Get Through This and Resilient Grieving

Credits:

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

More information:

The three secrets of resilient people, Dr Lucy Hone and TEDxChristchurch

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.

What is it that drives a person to mass murder?

It's a question forensic psychiatrist Professor Paul Mullen has made a life's study of.

While these devastating events can at times appear random — he says that taken together, from Port Arthur to Dunblane to Texas — patterns emerge that tell us about the motivations of lone mass killers.

It's often to do with isolation, vengeance and fame. Which is why a growing number of people, including Paul, are pushing never to name the perpetrators of mass killings.

Today on All in the Mind: insights into denying mass killers the glory they seek and preventing future massacres.

Please note, this episode covers some heavy topics including massacres and suicide. Please take care while listening.

Guest:

Professor Paul E. Mullen Monash UniversityForensic psychiatristAuthor, Running Amok: Inside the Mind of the Lone Mass Killer

Credits:

• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound engineer: Antonia Gauci

Support:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue  1300 22 4636