THRIVING MINDS PODCAST

Professor Selena Bartlett, Neuroscientist, Brain Health is Everyone's Business

Do you want to learn how to build resilience, boost your cognitive performance, and achieve mental agility? Then it's time to discover the exciting world of brain health and fitness with Thriving Minds. Hosted by renowned neuroscientist Professor Selena Bartlett, Thriving Minds is a podcast dedicated to exploring the latest advances in brain science education. With decades of experience studying addiction, stress, and mental health, Professor Bartlett is a true expert in her field. And she's on a mission to empower people to take control of their mental and physical well-being. So what makes Thriving Minds so unique? It's not just about theory – it's about practical tips and simple tools that you can use to improve your brain health and fitness right now.  From understanding how stress wires the brain, the power of cold exposure, nutrition and exercise and connection. Thriving Minds is also a deep dive into cutting-edge brain science and digital technology. From neuroplasticity to brain imaging, Professor Bartlett and her team are at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field. They're exploring the latest research and innovations and sharing their insights with listeners around the world.And the best part? Let's make brain health everyone's business. They're inspiring people to take action and create a culture of mental fitness, where people prioritise their brain health as much as their physical health.  Tune in to the podcast and discover the secrets of brain health and fitness. Whether you're looking to boost your cognitive performance, reduce stress, or improve your overall well-being, Selena and her team are here to help you thrive. The opinions expressed in the podcast are Selena Bartlett's personal opinion and her guests. They are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, psychology or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The opinions in the podcast do not reflect the opinion of Queensland University of Technology.

  1. 3D AGO

    Episode #211. What running taught us about our brains, learn about exerkines with Associate Professor Tara Walker, Queensland Brain Institute, UQ and Co-host of Trail Tales.

    This week on Thriving Minds, I’m joined by Associate Professor Tara Walker, Senior Research Associate at the Queensland Brain Institute (UQ) — and co-host of the trail running podcast Trail Tales with Tara and Bryce. Tara and I are both neuroscientists, and we both love running. In this episode we explore the science and the joy of trail running — what it does for brain health, mental health, confidence, and connection. We talk about why running on trails feels so different to road running, how being in nature changes the experience, and why community is often the missing ingredient for people who think “I’m not a runner.” We also dive into Tara’s research program investigating how lifestyle interventions like exercise and diet support brain health, including what we’re learning about hippocampal neurogenesis, exercise-related blood factors (exokines), and the emerging idea of exercise mimetics — ways to mimic some of the benefits of exercise for people who can’t run. Along the way, Tara shares her personal trail-running journey — from her first 10–12km trail race to ultras and 100km events, and the mindset and training strategies that make endurance possible. We also discuss injuries, why trail running is booming, and how moving outdoors can help us feel more regulated, less stressed, and more connected. If you’ve ever felt disconnected, stuck at a desk, or unsure how to start moving again, this is a practical and hopeful conversation — grounded in real neuroscience and real life. Listen now — and if you’re in Brisbane, you might even want to join a community run (koalas included). Support the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    50 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Episode #210. Don’t Break Their Spirit. Learnt helplessness in the AI era. Professor Selena Bartlett

    What happens when we mistake compliance for strength? In this episode of Thriving Minds, Professor Selena Bartlett explores a powerful and confronting conversation with a man who was proud of the physical punishment he received as a child. He believed it made him disciplined. He believed it taught him consequences. He believed it made him better. But beneath that story lies a deeper question: when does discipline build character, and when does it condition helplessness? Drawing on neuroscience, behavioural science, and parallels from the multi-billion-dollar horse industry, Selena unpacks the psychology of learned helplessness — the state that occurs when repeated stress teaches a nervous system that effort does not change outcomes. A quiet being is not always a regulated being. Sometimes it is a shut-down one. From parenting to leadership, from classrooms shaped by industrial efficiency to the rise of AI-driven optimisation, this episode challenges us to rethink control, compliance, and the architecture of agency. True resilience is not built through fear. It is built through co-regulation, relationship, and adults who can pause rather than react. If we want thriving minds, communities, and countries, we must ask ourselves: Are we building agency — or perfecting compliance? #ThrivingMinds  #LearnedHelplessness  #IntergenerationalTrauma  #AgencyMatters  #Neuroscience  #Parenting  #Leadership  #Resilience  #EmotionalRegulation  #CoRegulation  #HumanDevelopment  #BeyondCompliance  #DontBreakTheirSpirit Support the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    11 min

  3. FEB 7

    Episode #209. "Authenticity" may become the word for 2026? Conversation with Ellie Murphy, Founder of Storitiv.

    In this episode of Thriving Minds, Professor Selena Bartlett is joined by Ellie Murphy, founder of Storitiv, to explore why authenticity is becoming one of the most important human skills in an AI-mediated world. As technology makes it easier than ever to generate polished language, profiles, and narratives, many people are sensing a growing gap between how they present themselves and what feels true underneath. This conversation examines why that gap matters, how humans are wired to detect authenticity, and why trust, consistency, and follow-through remain central to meaningful work and relationships. Drawing on neuroscience, evolutionary insight, and lived experience, Selena and Ellie discuss authenticity not as branding or performance, but as alignment. They explore why oversharing isn’t the same as honesty, how misalignment shows up in the nervous system, and why trust is a key driver of productivity, speed, and psychological safety at work. This episode is for anyone who feels that the story they’re telling no longer quite fits, and who is navigating leadership, identity, or connection in a world where words are easy to polish, but truth is still felt. In this episode, we explore: Why humans are built to detect authenticityThe neuroscience of trust, predictability, and alignmentHow AI changes storytelling and perceptionWhy trust accelerates work and strengthens relationshipsWhat it means to align truth and presentation in modern life🎧 Thriving Minds explores brain health, human connection, and what it takes to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Support the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    47 min

  4. JAN 22

    Episode #208. Welcome 2026. From Crisis to Care: Seeing humanity in mental health prevention and treatment, Professor Sharon Lawn, Executive Director Lived Experience Australia

    The podcast episode featured a conversation with Professor Sharon Lawn about mental health systems, lived experience, and the importance of humanising care for individuals with mental health challenges.  We discuss the need for more person-centered, compassionate approaches in mental health services and the value of incorporating lived experience perspectives into research, policy, and practice. The conversation emphasized the significance of community support, everyday acts of kindness, and treating individuals with dignity beyond their diagnoses to transform mental health care systems. Sharon covered several key topics: Personal and Professional Background Sharon's journey shaped by rural upbringing, family openness about mental health, and early career experiences working with veterans at a psychiatric hospitalHer observational approach to understanding mental health systems and power dynamicsLived Experience in Mental Health Definition and importance of lived experience work in valuing individuals' perspectivesHow to intentionally use lived experience to create understanding and humanize mental health servicesChallenges of incorporating lived experience safely and effectively in professional contextsDehumanisation and Systemic Issues The contrast between seeing people as humans versus focusing solely on diagnoses and symptomsProblems with impersonal language, labeling, and assumptions in mental health careHow systems deflect responsibility by labeling patients as "non-compliant" or "too complex"Transforming Mental Health Services The need for services to reach people in their own spaces rather than requiring them to seek helpImportance of person-centered, proactive approaches versus crisis-driven systemsValue of both formal and informal support systems, including community organizationsHumanisation and Connection Practical ways to show compassion through everyday acts like using people's names, bringing flowers to hospital visitsThe significance of small human connections and being seenBuilding community through simple gestures of kindness and acknowledgmentBased on the meeting discussion, Sharon Lawn recommends several specific changes for mental health systems: Shift from Crisis-Driven to Proactive Care Services should reach out to people in their own spaces rather than requiring them to seek helpMove away from reactive, crisis-driven approaches to more accessible, preventive careHumanise and Personalise Services Use people's names and treat them with dignity and respectSee individuals beyond their labels and diagnoses, recognizing their strengths and skillsStop using impersonal language and dehumanizing practicesIncorporate Lived Experience Increase representation of people with lived experience in the workforceValue and integrate lived experience perspectives into research, policy, and practice at every levelCreate safe spaces for people to share their experiences without reducing them to mere "performances"Respect Autonomy and Rights Recognize individuals' autonomy and human rights in treatment settingsStop deflecting responsibility by labeling patients as "non-compliant" or "too complex"Integrate Formal and Informal Support Recognize the value of both professional services and community-based organizations run by people with lived experienceSupport the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    52 min

  5. 12/09/2025

    Episode #207. Thank you for listening and a Blueprint for Feeling Good to Finish out 2025.

    Episode #207 marks a moment of deep gratitude and reflection. In this special episode, I look back on the journey that shaped Thriving Minds from the early days of questioning how the brain works, through decades of neuroscience, to the new era we are stepping into together. This episode explores how early life experiences shape the nervous system, why connection is a biological regulator, and how compassion, presence and daily habits drive real neuroplastic change and where AI and digital technologies will transform how we detect anxiety, personalise support, and understand the social brain, while reminding us that healing will always come from human connection. We close the episode with the key takeaways from 2025—lessons to carry forward: Connection is medicine. Our brains regulate each other; synchrony is measurable and essential.Healing is relational. Being seen, understood and met with compassion changes the brain.Neuroplasticity is always possible. Small, consistent actions reshape circuits across the lifespan.ACEs matter, but they are not destiny. With awareness and support, resilience can be built at any age.Digital life must be redesigned for wellbeing. AI can enhance support—but human presence is irreplaceable.We are each other’s environment. The communities we build shape the next three generations.A hopeful, science-grounded blueprint for anyone seeking resilience, clarity and a future built on seeing and supporting one another as we close out 2025. Support the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    25 min

  6. 12/06/2025

    #206: Thriving Minds 2026: The Future is Connection, Healing & Human Potential

    2025 has felt like a turning point. Across this year’s Thriving Minds conversations—from brain health and dementia, to stress, team flow, near-death experiences, and the “neuroscience of two”—one message keeps rising to the surface: We are only just beginning to understand how powerful we are for each other’s brains. In this special reflection episode, I explore what we learned in 2025 and where Thriving Minds is heading next, at the intersection of neuroscience, healing, neuroplasticity and community. We dive into the major shifts reshaping neuroscience today:  • The move from snapshots to living, dynamic brains, made possible by new imaging and genomic tools.  • The neuroscience of two (and many) with insights from Dr Joy Hirsch on interbrain synchrony and why being in the same room matters.  • Bioelectricity, fields and consciousness, inspired by conversations with Dr Bruce Greyson on near-death experiences.  • A “middle way” that unites rigorous science with lived experience, trauma, recovery and human stories. We discuss how healing is changing—from a symptom-focused view to a relational, systemic model—where early life experiences shape the nervous system, and being truly seen becomes a biological event that calms and connects the brain. We revisit practical lessons in neuroplasticity and resilience: small daily actions that build new habits, strategies that strengthen the prefrontal cortex, and a shift from deficits to capacity—especially important in ageing, dementia and mental health. And we explore the powerful truth revealed again and again this year:  Community is part of our neurobiology.  Humans regulate each other. Team flow, synchrony, compassion and presence activate brain networks that cannot be accessed alone or online. Finally, we look ahead to the future of Thriving Minds:  bringing connection neuroscience into real-world settings, designing homes, schools and workplaces aligned with what we now know about the brain, and continuing to build a bridge between science and lived experience. If these ideas resonate, subscribe to the Thriving Minds podcast and join the growing community working toward a more hopeful, brain-wise future. We change our brains—and each other’s—every day.  The opportunity for the next decade is to do it consciously, together. #ConnectionNeuroscience #ThrivingMinds #Neuroscience2026 #BrainHealth #HumanConnection #InterbrainSynchrony #Neuroplasticity #CollectiveIntelligence #CommunityHealing #RelationalNeuroscience Support the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    16 min

  7. 11/08/2025

    Episode #205: DeepDive: The Strongest Shield: Why Parental Discomfort is the Biggest Threat to Child Safety and the Two Proactive Tools Every Adult Needs Now, Feather Berkower Expert Tips

    Thriving Minds Podcast Deep Dive: Building a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Team Hosted by Professor Selena Bartlett Expert: Feather Berkower, Author of Off Limits: A Parent’s Guide to Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Abuse The top 5 things to keep children safe in the digital age. Feather challenges the outdated belief that children should be responsible for protecting themselves. Instead, she empowers adults to take charge by building what she calls a “Prevention Team.” This team includes everyone in your child’s world—teachers, coaches, grandparents, babysitters—and sets clear boundaries and safety rules that deter potential offenders before they ever gain access. It is the small, brave conversations that can make a lifelong difference. From teaching kids the difference between secrets and surprises, to addressing online grooming and exposure to pornography, Feather shows how open, honest, and continuous dialogue is the most powerful protection tool we have. Top 5 Takeaways for Parents Adults are responsible, not children, for preventing abuse.Talk, talk, talk—and don’t stop talking about body safety.Build your Prevention Team by having explicit boundary conversations with anyone who cares for your child.Discomfort is protective—feeling awkward now prevents trauma later.Use practical tools like Off Limits and Feather’s Conversation Starter Cards to begin these vital discussions today.This episode will leave you informed, empowered, and ready to create a safer world for children—one conversation at a time. Support the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    8 min

  8. 10/21/2025

    Episode #204 Let Them be Seen. Because healing begins when we choose to see — and to be seen.

    Neuroscience now shows us that human connection changes the brain. Walking high above the forest floor on the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk in Western Australia, I felt what real strength looks like. The giant tingle trees reach for the light, but their power doesn’t come from standing alone. Under the soil, their roots and fungi form a living web, sharing water, nutrients, and information. Each tree depends on the health of the whole forest. That is what thriving organisations do too. Leadership as Connection After that walk, I gave a presentation at the Optus Stadium to early childhood educators, as part of the Child Australia conference. They reminded me that leadership isn’t about control. It’s about creating the right conditions for others to grow. They help children learn through safety, play, and connection. They build trust first, then learning follows. It’s the same in every organisation. When people feel safe, supported, and seen, they do their best work. Leadership is no different. It’s not about control, it’s about connection. When people feel seen and supported, they bring their best ideas forward. When leaders make space for visibility, empathy, and trust, the whole system begins to flow. A healthy organisation works like an ecosystem: it doesn’t rely on one strong trunk, but on many connected roots. Leaders who create these conditions don’t need to push growth, it happens naturally. Like the forest, their teams become alive with creativity and flow. “Raising children is an art. It’s about creating the conditions that allow them to thrive as their unique selves"  When people feel seen, their stress circuits quiet down, and the brain’s higher networks — for creativity, empathy, and problem-solving turn on. That’s how safety becomes innovation. Minimize image Edit image Delete image Creating Conditions for Flow Walking among those ancient trees reminded me that growth doesn’t come from control. You can’t force a tree to grow, and you can only create the right light, water, and soil. Leadership works the same way. Our role is to build the conditions where people feel trusted and visible. When they do, they begin to synchronise, share ideas, and thrive together. This happens in great conversations, in creative teams, and in organisations where leaders listen more than they direct. The result? Collective intelligence. Decisions become faster, ideas flow freely, and people feel energised rather than exhausted. Most importantly people feel free to say where there are problems and why the idea might fail. Boundaries protect us. But being seen transforms us. Read Visible: Rewiring Your Brain for Love, Resilience, and the Courage to Be Seen https://www.amazon.com.au/VISIBLE-Rewiring-Brain-Resilience-Courage/dp/0999099744 Support the show Subscribe and support the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

    34 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Do you want to learn how to build resilience, boost your cognitive performance, and achieve mental agility? Then it's time to discover the exciting world of brain health and fitness with Thriving Minds. Hosted by renowned neuroscientist Professor Selena Bartlett, Thriving Minds is a podcast dedicated to exploring the latest advances in brain science education. With decades of experience studying addiction, stress, and mental health, Professor Bartlett is a true expert in her field. And she's on a mission to empower people to take control of their mental and physical well-being. So what makes Thriving Minds so unique? It's not just about theory – it's about practical tips and simple tools that you can use to improve your brain health and fitness right now.  From understanding how stress wires the brain, the power of cold exposure, nutrition and exercise and connection. Thriving Minds is also a deep dive into cutting-edge brain science and digital technology. From neuroplasticity to brain imaging, Professor Bartlett and her team are at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field. They're exploring the latest research and innovations and sharing their insights with listeners around the world.And the best part? Let's make brain health everyone's business. They're inspiring people to take action and create a culture of mental fitness, where people prioritise their brain health as much as their physical health.  Tune in to the podcast and discover the secrets of brain health and fitness. Whether you're looking to boost your cognitive performance, reduce stress, or improve your overall well-being, Selena and her team are here to help you thrive. The opinions expressed in the podcast are Selena Bartlett's personal opinion and her guests. They are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, psychology or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The opinions in the podcast do not reflect the opinion of Queensland University of Technology.

Information

  • Creator
    Professor Selena Bartlett, Neuroscientist, Brain Health is Everyone's Business
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    211
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 THRIVING MINDS PODCAST
  • Show Website
    THRIVING MINDS PODCAST

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