Brain Food

Nourish your mind. Explore to restore.

How to make your brain more valuable (without going anywhere near a university)

Boost the return on your brain rental scheme with these simple tips.

5 Min

What I learned from my worst ever job

Sometimes it takes a terrible experience to truly appreciate the value of good psychological safety.

5 Min

Your life is about to get a whole lot more joyful

To find more joy there's one simple question you need to ask.

5 Min

Articles

articles

How to make your brain more valuable (without going anywhere near a university)

Boost the return on your brain rental scheme with these simple tips.

5 Min

What I learned from my worst ever job

Sometimes it takes a terrible experience to truly appreciate the value of good psychological safety.

5 Min

Your life is about to get a whole lot more joyful

To find more joy there's one simple question you need to ask.

5 Min

Supportive grounding

This practise enables you to centre your mind and body, reconnecting to a sense of grounded, balanced awareness. During the practise you are guided to anchor into the nourishing and soothing qualities of the breath. You are also guided to welcome and release tension and sensations in the legs and feet.

Basic grounding

This short, simple mindfulness workout will enable you to centre your mind and body and connect with the present moment.

Mindful breathing

Mindful breathing is a simple method for re-connecting with the present moment. This practise only takes a few minutes and can be used at any time, particularly if you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

Mindfulness

mindfulness

Supportive grounding

Basic grounding

This short, simple mindfulness workout will enable you to centre your mind and body and connect with the present moment.

Mindful breathing

Disrupting Distraction

The neuroscience of how mindfulness restores attention, vitality and wellbeing

A Little Spot Of Calm

5‑day mindfulness mini‑series

Therapy Demystified

What really happens when you see a psychologist

Events

events

Disrupting Distraction

The neuroscience of how mindfulness restores attention, vitality and wellbeing

A Little Spot Of Calm

5‑day mindfulness mini‑series

Therapy Demystified

What really happens when you see a psychologist

S1 E5 with plane crash survivor Guy “Digger” Boland

Listen to Guy Boland's story of remarkable resilience and discover what has helped most in his recovery.

S3 E1 Plain language can prevent suicide

Dean Bayliss, a proud Gomeroi man and CEO of Healing Works Australia, talks about suicide prevention among First Nation's People.

S2 E7 A life of purpose: ex-cop finds meaning after PTSD

We speak with former police officer James Maskey, who works at Fortem Australia, a not-for-profit wellbeing support organisation for first responders and their families.

Podcasts

podcasts

S1 E5 with plane crash survivor Guy “Digger” Boland

Listen to Guy Boland's story of remarkable resilience and discover what has helped most in his recovery.

S3 E1 Plain language can prevent suicide

Dean Bayliss, a proud Gomeroi man and CEO of Healing Works Australia, talks about suicide prevention among First Nation's People.

S2 E7 A life of purpose: ex-cop finds meaning after PTSD

We speak with former police officer James Maskey, who works at Fortem Australia, a not-for-profit wellbeing support organisation for first responders and their families.

A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.

- Simon Sinek

Listen always to understand, not to reply. In that soft pause of presence, trust begins to root and safety can finally grow.

- Mindarma

Being told not to worry about worrying is a hell loop, worse the Crazy Frog on repeat in a submarine.

- Suzi Ruffell

Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.

- Bell Hooks

The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time.

- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Distractions destroy action. If it’s not moving towards your purpose, leave it alone.

- Jermaine Riley

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.

- William James

A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.

- Herbert Simon

In the age of distraction, single-tasking is a superpower.

- Greg McKeown

The man who chases two rabbits catches neither.

- Confucius

The goal isn’t more money. The goal is living life on your terms.

- Chris Brogan

Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.

- Warren Buffett

We were made to live and work and play and heal in community. Our deepest strength lies in our ability to be there for one another. When we remember we belong to each other, everything changes.

- Wayne Muller

Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.

- Bell Hooks

The hunger to belong is at the heart of our nature. Cut off from others, we atrophy and turn in on ourselves.

- John O’ Donohue

The heart of man is very much like the sea; it has its storms, it has its tides, and in its depths, it has its pearls too

- Vincent Van Gogh

Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one.

- Socrates

The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places.

- Ernest Hemmingway

Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

- Albert Schweitzer

Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and most underrated agent of human change.

- Bob Kerrey

Quotes

quotes

A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.

- Simon Sinek

Listen always to understand, not to reply. In that soft pause of presence, trust begins to root and safety can finally grow.

- Mindarma

Being told not to worry about worrying is a hell loop, worse the Crazy Frog on repeat in a submarine.

- Suzi Ruffell

Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.

- Bell Hooks

The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time.

- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Distractions destroy action. If it’s not moving towards your purpose, leave it alone.

- Jermaine Riley

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.

- William James

A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.

- Herbert Simon

In the age of distraction, single-tasking is a superpower.

- Greg McKeown

The man who chases two rabbits catches neither.

- Confucius

The goal isn’t more money. The goal is living life on your terms.

- Chris Brogan

Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.

- Warren Buffett

We were made to live and work and play and heal in community. Our deepest strength lies in our ability to be there for one another. When we remember we belong to each other, everything changes.

- Wayne Muller

Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.

- Bell Hooks

The hunger to belong is at the heart of our nature. Cut off from others, we atrophy and turn in on ourselves.

- John O’ Donohue

The heart of man is very much like the sea; it has its storms, it has its tides, and in its depths, it has its pearls too

- Vincent Van Gogh

Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one.

- Socrates

The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places.

- Ernest Hemmingway

Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

- Albert Schweitzer

Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and most underrated agent of human change.

- Bob Kerrey

Outback Tom yarns with mob about being a good ally to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Yorta Yorta man Tom Forrest aka Outback Tom yarns with First Nations folks about how allies can actively participate in reconciliation and be there for mob.

Linda: unfinished journey

This is the story of Linda Burney, a woman who has overcome extraordinary adversity to become a great leader in the Australian community, described by the author as ‘the most remarkable woman I’ve ever met’.

Dadirri

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr discusses ‘Dadirri’, the practise of Deep Inner Listening and quiet still awareness, which connects us and nurtures spiritual well-being

Indigenous Wisdom

wisdom

Outback Tom yarns with mob about being a good ally to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Yorta Yorta man Tom Forrest aka Outback Tom yarns with First Nations folks about how allies can actively participate in reconciliation and be there for mob.

Linda: unfinished journey

Dadirri

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr discusses ‘Dadirri’, the practise of Deep Inner Listening and quiet still awareness, which connects us and nurtures spiritual well-being

Frog: The Secret Diary of a Paramedic by Sally Gould

Sally Gould

In Frog, Sally Gould shares a raw, witty memoir of paramedic life—trauma, absurdity, resilience, and dark humour—revealing the hidden emotional toll behind the sirens.

The Psychology of Meditation : Research & Practice

Michael A West

In the past 20 years meditation has grown enormously in popularity across the world, practised both by the general public, as well as by an increasing number of psychologists within their daily clinical practice. Meditation is now used to treat a range of disorders, including, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, chronic pain, and addiction. In the past twenty years we have also learned much more about the underlying neural bases for meditation, and why it works.The Psychology of Meditation: Research and Practice explores the practice of meditation and mindfulness and presents accounts of the cognitive and emotional processes elicitedduring meditation practice. Written by researchers and practitioners with considerable experience in meditation practice and from different religious or philosophical perspectives, he book examines the evidence for the effects of meditation on emotional and physical well-being in therapeutic contexts and in applied settings. The areas covered include addictions, pain management, psychotherapy, physical health, neuroscience, and the application of meditation in school and workplace settings.Uniquely, the contributors also present accounts of their own personal experience of meditation practice including their history of practice, phenomenology, and the impact it has had on their lives.Drawing on evidence from both research and practice, this is a valuable synthesis of the ways in which meditation can profoundly enrich human experience.

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions

We all want to avoid pain, but letting it in—and responding compassionately to our own imperfections, without judgment or self-blame—are essential steps on the path to healing. This wise and eloquent book illuminates the power of self-compassion and offers creative, scientifically grounded strategies for putting it into action.

Books

books

Frog: The Secret Diary of a Paramedic by Sally Gould

Sally Gould

In Frog, Sally Gould shares a raw, witty memoir of paramedic life—trauma, absurdity, resilience, and dark humour—revealing the hidden emotional toll behind the sirens.

The Psychology of Meditation : Research & Practice

Michael A West

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions

Workplace Mental Health - all you need to know (for now)

In this relatable TED talk, Tom Oxley explores how work impacts our mental health and the powerful ways in which leaders and managers can support better mental health.

Stress is inevitable, but suffering isn’t. 3 experts explain.

A physician, a psychologist, and a mindfulness teacher explain what stress does to your body and mind, and how to use it to get smarter and stronger.

Stressing about aging damages your brain, shortens your life

In this video, author Ashton Applewhite explains warns that worrying about getting older may harm both brain health and longevity.

Videos

videos

Workplace Mental Health - all you need to know (for now)

In this relatable TED talk, Tom Oxley explores how work impacts our mental health and the powerful ways in which leaders and managers can support better mental health.

Stress is inevitable, but suffering isn’t. 3 experts explain.

A physician, a psychologist, and a mindfulness teacher explain what stress does to your body and mind, and how to use it to get smarter and stronger.

Stressing about aging damages your brain, shortens your life

In this video, author Ashton Applewhite explains warns that worrying about getting older may harm both brain health and longevity.

“The very process made me happier!” Is pleasure research an affective intervention?

This study found that participating in online pleasure-focused research moments led to small boosts in positive affect and larger drops in negative affect, suggesting that the process of answering pleasure questions can itself enhance mood.

Why do we feel lonely? A longitudinal study using the data from the State of the Nation Report

A deep dive into how different life circumstances contribute to persistent loneliness and social isolation.

How do we create mentally healthy workplaces?

If you are looking to take action and create a mentally healthier workplace, this report provides an excellent starting point. Discover six key areas and strategies which are important in protecting and supporting mental health.

Research

research

“The very process made me happier!” Is pleasure research an affective intervention?

Why do we feel lonely? A longitudinal study using the data from the State of the Nation Report

A deep dive into how different life circumstances contribute to persistent loneliness and social isolation.

How do we create mentally healthy workplaces?

Colouring in: afternoon cup of tea

Suitable for teen & adult

Take a mindful pause as you drink your tea slowly and reverently.

Open PDF

Gratitude list

Suitable for primary age & teen

Write a list of 5 things you are grateful for, and then add some colour.

Open PDF

Colouring in: robot

Suitable for preschool & primary age

Add some colour to Rodney the Robot and remember, showing emotion doesn’t make you weak, it makes you less of a robot and more human.

Open PDF

Activities

activities

Colouring in: afternoon cup of tea

Suitable for teen & adult

Take a mindful pause as you drink your tea slowly and reverently.

Open PDF

Gratitude list

Suitable for primary age & teen

Write a list of 5 things you are grateful for, and then add some colour.

Open PDF

Colouring in: robot

Suitable for preschool & primary age

Add some colour to Rodney the Robot and remember, showing emotion doesn’t make you weak, it makes you less of a robot and more human.

Open PDF

The National Pleasure Audit

The National Pleasure Audit (Australia) is a research project aimed at providing a snapshot of the nature and extent of Australians’ pleasures.

1800RESPECT

Provides free counselling plus a support toolkit (via Text/Chat/Phone 24/7)

Small Business Debt Helpline

The Small Business Debt Helpline (SBDH) offers free, independent, and confidential advice to small businesses and sole traders in financial distress via phone (1800 413 828) and web chat.

Explore more

explore-more

The National Pleasure Audit

The National Pleasure Audit (Australia) is a research project aimed at providing a snapshot of the nature and extent of Australians’ pleasures.

1800RESPECT

Provides free counselling plus a support toolkit (via Text/Chat/Phone 24/7)

Small Business Debt Helpline

The Small Business Debt Helpline (SBDH) offers free, independent, and confidential advice to small businesses and sole traders in financial distress via phone (1800 413 828) and web chat.