Conversations

Toxic people are around us in our workplaces, our families and our dating lives. Research psychologist Leanne ten Brinke is here to tell you how to spot them, and get rid of them from your orbit.
Leanne ten Brinke is a research psychologist whose special area of expertise is what she calls 'dark personality types'.
These are particularly cruel, malicious, manipulative people who lack empathy, people who are psychopaths, narcissists or sadists.
Psychologists estimate than one per cent of any population shows serious levels of psychopathy.
They walk among us in our workplaces and in our relationships, they could be an gaslighting partner, a narcissistic parent or a colleague who's a bully.
There are also more serious cases, like abusive husbands or murderous mothers.
Leanne also makes the point that any one of us is capable of losing our moral bearings or enabling malicious people by cheering them on, hiring them or voting them into office.
But there are ways to resist them, and make your own life the better for it.
Poisonous People: psychopathy, narcissism, manipulation, sadism: how to resist them and improve your life is published by Simon & Schuster Australia.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.
It explores toxic relationships, is my partner a narcissist, what to do about my narcissist mother, what to do about my toxic boss, how many psychopaths are there, sadism, serial killers, morality, amorality, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, sociopath, Patric Gagne, anti-social personality disorders, thriller, scammers, dating world, escaping abuse, peaceful living, finding peace.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Born with a magnificent voice, Opera star Teddy Tahu Rhodes fought against his destiny for years until a letter he'd been avoiding reading changed everything (R)

Dr Nada Andric wants to improve the health of people who are marginalised in the community and their access to healthcare.
She works at the Reverend Bill Crews GP clinic, a place where people who might be completely off the database of society can get help.
Whether they're facing homelessness, dealing with mental health issues, addiction, or simply don't have a Medicare card or passport to their name. 
This year, the clinic in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield turns 40.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan, the Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.
It explores health care, addiction, homelessness, poverty, doctors, domestic violence, mental health, society, Reverend Bill Crews.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Two-time World Debating champion Bo Seo on how love and listening can improve how we disagree, so we're not at each other's throats online and offline (R).
When Bo was 8 years old, he and his parents migrated from Korea to Australia. 
Bo was a quiet boy and sometimes felt overwhelmed at school. 
But in Year Five, something happened which changed his life: one of his teachers introduced Bo to debating.Debating became a way for Bo to excel socially and academically. 
He went on to win world titles for Australia and for Harvard University.
Now Bo is sharing insights from the strategy, structure and history of debating to try to encourage all of us to disagree better.
Originally broadcast in May 2023.
Good Arguments is published by Simon and Schuster.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.
It explores keyboard warriors, how to argue well, communication skills, how to disagree without offending, writing, responding not reacting, self reflection, how to get your point across, books, agreements, disagreements, law, lawyers, legal industry, author, journalist, Harvard University, community building, how to build community, how to have constructive conversations, political divide.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Stephen Grosz has welcomed people into his office for more than 40 years, and believes our greatest task in life is to see ourselves and others with more clarity, in order to live more easily and with more please.
Stephen has sat with people as they have shared their darkest fears, strangest dreams and their most explosive love affairs.
Through thousands of hours of these conversations, he has tried to help patients understand themselves so they can live with more ease and with greater satisfaction.
Stephen believes our greatest task in life is to see ourselves and others with more clarity.
That's the quest that his driven his work dissecting compelling stories of love, desire and heartbreak from his consulting room.
Love's Labour is published by Penguin.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Jennifer Leake. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.
It explores therapy, love, marriage, relationships, writing, books, analysis, counselling, introspection, looking inwards, how to self reflect, how to survive heartbreak, what do I do with desire, how to live a fulfilling life, how we lose and find ourselves, United States, University of California Berkeley, Oxford, Institute of Psychoanalysis, mental wellbeing, University College of London.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.