Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

Host Dr Paul Taylor, a Psychophysiologist, Neuroscientist, Exercise Scientist, and Nutritionist interviews experts from around the world on cutting edge research and practices related to improving hardiness in your mind, body and brain to become your best self.

Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor is a education podcast hosted by Paul Taylor, with 712 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Paul Taylor hosts Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor, a education show with 712 episodes published.

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  Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

  The Best Stressed-Out Mum I Can Be With Carly Taylor

  Aug 30, 20266 min

  This week Carly turns to something we all wrestle with, accepting our own human nature. She shares a personal example of what she's been struggling with lately, and the small shift in thinking that took the sting out of it. Carly is a counsellor and coach who specialises in building psychological hardiness, which is the ability to navigate challenge, stay engaged, and take meaningful action under pressure. Her work integrates modern psychology with Eastern and Stoic approaches, helping people build resilience, live with purpose, and respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity, courage and steadiness.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

  Your Magical Mitochondria - and How to Optimise Them, with Dr Olivia Lesslar

  Aug 28, 202659 min

  Your anxiety might be a signal, not the problem. Dr. Olivia Lesslar and I break down why chronic stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the body’s threat-detection systems can leave you exhausted, inflamed, and stuck in survival mode - and what to do about it. If you’ve been told your symptoms are “just stress,” this conversation will feel like a revelation. Olivia explains how the mind-body connection shows up in complex chronic illness, why mitochondria act like cellular decision-makers, and how the cell danger response can push the body into energy-conserving hibernation when it senses threat. Olivia also shares her framework for adaptive versus maladaptive responses, her thoughts on mitochondrial support nutrients like B vitamins, minerals, iron, copper, zinc, and ubiquinol, and why more is not always better when it comes to longevity tools, supplements, or training. She explains how light, heat, and frequency may be used to support healing in everything from wounds to neurodegenerative disease. You’ll discover: Why your brain, muscles, and mitochondria compete for finite resources How exercise can help or hurt depending on volume, recovery, and intensity The real science behind photo biomodulation, red light, near infrared, and sauna use Why sun exposure, sleep, and circadian timing change how your body handles stress How PEMF and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are being used in complex chronic conditions Why breath work can either calm your nervous system or send you into overdrive Time Stamps 00:00 - Introducing Dr Olivia Lesslar and her work in complex chronic illness 03:02 - Threat detection, stress appraisal, and why cortisol matters 05:40 - What mitochondria are and why they do more than make energy 10:48 - The cell danger response and how cells shift into repair mode 14:57 - Hormesis and why some stress can build resilience 16:07 - Muscle, mitochondria, and the problem with no ceiling on training 19:26 - Extreme exercise theory and the risks of too much volume 23:23 - What photo biomodulation is and how red light affects physiology 25:36 - Healing use cases for red and near infrared light 30:32 - Red light versus near infrared and when each is used 32:25 - Near infrared, heat shock proteins, and neurodegenerative disease 34:57 - Gut-brain axis applications and Parkinson’s research 36:36 - Mitochondrial support supplements and why personalization matters 41:05 - What PEMF is and why Olivia takes it seriously 47:11 - HBOT, pressure levels, and why more oxygen is not always better 52:43 - Breath work, nervous system control, and practical daily breathing Resources Website - https://www.drolivialesslar.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drolivialesslar/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drolivialesslar/?hl=en   If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

  The Alcohol Story Isn’t as Simple as You Think: Wisdom Wednesdays

  Aug 25, 202622 min

  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

  Four Stoic Steps to Reduce Your Struggle

  Aug 23, 20267 min

  This week's Mojo Monday looks at four Stoic steps for cutting down unnecessary suffering, starting with Epictetus's dichotomy of control: sorting what's actually within your control from what isn't, redirecting your attention toward your own response, pivoting into useful action once you've accepted the facts, and taking the view from above for perspective. It also unpacks the difference between rumination and genuine processing, and includes a reflection on ego, injustice, and why choosing not to react can be its own kind of strength. Carly is a counsellor and coach who specialises in building psychological hardiness, which is the ability to navigate challenge, stay engaged, and take meaningful action under pressure. Her work integrates modern psychology with Eastern and Stoic approaches, helping people build resilience, live with purpose, and respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity, courage and steadiness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

  The Children We Leave Behind with Dr. Geoff Masters AO

  Aug 21, 202650 min

  The education system is sending kids the wrong message about learning, ability, and success - and it’s leaving far too many behind. Dr. Geoff Masters reveals why age-based schooling, narrow assessment, and one-size-fits-all teaching are failing students, and what a smarter redesign could look like. Geoff is the former head of the Australian Council for Educational Research, explains the hidden lessons schools teach children: that learning is for pleasing others, that the body is separate from the mind, that learning happens alone, and that progress is just a sequence of disconnected content chunks. He shows how those assumptions shape disengagement, frustration, and the belief that some kids are simply “good” or “bad” learners. You’ll discover : Why 40 to 50 percent of students are disengaged in the middle years Why the top 10 percent in a year level can be five to six years ahead of the bottom 10 percent Why that makes the current model nearly impossible for one teacher to meet. Geoff also breaks down how assessment should change from “how well did you learn what I just taught?” to “where are you up to now, and what comes next? “We also unpack what schools can borrow from Finland, Hong Kong, and Wales, including multi-year learning spans, progression steps, and greater teacher autonomy. Geoff and I explore why scripted lessons and rigid standardisation often backfire, how teacher expectations shape student outcomes, and why rebuilding self-efficacy starts with showing children the progress they are already making.   Key Takeaways 00:30 - From science teacher to educational research leader 01:27 - How educational research shapes policy and school systems 02:18 - Why The Children We Leave Behind was written 04:39 - What the system teaches students about learning 05:45 - Learning as cognitive only, and the body being left out 06:52 - Learning as isolated and competitive rather than social 07:52 - The problem with treating learning as disconnected content chunks 09:45 - Why the early years handle learning better than the senior years 10:52 - University, relevance, and preparation for the real world 12:03 - What schools teach students about their ability as learners 13:53 - Disengagement in the middle years and the loss of agency 15:13 - Why age is a poor proxy for learning needs 17:09 - Why the system needs redesign, not just small fixes 19:23 - Moving from age-based grouping to individual learning pathways 20:29 - Why assessment should measure progress, not just completion 22:40 - Building self-efficacy by making progress visible 23:30 - Teacher expectations and their impact on student outcomes 25:16 - Why this is a whole-school and system-level challenge 26:56 - How much autonomy schools actually have 27:25 - Rethinking learning across year spans instead of single year levels 29:37 - Examples from Finland and three-year schooling phases 31:41 - Wales and progression steps instead of year-level lockstep 32:46 - Why Finland’s teacher preparation and autonomy matter 34:15 - The downside of scripted lessons and excessive prescription 35:58 - Standardisation versus true evidence-based teaching 37:19 - What parents can do to support engagement and growth 38:44 - Whether learning styles are real and how schools should respond 40:22 - If education were redesigned from scratch 41:20 - Music, proficiency levels, and learning as a continuum 42:46 - Organising mathematics around proficiency levels 43:41 - Using growth data to guide teaching and communicate progress 44:58 - Why teacher quality and pay need to rise together 47:48 - What society values, and why education needs a new starting point   Resources Geoff’s book: The Children We Leave Behind LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-masters-a8526a88/ Institute for Educational Reform: https://educationalreform.org.au/who-we-are/   Support the Podcast If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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