Join me on the Dot to Dot podcast, where we link psychology to daily life. I explore the amazing abilities of the human mind and offer useful advice to improve your happiness and success. Listen to uncover your brain's potential and learn how to succeed in today's busy world. Subscribe for a better tomorrow.

The Dot to Dot Podcast

Resilience Kit - 1 of 3

In this mini-series, we’re delving into how emotional resilience can equip you to face life’s challenges with strength and grace. Drawing on experience of working with frontliners in the pandemic and years of applying strategies with surgeons and leaders these approaches are science backed and tried and true.

Prof Jessica Calarco

Jessica Calarco, author of Holding It Together: How Women Became America's Social Safety Net discusses the hidden realities that many mothers face today and how these experiences reveal far deeper long standing societal challenges around gender roles and economic inequality.

5 Practices to Stay Grounded in Tough Times

If you're feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges I'm hoping this may help. On this episode I dive into practical strategies and psychological insights to help you regain control and find calm amidst the chaos. Whether you're facing personal or professional hurdles, discover how to navigate them with resilience and grace.

Tori Murden McClure

Tori Murden McClure, retired President of Spalding University, athlete, adventurer, chaplain, lawyer - was the first American and first women to row the Atlantic solo. She was also the first woman and first American to ski to the geographic South Pole and the first woman to climb the Lewis Nunatak in the Antarctic. A humble, generous, intelligent and inspiring woman, this is a conversation well worth listening to.

Andrew Bustamante

Fiona speaks to Andrew Bustamante, a former covert CIA intelligence officer exploring the psychology of being a spy, the importance of self-awareness and optimizing recovery. Andrew discusses the extreme cognitive load officers face and the crucial need for a safe space to recover. Failure to manage this isn't just burnout; it can turn a spy into a major liability to the operation and their own life.

Dr. Corey Keyes Part 1

Dr. Corey Keyes, a sociologist and the person who coined the terms languishing and flourishing and as a survivor of childhood abuse to flourishing shares his story which is both moving and inspiring. Dr. Keyes also explains insights on the mental health continuum and the vital role of social support in overcoming adversity.

Dr. Corey Keyes Part 2

n this episode Dr. Corey Keyes, dives into the transformative power of "psychological vitamins"—key activities like helping others, continuous learning, and building meaningful connections that can significantly boost our mental well-being if focussed in the right way. Dr. Keyes critiques the heavy reliance on medication for mental health treatment and advocates for a preventive approach to foster flourishing and long-term recovery.

Dr. Russ Harris

Russ Harris is a doctor, therapist, and international best-selling author known for his passion, humor, and insight. His expertise in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) has made it accessible to thousands globally. Harris has translated ACT into practical tools, helping people in everyday situations to refugees with the World Health Organisation in Uganda, Syria, and Turkey.

Dr. Wu Nordahl

Autism in girls, how the autistic brain experiences anxiety differently to a typical brain and what this looks like in the developing brain. Dr. Christine Wu Nordahl is a neuroscientist from University California Davis pushing the boundaries on the study of these areas.

Kenny Wilson

Some of the topics we explore this week - How a school boy en route to becoming a professional footballer ended up as CEO of Dr Marten’s, why a belief that ‘the harder you work the luckier you get’ can only get you so far, how important it is to love what you do and why no matter how senior or successful you are you still learn from other people.

Sophie Green

This episode features Sophie Green, an award-winning conservation and wildlife artist known for her photorealistic animal portraits. Sophie shares her life journey, including her struggle with selective mutism as a child, which enhanced her ability to keenly observe and listen to people's words and reactions.

Professor George Bonanno

This episode features Professor George Bonanno from Columbia University, who challenges how we see many long-standing beliefs about trauma. It’s a hopeful picture that he paints.

Bhavin Visavadia

Bhavin is a senior Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who performs advanced reconstructive facial and head and neck surgery. Bhavin talks about the story of how he got into his specialism and the amazingly complex work that he and his team do to reconstruct faces.

Alex Wallace

In this episode Fiona speaks to the truly inspiring Alex Wallace, founder of the Mintridge Foundation (who Fiona partner’s with), about the influential role of positive sporting role models in inspiring today's youth. From personal experiences to mentoring programs, they explore how sports can shape identity, foster resilience, and support mental health in young people.

Zoiey Smale

Zoiey is a trailblazing inclusion activist who has made significant contributions to the world of sports. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she has worked her way up from being an athlete to becoming a highly respected inclusion consultant. In 2017, Grazia magazine recognized her as one of the top Black British influential figures in the UK.

Dr. Tasha Eurich

Tasha Eurich an organizational psychologist and New York Times best-selling author. Globally recognized as the #1 self-awareness coach Tasha says ‘There’s pretty much isn’t any positive outcome that better self-awareness doesn’t impact.’ She calls it a ‘meta skill’ for the 21st Century that’s not just about being effective at work but living and meaningful, fulfilling life.

Nabil Aliffi

Harper’s Bazare described Nabil Aliffi as ‘This London-based Singaporean wunderkind’, Fiona describes him as a friend, coachee and ‘One to Watch’ as he takes his continues to take his career as a Creative from strength to strength.

Maddy Anholt

Maddy is a comedian, actor, writer and Ambassador for Women's Aid. Her book, How to Leave Your Psychopath is both comic and light hearted while outlining a range of controlling relationships which classify as abusive in ways that often are not talked about.

Cody Royale

In Cody’s book The Tough Stuff: Seven Hard Truths About Being a Head Coach he talks about the things that just aren’t spoken about – the performance not just of the team but of the coach. How for example the emotional toll of not just loss and grief impacts your ability to coach, but so many factors such as media pressure, expectations of the public even selecting and deselecting team members each week. But who coaches the coach?

Be Real.Why Faking it Drains Your Energy

Exploring the concept of authenticity versus emotional labor, and the powerful difference between "being" and "seeming." Drawing from psychology and real-world examples, we discuss the hidden costs of faking emotions, both on our mental and physical well-being. We explore how leaders and everyday interactions are impacted by emotional labor and why choosing to be authentic can lead to stronger connections, better leadership, and a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Lola Olaore

In this episode, Fiona dives into the world of personal growth, mentorship, and social impact with Lola Olaore, the inspiring founder of bloss.m. Lola's journey, from her Harvard education focusing on Education Technology and the intersection of race and gender, to her role as a research analyst at prestigious institutions like Insper University and MIT D-Lab, showcases her dedication to empowering women and driving positive change.

Jordana Confino

In this episode, Fiona interviews Jordana Confino, a Yale Law School graduate, who after seven years of practicing law, is now following her passion as a lifestyle coach for high-achieving professionals.

You Plan. Life Laughs. Coping with Failure

Exploring the universal 'Fear of Failure'—how it stops us from taking risks and holds us back from reaching our full potential. We dive into the psychological roots of this fear, examining how personal experiences, upbringing, societal pressures, and even biology can shape our perception of failure.

Thomas Gelmi

Thomas Gelmi, is an expert in leadership development who shares strategies for nurturing high-performance teams and facilitating sustainable organizational change, highlighting the transformative impact of emotional intelligence.

Leila Rezaiguia

Leila Rezaiguia, is a a certified coach and accredited coach supervisor who in this episode shares her expertise in coaching. Leila is passionate about developing the next generation of executive coaches and establishing coaching cultures within organizations. In this episode she emphasizes the significance of coaching credentials, accreditations, and continuous professional development for coaches.

Leila Rezaiguia

Leila Rezaiguia, is a a certified coach and accredited coach supervisor who in this episode shares her expertise in coaching. Leila is passionate about developing the next generation of executive coaches and establishing coaching cultures within organizations. In this episode she emphasizes the significance of coaching credentials, accreditations, and continuous professional development for coaches.

Jude Sclater

Jude Sclater is author of 'Think Like a Coach' which explores a practical and accessible approach to coaching through the lens of scientific insight.