Home Podcasts Inside the Mind, Beyond the Desk

Inside the Mind, Beyond the Desk

Inside The Mind Beyond The Desk 11 Episodes Oct 10, 2026

This podcast explores the intersection of psychology and occupational therapy, examining how the brain and nervous system shape adult life. Topics include emotional regulation, executive functioning, attention, memory, time management, sensory processing, and rejection sensitivity. The conversations are evidence-informed and neuroaffirmative, translating brain science into practical strategies for everyday living.

Episodes

Episode 17: Adult Diagnosis of Neurodivergence Oct 10, 2026 00:41:32 What happens when you spend years trying to understand why everyday life feels harder or different for you?In this episode, Karen and Áine explore the psychological impact of undiagnosed neurodivergence and what it can mean to receive a diagnosis in adulthood. They discuss how years of misunderstanding your own needs can shape confidence, relationships and mental health, alongside the relief, grie

Episode 15 - The Neuroscience of Productivity: Why Your Brain Gets Things Done Oct 3, 2026 00:40:22 Why are some tasks easy to start while others feel almost impossible?In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, we explore the neuroscience of productivity and what is actually happening in the brain when we plan, start, focus and follow through.We look at motivation, attention, executive functioning, reward and energy, and why productivity is about much more than willpower or better tim

Episode 14 - When hormone health, brain health and everyday life collide Sep 18, 2026 00:30:23 What happens when hormone health, brain health and everyday life collide?In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, Dr Áine O’Dea, Occupational Therapist, joins Professor Mary Ryan, Consultant Endocrinologist, for a fascinating conversation about hormones, menopause, the busy brain, and how changes in our bodies can affect how we think, feel, and function.They explore brain fog and execu

Episode 13 - Dyspraxia: The Effort Behind Everyday Tasks Sep 5, 2026 00:48:12 Dyspraxia is often talked about in terms of coordination, but its impact can reach far beyond movement.In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, we explore dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), and what it can look like in everyday life.We discuss coordination, organisation, planning, fatigue, confidence and the extra effort that can go into tasks other peo

Episode 12 - Energy Management Aug 22, 2026 00:32:53 Why do some days leave us completely drained, even when we haven’t done that much?In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, we explore energy management and why managing your capacity can be just as important as managing your time.We talk about recognising what drains and restores us, planning around our energy rather than constantly pushing through, and finding more realistic ways to n

Episode 11: Hyperfocus: When Your Brain Won’t Let Go Aug 8, 2026 00:41:08 Ever sat down to do one thing and looked up three hours later wondering where the time went?In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, we’re talking about hyperfocus: that intense state of concentration where everything else seems to disappear.We explore why hyperfocus is often associated with ADHD and other neurodivergent brains, what might be happening with attention and motivation, an

Episode 10: When Rejection Feels Overwhelming: Understanding RSD Jul 25, 2026 00:52:11 Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, often shortened to RSD, describes the intense emotional distress some people experience in response to criticism, rejection, disappointment or the feeling that they have let someone down.In this episode, we explore why a small comment, change in tone or unanswered message can sometimes feel so painful, particularly for people with ADHD and other neurodivergent profil

Episode 9 - Decision Fatigue Jul 11, 2026 00:51:54 Decision Fatigue: Why Your Brain Feels Done Before the Day BeginsHow many decisions have you made before 9 a.m.? What to wear. What to eat. Where the missing school shoes are. Whether to answer that email now or later. By the time the day has properly started, your brain may already be running on empty.In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, we explore decision fatigue, the mental exh

Episode 8 - Getting things done Jun 26, 2026 00:45:29 Getting things done is not always about motivation or trying harder. For many people, the real challenge is starting, knowing where to begin, staying focused, and managing the overwhelm that can come with everyday tasks.In this episode, we explore task initiation, procrastination, planning, prioritising, and executive functioning through a psychology-informed lens. We look at why tasks can feel mu

Episode 7 - Time Management for Busy Brains Jun 13, 2026 00:46:45 Why does time seem to disappear, deadlines creep up unexpectedly, and even simple tasks take longer than planned?In this episode, we explore the reality of time management for neurodivergent adults and anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by competing demands. We unpack concepts such as time blindness, executive functioning, task initiation, procrastination, and the challenge of balancing prioriti

Episode 6 - Working Memory: Why Your Brain Keeps Dropping the Tabs Jun 1, 2026 00:49:31 Working memory is the brain’s ability to hold information in mind long enough to use it. It helps us follow instructions, keep track of conversations, remember what we walked into a room to do, organise tasks, and connect one step to the next.In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, we explore working memory from a psychology and therapy-informed perspective. We look at what working me

Episode 5: Masking: The cost of holding it all together May 16, 2026 00:35:34 Masking is not simply pretending. Often, it is a way of staying safe, fitting in, or avoiding judgement. But over time, constantly monitoring yourself can become exhausting.In this episode, we explore what masking is, why people do it, and the psychological cost of always “holding it together”. We look at masking through a therapy-informed lens, including neurodivergence, anxiety, emotional regula

Episode 4: Sensory Regulation May 2, 2026 00:35:05 Why do some days feel manageable while others feel overwhelming, even when the demands look the same?In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, Chartered Psychologist Karen Beckett and Occupational Therapist Dr Áine O’Dea explore sensory regulation and how the brain and nervous system respond to everyday demands.Sensory regulation refers to the ways our bodies and brains manage incoming

Episode 3 - What is Psychological Wellbeing? Apr 18, 2026 00:24:58 What does psychological wellbeing actually mean in everyday life and work?In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, Chartered Psychologist Karen Beckett and Occupational Therapist Dr Áine O’Dea explore the foundations of psychological wellbeing and why it matters more than ever in modern workplaces and daily life.Psychological wellbeing is often reduced to ideas of happiness or stress m

Episode 2: The Impact of the Sensory Environment Apr 4, 2026 00:54:05 The Sensory EnvironmentHow much does the environment around us shape how we think, work and regulate ourselves?In this episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, Chartered Psychologist Karen Beckett and Occupational Therapist Dr Áine O’Dea explore the powerful role that sensory environments play in attention, wellbeing and performance.Many people underestimate how strongly factors such as lighti

Episode 1: What is Neurodiversity and What Does it Mean for the Workplace? Mar 21, 2026 00:37:32 Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how human brains think, process information, regulate attention, and respond to the world around them. In this opening episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, Chartered Psychologist Karen Beckett and Occupational Therapist Dr Áine O’Dea introduce the concept of neurodiversity and explore what it means in everyday working life.Together, they

Episode 1 Trailer: What is Neurodiversity and What Does it Mean for the Workplace? Mar 17, 2026 00:02:29 Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how human brains think, process information, regulate attention, and respond to the world around them. In this opening episode of Inside the Mind: Beyond the Desk, Chartered Psychologist Karen Beckett and Occupational Therapist Dr Áine O’Dea introduce the concept of neurodiversity and explore what it means in everyday working life.Together, they

Inside the Mind, Beyond the Desk

Episodes

Recommended