Home Podcasts Life Matters - Full program podcast
Life Matters - Full program podcast

Life Matters - Full program podcast

ABC Australia 245 episodes Latest Jun 1, 2026

Life Matters helps you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world. With trusted experts and your stories, it's all about what matters to you.

Episodes

AI anxiety and fibbing about your religion for the greater good Jun 11, 2026 0:53:09 According to a 2026 report from Stanford University, Australians are among the heaviest intentional users of AI in the world — and yet, many of us don't trust it. It's a complicated relationship. So how are you feeling about the way AI is showing up in your relationships, your work, your daily life? Download This Show host Rae Johnston and psychotherapist Andrew Sloan unpick what
Dealing with anxiety after a health scare and chasing happiness Jun 10, 2026 0:55:05 After hanging up the Olympic swimming goggles, growing and birthing five beautiful children, Libby Trickett was ready to make her 40s the decade of health and fitness. But last June she had what she would later find out was a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) heart attack. She joins Dr Barbara Murphy to talk through dealing with the ongoing anxiety that often comes af
Using maths to make the 'perfect' decision and why communities need trees and bookstores Jun 9, 2026 0:53:31 In the 1970s, the late physicist and Nobel laureate Richard Feynman came up with a mathematical formula to help his friend decide what to order at their favourite restaurant. The trouble is, no-one could decipher the handwriting — until now. Self-proclaimed maths geek Adam B Spencer and psychotherapist Zoë Krupka explore the answers to decision paralysis.When you think about the
Our plastic shame and how to deal with dyslexia at work Jun 8, 2026 0:54:22 Australia uses 1.3 million tonnes of plastic packaging every year — and the majority of that packaging ends up in landfill. Exemptions that allow some companies to export certain types of plastic waste are being wound back. So does Australia have the capacity — and the market — to make recycling work?Dyslexia can make everyday tasks really difficult, and take a huge toll on self
What Dr Billy Garvey wants you to know about raising boys and reflecting on Richard Scolyer's legacy Jun 7, 2026 0:54:36 Helping you figure out all the big stuff in life: relationships, health, money, work and the world.
Where looksmaxxing crosses the line and the guilt of pet regret Jun 4, 2026 0:54:29 In an era where we have access to the technology, surgery and drugs to modify every aspect of our appearance, how can we build a relationship with our selves based on compassion and acceptance? Clinical psychologists Louise Adams and Zac Seidler explore the world of looksmaxxing and what's behind the human desire to feel attractive.This week, Aunties Michelle Law and James Findla
Can we reset the ragebait machine and how to get better rest Jun 3, 2026 0:55:03 Ten years ago, Facebook updated its platform to introduce new ways to interact with posts you see in your feed. Alongside a range of smiley face emojis sat a one-click shortcut to the most powerful emotion of all: anger. In the years since, it seems our online appetite for anger has only grown, with algorithms amplifying 60-second rants and spicy hot takes. Ed Coper, author of An
Intergenerational BFFs and online nostalgia communities Jun 2, 2026 0:55:04 Most of us make friends with people around our own age, and we bond over the things we're all navigating at the same stage of life. But there's something valuable in friendships that span generations, too. Reporter Alice Angeloni and her friend Clive share how they bonded after a chance meeting in a cafe, and researcher Ruth Peters explains the health benefits of intergenerationa
What losing his son taught this dad about fatherhood and recovering scam losses Jun 1, 2026 0:58:12 Lawyer and educator Adair Donaldson is navigating a kind of grief that no parent should ever have to go through. Earlier this year, his son Oliver, the youngest of four boys, died suddenly. He was 19. In the midst of processing the enormity of this loss, he has been reflecting on what it means to be a good dad to boys, and turning these reflections into a series of letters — Dear
Fixing our social media feeds and planning a new city in space May 31, 2026 0:55:08 Australia's social media ban has been in place for six months — with mixed reports on its success. For teens managing to bypass the ban, they're still swimming in the same addictive stream of harmful content. But could we change the way these algorithms work, and make social media a better place for everyone? Consent campaigner Chanel Contos and AI tech reporter Cam Wilson explai
How to talk about gambling and spotting a romance scam May 28, 2026 0:54:03 The odds are, gambling is part of your life or the life of someone you know. It's a national pastime woven into Australian culture, so talking about the harms it brings can be tricky. Advocate Kate Seselja and clinical psychologist Kate Fennessy explain when it's time to seek help, and why there's still such serious stigma around gambling addiction.This week, Aunties Nate Byrne a
How coral became big business and a new system for job seekers May 27, 2026 0:55:05 Each year up to 190 tonnes of coral is allowed to be harvested from the Great Barrier Reef, making Australia the second-largest exporter in the world. While those in the industry say it's a highly regulated space, conservationists are calling for an end to the trade. Third-generation coral farmer Lyle Squire Jr, conservation campaigner Simon Miller and conservation biologist Jon

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