Best Behaviour Lab Podcasts (2025)

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How to Tackle Bad Behaviour (with Dr Becky Kennedy) 45:35

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19d ago45:35

45:35

Clinical psychologist Dr Becky Kennedy thinks every child is “good inside” even when they’re behaving badly. So to tackle tantrums or rule-breaking, she argues that parents must set clear boundaries for acceptable behaviour, but also seek to understand why their children are misbehaving. If a child is acting "badly" because they are disappointed, s…

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The Two Words That Saved Mel Robbins (From A Slight Change of Plans) 37:30

18h ago37:30

37:30

We’re bringing you an episode of A Slight Change of Plans hosted by Dr. Maya Shankar - the behavioral scientist who also happens to be a former student of Dr Laurie. Maya sits down with bestselling author and popular podcast host Mel Robbins to talk about letting go of perfectionism and people pleasing, and how to cope when you lose control of a si…

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Ep 79 What Having a Baby Taught Me About Dog Training 21:48

3h ago21:48

21:48

Welcoming a baby into your home is a huge transition, and if you’ve got dogs, it can add a whole new layer of complexity. This episode pulls back the curtain on what it’s REALLY like to live through that change, not just plan for it. From what worked exactly as expected to what caught us completely off guard, there’s plenty we learned from the expe…

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#126: How to support staff mindset shifts around behaviour approaches 16:16

5d ago16:16

16:16

This episode is in response to a great question: How do you support staff through mindset shifts? Whether you’re leading a team or just quietly modelling a new way of doing things, this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISODE, I DISCUSS: Why change feels so threatening – and what’s really underneath the resistance How to lead culture change without lec…

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How Smartphones Changed Childhood (And What to do About it) 39:52

5d ago39:52

39:52

The happiness of young people has taken a big hit since the advent of the smartphone - and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that there is a direct link. He warns that allowing children easy access to the internet and social media adversely impacts their sleep, their self-esteem and even how their brains develop. Jonathan explains the dange…

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Ep 78 The Real Secret to Calming Your High-Energy Dog & You’ve Got My Attention! 15:40

10d ago15:40

15:40

If you’ve ever felt like your dog has a rocket booster attached to their tail, this episode is for you! We’re jumping back into the world of high-energy, over-the-top, can’t-sit-still dogs. You know the ones: they seem to think everything should happen at hyper speed. The ones that bounce off the walls, want to walk faster (or better yet, run!), wh…

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#125: Q&A: Dealing with the class clown, when students gang up on you, and motivating unmotivated learners. 20:35

11d ago20:35

20:35

This week I’m doing something a little different – answering your questions! I asked over on Instagram what you needed support with when it comes to behaviour, and wow… you delivered. In this episode, I’m giving practical advice for three of the big ones: What to do when students gang up on you How to motivate learners who refuse to try How to mana…

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How to Think Like a Child (with David Yeager) 35:06

12d ago35:06

35:06

Why do kids do disruptive, annoying or maddening things? Usually when children behave badly, the first thing adults do is yell at them, tell them they're bad and dole out punishments. Developmental psychologist David Yeager says that's the wrong approach. Instead parents need work out why their child made bad decisions in the first place. David is …

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Ep 77 Why Is My Dog Barking at the TV? (And What You Can Do About It) & Too Close for Comfort 15:16

17d ago15:16

15:16

Have you ever felt like your dog has a personal vendetta against the TV? You’re not alone! In this episode, we’re diving into a listener's question about a dog who just can’t stop barking at animals on the screen. It’s a surprisingly common problem with surprisingly few answers online, and it often leaves owners feeling stuck and overwhelmed (possi…

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#124: What to do when you’ve tried it all (and behaviour is STILL a battle). 11:22

18d ago11:22

11:22

You’ve followed the advice. You’ve implemented the strategies. You’ve worked your heart out – and still, that one student just isn’t responding. It feels hopeless. Like nothing’s shifting. Like all your effort is for nothing. If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I’ve tried everything, and it’s not working,” this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISOD…

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Ep 76 The Smart Way to Train in a Multi-Dog Household & Woody’s Song 15:01

24d ago15:01

15:01

Managing a multi-dog household can feel like juggling with one hand tied behind your back, especially when it comes to training. How does it even work and what are the steps? You’ve probably heard that working with your dogs one at a time is the way to go, but what does that actually look like in real life? What if your dogs struggle being apart, o…

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#123: How to stand tall and confident in front of your class (even in the midst of some tough as heck behaviours) 16:21

26d ago16:21

16:21

One thing nobody tells you before you step into a classroom is just how much behaviour will challenge you. Not just your strategies. You. Your nervous system. Your confidence. Your sense of self. In this episode, I’m talking about what it really feels like to manage behaviour in the moment – especially when you’re young, new, or not naturally loud …

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Is a "Viking" Childhood a Happier Childhood (with Helen Russell)? 38:56

26d ago38:56

38:56

Nordic countries are known to be happy - so should we all raise our children like the Scandinavians do? British parent Helen Russell moved to Denmark and was shocked that Danish children play outside in all weathers; are given sharp tools and they're shown how to light matches. In her book The Danish Secret to Happy Kids: How the Viking Way of Rais…

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Ep 75 Unlocking A Harness-Hating Puppy’s Superpowers for Calm, Confident Walks & She’s Got Moxie! 16:37

1M ago16:37

16:37

Is your puppy avoiding their harness or seeming less than thrilled about going for a walk? In this episode, we’re diving into why your dog might be dodging their harness (even if nothing traumatic happened) and how to reframe things and turn their walking gear into a “superhero cape” that sparks joy, calmness and confidence, transforming your walks…

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#122: “Miss, that deserves a detention!!” When students tell you how to do your job. 13:27

1M ago13:27

13:27

Students telling you who deserves a detention or questioning why you didn’t sanction someone? It’s frustrating, undermining – and it adds to the noise when you’re already handling behaviour. If this culture is creeping into your classroom, this episode will guide you on what to do next! IN THIS EPISODE, I DISCUSS: Why this dynamic is so frustrating…

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How Not to Repeat Your Parents' Mistakes (with Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach) 37:53

1M ago37:53

37:53

Parents are never perfect - but their mistakes can have a lasting impact on their children. We all carry with us ideas and attitudes planted in us during childhood - and they're not always very helpful for leading a happy life. How can we unlearn some of these things and also prevent ourselves from passing them on if we have kids? Glennon Doyle and…

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Reducing the Stress of Parenting with Dr Vivek Murthy 34:38

1M ago34:38

34:38

Too many parents feel “exhausted, burned out, and perpetually behind” according to the former US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy. He says more needs to be done to protect parental mental health. Vivek talks to Dr Laurie about his experience as a dad and the loneliness, guilt and shame parents can feel as they struggle with the challenges of raising…

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Ep 74 Preparing Your Dog to Welcome a (Skin) Baby & Windy Matilda 22:54

1M ago22:54

22:54

A baby is on the way! But this time, it’s a skin baby, not a fur baby! In this episode, we’re diving into how to prepare your dog for this new arrival, whether it’s a long-term addition or just a tiny visitor. From unpredictable sounds to strange new objects, babies bring a whole lot of novelty into a dog’s world. We talk about practical, low-stres…

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How to Build Resilience (with Ben Walter from The Unshakeables) 35:23

1M ago35:23

35:23

In a special episode brought to you by Chase for Business, Dr. Laurie joins Ben Walter—CEO of Chase for Business and host of The Unshakeables podcast—to talk about resilience. Dr. Laurie and Ben explore the story of Benjamin Haugh, founder of All Nation Restoration in Austin, Texas. Benjamin had a difficult start in life, and at a young age found h…

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#121: 4 steps to building confidence in your classroom management 19:35

1M ago19:35

19:35

If you’re drowning in behaviour… If you’re thinking, “I actually can’t keep doing this”… If you’re exhausted from trying everything and nothing’s sticking… You are not alone. And you are not the problem. Confidence in classroom management can come with time and experience. But often, it doesn’t. That’s why I created a clear path forward. In this ep…

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Ep 73 The Secret Link Between Allergies and Dog Behaviour & It’s a Lab Thing 17:48

1M ago17:48

17:48

Is your dog a little itchier than usual this time of year? Or maybe on and off all year round? In this episode, we’re diving into the world of allergies and the subtle ways they might be affecting your dog’s behaviour – even if you’ve never thought of them as an “allergic dog”. From a vet’s perspective, we explore how low-level itchiness can spill …

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#120: Your teaching IS your classroom management. Here are 3 ways to make it work for you 17:23

1M ago17:23

17:23

You’re trying to support every student – but the second you lean in to help one, the rest of the class starts to drift. The volume rises. The off-task behaviour begins. And you feel pulled in every direction. It’s overwhelming. It’s exhausting. And it’s not sustainable. In this episode, we break down why this keeps happening – and what to do instea…

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Can You Become a "Practical" Optimist? 45:04

2M ago45:04

45:04

There are many benefits to being an optimist - particularly when things go wrong in our lives. But we aren't all naturally optimistic, so can we learn to adopt the best and most positive behaviours of born optimists? Through treating New Yorkers caught up in the 9/11 attacks, psychiatrist Dr Sue Varma developed a concept she calls "practical optimi…

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How to Confront the Things that Suck (Live with John Green) 1:11:42

2M ago1:11:42

1:11:42

Author and vlogger John Green looks around the world and sees a lot of things that suck. But rather than giving in to despair, he's trying to develop a sense of hope. He says the most "punk rock" thing to do is tackle our problems head-on. John embraces the motto: "Human beings can be good news!" In a live discussion with Dr Laurie, he explains tha…

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Ep 72 Fixing That On-Lead, Off-Lead Split Personality & He’s Never Done That Before… 18:32

2M ago18:32

18:32

Does your dog behave one way on lead and a totally different way off lead? This is a super common behaviour, and in this episode, we’ll be diving into why this happens and what you can do about it. We’re getting really practical and giving you clever ways to blur the lines between “on lead” and “off lead” so your dog starts to make the same awesome…

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#119: Are calm corners worth having in secondary classrooms? 24:21

2M ago24:21

24:21

Calm corners look great online – but in reality? Students can ignore them, misuse them, or turn them into a hangout spot. You’re left wondering if they’re even worth it in a busy secondary classroom where time, space, and structure are limited. You want to support emotional regulation, but not at the expense of learning. I’ll take you through how I…

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How to be Awesome - With Almost no Effort (with John Green) 31:02

2M ago31:02

31:02

Best-selling author John Green wants to see less suck in the world and more awesome - and you can help achieve that right now! John's turned his attention to tuberculosis (TB) - a disease that is fixable and yet still kills millions of people. But you can stop that. TB is a disease of poverty - so if you can spare a buck, then you can save lives by…

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How to Stay Hopeful (Live from SXSW with Michelle Obama) 58:25

2M ago58:25

58:25

"What can we do to find hope when times are tough?" That was the question posed to Dr Laurie for a live recording of IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson at the 2025 SXSW festival. Dr Laurie explained what science says about retaining hope and how we can act in ways that make us feel better even in bleak times - and the former First Lady shar…

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Ep 71 When Walks Go Flat, Dealing with The Pancake Dog & Mitten Games 22:04

2M ago22:04

22:04

Have you ever been on a walk where your dog decides to stop dead in their tracks, refusing to move? They might also lie down and flatten themselves on the ground making it even harder to move them on without dragging them across the pavement (or sidewalk for the Americans). We call this “pancaking”! In this episode, you’ll be introduced to the “pan…

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#118: The number one reason you’re finding behaviour tough right now 15:18

2M ago15:18

15:18

You’re not failing at behaviour because you’re “just not cut out for it.” And no, it’s not because you don’t have that magic voice or commanding presence either. The truth? Most of us simply weren’t taught how to manage behaviour effectively. And it shows – not because we’re not trying hard enough, but because no one gave us the tools to begin with…

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Why You Should Take a Few Months Off Work (Live from SXSW) 47:39

2M ago47:39

47:39

Sometimes a two-week vacation just isn't enough - we all might need to leave our jobs for three months, six months or even a year. Taking an extended break can be great for our wellbeing - allowing us to recharge our batteries and reassess our priorities. But for most of us taking a sabbatical feels impossible - so live at SXSW Dr Laurie asked the …

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Friendships: Handling Change, Conflict and Finding New Friends 37:00

2M ago37:00

37:00

Dr Laurie was invited by her pal Gretchen Rubin to appear on a special edition of the More Happier podcast to examine friendship. The two old friends were joined in their discussion by a new friend, Reshma Saujani (founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First and host of the podcast My So-Called Midlife). The trio talked about how our friendships chang…

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Ep 70 THIS Is Why Your Dog Training Hasn’t Worked & The Christmas of Nightmares 14:28

2M ago14:28

14:28

Why hasn’t the training you’ve done in the past worked for your dog? Is your dog still barking and lunging? Pulling on lead? Jumping at your guests? Stealing your socks? Are they still anxious, over-excited, crazy and a complete handful? The answer is simpler than you think! In this episode, we’ll be breaking down why this happens, how your dog act…

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Twelve Sayings That Could Change Your Life 31:47

2M ago31:47

31:47

There are so many happiness lessons to remember - but it helps if we can boil them down into memorable little sayings. Happiness expert Gretchen Rubin has done exactly that in her latest book - Secrets of Adulthood. Dr Laurie picked twelve of her favorite aphorisms from the book and invited Gretchen along to explore sayings such as “Happiness doesn…

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Ep 69 Can Boundaries Actually Solve Your Dog’s Struggles at Home? & Stinky Socks 18:29

2M ago18:29

18:29

If you have dogs zooming around the house, jumping on guests, launching off at every sound or creating chaos with your other dogs, you might be amazed to hear that something as simple as their bed could be your ticket to a calmer home! In this episode, we’re diving into the magic of boundaries – what they are, why they matter and how they can trans…

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#117: What to prioritise when big behaviours bubble up in the lesson. 8:31

2M ago8:31

8:31

You're in the middle of a lesson, focused on delivering content, when a student walks in displaying behaviours that signal things are about to escalate. Maybe they look angry, and you know they have the potential to become physical. Maybe they’re swearing, laughing, and trying to draw in the rest of the class. Maybe they walk in and tip over a chai…

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Have You Got Trust Issues? 42:02

2M ago42:02

42:02

Do you trust your government? Do you trust your neighbors or the strangers you meet on the street? Do you trust the media? Or your teachers? Who we trust is changing. And trust in our institutions and our fellow citizens is in steep decline. That's according to the World Happiness Report. Who we trust can have a huge impact on our behavior and our …

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#116: Quick Win Challenge! 5 brilliant behaviour reflection strategies you can start using immediately 8:23

3M ago8:23

8:23

When I engage with students about their behaviour, it’s often just a conversation between us. But sometimes, having a structured reflection task can make a huge difference. Reflection is a skill that needs to be taught, modelled, and practised. These tasks help students problem-solve, build self-awareness, and develop emotional regulation. In this …

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Why Eating Alone is so Bad for You (An International Day of Happiness Special). 36:41

3M ago36:41

36:41

It's the International Day of Happiness! It's a chance to talk about happiness and what we can all do to be happier. March 20th also sees the release of the World Happiness Report. A big finding of 2025's report is that more of us are dining alone - and that's bad news. The report's editor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve talks us through the stark figures sho…

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Ep 68 The Two Biggest Dog Training Mistakes (Part 2 of 2) & A Hat-Trick 19:59

3M ago19:59

19:59

Ever feel like your dog is glued to you 24/7 – following you everywhere (even the toilet!), demanding attention or struggling when you leave? It turns out that this could be due to another dog training mistake we might be making! In Part 2 of our special double feature, we’re breaking down why so many dogs have a hard time settling and staying calm…

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#115: Brain breaks are my secret sauce for student engagement. Here are my 3 I can't live without! 13:29

3M ago13:29

13:29

Check out my Brain Break Bundle! As a secondary English teacher, I used to struggle with the idea of brain breaks. The pressure to get through content and prepare students for exams felt too overwhelming to justify stopping for “games.” But my classroom culture was suffering. Students were stressed, disengaged, and burnt out—especially during heavy…

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Why We're Better With Some Threats Than Others (An Earth Month Re-Run) 34:40

3M ago34:40

34:40

Earth Day is coming on April 22, but the whole month is seen as an opportunity to think about environmental issues and what we as individuals can do to help out. It seemed like a good time to rerun an episode we made with Harvard professor Dan Gilbert about why we humans are great at tackling immediate threats, but find it harder to motivate oursel…

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Digital Cleanup Day 16:15

3M ago16:15

16:15

An Estonian NGO started the Digital Cleanup Day five years ago, and millions of people have joined since then. Get insights into our digital waste, what it costs in energy, and how we can clean it up. Here a link to the Digital Cleanup Day websites: https://www.digitalcleanupday.org/ Other references: https://medium.com/stanford-magazine/carbon-and…

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#114: Quick Win Challenge! Use this technique for smooth, stress-free, and energy-saving transitions. 3:14

3M ago3:14

3:14

In today’s episode, I’m sharing a simple yet powerful transition technique that can help you regain student attention without raising your voice or using unnecessary energy. Transitions can be one of the trickiest parts of classroom management. Picture this: students are engaged in a group task, there’s movement, chatter, and productive chaos, but …

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Ep 67 The Two Biggest Dog Training Mistakes (Part 1 of 2) & An Unexpected Encounter 21:00

3M ago21:00

21:00

Could these two really common things we do with our dogs be the very reason they struggle with listening to us, ignoring us or chase? In this episode, Part One of Two, we’re breaking down how a super common piece of advice might be shaping your dog’s choices in a big way. We’ll reveal a simple, secret skill that, once your dog understands it, makes…

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#113: 1 powerful shift to make in your behaviour chats to create more change 11:41

3M ago11:41

11:41

One of the most powerful shifts we can make when addressing student behaviour is to stop lecturing and start leading. Instead of telling students what they did wrong, we need to ask the right questions to guide them toward reflection, accountability, and change. Lecturing rarely leads to buy-in. It is one of William Glasser’s seven disconnecting ha…

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Harnessing People Around us to Feel Happier (Live with Ethan Kross) 49:27

3M ago49:27

49:27

Hell is other people. They can upset us, depress us and infuriate us. Their bad moods can bring us down. And their achievements can make us feel like failures. But it doesn't have to be this way. Psychologist Ethan Kross says there are simple things we can do to make our daily interactions a source of fulfilment and joy. Ethan's the author of Shift…

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#112: Quick Win Challenge! How to get students to care about the consequence (and why their buy-in definitely matters) 7:11

3M ago7:11

7:11

There are strong opinions when it comes to consequences in schools. Some believe in strict enforcement—"do the crime, do the time"—while others advocate for restorative conversations and plans. Regardless of approach, one thing remains essential: we need student buy-in for consequences to be effective. Without buy-in, consequences lose their impact…

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Ep 66 Gorse Diaries Update: The Greatest Opportunity in Dog Ownership You’ll Ever Have & The Smell 24:26

3M ago24:26

24:26

Is there hope for your reactive dog? There’s more than that – there’s a life-changing opportunity. In this powerful episode, we’re giving you an update on Gorse’s emotional, inspiring journey. Once a dog paralysed by fear after a traumatic dog bite incident, you’ll find out about her remarkable transformation and latest adventure on the beach. If y…

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#111: What moving countries with a toddler reinforced about classroom management and behaviour. 14:42

3M ago14:42

14:42

In this episode, I reflect on my recent move from New Zealand to Australia and the unexpected lessons it reinforced about classroom management. Moving is always challenging, but relocating with a toddler highlighted the profound impact of predictability and structure on behaviour. This experience reaffirmed a key classroom management principle: pre…