DR HEIM DISCUSSES AUSTRALIA’S SOCIAL MEDIA BAN ON THE BBC

Welcome to the website of Dr Christian Heim, award-winning psychiatrist, clinical director, and international keynote presenter. We have presented at the WHO, Freie Univesität Berlin, and at corporate and academic organizations in Europe and the USA. In our own humble way, we aim to help improve mental health, and we have a particular heart for young people trying to navigate this bewildering world. Our focus is Preventive Mental Health: workplace well-being, emotional resilience, courage, psychological tools and psycho-education. All according to the current best evidence.

Our podcasts and YouTube Channel, feature Dr Christian Heim and Dr Caroline Heim. Our student wellness page contains lots of practical information on preventive mental health at university. Our relationships page includes the New York ihealth radio talks on resilient relationships, and our blog page contains practical easy-to-read information coupled with fun photography.

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Dr Christian Heim

Blog

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Blog

How to BEAT Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal part of life, but when it starts to interfere with who you are and what you need to do, it becomes a problem. We’re living in an Age of Anxiety, where stress levels often go far beyond what’s healthy or helpful. This post explores why anxiety is a natural brain response, how it behaves like a monkey in your mind, and what simple, daily strategies you can use to keep it in check: before you need the pills. These aren’t a replacement for professional help, but they’re practical tools I use every day to stay grounded, and they might help you too.

High Functioning Anxiety

High functioning anxiety is not a diagnosis, but we recognise that people who function well often need help. They may ‘soldier on’ in spite of their anxiety. Do you function exceptionally well at work? Are you an overachiever? That’s okay, but … are you stressed? (That’s almost all of us.). This post is highly relevant to you.

7 surprising strengths of people who’ve had childhood trauma

People who have experienced childhood trauma, have “hidden talents.” As a psychiatrist sub-specialising in trauma, I have seen these ‘special skills’ and ‘hidden talents’ in the people I’ve worked with. They are real. This is not wishful thinking or look at the bright side of life. They are evidence of a brain’s ability to adapt to its environment and seek to overcome adversity to be better.

How to have courage

It’s time to apply courage to your life. Learning and practicing courage is a truckload of work and there is no quick fix. It will take effort; but this effort will be worthwhile and it will get easier.

How does courage work in your brain?

Imagine you’re part of a study: you lie down in a functional MRI machine which looks at blood flow inside your brain. You’re staring at a live snake on a movable trolley not too far away. The snake moves; it eyes you off; you eye the snake off. Your task is to force yourself to do what you fear: move it closer and closer to your head. You can push the snake away anytime you want, no hard feelings, experiment over, but you’re asked to be determined.

What is courage and can I order it online?

Courage means ‘of the heart’. It is not something you are born with, it is something you learn and practice. Unfortunately, many people think courage means not feeling fear even in the face of danger. Then the rest of us feel judged and defeated because no-one can do this.

Personality and Culture, Impact and Intent

Have you every felt uncomfortable in a foreign country? Ever been alone and lost in a place where you didn’t understand the language? Locals may stare at you, then talk quickly to each other with wild hand gestures, then look back at you. Their intention was to help you, but somewhere in the back of your mind you wondered if they were plotting to kidnap you. Their good intention may have impacted you badly simply out of language barriers and cultural difference. Because of culture and language, there can be a gulf between intention and impact.

The Psychology of Intent, Impact and Trust

Whenever we speak, we share our thoughts and feelings as well as raw information. Through feelings underneath the words, we literally give others a piece of our mind. Written words are very different to spoken words. Written words are next to lifeless on a page, but when someone speaks to us, there’s always emotion and intent; we feel their ‘feelings underneath,’ we feel their presence. There’s always a small possibility of aggression when two humans meet, so the impact of spoken words can immediately be comforting or confronting. Spoken words are loaded not only with information as in a text-book, but also with the intentions, desires and emotions of a living mind. These convey acceptance and goodwill, or rejection and ill-will. (And you thought “hello” just meant “hello”.)

Intent and impact in the brain

We humans are sly, and can use this to our advantage. Through the social brain, we transmit ‘feelings underneath’ which can be loaded with subliminal messages: I like you, you disgust me, I want to have sex with you, you’re being unfair, that hurt, I’m bored with you, and more. These messages can be felt by others but can be denied by us because we didn’t use words. This saves our reputation but hides our real intentions.

Microaggression: impact, intent and the law

In our current cultural climate, there’s a conflict between people who value free speech and people who value political correctness to avoid “micro-aggressions”. Laws can be passed which protect one over the other. It’s a balance. Our ideal is to preserve free speech while minimizing micro-aggressions.

Podcast

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Podcast

#129 The Great Turn Back: from Phones to People

In this episode Dr Christian Heim explores why we feel so isolated in a world ruled by scrolling, notifications and social media. He explains the quiet global shift away from screen-time and toward real human connection, community, conversation and face-to-face time. Practical ideas for reducing loneliness, improving digital wellbeing and rebuilding genuine relationships

#128 Turning anger into determination: Dr Heim’s Two-Step Anger Fix

Anger can hijack your life in seconds. Dr Christian Heim breaks down the brain’s “anger engine” and shares two science-backed tools to reset in the moment and retrain long-term.

#127 How do I get to sleep?

Trouble falling asleep? Psychiatrist Dr Christian Heim explains what’s happening in your brain at bedtime and shares 6 science-based ways to calm your mind, reset your sleep cycles, and finally get a good night’s rest.

#126 Your Psychiatrist Visit: What to expect & what to ask (Part 2)

Dr Heim unpacks the difference between public and private mental health systems, what makes a good psychiatrist, and how to know if yours is right for you. He shares practical steps to take before, during, and after appointments: clear, compassionate advice rarely shared so openly.

#125 Your Psychiatrist Visit: What to expect & what to ask (Part 1)

Recorded at a recent caregivers forum, Dr Christian Heim opens a two-part series for carers (useful to anyone working with a psychiatrist). Starting with a real case, he asks, “Who’s driving the management?” and shares practical ways to partner well—prepping for appointments, tracking meds, and keeping your loved one at the centre of care. Best line: “You show your love by doing what needs to be done, not by just being agreeable.”

#124 How to turn Perfectionism into Strength: 8 Science-Backed Strategies that Work

Perfectionism can fuel excellence or trap you in endless self-critique. In the finale of our four-part perfectionism series, psychiatrist Dr Christian Heim breaks down eight research-backed strategies that flip perfectionism from burden to super-power. Learn how to trade paralysis for progress, harness logic (and when to drop it), and even turn so-called “flaws” into finish-line advantages. If you’re tired of never feeling “good enough,” hit play then keep the transcript handy for quick reference. Practical, compassionate, and yes, recorded to the soothing backdrop of birdsong, this episode shows you how to let perfectionism work for you, not against you

#123 Where does Perfectionism come from? And why won’t it let go?

Where does perfectionism really start—and why is it so hard to shake? In this episode, Dr Christian Heim unpacks five hidden forces in our society that keep perfectionism alive, often without us even noticing. One of them—“listomania”—might sound all too familiar! Packed with insights, humour, and those lightbulb moments, this episode will help you see perfectionism in a whole new way. And as a bonus, enjoy the gentle backdrop of Australian birdsong while you listen.

#122 When Perfectionism Helps and when it Hurts

Olympic finals, the operating theatre, a night-flight cockpit: Dr Heim opens with high-stakes moments where “perfect” isn’t optional, it’s life-saving. But flip the coin and perfectionism can morph into procrastination, burnout, and self-sabotage. In under 30 minutes he hands you a rapid-fire 10-point checklist to spot the tipping point: so you can keep the razor-sharp focus that drives success and ditch the perfectionist traps that stall it. Ready to find that healthy edge? Hit play.

#121 OCD or just a Perfectionist? Here’s the difference

Can’t stop lining things up. Or is it more than tidy habits?
Dr Christian Heim opens our four-part perfectionism series by asking: Where does helpful exactness end and clinical OCD begin?

In 15 sharp minutes:

Patterns vs. Randomness: why the brain craves order, and when that craving misfires.
OCD 101: key symptoms, causes, and gold-standard treatments, told through real stories.
Perfectionism Unpacked: the sweet spot of “doing it right” versus the trap of “never right enough,” and how each can imitate the other.
A quick self-check to see if you, or someone you love, has crossed the line.

Wondering, “Am I detail-oriented, or compulsive?” Hit play for science-backed clarity you can use today.

#120 The Link Between Mental Processes and Religious Belief

Dr Heim with host Hurricane H. answer caller’s mental health questions on the

ihealth channel show “Climb to your Prime with Dr Christian Heim”

Last Friday each month 9pm EST, Saturday 11am AEST

Ask a question live! https://www.theembctvnetwork.com/the-ihealth-channel.html#/

Or email us your episode suggestions: caroline@drchristianheim.com

Events

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Please Note…

In any blog, podcast, post or lecture, I give general pointers to help with or prevent mental health issues. These don’t replace advice given by a professional. Please don’t change any treatment, particularly don’t stop or change medication, without consulting your treating team; but do action ideas you find helpful.

Confidentially…

Confidentiality is of the utmost importance to me. While keeping the general emotional content authentic, any story shared in a podcast, blog, or lecture, is an amalgamation of the experience of several, sometimes many people. It doesn’t reflect the experience of any person in particular. Details are always fictitious.