Beyond The Surface Podcast

In this episode, Belinda sits down with Dr Peta Stapleton to explore the science behind EFT, also known as tapping.
Once dismissed by many as “woo-woo,” EFT is now backed by decades of research showing its impact on stress, anxiety, emotional regulation and the nervous system. Dr Peta explains how tapping on acupuncture points can help calm the brain and body, and why this simple technique is being used to support overwhelm, trauma, cravings, fear and everyday stress.
Belinda also shares her own journey with tapping, from initially thinking it felt strange, to now using it personally and within her retreat work. Together, they unpack how EFT can help people process emotion, regulate the nervous system and create more emotional freedom in daily life.

What We Cover:
Why tapping can help calm the nervous system and reduce stress
Dr Peta’s first experience seeing tapping stop a panic attack
How she went from sceptic to world-leading EFT researcher
How tapping can support anxiety, fear, cravings and emotional overwhelm
The role of words and intention when tapping
Why EFT can be used discreetly in everyday life
Where to start if you want to try tapping for stress or anxiety

Whether you’re curious, sceptical or already using EFT, this episode offers a grounded and science-backed look at why tapping is helping so many people around the world.
Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals specialises in functional mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfoods to support energy, immunity, focus, strength, gut health and wellness. Visit: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

Connect with Peta:
Website: https://www.petastapleton.com/
Evidence Based EFT Training &  Accreditation: https://www.evidencebasedeft.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petastapleton/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrPetaStapleton

Belinda sits down with her eldest son Hayden, just weeks after his 24th birthday and fresh off completing a 24-hour endurance challenge for men’s mental health.
What started as a physical test quickly became something much deeper. Hayden opens up about pushing through pain, self-doubt, vulnerability, and the mental stories that arise when the body is exhausted and the mind is stripped back.
They also explore why he took part in the Dads4Dads challenge despite not being a father, family, growing up, the influence of environment, learning through mistakes, and what it means to become proud of who you are becoming.

In this episode, we cover:
Why Hayden said yes to a 24-hour endurance challenge for men’s mental health
The hardest physical and mental moments of the challenge
What vulnerability looked like surrounded by other men
Lessons from Kokoda and endurance training
How family, environment and life experiences shaped him
The power of listening instead of fixing
A raw mother–son conversation about growth, mistakes and self-pride

With Mother’s Day approaching, Belinda also puts Hayden on the spot and asks: “What do you think I’ve done well as a mum?”
This episode is a reminder that hard things don’t just test us physically - they reveal who we are, what we’re carrying, and who we’re becoming.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals specialises in functional mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfoods to support energy, immunity, focus, strength, gut health and wellness. Visit: ⁠https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/and⁠ add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

In this episode, Belinda speaks to something that can feel uncomfortable… but matters.
You don’t get your real parenting feedback when your kids are little. You get it later… when they have their own life, their own voice, and the choice of how much of you they want in it.
And that part doesn’t happen by accident.
This isn’t about being a perfect parent. It’s about something deeper - the connection, the safety, and the relationship that’s built over time… in the small moments, in how you respond, and in how you make your kids feel.
Because there’s a difference between a relationship built on obligation, and one built on real connection.

We explore:
Why adult children don’t just “pull away for no reason”
The difference between obligation and genuine connection
How emotional safety (or lack of it) shapes long-term relationships
The subtle ways distance starts to build over time
Why love alone isn’t always enough to create closeness
The role of rupture and repair in keeping connection strong
Why what’s not acknowledged often matters more than what happened

This episode isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness.
Whether you’re listening as a parent or as the adult child, it’s an invitation to look at what feels easy… what feels forced… and what might still be sitting under the surface.
Because in the end, it’s not just about raising kids.
It’s about the relationship that exists when they no longer need you… and whether that relationship is something that’s chosen.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals specialises in functional mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfoods to support energy, immunity, focus, strength, gut health and wellness. Visit: ⁠https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/and⁠ add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

In this solo episode, Belinda breaks down a post that reached over 100,000 people, not because it was controversial, but because it hit something real.
We explore the difference between healing and the things that look like relief… drinking, drugs, staying busy, constant distraction, surface-level connection, and why so many people don’t realise they’re actually avoiding themselves.
Because healing doesn’t happen in escape. It happens in truth, stillness, honesty, and real connection.

In this episode, we explore:
The difference between choosing something, and needing it to cope
How distraction becomes normal, and why so many people don’t question it
Why you can be surrounded by people and still feel disconnected
The gap between surface-level conversations and real connection
Why stillness feels uncomfortable, and what comes up when things go quiet
Relief vs healing: why one keeps you stuck and the other moves you forward
“You can’t outrun it”… how unprocessed emotions continue to show up
Why people feel stuck even when it looks like they’re “doing the work”
The truth about sitting with your emotions instead of numbing them
How your environment and the people around you either support your growth, or keep you where you are
Honest questions to help you recognise your own patterns and behaviours

If you’ve been keeping yourself busy, distracted, or constantly reaching for something to avoid what’s underneath… this episode will help you see it clearly. And once you see your patterns… you can’t unsee them.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals specialises in functional mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfoods to support energy, immunity, focus, strength, gut health and wellness. Visit: ⁠https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/and⁠ add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

In this solo episode, Belinda breaks down the difference between good stress and bad stress, and why not all stress is harmful.
Your body is designed for stress. In the right amount, it helps you grow, build resilience, and expand your capacity. But when it’s constant, layered, and without recovery, it starts to drain you, dysregulate your system, and lead to burnout.
This episode will help you understand the difference, recognise your own edge, and learn how to work with stress in a way that supports you, not breaks you.

We explore:
The difference between good stress and bad stress
Why stress itself isn’t the problem
How stress becomes harmful when it’s ongoing and without recovery
The concept of your “edge” and building capacity over time
Why pushing too far leads to burnout and avoiding discomfort keeps you stuck
Simple ways to recognise whether stress is helping or harming you

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or constantly “on”… this will give you a clearer way to understand what’s actually going on.
Because you don’t need less stress. You just need the right kind.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals specialises in functional mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfoods to support energy, immunity, focus, strength, gut health and wellness. Visit: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau