Why do we lose motivation right before we reach our goals?
In this episode, I unpack the neuroscience behind “Final Stretch Syndrome” — that frustrating dip in energy, focus and drive just when success is in sight. From dopamine crashes and cortisol spikes to ego depletion and social comparison, we explore why your brain starts to tap the brakes at the worst possible moment.
We’ll also dig into the arrival fallacy, the emotional crash that follows achievement and how to protect your mental health when the chase is over. Whether you’re a student, entrepreneur, or high-achiever pushing toward a deadline, this one’s for you.
⚖ Topics:
• Dopamine drop and motivation loss
• Cortisol overload and exhaustion
• Ego depletion and decision fatigue
• The arrival fallacy explained
• Imposter syndrome near success
• Social comparison and performance anxiety
🧠 Follow Mind on Trial for episodes where psychology meets neuroscience, exploring how the brain bends, breaks and builds.
New eps drop Thursdays at 7AM AEST.
Note: I’m not a registered psychologist (YET). I’m currently completing my formal training and everything discussed in this podcast is grounded in peer-reviewed research and shared as informed advice, not clinical treatment.
If part one left you rethinking what makes a psychopath, you’ll want to buckle in for the second half of this deep dive.
In this episode, we explore the “successful” psychopaths who climb corporate ladders instead of prison fences, the grim reality of treating adult psychopaths, and the cutting-edge neuroscience that could one day change their brains. We also look at why children with callous-unemotional traits are our best chance at prevention — and how predictive analytics and early intervention could rewrite their futures before it’s too late.
From boardrooms to courtrooms, and classrooms to correctional centres, we unpack where psychopathy hides, how it manifests, and whether society can truly rehabilitate those wired for harm.
⚖ Topics:
• Successful vs. criminal psychopaths
• Corporate psychopathy and “snakes in suits”
• Treatment challenges for adult psychopaths
• Neuroscience-driven rehabilitation
• Early intervention for callous-unemotional traits
• Predictive analytics for prevention
🧠 Follow Mind on Trial for weekly episodes blending psychology, neuroscience and real-world stories — with a healthy dose of curiosity and compassion.
Note: I’m not a registered psychologist (YET). I’m currently completing my formal training and everything discussed in this podcast is grounded in peer-reviewed research and shared as informed advice, not clinical treatment.
If you’ve ever wondered what makes a psychopath tick — or if they’re even real, this episode is for you.
In this week’s deep dive on Mind on Trial, we crack open the neurological, emotional and behavioural layers of psychopathy. We’ll separate myths from science and ask the big questions:
Are psychopaths born or made? What do brain scans actually show? And why do some turn violent, while others become surgeons, CEOs, or soldiers?
You’ll learn how callous-unemotional traits develop in childhood, what separates psychopathy from antisocial personality disorder, and how the prefrontal cortex plays a starring role in impulse control and emotional regulation.
This isn’t just a true crime binge, it’s a psychological unpacking of the minds that break the rules, feel no remorse and often slip through the cracks.
⚖️ Topics:
• Callous-unemotional traits in childhood
• Psychopathy vs. Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Prefrontal cortex dysfunction and fear processing
• What is Conduct Disorder
• Nature vs nurture: what the science says
• Why treating adult psychopaths is almost impossible
🧠 Follow Mind on Trial for weekly episodes blending psychology, neuroscience and real-world healing — with warmth, storytelling, and a forensic edge.
New eps drop Thursdays at 7AM AEST.
Note: I’m not a registered psychologist (YET). I’m currently completing my formal training and everything discussed in this podcast is grounded in peer-reviewed research and shared as informed advice, not clinical treatment.
Episode 4: Dating in the Age of Algorithms + Swipe Fatigue
If your thumbs are tired from swiping and your heart’s a little weary, this one’s for you.
In this episode, I explore how dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are reshaping our brains, literally. From dopamine loops to choice fatigue, we dive into how tech-fuelled dating is training your nervous system to seek novelty, reject connection and feel more alone than ever.
I unpack why swipe culture hits differently for men and women, how too many choices can paralyse us and why finding love on apps often feels more like a game than a genuine connection.
Whether you’re burned out from online dating or just curious about what these apps are doing to your brain chemistry, this episode blends neuroscience with storytelling to make sense of it all.
⚖️ Topics:
• Swipe fatigue and the prefrontal cortex
• Dating app dopamine loops
• Choice overload and paradox of choice
• Gender differences in app usage
• The myth of “just one more swipe”
• Rewiring your nervous system for real connection
🧠 Follow Mind on Trial for weekly episodes blending psychology, neuroscience and real-world healing—with the goal of rewiring.
New eps drop Thursdays at 7AM AEST.
Note: I’m not a registered psychologist (YET). I’m currently completing my formal training and everything discussed in this podcast is grounded in peer-reviewed research and shared as informed advice, not clinical treatment.
💔 Episode 3: Healing + Heartbreak
A breakup doesn’t just hurt, it rewires your brain.
In this episode, I dive into the neuroscience of heartbreak: why it feels like withdrawal, what’s happening in your limbic system and how your brain processes rejection like a threat to survival.
I also unpack how rebounds can be both a comfort and a crutch, what “no contact” really does to your neural pathways, and why the post-breakup glow-up isn’t just about hot selfies, it’s about regaining identity and agency.
If you’ve ever felt like you're spiralling after a breakup/friendship break-up or wondered why healing can feel so inconsistent, this episode is for you. It's part neuroscience, part storytelling and all heart.
⚖️ Topics:
• The brain on heartbreak
• Dopamine crashes + emotional withdrawal
• Rebounds, rituals, rumination
• Post-breakup glow-ups
• Real strategies for healing and rewiring
🧠 Follow Mind on Trial for weekly episodes blending psychology, neuroscience and healing with the goal of rewiring.
New eps drop Thursdays at 7AM AEST.
Note: I’m not a registered psychologist (YET). I’m currently completing my formal training and everything discussed in this podcast is grounded in peer-reviewed research and shared as informed advice, not clinical treatment.
Grief isn’t just emotional — it’s neurological.
Your brain physically feels it, reshapes around it, and fights to make sense of what happened.
In this episode of Mind on Trial, Mallory dives into the neurochemistry of grief and loss — how your brain responds to heartbreak, trauma and mourning. You’ll learn why grief hurts physically, how it alters your neural pathways and why healing takes time.
Whether you're navigating loss or supporting someone who is, this one’s for you.
🎙 Topics:
• Anticipatory grief
• Heartbreak and the brain
• Why grief physically hurts
• The neuroscience behind emotional recovery
🧠 Follow Mind on Trial for weekly episodes blending psychology, neuroscience and healing with the goal of rewiring.
New eps drop Thursdays at 7AM AEST.
Note: I’m not a registered psychologist (YET). I’m currently completing my formal training and everything discussed in this podcast is grounded in peer-reviewed research and shared as informed advice, not clinical treatment.
Why do we chase people who hurt us?
You can’t negotiate your worth with someone who benefits from your insecurity.
In this premiere episode of Mind on Trial, host Mallory Van Noort shares her raw, personal journey — from chasing music to studying the mind and dives deep into the psychology and neuroscience behind emotional addiction, fantasy loops and the dopamine highs we confuse for love.
This is where trauma meets neuroplasticity.
Where heartbreak becomes data. And where we finally name the patterns that have held us hostage.
🎙️ Who Am I & The Dopamine Loops is for anyone who’s ever spiralled after a text, mistaken chaos for chemistry, or wondered if they were the problem.
You’re not broken. You’re just wired for survival.
🔁 Let’s start rewiring.
Note: I’m not a registered psychologist (YET). I’m currently completing my formal training and everything discussed in this podcast is grounded in peer-reviewed research and shared as informed advice, not clinical treatment.
Why do people do the things they do? What’s really going on in the brain of someone who breaks the law, betrays a partner, or can’t break a pattern, even when they want to?
Hi, I’m Mallory Van Noort on track to becoming a forensic neuropsychologist. I’m also a mum, musician, survivor and lifelong truth-digger.
This is Mind on Trial—the podcast where neuroscience meets the messy, beautiful chaos of being human.
Each episode, we’ll explore how brain structure, trauma, and attachment shape the choices we make, from crime to connection.
I’ll unpack why you keep chasing the wrong type, why justice systems are failing and what dopamine has to do with your last situationship.
Some weeks it’ll be just me. Other times, I’ll be joined by guests, experts, storytellers and everyday people with wild stories and powerful insights.
But it will always come back to one thing: understanding the brain so we can change the game.
If you’re curious, analytical and ready to open your mind, challenge what you’ve believed and get real about why we are the way we are—this is your podcast.
Welcome to Mind on Trial