Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

What if one of the most effective treatments for depression and anxiety in young people needs no prescription, has no withdrawal and makes you stronger?
In this episode, Dr Paul Taylor unpacks a 2024 meta-analysis from Victoria University. It found that resistance training produced large reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms in people aged 26 and under. He then sets it against the largest analysis of its kind, a BMJ network meta-analysis of 218 trials and more than 14,000 people. In that analysis, walking, jogging, yoga and strength training matched therapy and outperformed SSRIs.
In this episode:
Why strength training was overlooked for decades in mental health research
The training “recipe” behind the biggest effects: sets, reps, intensity and duration
Why harder exercise and clear structure produced better results
How few young people in Australia, the UK and the US meet activity guidelines
The case for prescribing exercise before medication for young people
Key studies:
Marinelli et al. (2024). Resistance training and combined resistance and aerobic training as a treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in young people. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.13528
Noetel et al. (2024). Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-075847
Survey data:
ABS National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2023
Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People Survey 2024-25
CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2025
This episode is for education, not medical advice. If you or your child takes medication, talk to your doctor before making any changes.
More at paultaylor.biz
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The biggest mistake in youth mental health? Treating kids like they’re broken instead of teaching them how to move, act, and build resilience. Mercedes Taaffe Cooper reveals why early intervention and education, not endless labels and talk therapy, are changing the game for young people. Paul and Mercedes unpack the deeper problem with the medical model, how normal adolescent struggles get turned into diagnoses, and why that can create more harm than help. Mercedes shares the personal journey that took her from elite boxing and coaching the Irish team to clinical psychology, reality therapy, and ultimately building Counterpunch, a program designed to help kids learn through action, not just conversation.
You’ll discover:
Why reality therapy and choice theory focus on doing rather than overthinking
How the "front two wheels" car analogy helps kids understand thinking, feeling, and behaviour
Why combat sports can be powerful tools for confidence, regulation, and self-awareness
How a 24-week, three-phase program moves kids from connection to leadership
Why peer mentoring is often more powerful than adult advice for adolescents
Mercedes also explains how Counterpunch works in boxing gyms and youth-facing settings, why it’s especially effective for kids who feel isolated, and how the program is now scaling online so more facilitators can deliver it. From goal-setting and embodied learning to social connection and self-efficacy, this episode makes a compelling case for giving young people practical tools before problems become crises. Essential listening for parents, coaches, teachers, and anyone working with young people who wants to create real change, not just another conversation. If you care about building confidence, resilience, and lifelong skills, this one is for you.
Timestamps
(02:11) Mercedas Taaffe Cooper’s background in boxing, coaching, psychology, and moving to Australia
(03:59) Discovering reality therapy and choice theory through research and training
(05:48) Building Counterpunch from pilot program to scalable youth model
(07:56) Reality therapy explained - focusing on action instead of just thinking
(10:19) Why action is the real engine of change for young people
(13:43) Why Mercedas rejected the medical model and built a strengths-based program
(15:05) The harm of overusing labels and diagnoses with kids
(18:05) The original research, the boxing component, and the first curriculum ideas
(20:21) Moving from government pilot to a private program in South Australia
(21:19) Taking the training online and building a replicable system
(23:03) What a Counterpunch session looks like from induction to a 24-week structure
(24:21) VSMART goals and linking values to physical progress
(26:16) The three phases - body awareness, relationships, and leadership
(27:13) Why martial arts and team sport build resilience and confidence
(32:38) Why group connection and peer mentoring matter so much
(34:15) Why combat sports work for youth communication and trust-building
(36:31) Battle in the Hills and using boxing as a progression pathway
(39:03) How embodied learning and physical challenge reinforce psychological tools
(42:11) Why boxing is used as a medium, not the end goal
(43:29) Why combat sports are different from professional violence
(45:49) Respect, manners, and life skills learned through martial arts
(47:15) Who the program is for and how youth-facing professionals can use it
(49:08) How to get involved and the four Ps for potential facilitators
(50:12) Final reflections on skills, not labels, for young people
Quote “The biggest difference between reality therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy is that it very much focuses on the doing rather than the thinking.”

Resources
Website: https://counterpunch.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercedas-taaffe-cooper-3b3623117/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counterpunch_life
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/counterpunchAU/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@counterpunchlife

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How often do we get caught up in our thoughts, emotions and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening?
In this week's Mojo Monday, Carly explores how easily we can find ourselves fighting reality, whether it's uncomfortable feelings, other people's behaviour or situations that don't go our way.
Drawing on Japanese Morita Therapy, she shares why acceptance doesn't mean approval or giving up. It's about allowing our feelings to be there, seeing situations as they actually are, and choosing how we respond rather than letting our emotions make the decisions for us.
A simple reminder that we can't always control what happens or how we feel, but we can practise responding with greater awareness and intention.
Carly is a counsellor and coach who specialises in building psychological hardiness, which is the ability to navigate challenge, stay engaged, and take meaningful action under pressure. Her work integrates modern psychology with Eastern and Stoic approaches, helping people build resilience, live with purpose, and respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity, courage and steadiness.
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