Politics Points North: Recent Episodes
Anya Media
A response to the London-centric nature of British politics: “Politics Points North” is a podcast series presented by Will Sadler (Anya Media) that includes interviews with politically minded people and politicians from the North of England, and explores how political developments nationally and internationally have an impact on the region.
It's easy to assume that proximity to greenery or stretches of water (rivers, lakes, the sea) is good for your mental health.... Not so fast... Ellie dismantles some of Will's assumptions in this episode!
They discuss Ellie's new PhD at the University of Cumbria, funded through an NIHR-supported Mental Health Leaders Award focused on mental health inequalities in Cumbria.
Ellie’s research explores how disabled young people living rurally or coastally in Cumbria perceive green and blue spaces (parks, woodlands, gardens, seas, rivers, lakes) and other “third spaces” outside home and work/school as affecting their mental health and wellbeing.
She critiques romanticised assumptions and lab-based or map-proximity studies that ignore access and infrastructure barriers, sharing personal experiences of feeling excluded from nature and reframing the issue as accessibility.
00:00 Welcome Back Update
00:49 Podcast Return Intro
01:25 Ellie PhD Overview
02:30 Defining Green Blue
03:19 Why Disabled Youth
05:07 Nature Access Epiphany
07:23 Research Questions Approach
08:21 Critiquing Nature Studies
12:55 Access Versus Proximity
17:48 Romanticizing Landscapes
20:45 Colonial Rurality Debate
22:44 What The PhD Hopes
24:15 Subscribe And Goodbye
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Our content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.com
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.
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We are pleased to announce that we plan to start new episodes of Lively Minds again from next month!
In the meantime, here is a re-run of another of our favourite episodes - this time from August 2023.
Kema Sikawe recently appeared in a BBC 3 documentary: Therapy: Tough Talking in which he gives viewers a front-row seat at a series of therapy sessions where he opens up and discusses his mental health challenges.
Kema, who is also known as Kema Kay, is a musician, actor and broadcaster based in Newcastle.
In this episode we talk with Kema about the pros and cons of talking publicly about your mental health, and what safeguards need to be in place to make it a positive experience. T
herapy: Tough Talking can be found on BBC iPlayer here. Y
ou can find out more about Will and Kema’s work with Radio Film and the BBC World Service here.
Find out more about Lively Minds at livelymindspod.com
Our content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.com
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.
Please consider leaving us a rating or review, it really helps others to find the show!
Hello everyone, it’s Will here. We are still in the process of resuming normal service, but we’re aware that today is the first Friday of the month so we’d ordinarily be releasing a new episode.
We are really pleased we managed to get out 2 new episodes over the past couple of months; this month we are taking another dive into our archives and re-playing a conversation that Ellie and I had with Paul Wilshaw to talk about learning disability and mental health.
Paul is a learning disabled artist, producer and advocate who works for Mind the Gap Theatre Company and we found our discussion, which covered the confusion between learning disability and mental health, and how the two interact really fascinating.
Hope you enjoy the programme.
Why is mental health and learning disability so often confused? How do they interact? Why are learning disabled people more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population?
In this episode, we will be talking to Paul Wilshaw, who is Associate Producer at Mind the Gap Theatre Company. As well as being an advocate for Mind the Gap, Paul uses his own lived experience to be an advocate for learning disabled people.
Paul is also presenter of Mind the Gap and Disability Arts Online’s podcast, Disability And…
Again, we make quite a few references to websites and research in this show. Here are the links!
- The connections between mental health and learning disability according to Mencap and Mind.
- Some research suggests that learning disabled people are more than twice as likely to experience a mental health problem than the population at large: see results on Consensus.app
- Disabled people are more at risk of loneliness than non-learning disabled people: ses results on Consensus.app
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Our content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.com
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.
Please consider leaving us a rating or review, it really helps others to find the show!
In late November 2025, Will was told that what was thought to be a lingering infection was in fact advanced testicular cancer.
Within about 36 hours of being rediagnosed he had been admitted to hospital and was starting an intensive 12-week BEP chemotherapy regimen.
Will describes shock, dream-like dissociation, fear of death, and the balance between trying to feel positive, hopeful and grateful for the support he was receiving on the one hand, with space to feel gloom, hopelessness and fear on the other.
Will and Ellie discuss uncertainty, loss of agency in healthcare, the pros and cons of researching your condition and treatment, upcoming RPLND open surgery, lack of in-house NHS mental health support, communication problems with appointments, and how returning to everyday life can feel disorientating.
Lively Minds is still following an irregular schedule but we hope to get back to our monthly show soon.
UK cancer charities mentioned in this conversation include:
Maggies - https://www.maggies.org/
MacMillian - https://www.macmillan.org.uk/
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
00:00 Welcome Back Intro
00:52 Cancer Diagnosis Shock
05:45 Dreamlike Hospital Week
06:47 Facing Mortality Numbers
08:58 Coping Mindsets Shift
13:15 Agency And Research
19:09 Information Staging Debate
22:36 NHS Pride And Problems
26:56 Mental Health Support Gap
31:40 Communication Breakdown
35:00 Surgery Fears And Trauma
40:01 Returning Temporarily To Normal Life
42:22 Closing And Resources
Our content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.com
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.
Please consider leaving us a rating or review, it really helps others to find the show!
Hosts Will and Ellie interview therapist and crocheter Olivia Dieterich about her book Random Acts of Crochet Kindness and the global movement she founded.
After losing a friend, Natalie, to suicide, Olivia used crochet to cope with grief and set a 100-day challenge to crochet a flower each day and leave it for strangers with a note inviting them to take it home, sparking the hashtag.
During lockdown, a found item was shared on a local Facebook group, leading to BBC coverage and the creation of a UK-based Facebook community now exceeding 350,000 members worldwide.
Olivia discusses crochet’s grounding benefits, building self-esteem and purpose, supporting urges like self-harm, and creating “glimmers” of joy for others.
The book offers beginner-friendly patterns, tags, guidance, and stories, and Olivia hopes to create a children’s version and more in-person meetups.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
00:00 Welcome to Lively Minds
01:07 How Crochet Kindness Began
02:23 Crochet as Therapy
05:09 Why Giving Helps You
06:28 Going Viral in Lockdown
08:10 A Global Kindness Community
09:59 Small Joys and Glimmers
0:53 Inside the New Book
13:23 Mental Health Lessons
15:14 Community and Connection
16:39 Letting Go of Projects
18:24 Whats Next and Wrap Up
Our content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.com
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.
Please consider leaving us a rating or review, it really helps others to find the show!
Hello everyone, it’s Will here.
As you know, Ellie and I have had to take a break from the podcast due to some ongoing health issues. We are still hoping to bring you new episodes in late Spring or Summer 2026 but in the meantime, we thought we’d go back through our archives and bring you some of our favourite episodes from the 3 years we’ve been doing the show.
And so, here is an episode from May 2024. Matt Ottley is a multi-award winning graphic novelist and composer, who was Australia’s nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen award. Matt joined us for a conversation about how he interprets his experiences of bipolar and psychosis through art, words and music. We focus on his book: The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness which had just been released at the time and you can find links to more information about, in the show notes.
Just a heads up that there is a brief reference to a suicide attempt in the episode, but we don’t go into any detail.
I hope you enjoy the show, and please do remember it would really help us out if you could rate or review us via your podcast app.
You can find out more about The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness by following these links
Matt Ottley’s website
Publisher: One Tentacle’s website
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Our content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.com
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.
Please consider leaving us a rating or review, it really helps others to find the show!
Hello everyone, it’s Ellie here.
Thank you so much to all of you for following our podcast over the last few years. It has meant the world to us, and we’ve loved every part of the podcasting process so far.
Unfortunately, due to various health issues, we are going to take a slightly-longer-than-planned break from recording new Lively Minds episodes. We hope to return to your ears for a new season sometime in 2026.
Thank you again to everyone who has listened, subscribed, downloaded and donated to us so far - we are looking forward to picking things up again with you when we can.
In the meantime, Will and I both wish you all a safe and warm winter, and we look forward to reconnecting with you when we are able to.
Bye for now!
Our content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.com
Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.
Please consider leaving us a rating or review, it really helps others to find the show!
What is a 'patient-centred approach'? What systemic challenges get in the way of making it a reality?What does the biopsychosocial model tell us about how to choose the best pathways for treatment?
Alex Curmi, a consultant psychiatrist and trainee psychotherapist from The Thinking Mind Podcast discusses how he helps clients determine the best treatment plans based on a multitude of factors.
He elaborates on his diverse experiences across various mental health settings and the importance of recognising biological, psychological, and social inputs in mental health. He also touches on the challenges and methodologies involved in acute and planned mental health interventions, patient-centred care, and the role of systemic integration in improving outcomes.
The conversation highlights the need for a holistic, collaborative, and anti-tribalistic approach in mental health practice.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:16 Guest Introduction: Dr. Alex Curmi
00:44 Diverse Practice Environments
02:23 Challenges in Crisis Situations
04:52 Responsibilities in Patient Care
07:39 Patient-Centered Care Approach
21:59 Existential and Nihilistic Issues
27:41 Holistic Treatment Plans
35:10 Collaboration and Integration in Mental Health
41:03 Conclusion and Farewell
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Elspeth Davies, a medical anthropologist from the University of Oxford, and Dr. Helen Salisbury, a GP and BMJ columnist, about their BMJ article: How do we talk about overdiagnosis of mental health conditions without dismissing people’s suffering?
Our discussion explores the fine line between validating patients' experiences and the potential harms of unnecessary diagnostic labels. We examine the influence of medicalisation, the role of diagnoses in accessing care and benefits, and the broad societal implications.
The conversation also highlights the need for improved communication between doctors and patients and the importance of considering alternative approaches to understanding mental health issues.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
00:20 Introducing the Topic of Over-Diagnosis
00:27 Meet the Experts: Dr. Elspeth Davies and Dr. Helen Salisbury
01:28 Defining Over-Diagnosis in Mental Health
02:24 The Complexity of Diagnosing Mental Health Conditions
04:39 The Role of Diagnoses in Accessing Support
07:36 The Impact of Diagnoses on Patients
09:48 The Debate on Over-Diagnosis and Medicalization
25:52 The Influence of Pharmaceutical Companies
26:26 Improving Conversations Between Doctors and Patients
29:11 The Political Context of Over-Diagnosis
31:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
In this episode we are joined by author: Caro Giles to talk about school and mental health.
Caro has worked as a teacher across the education sector. She is winner of the inaugural BBC Countryfile New Writer Award, author of Twelve Moons, published by Harper North and writes a regular monthly column for Psychologies Magazine.
Her latest book - Unschooled - published by Little Toller Books, is a memoir about her life as a single mother who was forced to educate her four daughters at home due to our underfunded school system being unable to cater for young people with special educational needs.
In this episode we are going to discuss how conducive our current school system is for children’s positive mental health, the challenges that it can present for children with additional needs and what needs to change in order for school to become a place that supports everyone’s wellbeing.
UNSCHOOLED is available in all good bookstores.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Depression isn’t just about a presence of sadness, it’s also about an absence of happiness. And whilst ceasing to function is a long-understood symptom of Depression, those that cope by never stopping aren’t necessarily in any less need of help.
In this episode of Lively Minds we discuss High Functioning Depression with Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist and researcher. Dr. Joseph, who is also the founder and chief investigator at Manhattan Behavioral Medicine, discusses her groundbreaking research and the resulting book 'High Functioning: Overcoming Your Hidden Depression and Reclaiming Your Joy.'
The conversation explores the distinction between high functioning depression and classic depression, the importance of early identification, and Dr. Joseph's innovative five V framework (validation, venting, values, vitals and vision) for cultivating joy and mental wellbeing.
The episode emphasises the necessity of a proactive approach to mental health to prevent breakdowns and highlights the vital role of understanding trauma and anhedonia in managing depression.
You can buy Dr Joseph’s book: High Functioning at all good bookstores or find out more by clicking here
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
00:16 Meet Dr. Judith Joseph
01:15 Understanding High Functioning Depression
03:23 Proactive Mental Health Approaches
04:37 Defining High Functioning Depression
05:38 The Role of Trauma in High Functioning Depression
07:54 Identifying Anhedonia
17:15 Listener Engagement Break
17:59 Exploring Masochistic Behaviours
19:46 Understanding People Pleasing and Trauma
21:41 Masochistic Personality Disorder Explained
22:27 Big T vs. Small T Trauma
27:01 Coping Mechanisms in High Functioning Depression
30:13 The Five V Framework
37:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Professor Melissa Bateson, an expert in ethology, explains the biological functions of anxiety, its evolutionary importance, and how it prepares humans and animals to detect and respond to threats.
The conversation covers the smoke detector principle, the optimal threshold for anxiety responses, and the potential impact of modern environments on anxiety levels.
The episode also delves into how understanding animal behaviour can offer insights into human mental health.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
00:21 Meet Professor Melissa Bateson
01:04 Understanding Ethology and Human Behavior
01:58 Evolutionary Basis for Anxiety
05:43 The Smoke Detector Principle
06:56 When Anxiety Becomes a Problem
18:00 Biological Perspective on Anxiety Thresholds
23:46 Modern Threats and Anxiety
27:54 Learning from Animals
29:26 Conclusion and Farewell
We take a deep dive into SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), which is the most commonly prescribed form of antidepressant in the UK. We discuss with Consultant Psychiatrist: Dr Alex Curmi what we know about the effectiveness of SSRIs, what we don't, and why there is so much debate about their use.
Check out the Thinking Mind Podcast by searching for it wherever you get your podcasts.
Or you can find it on Spotify by clicking here
In particular, you might be interested in Alex's conversations with
* Prof Joanna Moncrieff about her skeptisim of SSRIs
- Prof David Taylor about SSRI research, their effectiveness and side effects
Mark Horowitz's website can be found here
Weblinks are provided in good faith and Lively Minds is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, click here or links https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
00:19 Today's Topic: Antidepressants and SSRIs
00:47 Guest Introduction: Dr. Alex Kmy
01:52 Understanding SSRIs: Mechanism and Function
03:21 Hosts' Personal Experiences with SSRIs
09:39 Debate on SSRIs: Effectiveness and Over-Prescription
22:19 Effectiveness of SSRIs: Research Insights
25:34 Understanding Antidepressant Effect Sizes
25:49 Comprehensive Depression Assessment
26:20 Exploring Treatment Options Beyond Antidepressants
27:23 SSRIs for Various Mental Health Conditions
28:47 The Role of Psychological Interventions
29:46 Personal Development and Mental Health
31:20 Debating the Usefulness of Diagnoses
32:28 Personal Journey with SSRIs
34:36 Stigma and Medication
37:11 Modern Life and Mental Health
39:57 The Mystery of How SSRIs Work
41:22 Supporting Patients in Tapering Off SSRIs
44:47 Alternative Biological Treatments for Depression
46:05 The Future of AI in Psychiatry
46:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
What does it mean to live a happy life? Can happiness be more than just feeling good? And how might ideas like meaning, community, and values help us rethink wellbeing?
In this second of a two part series, hosts Will and Ellie are joined by Dr Mark Fabian, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Warwick and author of Beyond Happy.
They explore happiness as something more complex than mood—touching on meaning, self-actualisation, nihilism, community, and the impact of culture and policy on our ability to live well.
The conversation also reflects on how mental health and happiness intersect, and why moving beyond self-optimisation might bring us closer to fulfilment.
Mark's book Beyond Happy is published by Bedford Square and available to buy now by clicking here.
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, click here or links https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
00:00 Introduction to Today’s Episode
01:05 Beyond Feeling Good: A New Take on Happiness
04:18 Wholeness, Fulfilment and Practical Wisdom
09:31 Nihilism and the Search for Meaning
15:58 Culture, Community and Belonging
22:00 Mental Health, Self-Help, and Social Structures
26:57 Concluding Reflections
What is happiness? How does it change across cultures? How might notions of happiness change for people with mental health challenges? What does it mean to live a “happy life”?
In this first of a two part series, we revisit an interview from May 2023 with Professor William Tov of Singapore Management University. We discuss the broad and varied definitions of happiness, cultural differences in how happiness is perceived, and the role personality plays in happiness.
The conversation also touches on the impact of mental health on happiness, the distinction between fleeting emotions and deeper life satisfaction, and how cultural norms can shape our understanding of what it means to live a happy life.
Follow @livelymindspod on social media, click here or links https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
00:00 Introduction to Today's Episode
01:03 Defining Happiness
04:18 Cultural Perspectives on Happiness
16:00 Personality and Happiness
19:31 Mental Health and Happiness
26:19 Concluding Thoughts
In this episode of 'Lively Minds,' Ellie discusses the importance of collective care and mental health through a conversation with artists: Charlie Fitz and Miss Jackie.
They explore how their artist collective, Triad, created during the Covid pandemic, became a vital support system for their well-being.
The shared experiences of disability and creativity fostered a unique bond among them, providing a space for emotional support, mutual understanding, and collective care.
They also offer insights on how others can cultivate similar supportive networks.
You can find out more about Triad and see examples of their work at https://www.triad.org.uk/exhibition/
Charlie Fitz's website can be found at https://www.charliefitzartist.co.uk/ and Miss Jacqui's at https://www.missjacqui.co.uk/
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
00:00 Introduction and Content Warning
00:18 Meet the Hosts: Will and Ellie
00:36 Today's Episode: A Unique Approach
1:45 Introducing Charlie and Miss Jackie
03:08 How Triad Collective started
05:07 Collective Care and Its Importance
11:23 Boundaries and Respect in the Collective
21:17 Creating Supportive Spaces
25:34 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
29:35 Closing Remarks and Contact Information
What is self-harm? Why can it be so uncomfortable to talk about? How do we best support those who self-harm?
In this episode of Lively Minds, hosts Ellie and Will explore self-harm with Naomi Salisbury, a consultant and former CEO of Self Injury Support. They discuss the varied reasons behind self-harm, its misconceptions, and the importance of compassion and harm minimisation.
Naomi shares insights on support strategies, the role of lived experience in policy, and practical tools for seeking help - both for those that self-harm and those that care about them.
Links to support are provided in good faith. Lively Minds is not responsible for their content.
Self Injury Support
www.selfinjurysupport.org.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sisupportorguk/
Helpline: 0808 800 8088
Doc Ready
Help for preparing to go to the doctor to discuss something mental health-related
www.docready.org
Stem 4
Calm Harm is an app that helps you manage or resist the urge to self-harm.
https://calmharm.stem4.org.uk
distrACT
If you're supporting people who self-harm and your services are under strain, you can now provide easy access to wellbeing information, self-help tips and links to support with the award-winning distrACT app.
www.expertselfcare.com/distract/
00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
01:02 Understanding Self-Harm: Definitions and Perspectives
02:03 Exploring the Reasons Behind Self-Harm
06:10 Self-Harm as a Coping Mechanism
11:30 Addressing Self-Harm: Approaches and Techniques
20:31 Common Myths and Stereotypes About Self-Harm
33:06 Final thoughts for those affected by Self-Harm
35:33 Conclusion and Resources
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Ellie's just had a research paper published!
In today's episode we discuss how can we learn from the impact that COVID-19 had on mental health peer support groups being forced to transition to online formats?
Ellie shares insights from her research conducted at the University of Liverpool, focusing on the experiences of Hearing Voices Network facilitators.
Key themes include the rapid shift to Zoom, issues of access to technology, changes in facilitator roles, and the dynamics of peer support. The conversation also explores the benefits and challenges of online peer support, digital exclusion, and the future of grassroots mental health care.
You can read Ellie's full paper by clicking here.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
North East England has the highest per capita use of antidepressant use in England and Wales and has had the highest suicide rate in England for 3 out of the past 4 years.
We are joined by Alasdair Cameron, co-director of Newcastle-based independent mental health charity ReCoco, to explore why.
We explore regional socio-economic factors impacting mental well-being, the inflexibility in mental health services between urban and rural areas, and ReCoco's peer-led initiatives to support those struggling. The episode also touches upon the potential for regional solutions through increased devolution and the need for community-driven support systems.
00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
00:46 Mental Health Challenges in North East England
01:11 Interview with Alastair Cameron
01:36 Understanding the Mental Health Landscape
04:09 Socio-Economic Factors and Mental Health
06:01 Bespoke Approaches for Mental Health
10:10 The Role of ReCoco
18:22 Devolution and Mental Health
26:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Here is the video Will mentions that talks about how reluctant London’s local authorities were to relinquish power to the London Region.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
How can art be used as a therepeutic tool to navigate types of grief that go beyond death and bereavement?
This is just one of the questions covered in our conversation with Doll - an artist, who shares their story of using their artistic practice to navigate their mental health experience.
Discussing their eclectic artistic practices—from sketchbooks to sculpture and crochet—Doll elaborates on how these forms of expression have helped them communicate their inner struggles, and become therepeutic practices in their own right.
You can find out more about Doll and their work at
https://www.instagram.com/dollwithabun/
https://www.creatingconversations.co.uk/
https://outsidein.org.uk/galleries/doll/
Also a link to Doesthedogdie.com
https://www.doesthedogdie.com/
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
Will and Ellie - co-hosts of the Lively Minds mental health podcast, discuss what their ingredients are for good mental health.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
How might the impact of detachment from their mother and birth family affect care-experienced children and young people's behaviour and relationships? And how can we support care-experienced children and young people to process their feelings?
We welcome back to the podcast Ciara McLelland, who specialises in working with children and families impacted by adverse childhood experiences, to find out more about the impact of grief and loss on the brain and body. Ciara is a trainer from Trauma Informed Consultancy Services.
For this episode, we are partnering with The Creative Life Story Work Podcast who are posting it on their feed too! Head over to their show to hear more about how art, artists and creative activity can be used to help care-experienced children make sense of their past and build a brighter future.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
What is mindfulness? What's the difference between mindfulness and doing things 'mindfully'? What does evidence about the positive impact of mindfulness tell us about the origins of our mental health struggles?
We'll be discussing these topics with Dr Afrosa Ahmed, who has just written a book: "Mindful Healing, 5 Simple Steps to Transform your Life" published by Michael O'Mara Books.
A practising GP in the NHS for over 20 years, as well as a Harley Street-based mindfulness coach, Afrosa launched life-coaching programme MindfulDoc in 2020.
In her book, Afrosa shares her knowledge of how we can incorporate the ancient practice of mindfulness into our everyday lives. Mindfulness is now endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the NHS.
"Mindful Healing, 5 Simple Steps to Transform your Life" is published by Michael O'Mara Books.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
In 2022, a survey revealed that only 11% of people working in the UK’s film and TV sectors considered the industry to be a mentally healthy place to work.
As the latest iteration of the “Looking Glass” survey is launched, we speak with Rupert Jones-Lee, Head of Research and Impact at the Film & TV Charity, about the mental health challenges faced by those in the film and TV industry.
We talk about the reasons behind these mental health struggles, the measures currently being implemented to address them, and the further actions needed to create a healthier work environment.
Do you work in the screen sector? You can complete the latest Looking Glass Survey by clicking here.
Other links:* If anyone has questions about the survey they can email research@filmtvcharity.org.uk
* Link to the Looking Glass 2022 report: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/research-impact/reports/looking-glass-22-report/
* Charity website: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk
* The Film & TV Charity’s 24 hour support line is 0800 054 0000.
* Webchat and email can be reached via https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/get-support/24-hour-support-line/
* Whole Picture Toolkit: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/get-support/support-for-organisations/the-whole-picture-toolkit/
Content Warning
There is a brief reference to statistics around suicidal ideation.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Hi everyone, just a quick podcast update today.
Ellie and I have decided to reduce the frequency of Lively Minds to once a month. The main reason for this change is that, as you know, we produce the show in our spare time, and maintaining a fortnightly release schedule has become challenging alongside our other commitments.
We aren’t going anywhere! The next episode of Lively Minds, focusing on AI and mental health, will be released on the first Friday of July. Following that, new episodes will be published on the first Friday of each month.
We also hope that moving to a monthly schedule will allow us to dedicate more time to each episode. Those of you who have ventured into podcasting understand the constant balancing act between regularly releasing episodes and ensuring the content is high-quality.
We have some exciting ideas for future episode formats, including something we’re calling "voice notes." Ellie and I will exchange voice notes over several weeks or even months, gradually building a conversation around a specific topic. This approach, the idea for which came from the brilliant Podcraft podcast, allows each of us to respond thoughtfully and research before we reply.
I'm also eager to create episodes that blend previous interviews with new conversations to delve into specific themes. One idea is a show titled “The Figments of My Imagination Are Out to Get Me,” which will explore the evolutionary history of anxiety and why this essential human feeling can sometimes spiral out of control.
So, please keep listening, sharing, and telling others about the show. If you are able to, please donate to us at buymeacoffee.com/livelyminds. If you haven’t yet, please rate or review us on your podcast app—it really helps boost our visibility and motivates us to create new content.
Until July, bye for now.
Australia’s nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2024, Matt Ottley, talks to us about his new work The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness, which explores experiences of bipolar and psychosis through art, word and music.
Matt Ottley is an internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning neurodiverse artist, author and composer from Australia, with more than forty picture books to his name.
You can find out more about The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness by following these links
Matt Ottley’s website
Publisher: One Tentacle’s website
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
“Sometimes, people just need to be really very sad together”
In this episode, we will be talking with funeral celebrant - or ‘funeralist’ - Andy Jones about funerals and mental health.
We ask Andy what ingredients he thinks a funeral needs in order to best support the wellbeing of those that have lost someone.
We also discuss how, as someone who spends his life around death and grieving, Andy looks after his own mental wellbeing.
You can hear Andy interviewed on the Cinematologists podcast by clicking here
He will also be interviewed on an upcoming episode of the Endings podcast, which you can find here.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more athttps://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
What is Dramatherapy? How does it work? And how can it help us make better sense of our mental health?
In this episode, Ellie and Will chat with Ciara McClelland of Dream Together, who is a registered dramatherapist and social worker.
We explore dramatherapy's application in both individual and group contexts. From facilitating personal healing journeys to shedding light on pressing social issues, dramatherapy emerges as a powerful tool for fostering self-awareness and collective understanding.
We will also discuss how dramatherapy helps to reclaim the way we understand ourselves, leading to profound insights into the complexities that shape our lives.
Please note: case study examples are 'mock ups' of therapeutic scenarios for which consent has been given.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Did you know, that in the UK, anyone - no matter what their qualifications or experience - can set themselves up as a counsellor, a psychotherapist, or indeed use any job title except for a chosen few that are protected by law?
In this episode, we will be talking Phil Doré and Amanda Williamson about regulation - or rather, the lack of it - in mental health care in the UK.
Amanda Williamson is a Senior Accredited Counsellor and Coach working in private practice. Following her experience of abusive therapy as a trainee, she joined Phil Doré as part of Unsafe Spaces and campaigned for the regulation of counselling and psychotherapy.
Phil Dore is a mental health nurse who has spent most of his career in the NHS, which is where he currently works. He started the Unsafe Spaces blog and together with Amanda, Phil wrote the Unsafe Spaces report in 2016 (see link below)
Now you may be wondering why we are interviewing people who wrote a report that’s now 8 years old?
Well, the reason is because - as we’ll hear later - everything in that report remains equally as relevant, if not more so today.
Links
Link to the Unsafe Spaces report
Link to the investigation by the Daily Express
Link to the Professional Standards Authority's 'Share Your Experience' form
General advice on choosing a therapist in the UK
* https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/how-to-find-a-therapist/
* https://positivemindpractice.co.uk/blog/finding-accredited-therapists/
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Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
How can the arts help achieve positive change for people with mental health problems?
Who can get involved? What counts as “activism”?
Writer, director and Disabled rights activist: Vici Wreford Sinnott returns to the show to discuss these questions. She highlight some of her favourite examples of mental health-focused activism and talks about how those with and without mental health challenge can work together to make society a more equitable and happier place for everyone.
Links
* More information about the Feeble Minded Control Bill (which became the Mental Deficiency Act 1913)
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
How many times have you heard someone say “I’m being so OCD” to describe a random bit of preciseness or when they need to double-check something?
Whether it’s newspaper articles falsely linking OCD to violent behaviours, unhelpful social media memes that perpetuate mistaken concepts of “intrusive thoughts”, or the names of brands which trivialise the experience - misinformation, and perhaps sometimes active disinformation, about OCD remains rife.
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is one of the world’s most misunderstood mental health disorders. For a long time, it has been portrayed in the media as a personality quirk that has something or other to do with cleanliness. In fact, according to the World Health Organisation, it is one of the most disabling conditions on Earth. Whilst ‘contamination OCD’ is the most common subtype, this strand of the condition is grossly mischaracterised by the media, who also ignore the fact that most forms of OCD have nothing to do with germaphobia.
In this special collaboration with the OCD Stories podcast, Ellie and Will chat to Matthew Antonelli from the IOCDF, and Stuart Ralph, from OCD Stories, about the impact OCD myths can have on those with the condition - and what we can do to spread positive messages that encourage people to seek the help they need and deserve.
Links
* The OCD Stories Podcast
* The IOCDF’s response to articles that appeared in the New York Post
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Why is mental health and learning disability so often confused? How do they interact? Why are learning disabled people more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population?
In this episode, we will be talking to Paul Wilshaw, who is Associate Producer at https://www.mind-the-gap.org.uk/. As well as being an advocate for Mind the Gap, Paul uses his own lived experience to be an advocate for learning disabled people. Paul is also presenter of Mind the Gap and Disability Arts Online’s podcast, https://disabilityarts.online/projects/the-disability-and-podcast/
Again, we make quite a few references to websites and research in this show. Here are the links!
The connections between mental health and learning disability according to https://www.mencap.org.uk/learning-disability-explained/research-and-statistics/health/mental-health and https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/learning-disability-support/.
Some research suggests that learning disabled people are more than twice as likely to experience a mental health problem than the population at large: see results on https://consensus.app/results/?q=Are%20learning%20disabled%20people%20more%20likely%20to%20have%20mental%20health%20problems%20than%20non-learning%20disabled%20people?&synthesize=on
Disabled people are more at risk of loneliness than non-learning disabled people: ses results on https://consensus.app/results/?q=Are%20disabled%20people%20at%20higher%20risk%20of%20loneliness%20than%20non-disabled%20people%3F&synthesize=on
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Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our websitehttps://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
--Show Transcript--
W: Hi everyone, the following episode includes a brief reference to suicidal ideation and a potentially triggering comment made by a healthcare professional who is not identified in the conversation. There are also quite a few references to research again and you’ll find links in the show notes. Please take care whilst listening and for signposting to support, visit our website anyamedia.net/LivelyMinds W: Hello, my name is Will. E: And my name is Ellie. W: You are listening to Lively Minds, the podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday. E: The podcast that looks at how developing our understanding of mental health issues influences the ways that we address them. W: Before we get going with today’s episode, we just want to say a big thank you to the person who gave us a very generous anonymous donation at our Buy Me a Coffee page. You know who you are. It’s very much appreciated. If you’d like to support the show too, then you can find our Buy Me A Coffee page at buymeacoffee.com/livelyminds. [Music] E: In today’s episode we are talking about the interconnections and misconceptions surroundingmental health and learning disability. W: According to the charities Mind and Mencap, learning disability and mental health are often muddled. At the same time, some studies show that learning disabled people are at least twice as likely to struggle with their mental health than the population at large. E: To guide us through this topic, we are delighted to welcome Paul Wilshaw to the show. Paul is an associate producer at Mind the Gap Theatre Company. His role includes supporting the company’s producing team and project delivery. As well as being an advocate for Mind the Gap, Paul uses his own lived experience to be an advocate for learning disabled people. Paul is also presenter of Mind the Gap and Disability Arts Online’s podcast, Disability and… I always want to say the dot dot dot. W: Welcome to the show Paul. P: Thank you very much for having me. Really do appreciate it. W: I guess we should start off just by saying that Ellie and I both know you outside of this podcast, known you for a while and it’s just really great to actually finally be able to have you on the show. E: Definitely. P: It’s great and I know Ellie from We Shall Not Be Removed and that was a great experience, except for, wish we didn’t have to go through that experience in the first place but we did. E: Yeah W: Just to explain that We Shall Not Be Removed was the Disability Arts Alliance that came together during the pandemic to try and work out how we could have a better landscape for disabled artists during and most importantly, following the pandemic as well, right? E: Yeah, P: definitely. E: Simultaneously it feels like it was ages ago that me and Paul were seeing each other on Zoom all the time, but actually it also in a way feels like it was like a month ago. P: I know. W: So Paul, thanks for coming and talking to us. To start off with, as I mentioned in the intro, according to both Mencap and Mind, Mencap being a charity that works with learning disabled people, Mind being a charity that focuses on mental health, learning disability and mental healthare often confused. So, we were wondering, do you agree with that? And if so, why do you think that is? P: I think it, it does get confused. A lot of the times that you can’t actually tell what part is of you, what part is your learning disability and also what part is your mental health. And if, if you don’t understand it yourself, then in a way, how can you expect other people to understand it. So I mean, I have depression, I got diagnosed with that, but I’ve also got learning disabilities and cerebral palsy. So what part of my personality is my learning disability, what part is it my mental health, and what part of it is my cerebral palsy?. It’s a really hard thing to understand in myself, so I do understand why people get confused. I think though people do get confused, I think it’s also that fear that people have of the unknown and the fact of that there’s so much now being in the media around mental health, and people are trying to understand their mental health but also trying to understand have I got this disability? or is that part of my disability? And that sometimes, it’s hard to actually know yourself. So yeah, no, I think there is definitely some confusion, but I think there’s, people are trying to understand more, well I’m hoping so anyway. E: It’s hard trying to figure out which bits which isn’t it? And then at the end of the thought you’re like, well, actually it’s just sort of all the bits, a bit like a jigsaw or something. P: Yeah, you have to put it all together. I think it’s also that thing of that everyone’s scared, but also there is fun around having your disability and having your mental health because there is fun in that. E: Yeah. P: I think that’s something that people are like, how can that be fun? How is that fun? But you can’t just, you’re not always down. E: Yeah P: And I think that’s a thing that people just think, oh, if you’ve got depression, or if you’ve got this, you’re always down. It’s not always the case. It’s also that support that you have in place as well. E: Yeah. W: Can I ask Paul, if I had to put you on the spot and say, have you thought about what might be some differences between mental health and learning disability? P: I think my mental health fluctuates and I try not to use jargon words. So what I mean is it goes up and down. My learning disability is there all my life. E: Yeah P: It’s the best way I can describe it. My learning disability, I learn different from and I need support. With my mental health, I get support but it’s not as easy. And sadly, I’m one of those people that probably tries to cover up and puts a face on stuff too much. And what I’ve started to realise more recently is that people know when my cerebral palsy is playing me up because I’m shifty and all that. And I’m, but with my mental health, only a few people will recognize when I’m going through one of my situations. W: mmm P: I think, yeah, there’s so much. So, no, there’s no, I think what mind and mencap put is very honest and say that it’s not the same thing because it’s not. And not, I mean, not one person will have the same situation. I mean, my situation is different than other people with mental health situations, but you need to be there to support everyone. And so, yeah. E: Yeah. P: And something that Mencap do talk about is how one of the problems about the confusion is that sometimes a learning disabled person might go to their doctor, and the doctor will just assume that whatever they’re presenting is part of their learning disability, whereas in actual fact, it could well be a mental health issue. And the other thing they mentioned as well is that sometimes there can be a lack of connection between mental health and learning disability services within health as well, and a lack of coordination. P: A prime example of the doctors and stuff is that I went to my doctor ... continued here
Welcome to the first episode of SEASON 2 of Lively Minds!
In this episode, we will be talking to Stuart Ralph who featured in what is currently our most popular episode of season 1, exploring OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Stuart is a counsellor and psychotherapist for children and young people, who has lived experience of OCD, is the co-founder of the Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy and host of the very popular OCD Stories podcast which we recommend you check out.
In today’s show, Stuart will be chatting to us about a strand of OCD known as “Pure O”. We’ll be finding out what it is, why - despite its existence being contested, why the term has been embraced by so many within the OCD community.
Follow @livelymindspod on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
--Show Transcript--
[music] W: Hello, my name is Will. E: And my name is Ellie. W: You are listening to Lively Minds, the podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday. E: The podcast that looks at how developing our understanding of mental health issues influences how we address them. W: In this episode, we will be talking to Stuart Ralph, who featured in what is currently our most popular episode of season one, exploring OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. [music ends] E: Stuart is a counsellor and psychotherapist for children and young people who has lived experience of OCD, is the co-founder of the Integrative Centre for OCD Therapy and host of the very popular OCD Stories podcast, which we really recommend you check out. W: In today’s show, Stuart will be chatting to us about a strand of OCD known as Pure O. We’ll be finding out what it is and why, despite its existence being contested, the term has been embraced by so many within the OCD community. Welcome back on the show, Stuart. S: Thank you for having me back on. I’m honoured to hear that it’s the most popular episode! That’s really flattering and great to be back on talking with you guys. W: Thank you. It’s great to have you. E: To begin with, could you remind us, particularly for the benefit of people who aren’t so familiar with it, how you define OCD? S: Yeah. So it’s best just to break it down into the O and C. So obsession, compulsion. Obsession could also be named intrusive for, image, urge, impulse. Often they call it ego dystonic. It’s against what we want. It’s repugnant to us. That’s why it’s scary to the person. They don’t want these thoughts and feelings, these sensations. they want none of it. They can come in different themes, sometimes called subtypes of OCD. It could be worried about physical contamination, emotional contamination, worrying about offending your God. You’d call that religious OCD, obsessively worrying about your romantic relationship, called relationship OCD. Worrying about sort of harming someone, hurting someone, killing someone. We might call that harm OCD. You could also have paedophile-themed OCD, which is where you’re worried that you’re a paedophile. And of course, people that have those worries, far from being a paedophile, they’re deeply disgusted and scared by that thought. Because they’re deeply disgusted and scared by that thought, they then do compulsions. Compulsions are any actions in our heads or in the outside world, like mental reviewing is a mental compulsion going over memories or facts and figures. Physical compulsions could be googling, it could be checking, it could be flipping a light switch on and off, washing your hands, hiding knives if you’re worried about killing someone and the reason they do compulsions is to get rid of, remove, reduce, the thoughts and feelings. And then I just mentioned feelings, so that’s not in the title OCD, but the feelings are really what fuels OCD so it’s usually anxiety although it can also be guilt, shame, disgust you name it that also drives the OCD but it’s more common that it’s anxiety but I’ve worked with clients that don’t really have much anxiety and it’s mainly disgust or guilt is the driving emotion behind it. And quite often if we didn’t have those, I say we, because I’ve experienced OCD, I talk a bit about my story in the first episode. When we don’t have those feelings, it doesn’t really matter if we have intrusive thoughts, obsessions, because they don’t bother us. So there was a study done, it’s probably over 10 years ago now, it was like 94 and 96% of people have intrusive thoughts. So that was general public that were questioned and I think the other, whatever it was, 6% was probably lying or just didn’t realise it. But we all have that image if we stand too close to a train track our brain throws us on the tracks. Most of us have had that thought right? Or you’re holding your kid and suddenly your brain throws your kid down the stairs. Not literally but in your mind. That’s an intrusive thought, it’s scary. Now, but if you’re seriously anxious at the time of having that thought, that thought sticks around and it becomes more and more recurrent in your head and it will keep coming back and back and that’s the OCD cycle and then we do compulsions and what the compulsions teach our brain is that this thought is, could be real, it could be a real danger, because it’s a real danger I better do these safety behaviours or compulsions, but that just reinforces the cycle and teaches our brain we should be afraid of these thoughts therefore we end up doing more compulsions because we’re more anxious, so it’s this vicious cycle of OCD and it really keeps people trapped. The last thing I say about it is these thoughts are so far fetched often, they’re so far out there. You know just because I had a thought about let’s say Jesus in some kind of sexual way and if I’m a Christian, I might get super worried about that, of course I don’t want to do anything sexual to Jesus, but because I’ve had that thought I’m now obsessed worried about it and can’t stop thinking about it, praying compulsively. That’s just teaching my brain the thought could be real and I get stuck in this cycle. But it’s just far-fetched, right? E: Thank you. That’s really thorough, today we’re going to talk about something called Pure O which I wasn’t too familiar with until we spoke to you and Will told me about it after the first episode you did with us. So what is Pure O and how does it differ from more traditional understandings of OCD? S: Yeah, so Pure O is, is highly contested and arguably a bit controversial, which we’ll talk about in a bit, but its, it means purely obsessional, right? So the assumption is there are no compulsions. Now that is the problem with the wording of Pure O, because there’s always compulsions. But the compulsions for people with Pure O are mainly in their head. So they’re doing compulsions in their head as opposed to the physical world. That’s not entirely true, and I’ll share that in a bit when we talk about maybe the issues with the term of Pure O, but in theory it means compulsions are in the mind, not in the physical world, so I’m mainly doing compulsions like checking memories or making lists in my head or saying words in my mind to counteract the thought. It’s those sort of things and it’s also a word for, that could be called rumination. We all ruminate but with OCD it’s very prevalent. I could just call that seriously overthinking. So that’s where it, it got its name. Now it was coined by Dr. Steven Phillips and he’s been on my show like 10, not 20, 10 to 12 times and he coined the term in 1988 because he was seeing a lot of clients come through his practice who didn’t seem to have any physical compulsions, were having these intrusive thoughts often quite taboo intrusive thoughts like violent sexual intrusive thoughts, and they were being missed in the research. So he coined the term to try and bring them into the term OCD. Now they were always OCD but they were getting missed by other therapists and researchers because they didn’t seem to be washing their hands or checking things over and over again in the real world. So that’s where Pure O came about and it’s been a very useful term because it’s helped people find others who don’t seem to have many physical compulsions. So it’s helped them find a tribe and again I think we’ll talk about that later. But yeah, in short, it’s just where there’s not any physical compulsions or many and it’s mainly mental compulsions but the issue with the wording is purely obsessional to anyone outside would say well that means there’s no compulsions because it’s purely obsessional right? if we’d be very anal about it and that’s why a lot of, not a lot, there are therapists and researchers out there who hate the term. And there are many therapists that actually like the term for the reasons I’ve said that it’s helped people find a tribe. So it’s a real, it’s a problematic term, but it also has had a lot of uses over the years, good uses, and has helped a lot of people feel understood. But yeah, just that misconception of, if anyone says they’ve got Pure O and they don’t do compulsions, lie, unintentional lie, they are doing compulsions, just mainly in their head. W: Yeah, as ...
We asked for your thoughts and questions, and you did not disappoint!
Thank you to everyone who contacted us. In the second of our 2-parter, Ellie will respond to your questions about her experiences both working in and being admitted to mental health hospital.
If you haven’t heard our three episode miniseries on mental health hospitals you may want to go back and listen to that before listening to this episode. It begins at episode 15.
Content notes:There will be one reference to suicidality and references to institutional abuse in a mental healthcare setting.
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
We asked for your thoughts and questions, and you did not disappoint!
Thank you to everyone who contacted us. In the first of another 2-parter, Ellie will respond to your questions about her experiences both working in and being admitted to mental health hospital. The questions were SO good, that we’ve had to spread Elllie’s responses over two episodes - and the second will land in your feeds next week.
If you haven’t heard our three episode miniseries on mental health hospitals you may want to go back and listen to that before listening to this episode. It begins at episode 15.
Links to some of the Scandinavian approachs Ellie mentions are here:
https://www.madinamerica.com/2019/12/medication-free-treatment-norway-private-hospital/
https://imhcn.org/bibliography/recent-innovations-and-good-practices/open-dialogue/
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
The social model of disability offers a radical alternative to the way we understand our mental health problems.
Rather than focusing on health problems as deficits or diagnoses, the social model asks what structural barriers such as lack of mental health care, access, discrimination and exclusion (whether intentional or not) affect people’s wellbeing.
The social model of disability still values the importance of receiving good medical care, but refocuses our attention on what societal barriers disable people, and what role society has to remove these barriers so that everyone can be included, and feel valued and respected.
To guide us through how this approach relates to mental health, we are delighted to welcome Vici Wreford-Sinnott who is a disabled writer/director for stage and screen, and an advocate for cultural equity for disabled people.
We begin the interview by playing a clip from the Disability and… podcast which you can find here.
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
What is clinical anxiety? And how does it differ from everyday anxiety?
We are delighted to welcome back to the show Karen Lowinger, who is a clinical psychologist from Panama. For fourteen years now, Karen has been working with teenagers and adults going through anxiety disorders, mood disorders and borderline personality disorder.
She last spoke to us about high functioning mental health problems, which you can find at episode 5.
In today’s episode we will be taking a deep dive into the world of clinical anxiety. We’ll begin by discussing what anxiety is, and what the difference is between everyday and clinical anxiety.
We’re going to dig into the detail of how we understand anxiety, with a little ancient philosophy thrown in for good measure. We’ll explore the phenomena of catastrophisation and the ‘panic attack’, and we’ll explore some of the ways to treat anxiety.
Will refers to an article about anxiety he’s written, which you can find here.
The lecture by Martin Rossman that is referred to in the conversation can be found here.
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Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
What is the relationship between neurodivergence and trauma?
In today’s episode we are chatting again to Amanda Marples, who is a writer, social worker and mentor with over twenty years experience in community mental health.
She has written for numerous magazines, is the author of "The Healing Workbook" and operates a mentoring service for neurodivergent writers called Reconcile Creative.
The last time we chatted to Amanda was in episode 14, when she spoke to us about trauma.
If you haven’t heard that episode then we recommend you go back and have a listen - in today’s episode we are going to be talking specifically about the relationship between neurodivergence and trauma.
Content Notes:
We will be discussing the close relationship and interplay between trauma and neurodivergence - including for autistic people and those with ADHD.
Neurodivergence is a term coined by sociologist Judith Singer in the 1990s, which promotes the idea that conditions, such as autism and ADHD, should be reframed as variations in human cognition rather than disorders or deficits.
Whilst we will be discussing correlations between trauma and neurodivergence it is important to make clear that we aren't suggesting that all neurodivergent people have experienced trauma, or that trauma always leads to neurodivergent development.
There will be brief references to sexual assault and bullying. We will also discuss the impact of early childhood trauma on brain development, and how having a higher sensitivity to sensory experiences can impact traumatic memories.
It is also important to say that Neurodivergent identity has become a hugely helpful way for large numbers of people, including those with mental health problems, to reframe and understand their experiences in a more positive way.
Take care whilst listening, and if anything comes up that you need help with right away, find signposting on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Links to more information about topics raised in the podcast discussion.
Please note: these links are provided in good faith and Lively Minds Podcast is not responsible for the content of third party websites.
* Amanda's article about the relationship between trauma and neurodivergence
* The research Amanda mentioned that suggests neurotypical brains are more alike than neurodivergent brains.
* Is it ADHD or Trauma? Why the symptoms are often confused, and how to avoid a misdiagnosis
* Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Autistic People
* Neurodiversity and Bullying
* Evidence that 9 out of 10 Autistic Women have been Victims of Sexual Violence
* Childhood adversity may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD
* Trauma exposure in children with and without ADHD: prevalence and functional impairment in a community-based study of 6–8-year-old Australian children
* Article about the impact of trauma on the developing brain
* Another article about how stress can impact brain development
* Scattered Minds - book by Gabor Mate
What are Ellie's hopes for the future of mental health hospitals in the UK?
In the third and final part of this three part mini-series, Will chats to Ellie about her experiences of running creative workshops and events within mental health hospitals, how this differed from her time as an inpatient, and what her hopes are for the future of mental health hospitals.
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
What is it like to be an inpatient on a mental health ward?
In the second of this three part mini-series, Will shall be chatting to Ellie about her experiences of both being admitted to and working in mental health hospitals.
In the UK, a mental health or ‘psychiatric’ hospital or ward refers to an inpatient healthcare setting which specialises in the treatment of people who are considered to be experiencing a mental health crisis.
Mental hospitals, or what were referred to as ‘asylums’ until the early 1900s have always been - and remain - controversial.
There is conflicting evidence surrounding the recovery benefits of inpatient admission, and whilst of course practices will vary between institutions, for decades the sector has been marred with scandals about the abuse and neglect of those in its care.
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Content Warning: This conversation includes references to sectioning, suicide attempts and experiences of medical gaslighting.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
What is it like to be admitted to mental health hospital? What does it mean to be “sectioned”?
Over the next three episodes, I will be chatting to Ellie about her experiences of both being admitted to and working in mental health hospitals.
In the UK, a mental health or ‘psychiatric’ hospital or ward refers to an inpatient healthcare setting which specialises in the treatment of people who are considered to be experiencing a mental health crisis.
Mental hospitals, or what were referred to as ‘asylums’ until the early 1900s have always been - and remain - controversial. There is conflicting evidence surrounding the recovery benefits of inpatient admission, and whilst of course practices will vary between institutions, for decades the sector has been marred with scandals about the abuse and neglect of those in its care.
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Content Warning: This episode focuses on inpatient experiences in mental health institutions, incluing voluntary and involuntary admission, sectioning under the mental health act and some brief references to institutional abuse. There is also a reference to suicidality.
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
What is trauma?
In today’s episode we are chatting to Amanda Marples, who is a writer, social worker and mentor with over twenty years experience in community mental health.
We will be discussing her new book: "The Healing Workbook". Published by
Summersdale, this guide is designed to help people understand and deal with trauma.
For more information on the DSM definition of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) click here.
For more information on the ICD10 definition, click here.
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Are mental health problems a ‘disability’?
We chat with Professor Tom Shakespeare about the relationship between concepts of disability and mental health.
Tom is Professor of Disability Research at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He has taught and researched at the universities of Sunderland, Leeds, Newcastle and East Anglia, worked for the World Health Organisation, and authored several books including 'Sexual Politics of Disability', 'Disability Rights and Wrongs' and 'Disability - the Basics'.
Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Kema Sikawe recently appeared in a BBC 3 documentary: Therapy: Tough Talking in which he gives viewers a front-row seat at a series of therapy sessions where he opens up and discusses his mental health challenges.
Kema, who is also known as Kema Kay, is a musician, actor and broadcaster based in Newcastle. In this episode we talk with Kema about the pros and cons of talking publicly about your mental health, and what safeguards need to be in place to make it a positive experience.
Therapy: Tough Talking can be found on BBC iPlayer here.
You can find out more about Will and Kema’s work with Radio Film and the BBC World Service here.
Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelymindsFind out more about our show at https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
In today’s episode we are talking to Dr. Arya Thampuran, a researcher from Durham University in the UK, about her work focusing on how creative practitioners in African diasporic contexts express distress and healing in ways that challenge traditional Western views of mental health.
Dr Thampuran’s work aims to go beyond the idea of distress as a disorder and explore alternative perspectives. She analyses various forms of creative expression such as books, art, and films by contemporary African artists to understand how these representations can reshape our understanding of mental well-being.
Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelymindsFind out more about our show at https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
In this episode we are going to be talking about avoiding anxiety-inducing situations.
For people with mental health problems, this question is particularly relevant. It may be that fears around a particular situation are linked to trauma, generalised anxiety or compulsive behaviours. No matter how much we rationalise that such fears are unfounded, we find it near impossible to allay them.
Are there day-to-day situations that cause enough mental distress that they should simply be avoided - full stop? Or is developing coping strategies to face our fears always the way to go?
You can read Will's article about this topic in The Mighty by clicking here.
Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Find out more about our show at https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
In this episode, we chat with Hal Branson about the connection between stand-up comedy and mental health. Hal is a comedian and live comedy co-ordinator who has worked in the industry for over 12 years. He has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and his comedy has been inextricably linked with his mental health, both in the content of his material on stage and as a tool to deal with the condition.
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Find out more about our show at https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Wondering where this week's episode of Lively Minds is?
Here's a podcast update!
Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Find out more about our show at https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
On this episode of Lively Minds, the Mental Health Podcast, Ellie and Will reflect on their most memorable moments from the conversations so far and discuss why they resonate.
If you haven’t heard some of the episodes we discuss, don’t worry, we’ll provide enough context for it to make sense. We’ll also mention the episode numbers so you can go back and listen if you’d like to!
Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Find out more about our show at https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Lively Minds is a UK based podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday.
In today’s episode, we are speaking to Ellie's Rabbi, Robyn Ashworth-Steen. Rabbi Robyn talks to us about how her feminism, spirituality and career in social justice have intersected with her mental health.
We discuss the possibility of redefining our community-centred identities as well as what we might learn from those who have gone before us. Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Find out more about our show at https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Lively Minds is a UK based podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday.
In today's episode we'll be talking with William Tov who is Associate Professor of Psychology at Singapore Management University.
Arguably, everyone wants to be happy - and people who experience mental health problems may find this more challenging than most.
But what is happiness?
We chat to Professor Tov about definitions of happiness and the varying meanings that this word has in different parts of the world. Then we move onto the question of how experiences of happiness may differ for people who have mental health problems.
Follow us on Twitter and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
Led by people with lived experience, Lively Minds is a UK-based podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday.
In this week’s episode of Lively Minds, we speak with Panama-based Pyschologist Karen Lowinger.
Will came across Karen when he stumbled upon an article she wrote for online publication: the Mighty, called "When you are too functional to have your mental illness taken seriously". You can find that article here
Karen begins by telling us about her efforts to raise awareness about High Functioning Mental Health problems. Then our conversation moves onto the question of whether or not labelling a mental health problem is helpful for people who are high functioning. Does it mean they, and those around them, will be more likely to give the issue the attention it deserves?
In this episode, we will be discussing aspects of mental distress including suicidal thoughts and, panic attacks. If anything comes up that you need help with right away, you can find signposting to support on our website: https://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds. If you are listening to us from Panama then help is available at Te escucho Panama on 831-7600
Find out more about our show at http://www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Led by people with lived experience, Lively Minds is a UK-based podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday.
Speaking during men's mental health week 2022, mental health advocate Jake Dunn discusses his own mental health story and his involvement with men's mental health groups.
Male identity is different for everyone, and Will and Jake talk from the perspective of their own lived experiences about some of the barriers they feel might prevent some men from seeking help - as well as what initiatives there are to encourage them to do so.
Then our conversation broadens out to ask what responsibility a health system such as the NHS has to provide services, and in the absence of adequate services, to what degree it is a community’s responsibility to step up to the plate and provide support at grassroots level.
You can find signposting to support, and more information about the show at www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Led by people with lived experience, Lively Minds is a UK-based podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday.
Artist, poet, writer, activist, filmmaker and professional mischief-maker: Dolly Sen, joins us to discuss her own experiences and career, and why she questions whether ‘mental illness’ even exists.
We talk about the current mental health care system in the UK, what needs to be done to improve it, and how humour and the celebration of ‘madness’ can be a powerful tool to engage people’s interest.
Find out more about the Lively Minds podcast at https://anyamedia.net/livelyminds
In episode 2 of Lively Minds: the mental health podcast, Will and Ellie chat to therapist and fellow podcaster: Stuart Ralph about what is perhaps one of the most misunderstood of all mental health conditions: OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Often misrepresented in popular culture as a ‘personality quirk’, OCD is in fact a potentially debilitating illness in which the sufferer feels compelled to reduce the anxiety caused by 'intrusive thoughts' through a cycle of further thoughts or actions. However, such ‘compulsions’ only feed these intrusive thoughts (or ‘obsessions’) leading to a vicious cycle that is difficult to escape. Contrary to popular belief, most people with OCD are not obsessed with germs, and even ‘contamination OCD’ (which is nevertheless the single most common subtype) is often misrepresented in the media.
Stuart discusses his own experience of OCD, what OCD actually is, why there is so much misunderstanding about it, unhelpful portrayals of OCD on social media and on TV, and the types of therapies that can help people with OCD to get better.
Check out Stuart's fantastic podcast: The OCD Stories at https://theocdstories.com/
Find out more about the Lively Minds podcast at https://anyamedia.net/livelyminds
In episode 1 of our brand new series: Lively Minds: the mental health podcast, Ellie and Will ask 'what is mental health?'
Drawing on their own personal and professional experience, they discuss how they frame and understand their own mental health challenges, the pros and cons of diagnostic labels, the difference between mental 'wellbeing' and mental 'health' and the problem with the prevalent 'self help' culture within mental health support.
Find out more about the podcast and get signposted to support services at www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
Ellie Page is a freelance artist, producer, editor and access consultant based in Manchester. An experienced youth worker and mental health practitioner, Ellie had to step down her Social Work practice following worsening mobility difficulties. This led to a successful freelance career which she continues alongside her other work. She worked enthusiastically as Project Coordinator of the UK Disability Arts Alliance, and is a co-founder of TRIAD³, a collaborative arts studio set-up thanks to funding from ACE. Ellie recently received a Merit award in her MSc Psychology, as well as Dissertation of the Year 2022. She manages the North West Hub for Outside In, working with artists who face significant barriers to the arts world, and continues to work as a freelance writer, book designer & arts and mental health practitioner.
Will Sadler is a filmmaker, radio & sound producer and photographer, with 25 years experience working with the heritage, cultural, charitable and public sectors. He has co-produced and mixed several radio programmes for the BBC and works with the cultural and voluntary sectors to create podcasts. He is co-founder and Development Director of Beacon Films, a multi-award winning production company that supports Disabled and neurodivergent filmmakers. In 2015, he became a Fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs. He is a contributor to North East Bylines and The Mighty.
STARTING Wednesday 3rd May 2023!
Led by people with lived experience, Lively Minds is a UK-based podcast about mental health challenges that go beyond the ebb and flow of the everyday.
Hosts: Ellie Page and Will Sadler present a show that is less about how we deal with our mental health problems, and more about how we understand them in the first place.
In our first season, we will be talking with Clinical Psychologist Karen Lowinger about High Functioning Mental Health problems, therapist and fellow podcaster Stuart Ralph about one of the most misunderstood of all mental health conditions: OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Professor William Tov about the definition of 'happiness', Jake Dunn about men’s mental health groups and the responsibility of communities to look after one another’s mental wellbeing, Dolly Sen about whether ‘mental illness’ even exists and Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen about how mental health intersects with spirituality and gender.
To find out more about our show and for signposting to mental health support visit www.anyamedia.net/livelyminds
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