Maudsley Learning Podcast

Dr Ben Underwood is Assistant Professor in Applied and Translational Old Age Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and an Honorary Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist. His interests are in translational medicine in dementia, where he has been principal investigator (PI) for academic and pharma led clinical trials.Today we discuss:Trajectories of Common Mental Health Problems into Older Age, how mental health issues such as depression or psychosis evolve as people age.Dementia and Its Different Types, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.Dementia Prevention,  strategies for reducing risk and managing symptoms, including lifestyle interventions and early detection.How Dementia is Treated, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. The Advent of AI in Psychiatric Research, exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming diagnosis, treatment prediction, and mental health monitoring.Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Stefan Stern has been writing about management and leadership for over two decades. He has worked for the BBC, Management Today magazine and the Financial Times, He continues to write for the FT, the Guardian and other publications. He is Visiting Professor in management practice at Bayes Business School, City University, London. He was previously the director of the High Pay Centre, a think tank which focuses on the causes and consequences of economic inequality. Stefan is the author of  How To Be A Better Leader,  the co-author of Myths of Management and most recently has written Fair or Foul: The Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Robin Ince is a comedian, author, broadcaster and a populariser of scientific ideas. He is best known as the co-host of the BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage with Professor Brian Cox. His new book Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal: My adventures in neurodiversity is out now. Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova and Dr. Alex Curmi - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastIf you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Dr Alan Baban is a writer, psychiatrist and BPC registered psychoanalytic psychotherapist, and he is the Chair of the Art and Psychiatry Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatry. Today we discuss:- What makes psychoanalysis different from other therapies- Different unconscious drives people have - What a psychoanalytic session looks like- The many benefits of free association - How art can help people understand the human experience- The acclaimed Netflix series Adolescence Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Alex discusses his relationship with alclohol, how and why he chose to go sober, as well as recent cultural trends around drinking and observations on how society deals with the problem of alcohol. He also discussed some tools and mindsets you could adopt in an effort to reduce drinking or any other undesirable habit. Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok @thinking.mind.podcastTime Magazine Article: https://time.com/7203140/gen-z-drinking-less-alcohol/?utm_source=chatgpt.comNY Resolution / Behaviour Change Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1nTR2YzPj1yyO3UzUAv9mO?si=4RCE48uPT3yPDGNb4Y1BzAhttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/why-new-years-resolutions-fail-and-what-to-do-instead/id1466932169?i=1000682468734

Dr. Russell Ramsay is a co-founder of the Penn Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, and served as professor of clinical psychology in the department of psychiatry of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.He is author of many books on ADHD, his most recent book is Rethinking Adult ADHD: Helping Clients Turn Intentions into Actions (2020). In addition he has a popular blog on psychology today, rethinking adult ADHD. Find out more about Dr. Ramsay here - https://www.cbt4adhd.com/about/In today's episode we discuss, what it means to be diagnosed with ADHD, how patients should consider whether or not to take medication, how ADHD can be treated psychologically, how CBT should be adapted for ADHD, how people can improve their focus and much more. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Alex's latest Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/31/the-big-idea-should-you-trust-your-gutTedX conference tickets: https://tedxlondonbusinessschool.co.uk/If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Mary Morgan is an individual and couples psychoanalyst, Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society and Honorary Member of the Polish Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. She has written extensively in the field of couple psychoanalysis and teaches and supervises internationally. She is the author of ‘A Couple State of Mind: Psychoanalysis of Couples and the Tavistock Relationships Model' .In this episode we discuss: - How and why couples commonly run into problems- Typical difficulties with communication people have - The impact of the "romantic ideal" on relationships in the West- How trends like non-monogamy impact modern couples - Red flags a relationship is in trobule - Green flags couples therapy is progressing wellInterviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Dr Livia Martucci is a consultant in perinatal psychiatry, and is the clinical lead for perinatal services in South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. She is experienced in assessment and management of many common and complex mental health problems including anxiety, panic, OCD, depression and other disorders such as Bipolar Disorder as well as psychotic illnesses, both in the perinatal period and more generally in men and women, and has experience of partners/fathers with antenatal and postnatal anxiety or depression. She has worked with mother and infant dyads providing parent infant psychotherapy.She is currently chair of the faculty of perinatal psychiatry for the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Disclaimer: None of the information discussed in this podcast is intended as individual medical advice, changes to medication plans should always be made via discussion with the prescriber.  Abrupt withdrawal of medication can cause serious adverse effects. 

Dr Awais Aftab is a psychiatrist in Cleveland, Ohio and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University. He is the author of Conversations in Critical Psychiatry - a 2024 Oxford University Press book, based on a series in the Psychiatric Times - https://www.awaisaftab.com/conversations-in-critical-psychiatry.html.  He also writes Psychiatry at the Margins, a  substack newsletter exploring critical, philosophical, and scientific debates in psychiatric practice and the psy-sciences (https://www.psychiatrymargins.com/)Our conversation today explores the role of philosophy in psychiatry, the nature of psychiatric diagnoses and their limitations, Dr Aftab's view on mental illness as "medical conditions" and how biological, psychological and social factors contribute to mental health difficulties. Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Professor Brendan Kelly is a leading psychiatrist, author, and researcher. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin and Consultant Psychiatrist at Tallaght University Hospital.  He has authored over 20 books, including, The Science of Happiness, The Modern Psychiatrist's Guide to Contemporary Practice and Resilience: Lessons from Sir William Wilde on Life After Covid. Among other things, in this episode we explore the complex relationship between happiness, society, and mental health. We discuss the different kinds of happiness and the common pitfalls people encounter when chasing it and the balance between individual responsibility and societal influence in shaping mental health. Brendan also shares insights from his background in Buddhism, including the belief that there is no fixed ‘self' and how this perspective can lead to a more mentally balanced life.You can access Brendan's book The Modern Psychiatrist's Guide to Contemporary Practice for free here:https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mono/10.4324/9781003378495/modern-psychiatrist-guide-contemporary-practice-brendan-kellyInterviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Professor David Taylor is Director of Pharmacy and Pathology at the Maudsley Hospital and Professor of Psychopharmacology at KCL. David is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. Professor Taylor has been the lead author of the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines since their inception in 1993. David has also authored over 375 clinical papers in journals such as the Lancet, BMJ, JAMA Psychiatry, British Journal of Psychiatry and Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Today we discuss: - What the science says about the effectiveness of anti-depressants.- Evidence based principles for prescribing anti-depressants safely. - Common side effects and withdrawal symptoms. - Do anti-depressants work via so called "emotional numbing" effects?- The use of anti-depressants for other conditions such as OCD and PTSD. - Emerging treatments for depression such as ketamine and psilocybin. - New treatments for psychosis such as KarXT (Cobenfy). Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast 

Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT) is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapy designed to enhance a person's ability to mentalise, especially in emotionally intense situations. It was developed by today's guests Prof. Peter Fonagy and Prof. Anthony Bateman for treating borderline personality difficulties (BPD) but has since been adapted for other mental health conditions, including anti-social and narcissistic personality difficulties, eating disorders and more. Today we discuss: - What does it mean to mentalise? - Do we have a problem with mentalising in our society?- Useful definitions of Personality & Personality Disorder.- How early attachment relationships influence our psychological health.- What an MBT session looks like.- Some of the research that has been done and that is planned on the effectiveness of MBT. - The potential utility of combining MBT with psychedelics. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Today Alex discusses the concept of self-esteem; including core components of self-esteem, how poor self-esteem can affect your life and how people's self-esteem becomes disrupted through the lens of different psychological theories. We also discuss different interventions one could consider to improve their self-esteem, any why good self-esteem is essential for a successful life. Further reading:The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel BrandenNeurosis and Human Growth by Karen HorneyOn Becoming a Person by Carl RogersGestalt therapy – excitement and growth of the human personality  by PerlsHefferline, GoodmanGames people Play by Eric BerneI'm OK - you're OK by Thomas HarrisAudio-essay by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok @thinking.mind.podcast

Adam Lane Smith is a renowned Attachment Specialist with over 15 years of experience in psychology and relationships. Formerly a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, he has dedicated his career to helping individuals and couples overcome attachment issues and build secure, meaningful connections. Adam has worked with a diverse clientele, including death row inmates and Fortune 500 executives. Adam has his own podcast and youtube channel with over 100k subscribers, though which he aims to educate as many people as possible about the art and science of attachment. Today we discuss:Some of his more recent Tweets about the limits of self-love, the importance of health aggression and the danger of repeating unconcious childhood patterns in adulthood. Common attachment patterns and their fascinating underlying biology. The right and wrong reasons to pursue content creation, and how to ethically pursue content creation to augment your business. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line. Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) is a barrister at 39 Essex Chambers in London, specializing in mental capacity, mental health, and healthcare law. In recognition of his significant contributions beyond the courtroom, Alex was appointed Honorary King's Counsel in March 2022. Beyond his legal practice, Alex is involved in academia and policy development. He serves as a Professor of Practice at the Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London, and as a Visiting Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London. Alex has been instrumental in shaping mental health and capacity law policy. He was a consultant to the Law Commission's Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Project and served as the legal adviser to the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983 in 2018. Today we discuss:What is the purpose of the mental health act? What does it mean to be sectioned? What are the safeguards and appeals available to sectioned patients? How to think about complex questions legally like suicide and assisted dying The pressures mental health professionals face when making legal decisions What is  the legal concept of “Capacity”? Warning: This conversation includes frank discussion about serious matters such as suicide and assisted dying. You can find out more about Alex's work here: https://www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk/about-the-author/Further accessible resources regarding the mental health act: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/mental-health-act-1983/mental-health-act-faqs/If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Joanna Moncrieff is a British psychiatrist, researcher, and professor of critical and social psychiatry at University College London (UCL). She is widely recognised for her critical perspectives on psychiatric medication and the biomedical model of mental health. Her work challenges conventional ideas about the role of drugs like antidepressants and antipsychotics, advocating instead for a nuanced understanding of their effects. She has authored several books, including The Myth of the Chemical Cure , A Straight Talking Introduction to Psychiatric Drugs, and Chemically Imbalanced: the Making and Unmaking of the Serotinin Myth and has published numerous academic papers, such as her notable 2022 paper on the serotonin hypothesis of depression. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. Prof. Moncrieff's new book Chemically Imbalanced can be found here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chemically-Imbalanced-Making-Unmaking-Serotonin/dp/180399679XStudies discussed during the podcast:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01661-0 - the serotonin paperhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-024-02462-3 - critiquing "biological depression"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37778356/ - the RADAR study of anti-psychoticshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23824214/ - the Dutch study of anti-psychotic reductionIf you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastDisclaimer: None of the information discussed in this podcast is intended as individual medical advice, changes to medication plans should always be made via discussion with the prescriber. Abrupt withdrawal of medicaion can cause serious adverse effects. 

Richard Benthall is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Sheffield in the UK. His research has focusued on the psychological mechanisms of severe mental illness (such as hallucinations and delusions) and social factors that affect these conditions. His work along with the work of other researchers is responsible for psychological interventions (such as cognitive behaviour therapy) being included in national guidelines for the treatment of psychotic type conditions. Bentall along with some collaborators also published a meta analysis in 2012 suggesting strongly that trauma is an important risk factor for developing psychotic conditions:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3406538/Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Dr. Adam Hunt (PhD) is a post-doc researcher at the University of Cambridge and the host of the Evolving Psychiatry podcast which provides interviews, insights and an introduction to evolutionary psychiatry, with guest appearances from leading academics and psychiatrists.His upcoming book Specialised Minds which seeks to explains the existence of long term, common mental disorders, and common personality traits as products of the same evolutionary process, specifically of cognitive specialisation.You can learn more about Adam's work here:https://www.adamhunt.info/Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Today Alex chats with Dr. Alex Meaburn, a speciality doctor in psychiatry who has been working on the podcast behind the scenes. They discuss some of the limitations of psychiatry including problems with the biomedical model of depression, social-cultural reasons for mental health problems, crticisms of anti-depressants, dysfunctional attitudes towards suffering, the pros and cons of psychotherapy, the value of medication for ADHD and much more. Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

This podcast is a guide to making any kind of resolution towards long term behaviour change. It includes a step by step guide to implementing a new behaviour including choosing an area to work on, framing your resolution appropriately, setting an intention, making a plan, measuring your results, leveraging positive and negative emotions to your advantage, anticipating identity level change, and much more. Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to work with Alex for a set for coaching sessions you can email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com and put "New Year's Resolution" in the subject line.If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com and put "Therapy Enquiry" in the subject line. Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

This week's episode is a live Q & A recorded at Trinity Rugby Club in South London. Dr. Alex is interviewed by Andrew Edwards the Director of Rugby at the club and they discuss various topics such as:- Modern problems men face- Difficulties with dating and relationships- Preventing anxiety and depression- Making friends with failure- The value of introspection - The importance of facing conflict directly- Using aggression in a healthy way And much more. Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastTrinity RFC are a rugby club working hard to promote a positive culture in sport and improve player welfare. You can find out more about Trinity here: https://trinityrfc.com/

Dr Hamilton Morrin is a psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and an NIHR academic clinical fellow at King's College London researching neuropsychiatric disorders using neurotechnology. He is a Trustee for Gaming the Mind, a charity that promotes positive mental health within the gaming community and the games industry by raising awareness of mental health challenges and reducing the stigma surrounding these issues.Find out more here:gamingthemind.orgBlueSky/X: @gamingthemind @HamiltonMorrinInterviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Mark Horowitz is a training psychiatrist, now working as a Clinical Research Fellow at UCL. He is an Associate Editor of the journal Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology and has edited a collection of papers in the journal on Discontinuing PsychiatricMedication. He has a PhD in psychopharmacology and the neurobiology of depression from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London. He also co-wrote the Maudsley Deprescribing guidelines.Mark has his own blog https://markhorowitz.org/ and has written in the media about his own personal experiences with antidepressant withdrawal syndrome.Today we discuss:The problems with viewing depression primarily through a biomedical lens The causes of depressionThe limitations of anti-depressants, the risks of withdrawal symptoms when stopping them and Mark's own personal experiences with thisSome useful principles in how to wean off psychiatric medications safely if you are considering doing soInterviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Matilda Gosling is an author, social scientist and researcher, with two books that cover parenting, development and mental health. Evidence-Based Parenting came out in January 2024, and Teenagers: The Evidence Base will be published in the new year. Her latest book uses evidence from social and experimental psychology, neuroscience, family systems and adolescent development (among others) to examine parent-teenager relationships, the online world and other connections, mood and maturity, mental health and resilience, risk, and the building blocks needed to become a healthy adult. Today we discuss both of her books, including topics such as different parenting styles, the psychological function of adolesence, how to guide teenagers with regards to drugs and alcohol, supporting children in terms of their life path, the problem of social contagion amongst teenagers and much more.You can find out more about Matilda's work here:https://www.matildagosling.com/ Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

This week we're taking a well deserved break, so if you're looking for something to listen to you can check out one of our recent episodes - including our episode last week breaking down the factors that make for successful psychotherapy, our recent conversation exploring the fundamentals of self-development, and our November episode illustrating 8 lessons we learned making our first 100 episodes, which are applicable to anyone considering embarking on a change in their career, or a creative side-project. Any and all feedback, questions, comments or suggestions can be sent to thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com. If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmindThanks for listening and see you next week!

Today Alex discusses 16 factors common to most kinds of therapy which help people to improve the quality of their lives including skills development, gaining new insights about old patterns, forming a reparative relationship with the therapist, being challenged, having their experiences normalised and much more.The book referenced in this podcast is Integration in Counselling & Psychotherapy by Lapworth, Sills and Fish (2001).  Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. He is also a UKCP registered training psychotherapist, and has a special interest in mindfulness meditation. If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Today Alex chats with Dr. Alex Meaburn, a speciality doctor in psychiatry who has been working on the podcast behind the scenes. They discuss some of the fundamentals of self-development including how to audit your time, break out of unhelpful patterns, some of the problems of modern living, the importance to cultivating your intuition, why play is fundamental to our lives, and much more. If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

What is the effect of nature on our mental health? Today Alex speaks with Prof. Chris Dayson & Dr. Anette Haywood, who have conducted research involving 8000 people, who were given nature-based interventions (such as nature walks, community gardening, tree planting and wild swimming) to help them with their mental health difficulties across seven different sites in the UK.See below link to an article about their work: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/sep/04/better-than-medication-prescribing-nature-works-project-shows If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

In this episode Alex discusses 8 lessons he learned from making the first 100 episodes of the podcast, including how to deal with success and failure, internal and external obstacles, creativity, peristence and much more. Audio-Essay by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. He is also a UKCP registered training psychotherapist, and has a special interest in mindfulness meditation. If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind 

In this week's podcast we discuss five different problems facing the modern world, including the decline in critical thinking, political polarisation, the overreliance on technology and more, and how they are contributing to a rise in mental health problems. Audio-Essay by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Nancy Gee, Ph.D is a Professor of Psychiatry in Human Animal Interaction, and the Director of the Centre for Human Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA. The Centre is the only one of its kind to be housed in a School of Medicine, and in addition to research and educational activities it also houses the “Dogs On Call” therapy dog program. With over 90 DOC volunteer dog-and-handler teams, this program engages in upwards of 100,000 meaningful interactions with patients, staff, and students in the VCU Health system during a typical year.  Nancy is  also the co-editor of “The Role of Companion Animals in the Treatment of Mental Disorders”.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind.

This is a recording of a Q & A session at Riddlesdown collegiate, a secondary school in South London. For this session, specifically aimed at male staff, Alex was interviewed by Deputy Head of College Andrew Edwards. Today we cover topics including male mental health issues, lifestyle factors influencing mental health, work life balance, the economics of discomfort, the signs of burnout, cultural trends affecting dating & relationships, criticial thinking and much more. If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind.

Send us a textDr. Camilla Nord leads the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab at the University of Cambridge, where she holds dual positions as Programme Leader at the  Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Department of Psychiatry. She also holds a Wellcome Career Development Award fellowship, and co-leads an international team of researchers via a Wellcome Mental Health Award. Dr Nord has a longstanding interest in science communication, including many public lectures and a popular science book, The Balanced Brain (Penguin, 2023), a Financial Times, Sunday Times, and Prospect 'Book of the Year'.This episode was made possible by the Royal College of Psychiatrists Academic Faculty and the Margaret Slack Travelling Fellowship.  Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Send us a textProf. Ulrike Schmidt is a Professor of Eating Disorders and Director of the Centre for Research on Eating and Weight Disorders at King's College London. She is also a Consultant Psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Ulrike works to understand fundamental biology and psychological determinants of eating and weight disorders, including obesity. Her research includes multiple trials of new treatments and led to the development of MANTRA, a NICE-recommended psychotherapy for people with anorexia nervosa.She has also led the development and research on FREED, First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders a multi-award winning early intervention programme for young people with eating disorders, initially trialled in a few locations in the UK which was so successful it has now been rolled out nationally in England.Today we discuss:The most important distinctions between different eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders.The most important biological, psychological, social and cultural risk factors for developing such a disorder.What the path to recovery looks like.The FREED the treatment pathway professor Schmidt has done a lot of work onPotential novel treatments for eating disorders such as neuromodulation treatments and psychedelic treatments. To find out more about FREED:www.inspirethemind.org/post/early-intervention-for-eating-disorders-grounds-to-celebrateTo find out more about MANTRA:https://mantraweb.co.uk/Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind.

Send us a textDr Tennyson Lee is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy and General Adult Psychiatry. He is a psychoanalyst and a member of the Institute of Psychoanalysis. He is a supervisor in Transference Focused Psychotherapy. He is presently clinical lead at the Dean Cross Personality Disorder Service in East London. He is Co-director of a research and training unit, the Centre for Understanding Personality (CUSP) which has a number of collaborations internationally, including with colleagues in China, Europe and South Africa.Dr Lee trained in Public Health before training in psychiatry and has a particular interest in the broader application of psychoanalytic thinking both clinically and within health systems. He has over 40 peer reviewed papers.You can find out more about the Dean Cross Personality Service Here:https://www.elft.nhs.uk/services/deancross-personality-disorder-serviceInterviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Send us a textThis week we're taking a well deserved break, so if you're looking for something to listen to you can check out one of our recent episodes - including our recent interview with Dr. Roberto Mezzina about the Triste model of mental healthcare, our recent compherensive guide to ADHD or our recent Q and A episode where answered questions about topics like self-harm, addiction, delusional disorder and much more. We realy enjoyed doing the Q and A episode and we're collecting questions for the next one, so if you have any questions about psychiatry, psychology, self-development or related topics you can send them to thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com. In addition - we've started a tik tok page and we're posting content there regularly so if you're on tik tok you can follow us at thinking.mind.podcast.Thanks for listening and see you next week!

Send us a textIn this episode we discuss ADHD in depth, including the common signs and symptoms, how ADHD is diagnosed, the common risk factors and how ADHD symptoms can be managed both with and without medication. We also discuss whether or not ADHD is over diagnosed, whether ADHD being induced by our lifestyles, and common signs of impairment due to ADHD. Useful links:https://www.additudemag.com/https://adhduk.co.uk/https://aadduk.org/Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Send us a textRoberto Mezzina is an Italian psychiatrist and a prominent figure in the field of mental health, known for his leadership in promoting community-based mental health care and his role in advancing the principles of the Trieste Model. Mezzina has been a strong advocate for deinstitutionalization and the rights of people with mental health conditions, continuing the legacy of Franco Basaglia, the pioneer of the Trieste Model.Throughout his career, Mezzina has worked to implement and expand the Trieste Model's humanistic and community-focused approach to mental health care, both in Italy and internationally. He has held key positions, including serving as the Director of the Department of Mental Health in Trieste. Under his leadership, Trieste became a global reference point for innovative mental health practices.To learn more about the Trieste model go here:https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/piis2215-0366(21)00252-2/fulltextInterviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Send us a Text Message.Today Alex answers listener questions on a variety of topics including self-harm, talking to complicated people, the function of dark humour, delusional disorder and benzodiazepene addiction. If you would like to submit a question to a future ask me anything episode, email thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com. Dr. Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Send us a Text Message.Sam Kotadia is a Chartered Sports Psychologist. He has worked with high profile clubs such as Colchester FC and currently Wrexham FC, and has featured on the Disney documentary about the club and town “Welcome to Wrexham”. He also oversees the flagship programme at Empire Fighting Chance (https://www.empirefightingchance.org/), a Bristol-based charity. Sam developed a non-contact boxing programme to help disengaged young people understand resilience and their mind. They work with 5000 young people per year. We discuss Sam's approach to and ideas about the mind, developed over 20 years of working with footballers and boxers at both an elite and youth level. We discuss the practicalities of applying these and how they can complement the contrasting approaches that sports coaches and managers can bring. Sam can be reached on sam@samkotadia.com.Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of the Insecure Overachiever—a driven, high-performing individual whose success is rooted in insecurity and self-doubt. We'll explore how this psychological pattern manifests in both popular culture and professional environments, from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to high-profile law firms, to Simone Biles and the healthcare industry. We'll also discuss the importance of self-esteem, the dangers of relying on external validation, and practical steps to develop a healthy, balanced approach to achievement. Whether you're striving for success or seeking to understand your relationship with it, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable advice to help you achieve from a place of psychological strength.Audio-Essay by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Send us a Text Message.Prentis Hemphill is a writer, an embodiment facilitator, political organiser andtherapist. Prentis has offered embodied practice during moments of social unrest and organisational upheaval, serving as the Healing Justice Director of Black Lives Matter Global Network from 2016 to 2018.Their work and writing have appeared in the New York Times, and the Huffington Post.They are a contributor to “You are Your Best Thing”, edited by Tarana Burke andBrene Brown, “Holding Change” by adrienne maree brown, and “The Politics ofTrauma” by Staci Haines. They host the podcast “Becoming the People.” On this episode, we discuss their debut book “What it Takes to Heal”, released in the UK on 25 July 2024. We discuss what Prentis' practice of somatics in social movement organisations and with individuals can look like, why personal healing and social change need each other, and Prentis' hopes for the future.  Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Allen Frances is an American psychiatrist and psychotherapist. He is currently Professor Emeritus of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. He is best known for serving as chair of the task force overseeing the development of the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).  Frances is the founding editor of two well-known psychiatric journals: the Journal of Personality Disorders and the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. He is also the author of Saving Normal (2013) and Twilight of American Sanity : A Psychiatrist Analyzes the Age of Trump (2017).Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

This week Alex dissects the 1999 Sam Mendes classic "American Beauty", exploring the lives of the Burnham family and their neighbors, delving into themes of suburban superficiality, repressed desires, and the search for meaning in modern life. We also discuss the process of personality growth and individuation, and why its so important to continuing growing psycholgoically across the lifespan. Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Alex chats about how our backgrounds shape us and how we can use different ideas psychiatry, psychotherapy and philosophy to make sense of it all. We'll break down the idea that "It's not your fault but it is your responsibility," and explore how finding the right balance between acceptance and responsibility can help us lead better lives.Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Alex chats about the distinctions between coaching and therapy through the lens of the "accelerator vs. brake" analogy. Whether you're trying to overcome a personal challenge, find a fulfilling career, or break a habit, understanding when to press the accelerator (taking action and making changes in the external world) versus when to release the brake (addressing internal psychological barriers) is crucial. In this episode we explore real-life examples, practical applications, and the delicate balance between inner work and outer action. Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Psychotherapist Arie Winograd (LMFT) has spent the vast majority of his 25-year psychotherapy career treating clients with body dysmorphic disorder. He founded and was the director of the Los Angeles BDD & Body Image Clinic. He is the author of Face to Face with Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Psychotherapy and Clinical Insights. He currently works with BDD clients in his private practice. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Professor Anthony David trained in neurology before entering psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital in London. He was the Vice Dean for Academic Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) from 2013 to 2018. In 2018, Professor David joined University College London (UCL) as the Director of the Institute of Mental Health.He has a wide and diverse range of research interests, including schizophrenia, neuropsychiatry, medically unexplained syndromes, and neuroimaging. Professor David is the author of over 650 publications in peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals and has also co-authored several books. He also authored Into the Abyss: a neuropsychiatrist's notes on troubled minds: https://oneworld-publications.com/work/into-the-abyss/.Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Dr. Benjiman Waterhouse is a consultant psychiatrist. He is also an award-winning stand-up comedian. He has written for the Guardian and Independent and was included in a list of ‘Inspiring Psychiatrists' by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. You Don't Have to Be Mad to Work Here, his first book, was released in May 2024In this episode we discuss the ups and downs of psychiatry training, his experiences with psychotherapy, common misconceptions about mental illness, some of the problems with modern psychiatry and our cultural understanding of mental illness , the potential value of psychedelics, the placebo effect and much more. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

Professor Henry O'Connell is a Consultant Psychiatrist working in Portlaoise, Ireland and Associate Clinical Professor with the School of Medicine at the University of Limerick. Henry has a special interest in how principles of evolutionary psychology can be applied to psychiatry, mental health and illness and medical education. Henry was isthe founding chair of the college of psychiatrists of Ireland Evolutionary Psychiatry special interest group in 2021 . In 2022 he published his a textbook Evolution and Psychiatry: Clinical Cases.Useful links:https://irishpsychiatry.ie/members/special-interest-groups/evolution-and-psychiatry-special-interest-group/https://www.wpanet.org/evolutionary-psychiatry#https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/members/special-interest-groups/evolutionary-psychiatryhttps://substack.com/@epsig?r=2dzwd8&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profileToday we discuss among other topics:- What it means to take an evolutionary approach in psychiatry- The difference between proximate and ultimate causes of mental illness- The notion of evolutionary mismatch - Evolutionary perspectives on psychosis, anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, bipolar disoderInterviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

What if the biggest obstacle in your way was yourself?  If this were true and it was something you took seriously, it would have major implications about the way you conducted yourself. It would also mean reflecting on your decisions, and the overarching patterns of your life might be one of the most important things you could do. Today we discuss the many routes to self-sabotage, including evolutionary reasons, fear of change,  the repetition compulsion and much more. Audio-Essay by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Curmi is a consultant general adult psychiatrist with a sub-speciality in addictions who completed his training in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. In addition to general adult psychiatry he has a special interest in psychotherapy and mindfulness meditation.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupIf you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.comSUPPORT THE PODCAST: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind