Lively Minds, the UK Mental Health Podcast

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 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 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/ 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 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 informationFollow @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 OCD Stories PodcastIOCDF’s response 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

A podcast update! Listen | Donate | Connect at www.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 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 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...

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...

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. 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 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 articleneurotypical brains are more alike than neurodivergent brains.Is it ADHD or Trauma? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Autistic PeopleNeurodiversity and BullyingEvidence that 9 out of 10 Autistic Women have been Victims of Sexual ViolenceChildhood adversity may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHDTrauma exposure in children with and without ADHD: prevalence and functional impairment in a community-based study of 6–8-year-old Australian childrenthe impact of trauma on the developing brainhow stress can impact brain developmentScattered Minds

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. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and more at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds 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